Julie’s gadget diary – The pull from the dark side is strong. I think I’m going to order an iPad Pro 10.5

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gadget diary

I listened to Apple’s WWDC keynote a couple of weeks ago and didn’t come away with an immediate need to melt my Visa card on a bunch of new Apple gear like I usually do after such events. The new iPad Pro 10.5 looked nice enough, but I didn’t feel compelled to buy one.

I listened supportively as Dave Rees wrestled with his own buying decision. Dave and I both have older Samsung Galaxy tablets that are starting to show their age. Dave’s 12.5″ Galaxy Note Pro has freezing problems with his and the home button on my Galaxy S Tab 10.5″ has a short and often requires multiple button presses for it to go back to the home screen. It’s also very slow launching and switching between apps.

Dave ended up buying the iPad Pro 10.5 about a week ago and has been gushing about how great it is and that I need to get one. But even gadget peer pressure didn’t flip my gadget lust switch… until… it flipped. Now I am considering buying one to replace my sickly tablet. Why? Mainly because it’s time for me to have a new tablet and the iPad Pro 10.5 is the best tablet available right now. It would also be nice to have an updated iOS device so I can do some iOS app and hardware reviews again. The newest iPads in the house are the original iPad mini and an iPad 2 that Jeanne uses as an eBook reader. Yeah, it’s been awhile.

My mind isn’t 100% made up, but I’m definitely leaning in the direction of buying an iPad Pro 10.5 (and maybe a Pencil too).

Anyone else in my shoes?

Be sure to check out Larry’s iPad Pro 10.5 accessories ideas post.

Update 06/20/17

I’ve given it some more thought and realized that since iOS 11 isn’t available until this fall, that it’s a bit premature for me to try the new iPad Pro 10.5.

As it is, the iPad Pro 10.5 might be a faster and prettier iPad than previous versions, but it doesn’t yet have the new features that might make me actually like iOS again.

I’ll reconsider again in a few months. Fall will be here before we know it….

15 thoughts on “Julie’s gadget diary – The pull from the dark side is strong. I think I’m going to order an iPad Pro 10.5”




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  2. Just got an iPad Pro 10.5 and it’s an amazing piece of tech. Sorry you think Apple products are the dark side when in reality it’s the side that actually is driving the tech industry forward.

    And I agree with Margaret – get an Apple Pencil also. None of the “wannabees” have close to the feature, quality and performance of the Pencil.

    I got a smart cover (yummy Dark Blue leather) and I’ll probably put a clear skin on the back. Most of the full covers are too bulky for me.

    I’d wait to get a keyboard – there are plenty of BT keyboards that work and you may not even want one.

    That being said the iPad Pro is going to be 10x as useful for “regular computer use” once iOS 11 is out. I put on the early developer beta (which is pretty stable) and it’s a world of difference better.

    PS. I also have a 12″ iPad Pro at work and it’s WAY too big IMHO unless you’re getting a keyboard and basically dedicating it to landscape/keyboard mode.

        1. There are some things about Android that I like over iOS.
          1. Ability to pair a mouse and a keyboard for true mini laptop feel when I need to do real work at a desk.
          2. Ability to arrange the home screen just the way I like it with widgets and icon arrangements.
          3. File system (soon to come with iOS 11).

  3. I’m torn too, I have a Galaxy not pro 12.2 as well, and it doesn’t have any problems yet, but I have been thinking about replacing it. I use a IPAD air 2 for work, but haven’t seen any reason to use one as a personal tab, even though it does do one or two things that my android tab doesn’t, such as the interactive magazine stuff.
    I just don’t trust apple’s walled garden approach. I look at the new Samsung Tab, and it just seems small. I would like to get the 12″ IPAD, but I don’t even have a apple account for personal, so it would just be a paid to get it. Maybe if Samsung would offer a 12.2 combo tablet that dual boots with Windows, since their current 12.2 looks like the note pro but is Windows.

  4. No I’m in different shoes – the kind that walk with a real pro device. I went to the iPad store, told them what I actually do in a real professional day:

    1) open two more more documents in Word at the same time – “oh sorry, you can’t do that. Only one Word app at a time.” hmm..
    2) use business spreadsheets with macros, complex formulas – “oh, those may not work”. hmm…
    3) have 2 or 3 youtube videos open in floating windows while I review them and write notes in a document..”I think you can only have one picture in picture”. hmm..
    4) connect my pro tablet to external screens so I can work like a workstation. “You can mirror the iPad to one other screen, but that’s it”. hmm…
    5) Pull archived documents off the network drive at work, or my external drive. “Well if you move them to the cloud first..” hmm..
    6) Apple: “But have you seen promotion? Apps close and open very quickly.” (I’m thinking, apps on windows coming into focus IMMEDIATELY when you tap them..??) “Have you seen drag-and-drop?” (been doing this for years on windows..??)

    This went on for a few more minutes..then I had a more intelligent response than “hmm”. I went and bought a Surface.

    Walkin’ like a real pro now!

    1. I’ve got both a Surface Pro and an Air 2. When I’m just couch surfing, I do find the iPad to be far friendlier (touch wise) than my Surface. I can do some work with the iPad, but it’s clunky and I have to really think about apps and how I need to work, as opposed to just pulling out the Surface and getting it done.

      I like having both.

  5. Other than the Pencil, can someone tell me exactly why the Pro models are so much better than the non-Pro ones? (I get the additional screen space on the 10.5 model. I’m just talking about Pro vs. non-Pro versions.)

    My Air 2 could stand to be replaced. I dropped it awhile back and there are now a few dead LEDs on one side. It’s still very usuable, and I didn’t feel like paying the repair shop $325 for a little additional light and the possibility of Touch ID not working.

    I’m just having trouble figuring out what the additional premium on the Pro versions are really getting me if the OS is the same.

  6. Update:

    I’ve given it some more thought and realized that since iOS 11 isn’t available until this fall, that it’s a bit premature for me to try the new iPad Pro 10.5.

    As it is, the iPad Pro 10.5 might be a faster and prettier iPad than previous versions, but it doesn’t yet have the new features that might make me actually like iOS again.

    I’ll reconsider again in a few months. Fall will be here before we know it….

  7. Walled Garden for Apple, what you buy in apple remains in the device. If you buy any movies, or music, it stays there, it is very hard to copy it to your new device, or a different device.

  8. Jules;

    I agree with everything that has been said about the iPad Pro. Get one now, enjoy iOS 10 dot wherever we are, pair it with an Apple Pencil and their Keyboard cover. I hate sloppy keyboards, and the Apple product is as good as anything I’ve seen, including Logitech’s.

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