I keep reading reviews of Apple's new iPad Pro.  Many of them boil down to, “Why would I want an iPad Pro when I could have a Macbook Air for the same price and weight?”

They are right.  If you want the form factor of a laptop computer, a Macbook Air would probably make more sense.

But as those of you who follow my blog know, I have long used my iPad as a sketchkbook and more.  I have been waiting for the iPad Pro for a couple of years (I resisted upgrading my old iPad serveral times).  I need a form factor that allows me to lay the screen flat and draw on its surface.  Whenever I used my wife's laptop I found myself reaching for the screen to indicate what I wanted.

To have the functionality of an iPad with the speed and power of a laptop is just what I need.  Add in an Apple pencil with true pressure sensitivity and tilt sensing, it's a no brainer for me.

 

This is not to say that the iPad Pro makes sense for Apple, and certainly doesn't insure that it will be a commercial success. And I was shocked by how badly Apple promoted the devices in the store (or at least my local store). There were no good creative apps on the demo machines to see what the Pencil could really do. When I asked an employee what I could use to try out the Pencil, he suggested Apple Notes.  Really?  This only adds to the frustration that most people are feeling at having to wait 4-6 weeks for a Pencil or keyboard.

But I wasn't sure how much it would actually change the artistic process…until I did this painting. It was fast, fluid, and fun. And I really think that the outcome is different than what I could (or at least “would”) have done before.

As a bonus I am writing this post on my new removable keyboard.