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Ipad Pro 12.9 for reading Progs..opinions?

Started by mattp9989, 23 August, 2017, 02:53:13 AM

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mattp9989

Anyone out there have experience?  I was thinking of taking the expensive plunge and would like to hear from anyone who has.  Large enough screen area to read properly?  what about double page spreads?  im assuming this would be the best tablet to represent actually holding a prog electronically?

The Adventurer

#1
Chunky is my go to iPad reading app. It works with all CBR/CBZ/ZIP/RAR/PDF file formats, has decent comic sorting options, and can connect to you local network so you can download your comics directly from your PC without going through an intermediary like Dropbox.

I have an iPad 4, and I've felt its been perfect for reading comic pages. Especially the slightly wider then most comics, 2000AD. Is the model of Pro you're thinking of getting the regular sized, or slightly larger one? Because if its the larger one, that's plenty big for a natural comic reading experiance. The Regular size is fine too. iPad Mini, probably not so much. A little too small I'd think.

EDIT: Oh yeah, 12.9 is massive compared to my 9.7 iPad 4.

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The Adventurer

#2
I'd actually worry the 12.9 is too heavy to be comfortable for comic reading. But then people said that about my 9.7-inch one, and they were wrong.

EDIT: The average US comic size height is only 10.24 inches, the iPad 12.9 screen is 12 inches tall!

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Colin YNWA

Different device I know, but I use a Samsung 12.2 and that had similar warning. I find it fine. Its of course not like reading a floppie but its a lot easier than reading say a 500 page hard cover omnibus. But its easy to find comfortable reading positions and I don't have a problem.

The extra screen real estate makes it well worth it for me.

Jim_Campbell

I have my 12.9 iPad Pro in a fairly heavy case but removed from that, it's surprisingly light. I'm not sure you'd want to hold it one-handed for any length of time*, but I'm holding mine with my left and typing this with my right... so it's certainly possible.

I'm not quite ready to give up physical comics just yet, but the iPad Pro has brought me close. It's lovely to read comics on and it's nice to read something 2000AD-sized** at near enough actual size on the 12.9.

* I have no idea why this is widely considered a measure of lightness/usability. None.

** A couple of my sub copies have gone astray, but they usually show up eventually, so I've sprung for an additional digital copy to tide me over. For DRM-free files, I'll second the recommendation for Chunky.
Stupidly Busy Letterer: Samples. | Blog
Less-Awesome-Artist: Scribbles.

IndigoPrime

Having at various points had a number of iPads knocking around, and also sometimes reviewing the things for press, I would say:

- Get yourself to an Apple Store, if you have a fairly local one, and actually hold the things in your hand. Play with the thing and move it around. Spend time there. If possible, upload some comic pages or PDFs to a website before you go and read them on the screen. (Safari for iOS will load files with no problems, and although you won't get a comic reader experience, you will see how the screen works for your chosen comic sizes.) Note that Apple has a reasonably liberal returns policy, if you don't like what you buy. Talk to a store clerk about what you want to do, and what options are available in that area.

- Avoid the mini at all costs. It is a DEAD line, and far too small, even if it's light.

- Recognise the new cheap iPad is a good deal, but slightly worse in terms of _some_ aspects of the screen than the iPad Air 2 it replaces. It's more like the iPad Air in terms of feel, and it has far more glare.

- If you're centring on comics reading, an iPad Air 2 might actually be a good cheap choice, note. It's thin, light, solid, and fast enough. However, this is not a good option if you want to do a lot of other stuff with the device, and for a number of years into the future. (My one is fine, but noticeably slow at some aspects of iOS 11. It's starting to struggle a little with some very advanced fare, meaning I reckon it has perhaps another 18 months before that becomes a problem. You should expect an iPad to last around four years in terms of feeling pretty nippy. In terms of build, they're very solid. My original iPad, from 2010, still works fine, although of course won't run any recent apps or games.)

- The two iPad Pros are worth looking at, and are very different in nature. The 10-inch one is really where Apple's tablet line is heading, and there's a larger screen in a form factor little different dimensions-wise from the Airs and new iPad. It's kind of a 'sweet spot' iPad. To my mind, the 12.9 is a bit much – too heavy (although, amusingly, almost exactly the same weight as the original iPad), but YMMV, hence my suggestion you test the things in the flesh.

I would note that price may of course be a factor. In the UK, the 128 GB iPad is £429. A 256 GB 10.5-inch Pro is £709. The 12.9-inch model adds another £150 to that price tag. (There are cheaper models for each, but you'd be nuts to plump for the low-end storage, since you can't expand them. 32 GB on an iPad is a joke, and 64 on a Pro is barely adequate.)

As for Readers, I'd also recommend Chunky. I know the developer is writing a new app right now, and so the original might be a maintenance app for the foreseeable, but it's very good. You can pull down content from various sources (cloud storage; via a browser from the likes of Humble Bundle; local storage, including connected Macs), and there are plenty of options regarding the app's appearance. Beyond that, Comic Zeal is probably the next best option.

One thing that is worth noting: if you go down this route, I highly recommend sourcing DRM-free copies of anything you buy, so you have the option of using whichever reader you choose. Although most companies do offer workable first-party readers for iOS, few are great, and it's not fun when you guy something and it's 'stuck' inside a shitty reader. (Rebellion, natch, has long gone down the consumer-first route, and so whatever you buy from them can be grabbed from the website.)


Pete Wells

Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 23 August, 2017, 06:57:30 AM
I have my 12.9 iPad Pro in a fairly heavy case but removed from that, it's surprisingly light. I'm not sure you'd want to hold it one-handed for any length of time*, but I'm holding mine with my left and typing this with my right... so it's certainly possible.

* I have no idea why this is widely considered a measure of lightness/usability. None.

I quick look at my internet browsing history would give you that answer Mr Campbell.

Albion

I've been reading comics on an iPad for years and it's great.
I now have an iPad Pro and use the 2000AD app. I have the 9.7 inch one and it's fine. I also use Comic Zeal and ComiXology too. All good.
Dumb all over, a little ugly on the side.

-MikeD-

Obviously, it's not worth buying a pro 12.9 just to read comics - but it does do a fantastic job. I haven't read 2000ad on the screen but it's great with Comixology, Marvel and Sequential. And if you're interested in drawing it's a must buy anyhow.

IndigoPrime

Again, I'd strongly recommend checking out the devices in the flesh, not least because the display on the new Pro is bigger than the standard, but the device itself weighs the same. (I've been fine with the Prog on a 9.7-inch iPad, FWIW, though.) And, yeah, if you're into art, then you're going to want a Pro and a Pencil.

Also: Albion – have you tried Chunky? If not, give it a go unless you're wedded to Comic Zeal.

Albion

Quote from: IndigoPrime on 24 August, 2017, 02:33:51 PM
Also: Albion – have you tried Chunky? If not, give it a go unless you're wedded to Comic Zeal.

No. I keep meaning to as I've seen you mention it before. I must check it out.
Dumb all over, a little ugly on the side.

Fungus

Been using the 12.9" iPad for 6 months, reading prog/meg digitally. Chunky also is great. Dropbox (and external drive to store those comics). Colours zing and HIGHLY recommend it. Leatherish cover makes it quite a tactile experience too.

Have other uses and even Apple Pencil (tm) doodly stuff is interesting.

Surfing wise, I'm a convert since my 2 previous tablets were Android and so unresponsive as to be unusable. Was looking at iPhones yesterday, like I say, I'm a convert.


IndigoPrime

Fungus: new iPhones likely to be announced within two weeks. Don't buy now.

Fungus

Quote from: IndigoPrime on 25 August, 2017, 05:27:16 PM
Fungus: new iPhones likely to be announced within two weeks. Don't buy now.

Noted, ta IP!
Seemingly it's costlier to change phone on this contract now than in a month, this despite an unsolicited text advising me I can renew 'early'. I'll hold fire for a few weeks.

topper24hours

Quote from: IndigoPrime on 24 August, 2017, 02:33:51 PM
Again, I'd strongly recommend checking out the devices in the flesh, not least because the display on the new Pro is bigger than the standard, but the device itself weighs the same. (I've been fine with the Prog on a 9.7-inch iPad, FWIW, though.) And, yeah, if you're into art, then you're going to want a Pro and a Pencil.

Also: Albion – have you tried Chunky? If not, give it a go unless you're wedded to Comic Zeal.

Lol, why the bizarre quest to get people to quit using Comic Zeal (a FAR superior app, that they already paid for... if they're using), & use the lesser quality Chunky app??
Seems like you have an agenda or something.