iPad Pro: the Smart Keyboard is MIA (Credit: Apple)
The iPad Pro has landed. But it has landed without its landing gear fully deployed. That's how I would describe, in part, my experience so far with
I've been scratching my head trying to figure out why Apple would launch a laptop-replacement tablet (characterization courtesy of CEO Tim Cook) but fail to deliver the other half, the Smart Keyboard. As of Friday November 20, it's listed as "Available to ship: 4-5 weeks." I'm fine with a virtual keyboard (which I'm using now and which is bigger and better on the Pro) for short bursts of communication and writing but the Smart Keyboard is essential for anything that approaches long-form writing or lots of data input. (And I don't like Logitech's solution: it's too big/heavy and lacks Apple's design savvy.)
The ultimate tablet? With that quibbling out of the way, now the good news. Man, what have I been missing all these years, staring at a 9.7-inch (or smaller) screen? Everything is better: websites, browsing, video, writing, working...everything. I understand that not everyone sees it that way. Some reviewers have panned it for being over-sized, unwieldy, and confusing. But I get it. As in, I see why Apple built it and I see where it fits in the scheme of things.
So, where does it fit exactly? (1) Laptop replacement: it's a part-time laptop. If you're mobile/traveling and don't need access to a lot of legacy (i.e., incompatible) applications, it may be a good fit. It manages to be big without being heavy. Though it has a roomy 13-inch class display, it's only about 1.6 pounds (a little over 2 pounds with the Smart Keyboard). Battery life also makes it a good stand-in for a laptop. So far the run down time makes my MacBook Pro 13 Retina feel like an energy sieve. And I'm guessing it will beat most lappies, save the ones with dual battery support. (2) Media consumption device: it's really hard to go back to the iPad Air after watching video on the Pro. Instant obsolescence for me. (3) Artists/Designers (Apple Pencil): I'm not qualified to write about the Pencil but I can say that it's the one aspect of the iPad Pro that has received unstinting universal praise.
Look at it this way (beyond the specifics): let's say you spent the last five years or so using a laptop with a tiny 9.7-inch screen (because all laptops had small screens) then one day a company had the bright idea of building one with a 13-inch screen. I'm guessing you'd be dancing in the streets. Again, I completely get why Apple made this thing. My iPad Air 2 has been sidelined and it will be gathering dust for the foreseeable future.
