New iPad Pro with TrackPad

[vdubtx]

My iPad Air 2 finally gave up the ghost this weekend. Screen turned a sort of pinkish color for some reason. Did some troubleshooting and restored it etc. no dice.

Good timing as I was actually thinking of replacing it soon anyway. Was looking to get the Pro 11 so wouldn’t have such a difference in size, but the local Costco only had the Pro 12.9.

HUGE difference to my ancient Air 2

 

[X.Man]

I've got the new 12.9" en route arriving on Monday.

 

[vdubtx]

After using the 12.9 for part of a week, determined it was just too big for my needs. Ordered the 11 from Costco online on Weds and it was delivered yesterday. Super fast turnaround from them. Liking the 11 better.

 

[JB]

@mpeterson do you have this keyboard yet?

 

[Desmond]

This is the first apple product to come out that actually has be wondering about replacing my MacBook pro with a tablet/ipad product

My macbook pro's keyboard went wonky after 2 years. So while Apple repairs it or gives me something new, I bought a MacBook Air. I like it better than the Pro. Doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the Pro, but some of those bells were a PITA.

 

[Necroshine]

My iPad Air 2 finally gave up the ghost this weekend. Screen turned a sort of pinkish color for some reason. Did some troubleshooting and restored it etc. no dice.

Good timing as I was actually thinking of replacing it soon anyway. Was looking to get the Pro 11 so wouldn’t have such a difference in size, but the local Costco only had the Pro 12.9.

HUGE difference to my ancient Air 2

The 12.9 pros are nice visually. We have some clients at work that use them but I miss the home button just for convenience.

 

[Midman03]

My macbook pro's keyboard went wonky after 2 years. So while Apple repairs it or gives me something new, I bought a MacBook Air. I like it better than the Pro. Doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the Pro, but some of those bells were a PITA.

I've had my Air since 2015 and have had no issues. Prior to that I had the Pro. I agree with you. I like the Air much better. I don't need all the extra stuff.

 

[mpeterson]

@mpeterson do you have this keyboard yet?

I do. I’m using it on the 11”. It’s a much better typing experience than the smart folio, and honestly my old MacBook Air that I gave my dad. Typing this response on it right now.

One thing to note - it’s noticeably heavier than any other case I’ve used. But I’ve found myself using the iPad “naked” as a tablet more than just folding the case over, and that’s a really nice experience.

 

[JB]

I do. I’m using it on the 11”. It’s a much better typing experience than the smart folio, and honestly my old MacBook Air that I gave my dad. Typing this response on it right now.

One thing to note - it’s noticeably heavier than any other case I’ve used. But I’ve found myself using the iPad “naked” as a tablet more than just folding the case over, and that’s a really nice experience.

I knew it!!!!!

Okay, I used the Folio in the past and hated it. Switched to a Logitech and like it for typing, but not for everything. This interests me from the mouse stand point quite a bit, despite the ungodly price.

Odd question. When folding over, do you think clamshell wise, half would fit in the airline front seat bucket things? Technical term of course. My Logitech didn't fit.

How is using the mouse overall with it?

 

[mpeterson]

I knew it!!!!!

Okay, I used the Folio in the past and hated it. Switched to a Logitech and like it for typing, but not for everything. This interests me from the mouse stand point quite a bit, despite the ungodly price.

Odd question. When folding over, do you think clamshell wise, half would fit in the airline front seat bucket things? Technical term of course. My Logitech didn't fit.

How is using the mouse overall with it?

The trackpad on the Magic Keyboard (I still contend this is a dumb name) is fantastic. It’s small, but better to use than the Windows laptops I’ve been trying lately - you can click anywhere on the pad easily like you can with the force touch trackpad on Macs. The button design is pretty ingenious. I think the mouse support really transforms what you can do with the device. Especially for someone like me, who does a lot of work with text. Still some limitations, but a lot more tolerable. And the ergonomics are 100x better, with the gesture support.

I’m not sure I follow the second question - are you talking about folding it backwards so that you could, say, watch something with the keyboard in the pocket? That, to me, is the one downside with This setup — it doesn’t fold backwards like the smart folio, only closed.

 

[JB]

The trackpad on the Magic Keyboard (I still contend this is a dumb name) is fantastic. It’s small, but better to use than the Windows laptops I’ve been trying lately - you can click anywhere on the pad easily like you can with the force touch trackpad on Macs. The button design is pretty ingenious. I think the mouse support really transforms what you can do with the device. Especially for someone like me, who does a lot of work with text. Still some limitations, but a lot more tolerable. And the ergonomics are 100x better, with the gesture support.

I’m not sure I follow the second question - are you talking about folding it backwards so that you could, say, watch something with the keyboard in the pocket? That, to me, is the one downside with This setup — it doesn’t fold backwards like the smart folio, only closed.

You understood my gibberish haha. Yes that is what I meant. Okay that answers that. Not a deal breaker, but something to consider. Time to think about this thing.

Thanks so much for input.

 

[mpeterson]

You understood my gibberish haha. Yes that is what I meant. Okay that answers that. Not a deal breaker, but something to consider. Time to think about this thing.

Thanks so much for input.

Happy to answer any other questions you have, hold something up for scale, etc. I’m pretty much using this as my personal mobile machine to combine with an iMac these days. I was realizing I wasn’t using the laptop much, and gravitating towards the iPad. But I was getting annoyed with either having to move to a table for mouse support, or dealing with selecting text with the keyboard or finger. So I bit the bullet.

I’ve generally Been really happy with it. Haven’t had any glitches, etc. The keyboard is good to type on, and it feels well built. It’s stupid expensive but also “feels” expensive if that makes sense. Really solid/well built. And like I said - the trackpad is small, but really nice to use.

 

[JB]

Happy to answer any other questions you have, hold something up for scale, etc. I’m pretty much using this as my personal mobile machine to combine with an iMac these days. I was realizing I wasn’t using the laptop much, and gravitating towards the iPad. But I was getting annoyed with either having to move to a table for mouse support, or dealing with selecting text with the keyboard or finger. So I bit the bullet.

I’ve generally Been really happy with it. Haven’t had any glitches, etc. The keyboard is good to type on, and it feels well built. It’s stupid expensive but also “feels” expensive if that makes sense. Really solid/well built. And like I said - the trackpad is small, but really nice to use.

Im using an iMac to send this currently and have the 11" iPad Pro like you and also a MBP which I rarely use now. While I think the MBP can't completely go away due to work stuff, I am close.

 

[mpeterson]

Im using an iMac to send this currently and have the 11" iPad Pro like you and also a MBP which I rarely use now. While I think the MBP can't completely go away due to work stuff, I am close.

I’m lucky in that I’ve got a MBP from work that I can use for limited personal stuff. So if I absolutely NEED a Mac I can bring that with me. So I can save some cash. I was looking at some windows machines to diversify, or getting a MacBook Pro, but decided to just get the keyboard and wait to see how the machines with the Apple CPUs perform.

 

[JB]

I’m lucky in that I’ve got a MBP from work that I can use for limited personal stuff. So if I absolutely NEED a Mac I can bring that with me. So I can save some cash. I was looking at some windows machines to diversify, or getting a MacBook Pro, but decided to just get the keyboard and wait to see how the machines with the Apple CPUs perform.

Based on the video, that was creepy as all get out, its historic.
Which in layman's terms really means historic from a stock price stand point, which I am for.

I have to get a high powered Windows device for something we are working on here, so I will have some diversity.

 

[mpeterson]

Based on the video, that was creepy as all get out, its historic.
Which in layman's terms really means historic from a stock price stand point, which I am for.

I have to get a high powered Windows device for something we are working on here, so I will have some diversity.

That’s my thinking, actually. The use of the iPad as a “laptop” opens me up to get something that I can maybe play a game on here or there, or use as a machine to run a sim for the winter months...

 

[M2Giles]

Well considering now that we know that ARM is coming to the macbook line, I guess the iPad pro with magic keyboard and whatever the new Macbook turns out to be will be quite similar.

Then again, considering what apple strives for ARM architecture makes a lot of sense over x64 in this segment of the market. Will be curious to see how this scales to the Mac and if it ever moves into the pro line.

 

[Desmond]

I don't do well with the magic keyboard or track.

The layout of the MacAir on the keyboard fits me better than the MBP 13 inch. Do not like the MPB13 keyboard. I made more mistakes on that keyboard than I did with Air. Now with the new Air, I can type with less errors.

 

[Gyro25]

I'm not an apple user or fan (other than my stock increasing in value), but this looks pretty sexy

Also thought the trackpad was their version of trackman for golf shot simulation

 

[mpeterson]

I don't do well with the magic keyboard or track.

The layout of the MacAir on the keyboard fits me better than the MBP 13 inch. Do not like the MPB13 keyboard. I made more mistakes on that keyboard than I did with Air. Now with the new Air, I can type with less errors.

Other than the Touch Bar, aren’t those two keyboards exactly the same?

 

[Desmond]

Other than the Touch Bar, aren’t those two keyboards exactly the same?

Something about the MBP from 2018 was different. Because I had a 2014 Mac Air and it was not the same typing experience. Made so many errors. Now that I have an Air again, it's night and day.

 

[mpeterson]

Something about the MBP from 2018 was different. Because I had a 2014 Mac Air and it was not the same typing experience. Made so many errors. Now that I have an Air again, it's night and day.

They changed the keyboard this year, that would explain it. The 2016-2019 keyboards were almost enough to make me give up using the Mac.

 

[JB]

With the recent markdown, I grabbed one of the Magic Keyboards. So far I like it.

 

[tahoebum]

With the recent markdown, I grabbed one of the Magic Keyboards. So far I like it.

It's not perfect but I'm happy with mine. It drains the battery on the iPad faster that the standard keyboard but that makes sense with it supplying the juice for the keypad to light up.

 

[JB]

It's not perfect but I'm happy with mine. It drains the battery on the iPad faster that the standard keyboard but that makes sense with it supplying the juice for the keypad to light up.

Still can’t figure out the lack of ESC key, which in typical Apple form they said we don’t need. Like picture messaging when iPhone came out.