Thoughts on Apple Products

I initially thought when I started this blog that one of the things I would do was give in depth reviews on products that I either own or have used on a regular basis or at least used long enough to give it a fair assessment. Over time, I came to the conclusion that there are enough sites that do this and do it way better than I could. I would refer you to those sites for these types of reviews. What I thought I would do instead is to give a brief overview of my thoughts on a few products, in this case mostly Apple products that I’ve been using for the last little while. These items may be tools for work or toys for entertainment or both. In no particular order…

MacBook (12 inch) – This has turned out to be a much better computer than I thought it would be. I moved from an 11 inch MacBook Air to the 12 inch MacBook because I liked the square vs. rectangular format of the screen and the fact that it is a retina display. I was less impressed with the cpu but liked the 8gb of ram and the 256gb SSD.

The keyboard. The new Mac keyboards have been very controversial. When I first tried out the MacBook, I wasn’t too fond of the keyboard. However, each time I was in an Apple store and tried it out I liked it a little better. Now, after using it for many months, it has become my favorite keyboard right behind the latest Magic Keyboard from Apple. I find I like the feel and the larger keys. I love the old Mac keyboards but I now find them a little “mushy”. I may be in the minority here, liking these keyboards. Try the keyboards for a while before you buy would be my recommendation here.

My other big worry with the MacBook was if it would handle everything I needed it to do. I ended up going with the fastest CPU available and that seems to have done the trick. I do both Apple and Windows (via Parallels) development on the MacBook and really can’t complain about the speed. Sure it compiles a little slower than my main computer but it is still very livable.

The speakers sound way better than I thought they ever would and the screen is stunning as is the build quality. I can’t really say how long the battery will last as I’ve yet to run it all the way down. I’ve been able to work several hours at a stretch with no issues.

MacBook (12 inch) – Highly Recommended.

iPad Pro 12.9 inch – Included in with this is the keyboard cover and the Apple Pencil.

The larger version of the pro is more bulky than the smaller version and can therefore be more awkward in some situations. Unless you need ultimate portability, the bigger Pro pays off in a “big way” with its larger screen and keyboard. Again, spend a lot of time with both using the applications that you want to run, before you buy.

I have been using the iPad since the very first version and have loved them all. I actually have and still use the first version although the software can no longer be updated. It still works great!

With the larger iPad Pro, I feel Apple has finally delivered on the vision of the iPad that Steve Jobs outlined at its introduction. Hardware wise. The operating system (iOS) is still holding it back from its full potential. Because of that, some of the applications that are available on the iPad are also held back.

With that said, I do feel that the iPad Pro can easily be the only computer you will ever need as long as it has the applications you need. The only thing the iPad can’t do, in my case, is some of the programming I need to do. Not that the hardware couldn’t do it, only that the software isn’t available.

What can it do though. Let me walk you through an example:

Start the morning with a cup of coffee reviewing the news, both printed and video with the iPad lying flat on the table, like that morning newspaper of days gone by.

Now it is time to get to work so flip the keyboard cover open and turn it on its side and get to work using Office, email, and any other applications you may need. Word processing, spreadsheets, slide presentations, scheduling, coding, video / picture / sound editing, project scheduling, mind mapping, writing and organizing notes, drawing or take hand notes with the Pencil, remote into another PC or Mac and the list goes on and on. You can easily move between programs and even split the screen between multiple programs. What you can’t do is drag and drop and highlighting things can be a little bit of a pain, at least initially.

It is lunch time now. Time to grab a bite and flip the iPad back around and lay in on the table. While eating lunch it is time to catchup on a few periodicals. It is easy to see the Pro provides a better experience than print, and with the 12.9 inch version, the pages are virtually full size. I have to say, that with the size of the Pro’s screen and the extra content included in many electronic versions of periodicals, the iPad is now my preferred way of reading any periodical. After lunch, flip it back on its side and get back to work!

During the evening, the Pro can be used to catch up on that novel, watch a little TV or a movie, listen to music, respond to email, organize that stack of photos you’ve taken and finally be used as the alarm to wake you up the next morning.

I’m not sure there is a more versatile device available. Microsoft’s Surface would be an obvious option but I’m not sure its touch interface is quite up to the iPad’s standard but then the iPad can’t quite match it when it comes to software as the Surface is still a desktop (operating system wise). Again, spend time with both and decide what best fits your needs.

iPad Pro (12.9 inch) – Highly recommended

Finally a few thoughts on other Apple products:

Apple TV (latest version) – Needs a better remote. Ok interface. Works fine if it has the content you want to watch. – Recommended

AirPods – The best bluetooth headphones I’ve used, connectivity wise. Sound is better than expected but not “audiophile quality”. Still very, very good though. Work great for phone calls and meetings and battery life is good. Case works well too. – Highly recommended

Apple Pencil – The best pointing device I’ve used. Good battery life, feels like a real pen / pencil. Would be nice if there was an easier way to sync it with the iPad other than plugging it in. – Highly recommended

That’s it for reviews. I have tried out the new MacBooks at the Apple store and I’m still formulating my thoughts on those. I will say that Apple’s prices are getting a little high and I am starting to wonder if they will price themselves out of competition. The example I’ll use for this is an article I saw a while back on the savings IBM has seen using Macs vs. PCs. It was substantial but the latest MacBook price increases have basically eliminated that savings. That’s for IBM, what about for consumers?

Summing up, I would still recommend a Mac over a PC but the choice is much much closer than it used to be. If you don’t need programs that only run on a PC or Mac then I would recommend an iPad Pro first. Either size. It is just more versatile than a PC or Mac when you look at it as an “only” device. The iPad also brings a more “personal” experience because you can hold it and touch it and also use it like a laptop. A laptop is only a laptop. I think Steve Jobs was correct when he said the iPad is magic. It has been for me.