4 ms·

They're a computer for things that your laptop sucks at. Draw directly on them, use them for reading, carry them to work sites and use them in situations where

They're a computer for things that your laptop sucks at. Draw directly on them, use them for reading, carry them to work sites and use them in situations where a laptop would be super-awkward, put them on sheet music stands, prop them up in the kitchen, hold them up and use their tilt sensors in games, all that kind of stuff. They're basically never better than a laptop at things laptops are good at (though often serviceable enough that folks don't need both) but excel at other use cases where laptops aren't great.

joshvm 2y ago
Form factor, amazing. Long ago I had a mini and the new 7th gen is really nice to carry around. However I found the pen functionality to be frustrating. The Pencil Pro, when it works, is great. But I had issues with lagging input on some apps, the well-known screen heating problem (within minutes), lack of a good journaling solution, etc. It's annoying to have to go through 3-4 third party apps to do something that Apple should have released alongside the device, especially when most of them need subscriptions for nebulous benefits like cloud sync (I already pay for iCloud backup, so why?). FreeForm is OK, but isn't great for structured note-taking. There are enough of these niggling problems that I returned mine within the 14-day cool off period to do some more research. I'd consider getting a used model when the prices have dropped a bit, but full-price for something that feels a little half-baked is tough. Especially because the hardware otherwise feels exceptional. I'm looking at the Surface Pro, which does basically the same thing and also has conveniences like USB ports for peripherals. Or try out the iPad Pro, but that's getting into "BIG" territory.
scruple 2y ago
> They're basically never better than a laptop at things laptops are good at (though often serviceable enough that folks don't need both) I'm experimenting with replacing my personal laptop with an iPad Pro this year. I'm not a professional content creator, photo or video editor, etc. So far it's been great. I write a lot, creative writing, journaling, and lots of note taking. It's been wonderful for all of these tasks and it basically goes with me everywhere.

joshvm 2y ago

Form factor, amazing. Long ago I had a mini and the new 7th gen is really nice to carry around. However I found the pen functionality to be frustrating. The Pencil Pro, when it works, is great. But I had issues with lagging input on some apps, the well-known screen heating problem (within minutes), lack of a good journaling solution, etc. It's annoying to have to go through 3-4 third party apps to do something that Apple should have released alongside the device, especially when most of them need subscriptions for nebulous benefits like cloud sync (I already pay for iCloud backup, so why?). FreeForm is OK, but isn't great for structured note-taking. There are enough of these niggling problems that I returned mine within the 14-day cool off period to do some more research. I'd consider getting a used model when the prices have dropped a bit, but full-price for something that feels a little half-baked is tough. Especially because the hardware otherwise feels exceptional. I'm looking at the Surface Pro, which does basically the same thing and also has conveniences like USB ports for peripherals. Or try out the iPad Pro, but that's getting into "BIG" territory.

scruple 2y ago

> They're basically never better than a laptop at things laptops are good at (though often serviceable enough that folks don't need both) I'm experimenting with replacing my personal laptop with an iPad Pro this year. I'm not a professional content creator, photo or video editor, etc. So far it's been great. I write a lot, creative writing, journaling, and lots of note taking. It's been wonderful for all of these tasks and it basically goes with me everywhere.