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MyopicPaideia

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Mar 19, 2011
2,155
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Sweden
Arrived this morning. First impressions are good. Here is a comparison picture on top of my 2015 rMB keyboard:

IMG_2721.JPG
 

ascender

macrumors 603
Dec 8, 2005
5,025
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Thanks for the pic. So that's not too far off being what passed for a full sized keyboard these days. I do wonder if the 10.5 plus iOS 11 is going to be the point where a larger number of laptop owners consider the iPad as a replacement.
 
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MyopicPaideia

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Mar 19, 2011
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Yep, noticeably bigger than the 9.7" ASK. Felt very natural to type on when I did some dummy typing. The 12.9" ASK is slightly wider than the rMB keyboard, to give a relative size comparison.

This could be good. I am definitely going to get a free developer account and download the iOS 11 beta immediately and see if the iPP can actually hack it as a viable replacement....
 

ascender

macrumors 603
Dec 8, 2005
5,025
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I tried replacing my laptop with a 12.9" when it first came out but it just wasn't quite there. iOS11 in particular makes me think its maybe worth considering this again. I'd like to go and see them in store because coming from a 13" laptop screen, I'm still thinking the 12.9 is the one to go for, but maybe the increased resolution of the 10.5" means its a better option.

Part of the problem of going for a 12.9" for me would be that my iPad gets used a lot around the house for web browsing and reading - thew 12.9" is just too big for that in my opinion. So would I end up buying a normal iPad for that? Seems a waste... Maybe the 10.5 is the sweet spot after all....
 

comics addict

macrumors 6502a
Feb 16, 2013
624
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Hi do you have by any chance a 9.7 iPad Pro that you can test wether it would be compatible with the new Smart Keyboard?
 

ninaco

macrumors 6502
Mar 11, 2012
335
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VA
Does the AFK cover the back & front of the iPad when the iPad's not in use?
 

cwosigns

macrumors 68020
Jul 8, 2008
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Columbus,OH
I just got mine and it feels so small in comparison to my 12.9" ASK. I'm hoping the 10.5" is indeed the sweet spot between my Air 2 and the IPP 12.9" that I bought last year.
 

MyopicPaideia

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Mar 19, 2011
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Does the AFK cover the back & front of the iPad when the iPad's not in use?
No, just the front like a smart cover.
[doublepost=1496855176][/doublepost]
I just got mine and it feels so small in comparison to my 12.9" ASK. I'm hoping the 10.5" is indeed the sweet spot between my Air 2 and the IPP 12.9" that I bought last year.
Ha ha ha, everything is relative, eh? It feels big compared to the 9.7" ASK. The 12.9" felt gargantuan to me, being that is is actually wider than the rMB keyboard. I think it will be comfortable to use, it certainly feels natural enough to rest home row on.
 
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sledgehammer89

macrumors 6502
Jan 22, 2009
385
325
where a larger number of laptop owners consider the iPad as a replacement.
Even with iOS 11 no one can create a SD-Card for a Raspberry. Can't bulk-edit Metadata of MP3, PDF, other files....
Don't have a Shell for bulk-actions. Even can't reduce the size of many photos at once. Can't access Photo library with Files App and many many other little things, everyone forgets when start discussing if an iPad can replace a laptop. Not with iOS 11.0.
 
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MyopicPaideia

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Any chance you could weigh the smart keyboard? I'm hoping that the combination of 10.5 and keyboard will be substantially lighter than my rMB
245g according to my postage machine, so should be pretty accurate :) 477g (LTE) + 245g = 722g making it a full 200g lighter than the rMB (920g) and at 250,6mm x 174,1 cm will be significantly smaller than the rMB's footprint, which is 280,5mm x 196,5mm
 

Nmeyrick

macrumors member
Apr 10, 2015
46
18
245g according to my postage machine, so should be pretty accurate :) 477g (LTE) + 245g = 722g making it a full 200g lighter than the rMB (920g) and at 250,6mm x 174,1 cm will be significantly smaller than the rMB's footprint, which is 280,5mm x 196,5mm

Fantastic, thanks - so only marginally heavier than the 9.7 keyboard. Very helpful
 
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MyopicPaideia

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Mar 19, 2011
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Sweden
245g according to my postage machine, so should be pretty accurate :) 477g (LTE) + 245g = 722g making it a full 200g lighter than the rMB (920g) and at 250,6mm x 174,1 cm will be significantly smaller than the rMB's footprint, which is 280,5mm x 196,5mm
Exactly. And, @Aluminum213 - the 10.5" ASK does in fact work with the 9.7" Pro. I was just in an authorised Apple retailer called MacForum in Gothenburg, Sweden a few minutes ago and tested it out and took som pics:

IMG_1854.JPG
IMG_1855.JPG
IMG_1856.JPG
IMG_1857.JPG


It is basically only slightly larger overall, but the keys are still noticeably bigger and more spaced out. That last picture is of the 9.7" Pro connected to the 10.5" ASK and it worked as expected, meaning well. :)
 

onepoint

macrumors 6502a
Aug 3, 2010
859
569
USA
They must have showed a glimpse of a European keyboard during the keynote; I was wondering why the Return key looked odd to me.
 
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MyopicPaideia

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Mar 19, 2011
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That keyboard looks pretty sharp. I may have to give in and get it.

One question. How is the key resistance and rebound? Similar to an Apple wireless keyboard, or more towards the new MacBook Pros?
If I would have to choose one it would be more towards the new Macbook Pros, but it doesn't really feel like either of your examples. Travel is definitely more similar to the MBPs but the rebound is different being the it is a fabric keyboard.

It does feel exactly the same as the previous Smart Keyboards in 12.9" and 9.7" if you've ever used them before.
 

Appleaker

macrumors 68020
Jun 13, 2016
2,197
4,194
Yep, noticeably bigger than the 9.7" ASK. Felt very natural to type on when I did some dummy typing. The 12.9" ASK is slightly wider than the rMB keyboard, to give a relative size comparison.

This could be good. I am definitely going to get a free developer account and download the iOS 11 beta immediately and see if the iPP can actually hack it as a viable replacement....
That's good to hear, the 9.7" feels a bit cramped and the whole experience of the 9.7" iPP felt like they were trying to make it into a Pro, but multiple things meant that it couldn't quite be at the same level (Although i'm not saying the 9.7" is bad in any way - i'm an owner and I love it). I just think the keyboard, screen real estate, RAM, and no USB 3 meant it left things to be desired from the larger model.

I don't see the need to replace my computer. I think they're both good, and having a 12" MacBook especially means that it will be worth keeping due to the portability. An iPad is a tablet first and a MacBook is a computer first. That's just my personal opinion though.
 

Rafterman

Contributor
Apr 23, 2010
7,267
8,809
Apple should license Microsoft's Surface's keyboards for iPads. Thinner, flat (doesn't have that bump fold like the Apple Smart keyboards do) and backlit. They even have a mousepad and fingerprint sensor.
 
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MyopicPaideia

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Mar 19, 2011
2,155
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Sweden
That's good to hear, the 9.7" feels a bit cramped and the whole experience of the 9.7" iPP felt like they were trying to make it into a Pro, but multiple things meant that it couldn't quite be at the same level (Although i'm not saying the 9.7" is bad in any way - i'm an owner and I love it). I just think the keyboard, screen real estate, RAM, and no USB 3 meant it left things to be desired from the larger model.

I don't see the need to replace my computer. I think they're both good, and having a 12" MacBook especially means that it will be worth keeping due to the portability. An iPad is a tablet first and a MacBook is a computer first. That's just my personal opinion though.

Don't disagree at all, really. However, the iPad's form factor has so much potential as the future of computing though, which is what makes it so attractive due to its flexibility compared to a traditional laptop. Infinitely more portable because of its notepad-like form factor, it isn't beholden to a keyboard and thus can be more easily used standing up, laying down, in cramped areas on a commute or waiting in line. It is basically better to use everywhere except sitting at a desk.

If it can also be good sitting at a desk with a keyboard, then it should be by definition the form factor of choice.

All that has really held it back is the software and OS features accessible to the end user. iOS 11 looks to finally be changing that limitation.
 
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