I’m a keyboard sort of guy, so yesterday’s announcement of the new 9.7in iPad Pro with support for keyboard and Apple Pencil was right up my street. The original iPad Pro was tempting but I reasoned that it was just too big for comfort, particularly if I want to start carrying around an iPad once more. For the past year or so I have been quite happy sans iPad, relying on the compromise of the iPhone 6 Plus.
The Apple Pencil is already ordered and bagged, ahead of the fresh demand that will come on Thursday when iPad and iPhone orders start. I shall also be pressing the button on a new 128GB iPad Pro in space grey (having resisted the blandishments of the 256GB model) and one of the new keyboard cases. Both iPad and case are expensive, in my humble opinion. The keyboard, at £139, is hideously expensive compared with offerings from Logitech & Co, but the convenience of a fully compatible system outweighs this.
Surprisingly, too, there was great interest here at the Macfilos offices in the iPhone S-E. Could this be a time to take a step backwards and pension off the 6 Plus (readers will recall the 6S was resisted) in favour of a fast, fully featured small communicator? It could well complement the iPad and keyboard sitting in the Billingham bag.
We are actually tempted to give it a go; this gives us a good opportunity to sell the 6 Plus while it is still reasonably current and while it still retains a worthwhile value. It has the advantage of putting off an immediate decision on the 7 when it comes out in the autumn. At the very least, experience with the SE will help in the inevitable tug-of-war decision between the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.
Thanks to Apple’s big announcement yesterday, it is likely to be all change at Macfilos on the mobile front. We’ll be reporting further on the iPad when it arrives; and on the iPhone SE if we decide to order.
TWO DAYS LATER
On the point of ordering the new iPad Pro junior, a keyboard and Apple Care, I hesitated at the checkout. Nearly £1,000 for this little bunch of goodies. I used the excuse that I couldn’t have the box delivered to a local pick up point and decided to hold my fire. Similarly, now I have read more about the iPhone SE, I am not sure that I would be happy with such a small screen after the delights of the 6 Plus. The 6 Plus is also a convenient tablet replacement (phablet indeed) and I have realised just how much I have enjoyed using it as my sole mobile platforms over the past 18 months. For text editing, which I do mostly when away from the office, the 6 Plus is just as effective as an iPad. So I am sitting on the wall for the time being. I am very good at this. Â
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So what is your take on the choice between a "wifey" and a 4g version then Michael?
Do you reckon it is worth the extra expense of a contract, even payg… vs making use of the personal hotspot?
I always go for the wifey version because I spend so much time out and about. I don’t like that feeling of being out of touch, even though I know I could use the iPhone for hotspotting. As it happens, though, my Vodafone contract gives me three SIM cards on the same number. One is for the phone, handling calls and SMS, the other two are for devices such as iPads which need data only.
Stephen, I forgot to answer your question about contracts. I have a phone contract providing 10Gb plus unlimited calls and texts. I had two SIM cards on this, sharing data, one goes in the iPad. This was costing £32 a month including VAT. I also had a basic £8-a-month second phone contract which I use for an old iPhone as a backup.
A couple of weeks ago Vodafone called to review the contract. I ended up with the "spare" contracts reduced to zero. Instead I got a third SIM on the original account–so I have a phone SIM and two data SIMs for use in iPad and second phone. They then reduced the monthly contract to just over £19 including VAT. This seems like incredible value for money. Plus I have euro traveller (£3 a day in Europe to use the full British contract) and world traveller (£6 a day in the rest of the world). This is perfect for me and I now have full service everywhere. So why not to have 4G?
I just realised in the last reply I said I always get wifi. That’s wrong, I always get 4G for the reasons above.
That sounds like a good way to go Mike…
I have been persuaded to try all sorts of contracts, and got seriously annoyed with "Three", who offer to provide really cheap services everywhere across the globe… However they failed to provide any service at my desk in my home, I had to go out into the garden.
I have since taken to GiffGaff as they now support iPhonery properly… And you are always only one month away from the end of the contract.
I will investigate Vodafone too though, since I intend to spend more time in France and Italy in the coming years.
… 🙂 Yes I realised what you meant about the wifi/4g version of ipaddery. That smaller version, does look quite nice for travel…
Mind you, so is the MacBook!
This thing about the "one month away" is interesting. I’m fairly happy with Vodafone and don’t know a better hole to go to, so when I am negotiating a reduced price such as the fall to £19, I agree to a one-year contract. After that (as up to the recent phone call) I was on a rolling 30 days. In effect I’ve saved some £20 a month by agreeing to a year. After that, they’ll be back to offer an even better deal to keep me signed up for another twelve months. As long as the service is ok, that’s fine by me.
If you are going to be spending time in Greater Europe, the Vodafone Euro Traveller is a good deal. At £3 a day it gives the full UK contract (which is particularly important with data). I now no longer scurry around buying local SIM cards, although they are clearly beneficial if you are going to be in the same country for more than, say, a couple of weeks.
Wherever you go, though, a good internet connection is important so you can leave comments on Macfilos.