The Enigma of iPad (10th Gen) — Turing tested
This article is about the iPad 10 being the actual pro for 99% of world’s business population while the pro is for the 1% of god-knows-what-they-do. Read on to enter a surprise candy cane winning competition. (kidding!)
I bought my iPad pro 11 inch in summer 2022.
In summary it boasts the Mighty M1 and ProMotion technology that delivers refresh rates of up to 120Hz for fluid scrolling, greater responsiveness and smoother motion content — Yes, it feels like butter melting in your eyes — in a good way.
I bought the apple pencil along with it banking on vague use cases but generally being driven by the supposed artist in me. That artist so far has decided not to reveal itself to the world.
I might have used it to take notes or two in a couple of meetings while everyone looked at me with the expression: ‘what a show off’. Now I have it locked up in a nice cushy box — reminiscent of the parker pen days — and take it out once in a while to charge it — then, back it goes.
It only proved that this article of mine from two years ago still holds true.
The iPad quickly became a consumption device with superior frame rate and audio (4 speakers on each side) — Netflix, Prime, Apple TV and the rest.
It also became my Microsoft Teams meeting front line assault device with its front camera center stage capability and honestly being able to open that application at twice the speed of light. That piece is often not highlighted enough. No, the Teams is not processing your 8K tik tok video or creating special effects for the next marvel movie but it takes its bitter sweet time to load up and kick off and present you with life altering messages on other traditional laptopish macish platforms.
On the iPad however, it lets you answer your boss immediately and entering that all-eyes-are-on-the-late-comer meeting 2 seconds before the fuse is lit. Less importantly but for the peace of mind, it launches slack the fastest as well.
There was however one problem.
Notice how that camera is on the left side of things when in landscape mode.
It is a pain. It is an abomination.
For the consumption part, while I hold it with my big tiny hands covering the camera, it does not let me (or the average joe like me) Face ID to get it to open up and instantly go to that ending of Jack Reacher on Prime — the ending I already know because I have read and do own all the books (almost). For the record, I love the Tom cruise versions. I have to carefully peel off my fingers from over the camera until it is happy to see me frowning.
The other issue with this camera is that it is on the side (when and mostly always in the landscape mode) and no matter how handsome I want to look for my boss and the team and no matter how much Center Stage magic it conjures up, it is like, meh. It is too low (at the middle of the left or right side) and too much a side angle to represent me looking straight at the people I am communicating with. It invokes this confusion of looking left (or right depending on the orientation) or looking at the screen in the middle of the point you are trying to make with your chief. Disaster!
So I thought hey, no problem, Apple is going to fix it soon because when I have a problem, they have a problem. Googled it a bit and soon realized that this was not a problem at all for them but was done on purpose.
Why you ask? Why I asked? Find your Why with Simon Sinek.
For the rest, this was because the iPad pro can either have its intense camera setup or the magnetic charging setup (for the infamous Apple pencil) on the side. There is no space for both — not at the moment and not in the works. Solid copy chief!
This is when I had the big revelation, massive epiphany and a little bit of goosebumps — and my world changed — to the same world but with a saving of about $700.
The pro lineup is not meant for who we think are the pro. It is not for the CEO or the Vice president or the Senior executive or anyone who is underneath all of that hierarchy.
It is for people who make actual use of that pencil and draw something crazy pretty or compute the captured image of an actual blackhole.
The pro is not marketed incorrectly but the audience positions itself in the wrong category.
Why apple iPad 10th gen is the real pro
Short answer
The camera is in the center (landscape mode) and it is the only iPad that has it!
That should say a lot and talk to its intended category and not just a gimmick on apple’s part. What is more that it does come with a pencil — and Apple just updated their pencil to a cooler and cheaper version — This enables the ‘pro’ to actually just take notes and that kind of business stuff (it still also attached magnetically , but does not get charged — no biggie)
And it does connect to a keyboard like its double the price pro bro.
And it still has a great 12 MP wide back camera.
And it still has the landscape 12MP Ultra Wide front camera with center stage (Microsoft Teams you goin’ down yo)
Wifi 6 and USB-C!
Long answer
It must be the short answer because this category of iPads has been a mystery to the general apple fan group — until now — When your favorite tech review guy spills the beans.
Ipad pro right now is available in the Canadian apple store starting at CAD 1099 and the iPad 10 is at CAD599. Take any apple store and the difference would be at the same ratio.
They say when the world reveals itself to you, there is no way to close your eyes on it again. I always thought Apple was testing something with the iPad 10 but it is an ingenious category implemented by choice — that is, if you can read between the pixels.
Good luck with your next purchase and I’m happy I did my civic apple fan boy duty.
