This was originally published on November 14, 2016.

I picked up my iPad Pro 12.9" 128GB Wi-Fi + Cellular model the morning of November 11, 2015, at my local Apple Store. It felt like Christmas had come early. I bought the case ahead of time so I had it ready when I picked up the iPad.

The iPad Pro has impressive hardware.

I've been getting an average of 10 hours of battery life on the weekend.

I wanted to use the iPad mainly for personal use during the weekend. I ended up using it mostly after work when I wanted to watch a show or a movie. I love how loud the speakers are. The only snag I had was the iPad not waking up after a full charge, but that got fixed pretty fast.

I looked at mobile hardware keyboards, but I did not really like any of them. Even the Apple Smart Keyboard did not feel compelling enough for me to get, so I decided to skip the portable keyboard. I bought a portable case for my old Apple Bluetooth keyboard instead. It is not as convenient as something that is already attached, but it works for me.

Most of the time I actually find the onscreen keyboard good enough to write something quick, but I cannot see myself writing a novel on a glass keyboard.

The screen gets really dirty if you are typing on the glass.

Most iPad cases do not accommodate the space bar well. I had to make a cut in my case so I could hit the space bar with my thumb.

There is no tactile feedback for the onscreen keyboard. I am not sure how 3D Touch could help here, but if Apple could figure that out, I am sold.

It is a pretty expensive book reader, but that is the best use I get out of it.

The iPad did start to eat into my iPhone and MacBook Pro usage. I found myself picking up my iPad when I wanted to browse the internet while eating or read a PDF in full screen.

I do not use the iPad to take notes even though I own the Apple Pencil. I think the main reason is that I cannot get tips for the pencil. I do not have the prettiest handwriting, and writing on glass does not help it come out better. I wish I could get tips that would make it feel like I am writing on paper or add some kind of resistance to the stroke. I do feel that Apple missed an opportunity by not including 3D Touch on the actual pencil. Imagine being able to feel that you are actually pushing down a button on the iPad.

Right now the iPad is just a big phone with lots of battery to me. I sometimes use it as a mobile hotspot for my laptop.

I love my iPad. I wish I could pair it with my Apple Watch so I would not need to carry a phone, but that may be pushing it.

I've been thinking about getting a physical keyboard lately. Aside from Apple's Smart Keyboard, I have not found something that is not too bulky. I do not plan to replace my laptop with this iPad, but I do wish that the input story for the iPad were better. I hope for a future where I can type onscreen and have that feel natural.

Read my ten-year iPad Pro retrospective.