credit: Swapnil Bhartiya
Flashback.
I grabbed an iPad Pro 12.9 the day it hit stores. I was super
excited about the device because I am a heavy tablet user; I have been
using a tablet since the Samsung Galaxy 10.1 days. As a Linux user, I resisted
iOS and Mac OS till 2013. I gave in because none of the other tablets were good
enough for me. In 2014, I bought my first iOS device. I started off with the
iPad Mini 3, and moved to the iPad AIR and then graduated to the iPad Pro.
Why I didn’t like the 12.9 iPad Pro
As much as I wanted to like the iPad Pro 12.9, I couldn’t.
The screen was amazing for watching videos. But that was it. I don’t use iOS, I
use apps and a majority of apps were not optimized for that screen size. So you
get this abysmal experience on a $1,100 device.
iPad Pro 12.9 was way too big and heavy to be held in your
hands for an extended period of time for things like reading ebooks or watching
movies. Actually, it’s not at all portable. I had to shove it in the same
compartment where I keep my laptop when travelling. Literally I was carrying
‘two’ laptops.
That was not the end, there was no decent keyboard for the
iPad Pro 12.9 that would let me at least write my stories. Logi
Create was a good keyboard but it was way too clumsy and heavy and it made my
iPad as bulky and heavy as my MacBook. I looked at alternatives and
bought the super expensive Apple Smart Keyboard. But it was not at all that
smart. It’s actually a dumb keyboard, compared to what Google offers with Pixel
C. Apple’s Smart Keyboard needs physical ports for connectivity and charging.
And then you have to put it on the slit for it to work otherwise even if it is
physically connected to the iPad Pro, you can’t type. Then you can’t change the
angle and it’s flimsy so you can’t use it on your lap.
That’s not smart.
I tried to use the $1,400 device as a laptop. But despite
Tim Cook’s claims, iPad Pro was not a laptop replacement. It seems to me that
the only people who would find the iPad Pro 12.9 useful are graphic artists.
With Pencil it’s a great tool for an artist, but there are limitations. Unlike
Microsoft Surface Pro, iPad Pro doesn’t have access to full-fledged apps like
Photoshop or Lightroom. As a result iPad Pro 12.9, despite great hardware,
turned out to be a mediocre device due to software.
When I looked the 12.9 iPad Pro, I failed to see the target
audience. As a writer, who needs a good keyboard and true multitasking for
research, it failed me. At a $1,100 price point it’s a much too expensive ebook
reader and movie player.
Bottom line it can’t offer a desktop grade experience so
it’s not suitable for the average PC user. This iPad is simply a very good
secondary, media consumption device with portability and price as its
strengths. However, for the iPad Pro 12.9 those were weaknesses.
Bottom of Form
I believe iPad Pro 12.9 would have been a game changer if it
ran Mac OS X. It would have destroyed the Surface Pro market.
The best things come in small packages
The day Apple announced the 9.7 iPad Pro, I knew that was
the one I wanted. From the beginning I was not confident about such a huge
device, I had purchased the iPad under T-Mobile’s Jump on Demand program so
that I could upgrade to the next version. I called them up and after some
trouble I was able to pre-order the iPad Pro 9.7.
I initially felt disappointment at first sight. My heart
sank to see how small it was compared to the 12.9 version. I almost regretted
my decision, the iPad Pro 12.9 offered an immersive movie experience, but
everything was smaller on the iPad Pro 9.7.
Portability
After using it for a week though I realized the benefits of
the 9.7. Finally, I was able to carry my tablet with me. Due to its
size and lack of good keyboard, the 12.9 never left my desk. Never. I never
brought it to meetings due to lack of true multitasking and good keyboard. I
would rather bring the MacBook that’s as big and heavy as the iPad Pro 12.9.
However, you will find the iPad Pro 9.7 with me all the
time. I carry it everywhere. Despite my disliking the smart keyboard, I bought
one for the 9.7.
I love the iPad Pro 9.7 even more because it has even better
hardware than the 12.9.
More for less
iPad Pro 9.7 has everything that the 12.9 has. It’s powered
by the 64-bit A9X processor with M9 co-processor. It’s not as overclocked at
the bigger iPad, but since it has to drive a smaller screen that doesn’t affect
performance.
The 9.7 has less resolution at 2048x1536 compared to
2732x2048 of the 12.9. Don’t worry, it’s apt resolution given the smaller
screen size. What matters is that both displays have the same ppi.
The iPad Pro 9.7 comes with some newer technologies such as
True Tone that’s not found on the original iPad Pro. The 9.7 has a better main
camera and it can record 4k video.
I get the same battery life on the 9.7 as I got on the 12.9.
Yes, the 9.7 has a smaller battery, but it has a smaller screen to power so you
get the same battery life from smaller battery.
The four speaker setup on the iPad Pro has changed
everything. Whether you are playing music or watching movies, the speakers are
super impressive and they have incredible base. I have even used it for small
home parties.
And the icing on the cake is support for Pencil so I am able
to use pencil with iPad Pro 9.7 for casual drawing!
Soft corner for 9.7 screen
One of the biggest gripes I had with the iPad Pro 12.9
was unoptimized apps. But since 9.7 is a popular size, a majority of apps are
optimized for it. I get the same experience that I got on the iPad AIR before
upgrading to the iPad Pro.
I loved it.
The split screen is great for working between two files.
However, you can’t have split screens of the same app. So I can’t read a press
release on MS Word, in one screen and compose a news item on the second screen.
But now I can use Siri on the iPad Pro without having to plug it to the power
source.
Is the iPad Pro 9.7 right for you?
It depends on what are you going to use it for. And don’t
listen to Tim Cook; iPad is not a laptop replacement, thanks to numerous
limitations of iOS. I can’t connect a mouse for better navigation. I can’t get
full access to the file system as I do on a Mac so that I can save files
wherever I want. I can’t plug in USB devices for data transfer. I don’t get the
same level of multitasking that I get on a MacBook. I don’t get full fledge
version of apps like Photoshop.
Why would I accept all these limitations for a 128GB $1,028
iPad Pro with the keyboard. You can get a full fledged MacBook for that money.
If you are not looking to use Pencil. If you want an ultra
portable iOS device that you can use to watch movies, read eBooks, do basic
work and communicate with friends, then I think iPad AIR with 64GB of storage
is a much better deal for $500 than the iPad Pro.
Conclusion
Being a tech enthusiast I love technology, I love new gadgets.
I am keeping the iPad Pro 9.7. I know it’s way too much money for what an iPad
can do, but I will keep it. This is the best tablet that I have ever used, and
that’s coming from someone who also owns the Pixel C and Chromebook Flip.
source: http://www.cio.com/article/3058715/ios/why-i-ditched-the-ipad-pro-129-for-the-ipad-pro-97.html
by Swapnil Bhartiya
http://www.buyetail.com
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