Is the new iPad good enough to get on your list?

This content was originally posted in 7DAYS UAE website at: Is the new iPad good enough to get on your list? When I talked to eight-year-old Omar Abouased earlier this year, he was pretty gutted. He’d queued for hours outside the UAE’s first Apple Store in October, hoping to get his hands on the iPad Pro immediately. Why, I asked, and he rattled off a list of features and accessories he was most excited about (Pencil), followed by a blanket response: “Apple justs get me.” Not a long wait – the tech giant’s latest tablet hit stores early last month. For many, though, the decision isn’t as simple as it may be for fanboys. The powerful 64-bit A9X chip Pro may be the toy you’re tempted to ask Santa for this year, but should you, is the question. For starters, the 12.9-inch Retina display device is not quite stocking-sized. It feels much like holding an A4 canvas or clipboard. Then again, that’s a lot of great screen real estate – 78 per cent more, with more than 5.5 million pixels – to work and play with. Think videos and games too. But first, let’s get one thing out of the way. No, it’s not an instant Macbook replacement. Not because it can’t be but because it’s not as convenient. Yet. Well, not for me anyway, though Apple CEO Tim Cook believes otherwise. The iPad Pro’s maximum internal storage is a very respectable 128GB, but MacBooks offer more work-friendly options up to 1TB. The slick Smart Cover keyboard that clips to the Pro with three small connector dots is a great typing experience, but it’s also one more thing to carry (and buy). More so – ironically, while touchscreens have become second nature, so have trackpads. If you’ve ever felt the frustration of instinctively pushing a non-touchscreen screen expecting it to perform an action, you know what I’m talking about. With the Pro, your hand automatically fumbles for a trackpad but is forced to touch the screen instead. Of course, there are shortcuts, but learning to unlearn reflexes puts you out of your Apple comfort zone. But put aside the idea that it has to be a laptop substitute to warrant a purchase and you’ll fall in love, especially with the thing every previous iPad-model owner wishes they could have: The Pencil. Now, I’m not a fan of lugging yet another accessory around. That’s also my irritation with the keyboard. But if you love to draw, colour, paint or just doodle to brainstorm, the Apple Pencil will be your new best friend. It’s like a magic wand for your screen that can keep you occupied and fulfilled for hours. Obviously, the key benefit is for creative professionals to produce quality output on-the-go but my point is it’s hugely amateur (and child) friendly. There is no lag whatsoever. The display refreshes 240 times per second while the 2732×2048 resolution is also the highest yet on any Apple device. And using the Pencil feels ridiculously natural because of the pressure sensitivity that mirrors sketching or painting with traditional tools. Be careful about losing the Pencil’s removable cap though. The iPad Pro is also great for working on photos, videos and presentations. Precision editing with split-view functionality is a huge plus. iMovie can handle three streams of 4K video at once. While it comes down to the apps that tap into the Pro’s potential, opportunity for design pros and wannabes is immense. The possibilities in education are also tremendous. Could this be the device that ultimately replaces schoolbags? If you’re looking for a new tablet friend to take places, this is an iPad that’s more fun and can do more than a regular iPad, but can also be serious like a Macbook. Starting at Dhs3,099 it’s not the cheapest Christmas present. But you’re paying for some sophisticated screen technology.Tempted? Update Santa now! megha@7days.ae Read the original story at: Is the new iPad good enough to get on your list?