A few weeks ago Apple announced new iPad Pros at their Spring event. Since that announcement I’ve been hedging. Actually, if I’m honest, I’ve been hedging since the new M1 Macs were announced late last year. I’ve wanted to upgrade but have been hesitant to “pull the trigger.” I’m currently using a combination of two machines; a 2015 13 inch MacBook Pro that is feeling really slow and a 2015, 12.9 inch, first generation iPad Pro that feel “chippy” compared to my Mac. My main use case for both machines, since the beginning of the pandemic, has been focused on remote teaching from my home. I mainly use the MacBook Pro for web-based instructional activities and video conferencing with my students. I use the iPad Pro as a “third screen” using a series of apps so as not to have so many web-based tabs open, slowing things down, in my browser, on the MacBook Pro.

As the school year comes to a close and summer vacation begins, my technological hardware needs will be shifting to a more writerly based workflow. That shift, coupled with the prospect of some version of “in school” learning this coming fall finds me trying to figure out what I should do with regards to upgrading my current tech hardware. Should I get an M1 MacBook Air? Should I get an iPad Pro with the M1 chip? If I get an iPad Pro which size should I get?

The title of this post pretty much answers all of these questions. I’m going to get a new, 11 inch iPad Pro with the M1 chip. Recent events with a family member have partially contributed to this decision. This family member is in dire need of an upgrade to their tech hardware. My current iPad Pro would catapult this person into the 21st century while simultaneously affording me the opportunity for a much needed (and wanted) upgrade. There’s something else going on here that’s contributing to this decision; my love for the iPad Pro!

I use my MacBook Pro ONLY because of my “day job;” teaching. When I am not teaching I am not on my MacBook Pro. I love to write on my current iPad Pro, always have. And, I’ve decided that upgrading to a new one will more than meet my writerly needs. Heck…as I write this I am actually contemplating a dramatic change; for the next school year. I’m am pretty certain that some version of what school looks like now will still be in place this coming August; a combination of remote and “in-person” learning. So, if and when I am home teaching remotely, why not just use my school computer “for school” and the new iPad Pro for my personal writing interests?

In order for this transition to take place I need to “prepare the way;” mentally and physically getting things in order so that when the new iPad Pro arrives, I am ready to set it up for myself while simultaneously getting the current iPad Pro ready for that family member.

Preparing the way involves several steps. To begin with, I need to get rid of apps on the current iPad Pro that I am not using currently nor do I think I will be using when I migrate to the new machine. “Dumping” these unused/unwanted apps was easier than I thought it would be. The current iPad Pro has 256GB of “Capacity” way more than I’ll ever need. I was not using a lot of that “Capacity” before “the purge” and after “said purge” I found that I still had 235GB of “Capacity.” The next step in the process will be to make sure that Back Ups are happening regularly so that when my new machine arrives I can migrate things quickly and efficiently then reset the current machine to “factory settings.” The final step will involve loading the current iPad Pro with the apps and browser my family member needs, get them a nice keyboard and they will be set!

The mental preparation, as hinted to above, involves rethinking how I’m using all of my current technological hardware. Do I need to use my Apple hardware for work purposes? Absolutely not! I’ve done it here at home working remotely only because I enjoy the experience of using them. I could, very easily shift to using my school laptop with the monitor I purchased as a second screen while at home, just like I do when I take it to school. Or I could use the external monitor I already have set up while working with my MacBook Pro and leave the other monitor for school use only. All I’d have to do is unplug the monitor I’m currently using at home and my bluetooth headphones from my MacBook Pro and plug them into my school laptop. These are things I will continue to think about moving forward.