Apple's Beats brand in April unveiled the Powerbeats Pro, a redesigned wire-free version of its popular fitness-oriented Powerbeats earbuds.
iPad Pro First Impressions: Surprisingly Light, But Screen Size May Be Unnecessary for Most
As journalists and bloggers leave the Apple media event in San Francisco, the first impressions of the brand-new iPad Pro have begun trickling out onto the Internet. Sites like Wired, Engadget, SlashGear, and TechnoBuffalo all got to go hands-on with the new tablet and came away with largely positive impressions of the device, with one of the only negatives being the large size of the device. At an unwieldy 12.9-inches, the consensus is that the iPad Pro may be too big for many users.
Still, despite its positives, Wired believes that using a tablet in the place of a desktop or laptop computer will always remain a lesser experience. They called some of the experience of iOS "clunky," and were unsure of whether Microsoft's new Word experience, shown off at the event as well, would actually be a selling point for the work-focused device.
Everyone who wasn't at Apple's event will be able to see the iPad Pro for themselves when the device launches this November in Space Gray, Gold, and Silver color options. The new tablet will be priced at $749 (32GB) and $949 (128GB) for the Wi-Fi models, while a 128GB Wi-Fi + Cellular option will come in at $1,079.
It’s certainly as crisp and sharp as any display I’ve ever seen. If Apple’s ultimate tablet goal is to build a piece of glass onto which you can project your hopes, dreams, and apps, the iPad Pro feels like a realization of that dream.The first big takeaway about the iPad Pro Wired noticed was that despite the tablet's size, it's surprisingly comfortable to hold in one hand. The site also noted that the new 2732×2048 resolution screen is "smooth and fast," and gave particular praise to the $99 Apple Pencil accessory the company also debuted during today's media event.
During the keynote, Apple execs talked a lot about how difficult this screen was to create—but you’d never know. It’s smooth and fast; in fact, every part of the iPad Pro is smooth and fast. The $99 Pencil stylus feels like a particular triumph: It is, bar none, the most fluid and lag-free stylus I’ve ever used.
Still, despite its positives, Wired believes that using a tablet in the place of a desktop or laptop computer will always remain a lesser experience. They called some of the experience of iOS "clunky," and were unsure of whether Microsoft's new Word experience, shown off at the event as well, would actually be a selling point for the work-focused device.
The question will be, is it great for you? The iPad is still a tablet, and running iOS means it’s still going to be a little clunky—using Word, I found myself wishing I had all my keyboard and mouse shortcuts handy and didn’t have to keep picking up the Pencil or tapping the screen. And if we learned anything from the Surface, it’s that the world might not be ready for this type of device just yet.Engadget also expressed surprise over the device's lightness, noting that the iPad Pro felt "lighter than it looks," but that in portrait mode, it can be a bit awkward and top-heavy. The site noted that the tablet's other accessory, the Smart Keyboard, provided some decent travel when pressing the keys down and overall felt like a step above other keyboards bundled in third-party case sleeves.
I know we tech bloggers say this a lot in hands-on posts, but it feels lighter than it looks. That's not to say I'd want to use this much in portrait mode; it feels a little too top-heavy in-hand. But in landscape, the height is actually on par with the iPad Air 2; it's just wider. That makes it pretty manageable in horizontal use, which I suspect is how most iPad Pro-optimized apps were meant to be used anyway.SlashGear called the iPad Pro "incredibly, vastly, ridiculously huge," but that its thin size and easiness to hold gives it the feel of a science fiction "digital newspaper." The site also called the four speakers on the device "laughably strong," and appreciated that they automatically adjust and change when displaying the tablet's orientation. Similar to other opinions, SlashGear's biggest negative on the tablet is more of a caveat: "it makes far more sense as a content creation tool than one for consumption."
And what of that keyboard? It's really too soon to put down a firm verdict, but tentatively, I like it. The cloth-covered keys feel nice beneath the fingers, and help give the illusion of control, despite the fact that these are otherwise some fairly flat buttons.
Everyone who wasn't at Apple's event will be able to see the iPad Pro for themselves when the device launches this November in Space Gray, Gold, and Silver color options. The new tablet will be priced at $749 (32GB) and $949 (128GB) for the Wi-Fi models, while a 128GB Wi-Fi + Cellular option will come in at $1,079.
Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Tag: September 2015 event
Buyer's Guide: 12.9" iPad Pro (Neutral)
[ 413 comments ]
Top Rated Comments
(View all)
53 months ago
You can copy and paste if this helps you:
"This product is not right for ME. Therefore it is not right for ANYONE! I am sickened to my core at the thought of people with different habits, needs and wants."
"This product is not right for ME. Therefore it is not right for ANYONE! I am sickened to my core at the thought of people with different habits, needs and wants."
53 months ago
ripoff of Microsoft Surface. Nice try Apple. You can get a tablet with a full OS for that price.
53 months ago
Run real Photoshop and I might be interested.
iOS - don't call it "pro"...
iOS - don't call it "pro"...
53 months ago
Just give me those features and specs in the 9.7" iPad and I'm sold. Especially those speakers.
53 months ago
This is a wet dream for artist. I assume wacom is ******** bricks right now. now all we need is zbrush for iOS. will definitely get one when it comes out.
53 months ago
Does the "PRO" allow you to access the file system of the iPad?
or work directly off files on an external drive or NAS?iOS...
[ Read All Comments ]
Amazon is offering customers a chance to save when pre-ordering the Apple Watch Series 5, which is set to be released this Friday, September 20. The retailer's sale is focused on select models of...
Apple premiered its first TV show at the Tribeca TV Festival on Saturday. Dickinson is a period drama that centers on the life of 19th century American poet Emily Dickinson, played by pop star Hailee...
Apple's biggest product unveiling of the year is now in our rear-view mirror, with the company taking the wraps off of new iPhone, Apple Watch, and iPad models while also prepping for the launch...
On the same day that iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max pre-orders began, some customers are already beginning to see their order statuses shift from "processing" to...
Struggling movie ticket subscription MoviePass is finally shutting down after months of questionable policy changes and what seems like a never ending stream of negative press due to an inability to...
For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Jackery to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a Jackery Explorer 500 Portable Power Station and a Jackery Solar Saga 100W Solar Panel.
...
The iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max are now available for pre-order on Apple.com and cellular carriers as of this morning. As usual, most carriers are offering some perks if you...
The Academy Software Foundation, a collaborative effort to advance open source software development in the motion picture and media industries, today announced that Apple has joined the foundation as...
