How to Make Use of Your iPad Pro for Productivity

“Your next computer is not a computer” – this is how Apple markets its latest iPad Pro. The new iPad Pro is not just a typical mobile tablet you will find in the tech market; it is arguably a PC replacement or the best portable computing device you will ever have. You can use it together with Apple pencil, touch, keyboard and now trackpad. Can you get real work done on an iPad Pro? According to theguardian, the answer is generally yes, and it can be done without massive adjustments. In this article, we will explore how to make use of your iPad Pro for productivity.

Multitasking with Split View and Slide Over

Image courtesy of CultofMac

Work that requires a multitasking process can be done more efficiently with iPad Pro. First thing you need to do is enable the multitasking features. Go to Settings > Home Screen & Dock > Multitasking & Dock, turn on all the switches to start the magic. Next, put all your important or frequently used apps on the dock to speed up your productivity and access the split-screen multitasking feature.

You may open three completely different applications at once by combining 1 App in Slide Over and 2 Apps in Split View mode. To access Split view, just open an app, slide up from the bottom of the screen and drag-and-drop another app from the Dock to the left or right of the screen. 

Apart from that, you can open the third app by pulling it out from the Dock and then drag to the centre of the screen and release your finger to access it in Slide Over mode. It will appear as a “floating window” and what impresses us is that you can access up to five open apps in the Slide Over. 

Note: Not all iOS apps support Split View and Slide Over, but one thing is for sure: all Apple-made apps support both modes. 

Companion for creative or graphics work 

Image courtesy of Digital Arts

Whether you are designing an art project for your academic or retouching a photo for your customer, rather than relying on a host computer, the iPad Pro can perform the same together with the Apple Pencil Gen 2. Some professional designer apps available on the iPad are ProCreate, Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator, Morpholio Trace, Autodesk SketchBook, Adobe Draw and Adobe Sketch – all of which complete support for Apple Pencil. 

The pressure sensitivity and tilt combined with the low latency of Apple pencil allow you to express your artistic soul on the iPad Pro. The Apple pencil will pair and charge automatically while magnetically attached to your iPad Pro. 

Taking notes can be that easy

Image courtesy of ColourMyLearning

Here are some great note-taking apps for iPad Pro:

• Notability
• Notepad+
• Whink
• Nebo
• Evernote
• Goodnotes

With the 2nd Generation Apple Pencil, you can instantly turn your tablet into a writing slate. These note apps can help you organize and categorize your notes, share or even turn it into a presentation for your work. You can write, sketch and ink whatever is in your mind naturally just like on paper. Furthermore, you can compile images, documents, web and photos from different sources and edit your own notes with these useful note apps.

Aside from note-taking, you can annotate on your screen – Apple referred to this as a Markup. If you are an educator or student, this feature will be your silver lining. All you need to do is take a screenshot and add to the doodles or apps like Keynotes and start marking notes on the image. When it’s done, save and share it online. Besides, you can even sign, scan and send documents right from your device. Indeed a fantastic way to get things done faster and stay paperless to save the environment!

Be your own film maker

Image courtesy of TheSweetSetup

You can shoot, edit, and share a 4K resolution video in just one device. The tablet comes with the new 12-megapixel ultra-wide dual-camera similar to the iPhone 11 and a microphone that captures studio-quality sound; you can create a high-quality vlog and home video easily. Once you film your masterpiece, edit it with the free editing tools like Adobe Premiere Rush, iMovie or Lumafusion. Although it is not compatible with Apple’s Final Cut Pro in Mac, it still gets your job done pretty efficiently. 

Be more productive with keyboard and mouse

Image courtesy of ColourMyLearning

Complete the set up of your iPad Pro with keyboard and mouse and is a total game-changer. You can get Apple’s own Magic Keyboard with a trackpad and floating hinge or Smart Keyboard Folio. The latter can become a slim cover by folding down to protect your iPad Pro when not in use. If you rely on the tablet to get your job done, you need to have at least a keyboard and Bluetooth mouse to go with it. 

Apple claimed that the A12Z Bionic chip in iPad Pro outperforms most PC laptops available in the market today. If you already own an iPad Pro, why not fully utilize it to maximize your work productivity? If you spend some time adapting to the workflow and stay committed to it, it can become your ultimate powerful device from your day-to-day tasks to heavy graphics workflows.