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Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro review: Living the dream

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Re: Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro review: Living the dream

#41

Post by samatman »

I have a hard requirement before I can pull the trigger on a keyboard for my iPad: I need the same amount of control over keyboard layout that I get with Karabiner.

Specifically, I have caps lock mapped to backspace, and "delete" mapped to actual delete. This is deep in my muscle memory and I'm not interested in changing it.

I'm keeping an eye on things, and when I see that this affordance exists I'll probably get one. There are times when having a touchscreen laptop with a built-in cellular modem is just what I want.

Re: Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro review: Living the dream

#42

Post by pdog »

_xnmw wrote: post #13

Is it just me, or do these iPad reviews really seem strained? Like the author is trying really hard to love their new toy, despite the functional setbacks. Don't get me wrong, I love my iPad Pro 11 too and look forward to using it as a writing/notes device, but you'll never take my Mac away except out of my cold, dead, hands.

The reason for this: the hardware is many years ahead of the software.

The potential of the physical device is far ahead of its software capabilities, but you can't install your own OS or run your own applications.

Re: Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro review: Living the dream

#43

Post by rootusrootus »

sylens wrote: post #9

I own the the regular keyboard folio that launched alongside the 2018 iPad Pro and have mostly enjoyed it so far. I wish it had more angles to tilt the IPad at (similar to a Surface's kickstand) but I realize that's not practical with just a case. I would like to get this because it adds a trackpad, but $300 for a keyboard case is a bit too high, even for an Apple product. The fact that I'm even considering is goes t…

I just picked up an iPad Pro and the regular keyboard folio, and I'm really torn. Don't know if I like it or not. I find it's a hassle to flip the keyboard back around to close (when I've been holding it like a tablet) without inadvertently detaching the whole folio from the ipad.

I may have fat fingers. Or maybe I'm just used to folios I have used in the past that actually latched physically around the ipad.

But I'm completely with you, either way, on the value of the trackpad. Not worth $300 to me.

Re: Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro review: Living the dream

#44

Post by askafriend »

_xnmw wrote: post #13

Is it just me, or do these iPad reviews really seem strained? Like the author is trying really hard to love their new toy, despite the functional setbacks. Don't get me wrong, I love my iPad Pro 11 too and look forward to using it as a writing/notes device, but you'll never take my Mac away except out of my cold, dead, hands.

You're probably not the target market.

For people for whom this fills an important use-case (there are a few really really killer ones, ask your designer friends), there's literally nothing else like it.

If you're happy with your laptop and mostly just browse the internet or consume media then you're probably just fine with the regular non-Pro iPad and it probably just acts a supplement rather than a critical device.

Re: Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro review: Living the dream

#45

Post by samatman »

bryanmgreen wrote: post #34

It's getting a bit ridiculous how powerful the iPad is getting. Not necessarily in a bad way, I'm just confused about the use case. For anyone with personal real-world experience, what convinces you to buy an iPad Pro + Keyboard over an Air or vice-versa?

It won't replace my laptop, but a touchscreen PDF reader with an excellent stylus and build-in cellular modem is a compelling piece of kit already.

Add in a keyboard and touchpad that's good enough that I can fluently type on it, and I can imagine a lot of scenarios where I'd want to bring just it. Unfortunately most of them involve being able to leave my house and go somewhere else :/

I do need more control over the keyboard layout (see my other comment if curious), but will probably get this when that becomes possible.

Re: Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro review: Living the dream

#46

Post by samatman »

hkchad wrote: post #10

I got mine last week and have been using it for light editing of word docs. It's works pretty well, the only thing I don't like is, 1) Not much (no) protection on the edges 2) No positive retention of the $100 pencil, you are stuck relying on the magnet to keep it in place during transport. For the price, it should have included both of those.

Yeah, the lack of pencil protection in first-party Apple cases is baffling to me.

I wonder if they figure everyone just carries a pen roll and Moleskine everywhere they go? I don't get it.

Re: Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro review: Living the dream

#47

Post by seltzered_ »

I've been trying to justify this (along with finally buying an ipad), and my main problems with it are:

- It feels like a missed opportunity to solve an ergonomics problem where the ipad could be raised higher to eye level. I realize this would require more keyboard weight though. It feels a bit odd to see photos like this: https://www.reddit.com/r/ipad/comments/g61v3c/twelvesouth_cu...

- The usb-c port on the hinge is strictly for charging only since ultimately it connects via the smart connector.

- It's a stretch but it would've been nice if the keyboard was wireless (like the brydge) so one could connect it to other devices.

I get that I'm likely not an ideal ipad user here though, but it seems like microsoft was stepping towards with their whole surface neo concept.

Re: Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro review: Living the dream

#48

Post by [deleted] »

samatman wrote: post #41

I have a hard requirement before I can pull the trigger on a keyboard for my iPad: I need the same amount of control over keyboard layout that I get with Karabiner. Specifically, I have caps lock mapped to backspace, and "delete" mapped to actual delete. This is deep in my muscle memory and I'm not interested in changing it. I'm keeping an eye on things, and when I see that this affordance exists I'll probably get on…

[deleted]

Re: Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro review: Living the dream

#49

Post by sylens »

rootusrootus wrote: post #43
sylens wrote: post #9

I own the the regular keyboard folio that launched alongside the 2018 iPad Pro and have mostly enjoyed it so far. I wish it had more angles to tilt the IPad at (similar to a Surface's kickstand) but I realize that's not practical with just a case. I would like to get this because it adds a trackpad, but $300 for a keyboard case is a bit too high, even for an Apple product. The fact that I'm even considering is goes t…

I just picked up an iPad Pro and the regular keyboard folio, and I'm really torn. Don't know if I like it or not. I find it's a hassle to flip the keyboard back around to close (when I've been holding it like a tablet) without inadvertently detaching the whole folio from the ipad. I may have fat fingers. Or maybe I'm just used to folios I have used in the past that actually latched physically around the ipad. But I'm…

It's a little odd to get used to flipping the keyboard back around to close, but I've found that you get used to it pretty quickly. I almost always keep it propped open using one of the two grooves in the keyboard, even when I'm just using it as a tablet. It's nice to be able to rest it upright in my lap.

Re: Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro review: Living the dream

#50

Post by cageface »

darzu wrote: post #35
lisper wrote: post #2

> It’s a clever design, one that pushes the center of gravity of the combined unit forward, making it more stable (and requiring less weight to counterbalance it). But the result isn’t some new, weird floating-screen category of computer. The result is a laptop. > This is a good thing. But it's a laptop that runs iOS instead of MacOS. This is not a good thing.

It depends on your use cases. I think it's a good thing overall. I like the iOS app model much better than the desktop model. I resent that desktop apps can basically reach into any part of my computer, take 20 seconds to close when I tell them to exit, prevent my computer from shutting down, hog all my resources when I'm not using them, actively steal focus if they decide, fail to run because of some "missing depend…

You also lose the ability to install any software you want on your own hardware. That alone is a dealbreaker for me.
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