亲密接触：史无前例大的新iPad使用起来是什么感受

    本周三，苹果正式揭晓了最新的产品阵容，包括全新设计的苹果电视、更大屏的iPad Pro，以及升级版的iPhone 6s和6s Plus。

    在此次发布会上，知名摇滚乐队One Republic的表演带给人们不少惊喜。在蒂姆•库克结束介绍环节后，苹果向媒体记者开放了展示区，让参会者试用这些新品。

    我试用的第一款产品，正是在此次苹果发布会上打头炮的iPad Pro。细看这款设备，它那块12.9英寸的大屏让我不禁觉得好笑。脑海里的第一个念头是，苹果公司是不是在跟评论界开玩笑，因为第一眼看上去，它简直就像是从拉斯维加斯喜剧秀“Carrot Top”里拿来的道具。

    不过随着我加深对这款大屏平板电脑的了解后，马上就不嘲笑它了。一位苹果公司的代表向来宾们演示了它的最新设置。首先他打开了微软Office套件里的两个应用程序，以展示iOS 9最新的多任务功能（Office也为这块更大的屏幕做了优化）。这位代表能够同时在iPad Pro上使用Word和Excel，并且没有任何明显的卡顿或性能问题。显然，这款平板电脑瞄准的是企业用户。

    据悉，同样的多任务功能也将出现在iPad Air 2上，同时也适用于各老款的iPad，只不过其功能在老款上将有所局限。iOS 9的分屏模式显然就是为了更大的屏幕打造的。iPad Air 2的分屏模式也只不过是拜iPad Pro这个“大哥”所赐。

    iPad Pro的重量约为1.57磅，比Macbook笔记本大约轻了半磅左右，只比iPad Air 2略重一点。不过相对于它较大的体型，拿在手里时根本不显得重。

    iPad Pro的32GB版本售价为799美元。此次苹果还为iPad Pro推出了99美元的触控笔Apple Pencil和169美元的智能键盘Smart Keyboard，这两种配件均需单独购买。苹果公司称Apple Pencil是一种“精确输入设备”，而智能键盘还可以作为支架和皮套使用。除了32GB的版本以外，iPad Pro还提供售价949美元的128GB版本。苹果并未明确表示这两个版本将于何时上架，只是称iPad Pro大约将于11月上市。

    在测试iPad的智能键盘时，我发现它的键位反馈性很好，手指很容易就能找到对应的位置，完全不需要花时间适应，很轻松地就能随意输入几行文字。

    同时，苹果今年三月在MacBook上推出的“蝴蝶键盘”技术也将出现在iPad Pro的智能键盘上。该功能可以使键盘在输入时只出现极轻微的移动，同时不会影响可靠性和响应性。

    触控笔Apple Pencil的外观和手感都和一支自动铅笔差不多，只不过长度要超过普通的自动铅笔。它的重量很轻，而且很贴合人手的自然弧度。用它写字、画画的感觉非常平顺，响应也很快，从你落笔到电子墨水在屏幕上显示笔迹，几乎察觉不到任何延迟。另外，Apple Pencil还有一个“闪电”接口，用户在不使用的时候可以为其充电。

    直到发布会结束，我仍不敢相信iPad Pro和那些屏幕比它小的iPad居然运行的是同一个iOS版本。iPad Pro那看起来眼熟的app图标布局让人感觉颇为浪费空间，因此苹果还有不少可以改进之处。不过一旦你打开多款选中应用，就会觉得屏幕上的每个像素都没有白费。（财富中文网）

    译者：朴成奎

    On Wednesday Apple unveiled its newest lineup: a revamped Apple TV, bigger iPad Pro, and new iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.

    Shortly after Tim Cook ended the live portion of the event — which featured a surprise performance by rock band One Republic — the company opened up its demo area to journalists so those in attendance could test out its new gadgets.

    The first product I managed to try out was the same device Apple opened the event with: the iPad Pro. As I scrutinized the device I couldn’t help but chuckle over the device’s 12.9-inch screen. My initial thought was that Apple was playing some sort of joke on critics, since at first glance the iPad looks like a prop from the Carrot Top show.

    The laughing soon stopped after I learned more about the large tablet. An Apple representative walked guests through its new setup by launching two apps found in the Microsoft Office app (which is now optimized for a bigger screen) to demonstrate iOS 9’s new multi-tasking features. The representative was able use both Word and Excel at the same time without any apparent hiccups or performance issues. Clearly, this is a tablet meant to target enterprise users.

    The same multi-tasking feature will also be included in the iPad Air 2 and made available for older iPads, although the latter will have limited functionality. It’s obvious that the iOS 9’s split-screen mode was made with a larger display in mind; the fact the iPad Air 2 is capable of the same feature is simply just a bonus.

    Weighing in at 1.57 pounds, the iPad Pro is roughly a half-pound lighter than the Macbook and only slightly heavier than the iPad Air 2. Although, due to its size the iPad Pro didn’t feel heavy at all.

    The iPad Pro starts at $799 for a 32-gigabyte model, with accessories such as the Apple Pencil (which the company describes a “precision input device”) costing $99 and $169 Smart Keyboard (which doubles as a stand and cover) purchased separately. Meanwhile, the device’s 128GB version will retail for $949. Apple didn’t provide an exact release date for both devices, only stating that the company’s tablet would be made available in November.

    While test-driving the iPad Smart Keyboard, I found the keys to be responsive and easy for my fingers to find. I wasn’t forced to adjust to the new keyboard, and could easily type a few lines of random text.

    Meanwhile, the same butterfly mechanism the company first introduced in its March MacBook will also be included in the Smart Keyboard. This feature allows the keys to move very little when pressed, without forfeiting reliability and responsiveness.

    The Apple Pencil looks and feels just like a mechanical pencil, if not slightly bigger in length. The stylus is light and easily fits right into the natural curve of your hand. Writing or drawing with it was smooth and responsive, with almost no noticeable lag between when the stylus is applied to the tablet and when digital ink is displayed on screen. Additionally, the device features a lightning connector so that users can charge the device when it’s not in use.

    At the end of the day, I’m still a little puzzled over the fact that both the iPad Pro and smaller iPad run the same version of iOS. The iPad Pro’s familiar app icon grid feels like a lot of wasted space; there has to be more Apple can do with it. Once you’ve opened selected apps, however, every pixel on the screen is used up.