iPad Pro 9.7 testing, UMPC style.

Posted on 18 April 2016, Last updated on 28 April 2016 by

Like the time I tested my first UMPC in 2006 this iPad Pro 9.7 is giving me goosebumps. 682 grants of powerful tablet and keyboard with LTE and 256 GB of SSD. This setup costs about the same too. 1368 Euros after tax / $1178 in the USA. Holy cow it’s expensive, but because this is a loaner, I’m still smiling.

I’m still testing too so I can’t give you a definitive answer on whether it’s the best ultra mobile PC out there right now but I like the keyboard design, the camera (finally up there with smartphone quality) and the size. Portrait typing [this part] is easy due to the size and weight. The onscreen keyboard is great too, but you already knew that didn’t you!

Can I connect a USB drive and transfer files? No, because I don’t have the Lightning port adopter but then again I’ve just been testing the Samsung TabPro S and because I didn’t have a USB-C adapter I couldn’t do the same! The image below was transferred via iCloud Web on my PC.

The iPad Pro 9.7 is the first Apple product I’ve ever been interested in so I’m really looking forward to testing it over the next week. Battery life is going to be important and I’ll try and work out just how much of an ultra-mobile nut you need to be before it becomes ‘value.’ I’ll be installing Office apps, testing the LTE and enjoying the amazing camera.

I’m sure many of you out there have the iPad Pro already. If you’ve been using it on-the-go, let me know how the experience has been for you.

And finally. After just this short amount of time I’m into that keyboard and finding it amazing. You see, Steve Jobs, you can make a good ultra-mobile tablet product with a pen and keyboard.

8 Comments For This Post

  1. Frank Cosgrove says:

    Waiting on stock in Ireland, this looks to be the iPad I was waiting for.

  2. James T. West says:

    Sorry but no administrative controls, no root file system access, no native printing, no full USB device driver support, no desktop application support, no art or notetaking apps as good as Windows ones, and no mouse input make it semi-pro. Try working with 1000-plus entry spreadsheets or 10-plus page reports on this and you will see this touch-only device is awkward. Until it levels up to true pro status, it is a carefully disguised fashion statement of a consumption device, a device for people who are fine with their productivity being less than ideal.

  3. ImaPC says:

    Lol. I remember what Jobs said about styluses but I believe it was more “because we don’t do the same way as Windows does”

  4. Anthony Edward Stark says:

    Lol. Do you realize the difference between a resistive touchscreen and a retarded interface (Windows Mobile) that relies on a stylus in order to USE a device and an OPTIONAL tool for DRAWING and WRITING on a capacitive touchscreen equipped device with finger-optimised interface?

  5. ImaPC says:

    Windows tablet pcs have had pen support for ages. I actually had an HP one with a resistive touch screen that worked great.

  6. tmarks11 says:

    So why is “this the first iPad you have been interested in”? As far as I can tell, other then the normal slight bump in CPU that occurs every year or so, the only thing this version adds over the previous year is an optional Stylus… with no silo for it (fail!).

    Samsung has offered the 8, 10, and 12 Notes for years that gives you all of that (including a silo).

    Don’t get me wrong, I have several iPads around the house, and have bounced back and forth between iOS and Android, but I don’t get why all of a sudden for you this product has become THE ONE!?

  7. Chippy says:

    I was impressed with the iPad Mini 2 and impressed with IOS 9 features. I’ve been happy with Tim Cooks attitude. I’m more and more impressed with the creativeness in the App Store and when you combine all this with the A9X processor power, the camera and the keyboard/stylus it adds up to quite an impressive ultra mobile package. It’s the combination of all these features that has got me interested.

  8. Joe_HTH says:

    LOL! The iPad Pro is simply an iPad with a spec boost. Otherwise here’s not a lick of difference between it and the iPad Air 2.

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