My mother wants to swap out her 2014 iMac for an iPad Pro. She has an iPad already (I do not remember which one) and uses it 99.9% of the time. She only uses the iMac for very light graphics work (she designs her own greeting cards). Yesterday she asked me if the iPad Pro was good enough for that, and I said most definitely. She’s 66 and her eyesight isn’t getting any better either. And while she likes using keyboards and mice, she also has really gotten quite adept at touch and I think she’d be good at the pencil, too. So this Christmas, I’m going to help her sell the iMac and get her an iPad Pro with accessories.
I’m 68, and diabetic. Shit happens. I think the Pro should serve most of my needs. I’m thinking I will probably turn the mac mini into server for media only, and the iPad Pro will do all the work for me. Your Mum will definitely do better with it.
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My mum had an eye removed about 2 years ago when she got melanoma in it. She uses an iPad daily with no issues. It was fascinating to watch how fast her brain adapted to only having one eye. She has arthritis too, and uses a cheap stylus all the time. She’s fine with that, I think Pencil would be overkill for her but that Logitech Crayon thing might be a good middle ground.
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I ended up buying an Adonit Dash http://www.adonit.net/jot/dash/ and its compatible with all the apps I use. Not as full featured as Pencil (not pressure sensitive etc) but it works for me for the few things I use it for.
That’s crazy. Even if true, you’ll get the previous model discounted after the event if that’s what you choose. I guess if you need it before Wednesday it could be justified, but I don’t understand why anyone would buy one this week if they knew about the event… 
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Have to agree with @jaysee here. Unless you got a crazy good deal, we’re talking maybe a $100 difference to get the new model over current pricing, or more than $100 as a price drop on the current model, just for waiting a week or two.
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As a refurb you mean? Because so far there has not been the availability to buy last years model as a new item from Apple. This will be the third gen 12.9… I don’t see the 1st gen available anywhere in the store except as a refurb. Do you guys have some info that I don’t have. In fact the current model is already available at $180 off for a refurb. But as new? Nope. Perhaps I should have got the refurb… but I didn’t. Did I want to risk a price rise next week? No. Is the point moot? Absolutely.
I have the Dash and an Apple pencil. Both are good. I only really need the pencil for 10% of what I use a stylus for, so the much longer Dash battery life makes it the tool of choice most of the time.
I think what they’re saying, and I agree, is that traditionally as soon as Apple announce a new product, they usually drop the price of the previous model, or retailers do - or the newer model will be the same price as the old one. Buying something you know is going to be replaced in a few days seems silly!
Apple drops the price on older models that it retains in its store. iPad Pro does not seem to be one of those. Other retailers might drop the price, I really don’t care. What I do care about it people castigating me for a decision I made. “Crazy”? My decision, folks. And I don’t care to participate in discussion about it anymore.
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No one’s disputing that it’s your decision, or that you’re entitled to do what you want with your money. It’s your money, after all, but I think what @jaysee and I, and however many others haven’t posted, are getting at is that we find it a little strange, despite your stated reasons.
Among those that follow Apple closely enough to know there’s an event this week, it’s widely accepted that buying a product at the end of its lifecycle (i.e. within a week or two of new models being available) is the worst possible time, due to representing the worst possible value for money.
Not only will new models include all the improvements of a year of R&D (or more, in some cases), but they’ll generally be faster usually at the same price, or a negligible price difference, leading to an overall longer lifespan, all good indicators of value for money. And if you’re waiting a week or two, you might even be able to bag a bargain from a third-party retailer (or Apple, depending if they choose to offer previous models or not. While you’re 100% correct in saying that Apple has not chosen to do so thus far with any iPad Pro refresh, that’s not saying they can’t).
At the end of the day, waiting to see what Apple announce makes a lot of sense. What have you got to lose? A couple of weeks without an iPad? A couple of weeks where you’ll have to use your current slow-as-molasses one? When Apple drops iOS 16 in a few years and drops support for your iPad, you might be wishing you waited a few extra weeks.
As with everything, there are two major exceptions to this widely accepted advice of waiting to buy at the end of a product’s lifecycle.
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If you need it right now. Obviously, if you need it, then you need it. If you have some burning business case for a new iPad that can’t wait a week or two, then by all means, buy an iPad. It’ll likely serve you just as well for whatever purpose that you require it for as the new models will, with the added advantage of being available right now. Note this clause rarely apply to “leisure” purchases, which I’d class most of what people are doing on here as.
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If you’re getting a great bargain. Some retailer screwed up and put the wrong price on the product? Found a Gumtree post from some poor clueless person offering their current model for a ridiculous price you’d never find new? Their loss, your gain, but even then it’s a toss-up between getting a 10% discount now or waiting and seeing what the latest and greatest has in a couple of days.
(There are probably other reasons, but those are the two main ones.)
What you seem to be missing is that AppleTalk is a discussion platform for everyone, where everyone is entitled to their opinion, no matter how stupid it is. This “thanks for explaining your original decision, now let me explain mine” civilised discourse is to the benefit of all, including the lurkers, the person who found our forum from a random Google, or that guy that needed help removing malware from his Mac.
When one of our own makes a decision that we think is questionable at best, I’m glad that we’ve jumped in and said so. Like any good community, we should absolutely be questioning each other, helping each other understand the reasoning behind our thinking. Getting defensive helps no one and only escalates the situation where there’s zero reason for us to be constantly at each other’s throats. That doesn’t help anyone, and is completely unwarranted and unwelcome.
Enjoy your purchase — the iPad Pro is a fantastic little computer, whatever you’re using it for.
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Thanks, I will.
I’ll be interested to read how it goes for you. I’ve been toying with a 12.9” for my next iPad but I worry it’ll be too awkward to hold to read and watch video. The extra real estate would be welcome though. Let me know if you don’t mind
Similar. My iPad recently dies (no display on half the screen). Looking at picking up a pre-loved/refurb/old stock when the news ones come out and not sure which size to go for.
When Apple launched the iPad 5th gen, it was the cheapest full sized iPad ever released the day it went on sale. As long as you’re still in the return period, you’ve got options if that happens again tonight with the Pros (unlikely, but stranger things have happened, and as I previously said, there’s always an opportunity to pick up the previous model brand new at a discount once it’s superseded).
This is like paying full price for an iPhone 8 the day before the XS and XR were announced when you knew Apple had an event on to talk about iPhones… 
For what it’s worth, I’m pretty sure we’re all just trying to help you save money. No-one is saying you shouldn’t buy the model you did, just the timing! Given you’ve previously spoken about having to budget etc. being on a pension, it seems like a bizarre choice to choose to pay full price less than a week from an event where iPads are all but guaranteed to get a refresh!
Will do. Everything arrived at once yesterday, initially the keyboard was not to come until Thursday. Anyway, its all good. I love the bigger screen, no more squinting for me. Currently in the process of pruning the photos on my Mac, before I sync them over. Keyboard is a strange beast, a bit like origami but once you get it, it works. I’m used to my Logitech Type+, and prefer it, it has a dedicated Home key plus a bunch of function keys missing from the Apple offering, but I’ll get used to it soon enough. And if I dont, I’ll sell and get a Logitech something.
I think I will need to get a sleeve or separate folio case of some sort for the iPad, I don’t like the back being unprotected if/when i take it out. No regrets about paying full price for the older model. Went with 64GB because I was not even close to using the 128GB of my Air2, so 256 would have been overkill.
I don’t think I would ever use it for reading, except magazine/newspaper things… novels, no. Too big. I never used my Air2 or Mini for reading either. I generally read on my phone, Kobo, KIndle or Sony PRS-650. Video… yep, looks great 
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I see what you’re saying. I sold off my shares in IAG so I had the available funds (a/c for the house is next). I really dont have a problem with that. RE Phones, the last model is usually still available new from Apple after new model is released. That didnt happen with the X… I was partly persuaded that I wanted one but they dropped the X whilst keeping the 7 and 8. Looking at today’s releases, the 10.5 older model is still available, but the 12.9 is not. Yes, they are all available refurbed, but I wanted new. I hope you understand that. I knew the prices would jump, and they sure did. I’m happy with my purchase.
[edit] But, I am not liking the smart keyboard. Returning it. I’ll get a logitech with backlit keys and other goodies.
Just ordered the new iPad Pro 11" and MacBook Air. Boom.
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Product image of the personal cooler I bought and received yesterday. Rushed to get it into my bedroom, so no photos of that! No hoses, and its tiny and it works. Amazing tech, Aussie invention and very happy with it. I’m hoping it will be sufficient for me so I dont actually need to get a split system a/c after all (I really dont want a monster unit hanging off the wall)
REad about how it works at https://www.closecomfort.com.au/pages/how-it-works
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Kyte would be interested in how much power this AC uses over 3 months