I’ve been using the iPad Pro for about a week as my daily driver. I haven’t had this much fun using a "computer" in years. It’s not perfect. Certainly not a work machine. But it makes me happy. It makes my computer feel like a paintbrush. More specifically: physically interacting with my ideas, redefining digital capture and helping me combine layers of information across my process.
It’s not fun to type on and the ergonomics aren’t great, but as a creative tool it doesn’t get any better. Versatility and the ergonomics also make it a more compelling option to the average person. I actually think there will be a dramatic shift to tablet computing over the next 5 years. Computers are making natural input far more efficient, and software advances like AI and ML are making it possible to imagine a world where we can write, speak, and show our machines what we want them to do instead of typing with a keyboard. Apple making form of iOS with iPadOS is a pretty clear signal in this direction. Having used it for a couple weeks now, I’m very excited to see what they’ll be able to come up with to fill in the gaps for a desktop class multi-touch ecosystem.
Some apps that have really stood out to me so far: Keynote, Darkroom, and Concepts. My daily usage involves a lot of browsing, saving photos and links, doodling, note taking, and photo editing.