While I'm sure many of you Apple fans are reveling in this week's Apple event and their announcements of smaller versions of both the iPhone and iPad Pro. Most of the tech world took a collective yawn! The truth of the matter is most tech pundits have historically shunned companies for creating the sort of fragmentation Apple just did. So it shouldn't be a shock that most of us aren't all that excited.
Whether you agree or disagree with Apple's latest approach of releasing their devices in multiple configurations, there is one rather minor benefit, at least in the case of the 9.7" iPad Pro, and that is that when buying the new smaller device users won't have to pay for a Microsoft Office 365 subscription to use Microsoft’s iOS Office apps! This isn't the case for 'power users' that are looking at the larger iPad Pro. The reason, a simple one, Microsoft's licensing terms and the differentiation of how they view mobile devices.
Let me explain: Last year Microsoft attempted to distinguish what the company thought defined a mobile vs professional experience, and which devices would typically be used by the consumer on the go. The idea, according to Microsoft, was that the company wanted to offer customers the basic feature set while they are using their mobile device and charge the regular Office 365 licensing fees for those users who were using Office at a desk,in front of a larger 'PC'. Microsoft views mobile apps as more appropriate for light editing, rather than document creation.
“Currently, we are also using screen size to delineate between professional and personal use,” Kirk Koenigsbauer, corporate vice president for the Office 365 Client Apps and Services team wrote. “Based on our research, we are classifying anything with a screen size of 10.1 inches or less as a true mobile device: You’re probably using it on the go, when it’s not practical to use a larger computing device such as a PC or a Mac. You probably aren’t using a mouse or a keyboard, instead navigating via touch interface. It’s probably not a “pro” category tablet that is used for design or presentations.”
Of course this may only be a minor benefit to most users, it is still a nice perk. Of course you still don't get all the benefits of a full blown Office 365 subscription or the full set of features. But for users that need to edit and view an Office document created elsewhere, it comes in handy.
Showing posts with label ipad. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ipad. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Tuesday, October 07, 2014
Don't Buy That Used iPhone or iPad Without Checking This Site First
Purchasing a used device an be a tricky proposition these days. You never know if you can trust that the person selling the device didn't swipe it or that it hasn't been reported as stolen and therefore blocked from activation. Now we have a new resource that will help you verify that iPhone, iPad or iPod touch can actually be activated.
The service is available on the iCloud website and only takes a few steps to test to make sure the Activation Lock hasn't been triggered. Users simply need to input the IMEI (International Mobile Station Equipment Identity) or serial number of any iOS device to quickly check its Activation Lock status.
For those not familiar with Apple's Activation Lock it is a feature that was first introduced in iOS 7 as part of the Find My iPhone service on iCloud. Once it is turned on, the device is locked down and the user needs to input the Apple ID and password associated with it in order to be able to use it again. Activation Lock was original optional in iOS 7, but Apple turned it on by default in iOS 8.
This new tool will instantly tell you whether the device you intend to buy can be used right away, or whether it’s protected by Activation Lock and therefore blocked from being activated by Apple and thus not worth buying!
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
iOS 8 Is Here Is Your iPhone Ready?
As promised earlier this month Apple has released the latest version of the company's mobile operating system, iOS 8. The new software update offers users a slew of new features and what Apple explains as "a simpler, faster and more intuitive user experience."
For users looking for more details check below for a quick look at what devices support Apple’s latest OS, how to prepare for the update in advance, and how download it as soon as possible.
Which devices support iOS 8
Before diving head first into what you can expect from the newly updated software let's make sure your device supports it. As always Apple keeps tight restriction on what device will be allowed to run their newest operating system. This is mainly due to hardware limitation and the desire to ensure users get the best possible user experience. Given that, iOS 8 is only available on the devices listed below. It should also be noted that not all features — such as Apple Pay and continuity — will work on all devices or even within all countries.| iPhones | iPads | iPods |
| iPhone 4s | iPad 2 | 5th-generation iPod Touch |
| iPhone 5 | 3rd-generation iPad | |
| iPhone 5c | 4th-generation iPad | |
| iPhone 5s | iPad Air | |
| iPhone 6 | iPad mini | |
| iPhone 6 Plus | iPad mini with Retina display |
Ready your iPhone for the iOS 8 update
Before attempting any sort of major software update there are several things to be done. For starters we all know software updates can go wrong — and Apple’s are no exception. It’s always a good idea to back up your data before proceeding. Thankfully Apple makes that easy to do via iTunes or iCloud. This is always a major first step but it is one that will lessen the risk of you losing your contacts, messages, photos, and any other content you have stored on your device.To back up your iPhone via iCloud and your local Wi-Fi network, tap Settings on the iPhone’s home screen and select the iCloud option in the resulting menu. Then, select Storage & Backup and ensure the iCloud Backup is enabled, or simply tap the blue Back Up Now option at the bottom.
Your second step should be freeing up some space on your device. Anyone that has done a major iOS update in the past and has had a device full of data will know that it can cause issues. You’ll reportedly need at least 1.4GB of free storage space to install iOS 8. So now is the time to free up some memory and do a little house cleaning. I suggest cruising through your photos, contacts, and apps for anything you no longer us or is severely outdated. You should have all that backed up now anyways but if not you can always offload it to your iCloud or iTunes account or store it elsewhere if you’re worried about losing those precious moments and music you rarely listen to.
The last step in the process is updating iTunes and all your apps. iOS 7 should have automatically kept your apps up to date, but it only does so periodically. Launch the App Store as you would normally, tap Updates in the bottom-right corner, and then Update All to download and install the latest version of all your apps. Many developers have already begun to release software updates optimized for iOS 8 — even prior to the platform’s release — so it’s worth double-checking just in case. This also ensures you have a lesser chance of any compatibility issues. Updating iTunes at this stage is also critical if you are using it to install iOS 8 or just as a back-up in case something does go wrong!
Download the iOS 8 update
At the time of typing this the iOS 8 update has gone live and should be well on its way to you wirelessly. Once the update becomes available to you, ensure your iOS device is connected to both a charger and your local Wi-Fi network. Launch the main Settings menu, tap General and then Software Update, and press Download when prompted. Then merely tap Install when the download is finished.If installing via iTunes, connect your iOS device to your Mac or PC and select it beneath the Devices list in iTunes. Afterward, click the Check for Update button before selecting either the Download Only or Download and Update option. Allow the upgrade process to finish before unplugging your device, regardless of which method you choose. It could take awhile.
What features can I expect in iOS 8?
Amongst the new features are changes to iMessages such as predictive typing for Apple’s QuickType keyboard as well as the ability to create audio text messages and share the location via text. There will be several new Photos features including the ability for the device to automatically straighten horizons, and and the addition of smart editing tools so you can quickly adjust light and color with a swipe. For deeper fine-tuning, you can access individual tools to adjust exposure, brightness, contrast, highlights, shadows and more.A new integrated Health app gathers the information you choose from your various health apps and fitness devices, and provides you with a clear and current overview in one place. With your permission, each app can use specific information from other apps to provide a more comprehensive way to manage your health and fitness. Users will be able to gather and monitor their own fitness metrics using apps such as MyFitnessPal, RunKeeper and Strava. Healthcare providers can now monitor the data their patients choose to share through apps such as Mayo Clinic or Epic’s MyChart app that will be used by Duke Medicine and Stanford Children’s Health/Stanford Medicine, among others.
More details on all the new additions and updates can be found here.
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Microsoft Releases Office for iPad Today For Free
Microsoft has finally made a move to bring the company's widely used Office Suite to the Apple iPad. The new app was announced today in San Francisco and is available today for iPad owners via Apple App store.
The apps have the same familiar look and feel that is found in the desktop versions of Office, while offering a fantastic touch experience built from the ground up for iPad. With the free versions of the apps, you can read your Word documents, view your Excel data and present with PowerPoint. Your documents will look no different than they do on your PC and Mac.
For those users wanting to do more than just basic tasks, they'll have to pay for an Office 365 subscription. This will allow for more advanced tasks, such as editing documents or accessing OneDrive for Business.
Your Office 365 subscription not only gets you the Office for iPad apps installed on up to 5 tablets, but also 5 copies across Office for your PCs and Macs. With one subscription all of your devices are covered, so you can work the way you want.
The Office suite is available as three separate apps: Microsoft Word for iPad, Microsoft Excel for iPad, and Microsoft PowerPoint for iPad.
Not wanting to leave out iPhone and Android users Microsoft has also released Office Mobile for iPhone and Android phones free. With Office Mobile, you have the ability to view and edit your Office content on the go directly from your smartphones. Office Mobile is available in the App Store and Google Play.
For more details on the new apps checkout the official announcement via the Microsoft Office Blog.
The apps have the same familiar look and feel that is found in the desktop versions of Office, while offering a fantastic touch experience built from the ground up for iPad. With the free versions of the apps, you can read your Word documents, view your Excel data and present with PowerPoint. Your documents will look no different than they do on your PC and Mac.
For those users wanting to do more than just basic tasks, they'll have to pay for an Office 365 subscription. This will allow for more advanced tasks, such as editing documents or accessing OneDrive for Business.
Your Office 365 subscription not only gets you the Office for iPad apps installed on up to 5 tablets, but also 5 copies across Office for your PCs and Macs. With one subscription all of your devices are covered, so you can work the way you want.
The Office suite is available as three separate apps: Microsoft Word for iPad, Microsoft Excel for iPad, and Microsoft PowerPoint for iPad.
Not wanting to leave out iPhone and Android users Microsoft has also released Office Mobile for iPhone and Android phones free. With Office Mobile, you have the ability to view and edit your Office content on the go directly from your smartphones. Office Mobile is available in the App Store and Google Play.
For more details on the new apps checkout the official announcement via the Microsoft Office Blog.
Tuesday, September 03, 2013
Apple Promises To "Brighten Everyone's Day" With Sept. 10 iPhone Event Invites
Apple fans can officially mark their calenders for the next big Apple announcement as it has been confirmed today that the company has sent out the official press invites for a major announcement next Tuesday, September 10. While the invite doesn't provide specifics the tech world is expecting to see the next iPhone.
This year's tagline is relatively simple and a bit more elusive than years past which had at least hinted at a which devices we may see. The invite features a number of colored dots and simply states "This should brighten everyone's day." It is expected that Apple will be unveiling multiple devices on the day, including a lower-cost iPhone “5C” as it’s been dubbed in the press, as well a more expensive iPhone 5 successor, possibly called the iPhone 5S. The 5S is supposed to have an improved camera, as well as improved internals and a new gold color option, while the iPhone 5C will reportedly feature a plastic backing with internals essentially unchanged from the iPhone 5. Given the graphic depiction of multi-colored dots on the event invite speculation is that the new iPhone hardware will feature different color casings.
The event is taking place at Apple's headquarters in Cupertino Sept 10th and begins at 10 a.m. PST. Stay tuned for more details on how to watch as it is unclear at this point if Apple will be offering a live video stream of the event.
This year's tagline is relatively simple and a bit more elusive than years past which had at least hinted at a which devices we may see. The invite features a number of colored dots and simply states "This should brighten everyone's day." It is expected that Apple will be unveiling multiple devices on the day, including a lower-cost iPhone “5C” as it’s been dubbed in the press, as well a more expensive iPhone 5 successor, possibly called the iPhone 5S. The 5S is supposed to have an improved camera, as well as improved internals and a new gold color option, while the iPhone 5C will reportedly feature a plastic backing with internals essentially unchanged from the iPhone 5. Given the graphic depiction of multi-colored dots on the event invite speculation is that the new iPhone hardware will feature different color casings.
The event is taking place at Apple's headquarters in Cupertino Sept 10th and begins at 10 a.m. PST. Stay tuned for more details on how to watch as it is unclear at this point if Apple will be offering a live video stream of the event.
Tuesday, February 05, 2013
iOS 6 Evasi0n Jailbreak Now Available
For iPhone owners looking to open up their device to "un-approved" Apple apps good news, a new Jailbreaking tool has been released that will crack open all version of iOS 6.0 and 6.1.
Monday, the Evad3rs (the new dev team behind the untethered iOS 6 jailbreak) released their Evasi0n Jailbreak utility. The new Evasion Jailbreaking tool functions on Apple’s latest version of iOS: 6.1, while also supporting the older 6.1, 6.0.1 and 6.0.2 firmwares. That means it can be used by owners of iPhone 3GS through 5, all iPads except the first one, iPad mini, iPod touch 4 and 5, and second generation Apple TV.
The utility, which can be downloaded here, is available for the Mac's OS X, for Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7, and Linux. Evasi0n creates what's called an untethered jailbreak, which means that each time you turn your device on, you don't need to cable it to your computer and go through the jailbreak process again. Untethered, the device with the jailbreak utility can patch the OS kernel on its own after each reboot.
Monday, the Evad3rs (the new dev team behind the untethered iOS 6 jailbreak) released their Evasi0n Jailbreak utility. The new Evasion Jailbreaking tool functions on Apple’s latest version of iOS: 6.1, while also supporting the older 6.1, 6.0.1 and 6.0.2 firmwares. That means it can be used by owners of iPhone 3GS through 5, all iPads except the first one, iPad mini, iPod touch 4 and 5, and second generation Apple TV.
The utility, which can be downloaded here, is available for the Mac's OS X, for Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7, and Linux. Evasi0n creates what's called an untethered jailbreak, which means that each time you turn your device on, you don't need to cable it to your computer and go through the jailbreak process again. Untethered, the device with the jailbreak utility can patch the OS kernel on its own after each reboot.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Apple Confirms 128GB iPad Starting At $799
As reported yesterday rumors had been popping up around the web that Apple was working on an iPad with twice the storage capacity of the 64GB model. Today those rumors were confirmed as Apple officially announced the 128GB iPad 4 with Retina Display.
“With more than 120 million iPads sold, it’s clear that customers around the world love their iPads, and every day they are finding more great reasons to work, learn and play on their iPads rather than their old PCs,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “With twice the storage capacity and an unparalleled selection of over 300,000 native iPad apps, enterprises, educators and artists have even more reasons to use iPad for all their business and personal needs.”
For internals nothing has changed from the current fourth generation iPad. You get the same features which include a 9.7-inch Retina display, Apple-designed A6X chip, FaceTime HD camera and the update to iOS 6.1 which includes support for additional LTE networks around the world.
The new 128GB versions of the fourth generation iPad will be available starting Tuesday, February 5, in black or white, for a suggested retail price of $799 (US) for the iPad with Wi-Fi model and $929 (US) for the iPad with Wi-Fi + Cellular model. All versions of the 128GB iPad will be sold through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), Apple retail stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers.
“With more than 120 million iPads sold, it’s clear that customers around the world love their iPads, and every day they are finding more great reasons to work, learn and play on their iPads rather than their old PCs,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “With twice the storage capacity and an unparalleled selection of over 300,000 native iPad apps, enterprises, educators and artists have even more reasons to use iPad for all their business and personal needs.”
For internals nothing has changed from the current fourth generation iPad. You get the same features which include a 9.7-inch Retina display, Apple-designed A6X chip, FaceTime HD camera and the update to iOS 6.1 which includes support for additional LTE networks around the world.
The new 128GB versions of the fourth generation iPad will be available starting Tuesday, February 5, in black or white, for a suggested retail price of $799 (US) for the iPad with Wi-Fi model and $929 (US) for the iPad with Wi-Fi + Cellular model. All versions of the 128GB iPad will be sold through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), Apple retail stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Is Apple Prepping 128GB iDevices. And Will You Buy Them?
Good news for those of you that love storing all your photos and videos locally on your iDevice. iOS developers have reportedly discovered details about a 128GB configuration keys appearing in the fifth developer preview of iOS 6.1. The rumor which has also been backed by sources for 9to5Mac, which have shared new retail SKU information that suggests a new "Ultimate" configuration of the existing fourth-generation iPad which may be coming soon.
The rumors broke over the weekend with many iOS developers noticing new system partition settings listed in the beta version of iOS 6.1. iOS developer "iNeal" originally tweeted about the 128GB configuration keys with others quickly the details. Apple has boosted the top-end capacity of the iPhone with each "S" model—the iPhone 3GS raised the top capacity from 16GB to 32GB, and the iPhone 4S boosted it from 32GB to 64GB. So the move, while perhaps appearing a bit odd considering reports of a recent slump in 64GB model sales would be inline with Apple's traditional moves
Further details were noted by 9to5Mac as the site reported that SKU's for a new "Ultimate" edition 4th generation iPad have already been discovered. The pricing associated with the new SKU—$799 for a Wi-Fi model and $929 for a Wi-Fi + Cellular model—is in line with what we would expect for a 128GB iPad considering the existing price structure.
The $799 and $929 price tag is a considerable jump in prices from the most popular models. So while consumers buy them? For some no matter what the storage limit is for an iOS device, there are always users who want more. But how many users out there really store that much data on their iPads? Isn't one of the biggest selling points of the iPad the use of iCloud and it's syncing abilities?
For now the rumors seem to revolve around the iPad and none of the evidence so far gives any indication of when Apple might actually release a 128GB iDevice. Nor do the rumors point towards anything other than the iPad. So iPhone and iPod users might be left out in the cold on this one.
The rumors broke over the weekend with many iOS developers noticing new system partition settings listed in the beta version of iOS 6.1. iOS developer "iNeal" originally tweeted about the 128GB configuration keys with others quickly the details. Apple has boosted the top-end capacity of the iPhone with each "S" model—the iPhone 3GS raised the top capacity from 16GB to 32GB, and the iPhone 4S boosted it from 32GB to 64GB. So the move, while perhaps appearing a bit odd considering reports of a recent slump in 64GB model sales would be inline with Apple's traditional moves
Further details were noted by 9to5Mac as the site reported that SKU's for a new "Ultimate" edition 4th generation iPad have already been discovered. The pricing associated with the new SKU—$799 for a Wi-Fi model and $929 for a Wi-Fi + Cellular model—is in line with what we would expect for a 128GB iPad considering the existing price structure.
The $799 and $929 price tag is a considerable jump in prices from the most popular models. So while consumers buy them? For some no matter what the storage limit is for an iOS device, there are always users who want more. But how many users out there really store that much data on their iPads? Isn't one of the biggest selling points of the iPad the use of iCloud and it's syncing abilities?
For now the rumors seem to revolve around the iPad and none of the evidence so far gives any indication of when Apple might actually release a 128GB iDevice. Nor do the rumors point towards anything other than the iPad. So iPhone and iPod users might be left out in the cold on this one.
Thursday, November 01, 2012
iFixit Gives The iPad Mini The Teardown Treatment
Those crazy geeks at iFixit are at it again, this time tearing apart the new iPad Mini.
While the new 7" iPad mini isn’t even officially on sale yet, those geeks over at iFixit managed to work their magic and get their hands on one to tear apart. For DIY'ers there are some good signs and some bad signs. For starters iFxit says that like many of Apple’s other gadgets, the iPad Mini isn’t very easy to open up and repair yourself. The good side is that unlike some of the previous iPhones the LCD and front glass are separate components, making replacement of individual components a possibility (and making a repair less expensive). Second, the battery is not soldered to the logic board, though both it and logic board are held together with "copious amounts of adhesive".
Overall iFixit gives the iPad Mini a 2 out of 10 repairability rating noting that the tons of adhesive and the lightning connector being soldered to the logic board make at-home repair less than ideal.
In terms of internals there weren't many surprises. The Mini has a 7.9" 1024 x 768 pixel (163 ppi) Samsung multi-touch display, stereo speakers, a 1.2-megapixel front-facing shooter, and a 5-megapixel rear camera that can shoot HD video. The hardware comes cutiousy of a few different manufactures. There is an Apple designed Dual-core A5 processor with 512 MB of RAM, Hynix NAND flash for storage and a number of microchips from Fairchild Semiconductor International Inc and Broadcom.
For the full teardown goodness, head on over to iFixit.
 |
| Image courtesy iFixit |
While the new 7" iPad mini isn’t even officially on sale yet, those geeks over at iFixit managed to work their magic and get their hands on one to tear apart. For DIY'ers there are some good signs and some bad signs. For starters iFxit says that like many of Apple’s other gadgets, the iPad Mini isn’t very easy to open up and repair yourself. The good side is that unlike some of the previous iPhones the LCD and front glass are separate components, making replacement of individual components a possibility (and making a repair less expensive). Second, the battery is not soldered to the logic board, though both it and logic board are held together with "copious amounts of adhesive".
Overall iFixit gives the iPad Mini a 2 out of 10 repairability rating noting that the tons of adhesive and the lightning connector being soldered to the logic board make at-home repair less than ideal.
In terms of internals there weren't many surprises. The Mini has a 7.9" 1024 x 768 pixel (163 ppi) Samsung multi-touch display, stereo speakers, a 1.2-megapixel front-facing shooter, and a 5-megapixel rear camera that can shoot HD video. The hardware comes cutiousy of a few different manufactures. There is an Apple designed Dual-core A5 processor with 512 MB of RAM, Hynix NAND flash for storage and a number of microchips from Fairchild Semiconductor International Inc and Broadcom.
For the full teardown goodness, head on over to iFixit.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Apple Officially Unwraps The iPad Mini And A 4th Gen iPad
During today's "a little more to show" event, Apple unveiled the long-rumored iPad mini along with a major surprise, a new fourth-generation standard model iPad. Today's release comes just six months after unveiling the third-generation iPad which marks a major step up for Apple's traditional release cycle.
The iPad mini features a 7.9-inch Multi-Touch display with a 1024-by-768 resolution. It runs on Apple’s dual-core A5 chip which is the same chip that also runs not only the iPad 2 but also last year's iPhone 4S. It has a FaceTime HD front-facing camera and a 5 megapixel iSight camera on the back. It gets the same LTE capabilities as the fourth-generation iPad with LTE and faster Wi-Fi. For adapters it uses Apple's new Lightning connector.
Apple says that, like the other iPads in the lineup, it still offers ten hours of battery life; the company boasts that the iPad mini uses the largest and thinnest battery Apple’s ever made.
The iPad mini will be available in a variety of configurations. The 16GB model will cost $329, the 32GB model will cost $429, and the 64GB model will cost $529. If you add in the option for cellular connectivity, those prices increase by $129. Pre-orders for the iPad mini will start on Friday, October 26. The Wi-Fi versions will ship starting on November 2, in many countries. Two weeks later, they’ll start to ship the iPads with cellular—first in the U.S., and then later around the world.
The new fourth generation iPad features only minor upgrades. It has a 9.7-inch Retina display and includes a new Apple-designed A6X chip that Apple says delivers up to twice the CPU performance and up to twice the graphics performance of the A5X chip. Other new features include a FaceTime HD camera, twice the Wi-Fi performance when compared to previous iPad models and support for additional LTE carriers worldwide.
Like the third-generation iPad, the fourth-generation iPad comes in black in white. It keeps the same pricing: The base 16GB model starts at $499, with 32GB at $599 and 64GB at $699. Cellular-ready models are available for $130 extra, at $529, $629, and $729 for 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB respectively.
Source: Apple - Press Info - Apple Introduces iPad mini
The iPad mini features a 7.9-inch Multi-Touch display with a 1024-by-768 resolution. It runs on Apple’s dual-core A5 chip which is the same chip that also runs not only the iPad 2 but also last year's iPhone 4S. It has a FaceTime HD front-facing camera and a 5 megapixel iSight camera on the back. It gets the same LTE capabilities as the fourth-generation iPad with LTE and faster Wi-Fi. For adapters it uses Apple's new Lightning connector.
Apple says that, like the other iPads in the lineup, it still offers ten hours of battery life; the company boasts that the iPad mini uses the largest and thinnest battery Apple’s ever made.
“iPad mini is every inch an iPad. With its gorgeous 7.9-inch display, iPad mini features the same number of pixels as the original iPad and iPad 2, so you can run more than 275,000 apps designed specifically for iPad,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “iPad mini is as thin as a pencil and as light as a pad of paper, yet packs a fast A5 chip, FaceTime HD and 5 megapixel iSight cameras and ultrafast wireless―all while delivering up to 10 hours of battery life.”
The iPad mini will be available in a variety of configurations. The 16GB model will cost $329, the 32GB model will cost $429, and the 64GB model will cost $529. If you add in the option for cellular connectivity, those prices increase by $129. Pre-orders for the iPad mini will start on Friday, October 26. The Wi-Fi versions will ship starting on November 2, in many countries. Two weeks later, they’ll start to ship the iPads with cellular—first in the U.S., and then later around the world.
The new fourth generation iPad features only minor upgrades. It has a 9.7-inch Retina display and includes a new Apple-designed A6X chip that Apple says delivers up to twice the CPU performance and up to twice the graphics performance of the A5X chip. Other new features include a FaceTime HD camera, twice the Wi-Fi performance when compared to previous iPad models and support for additional LTE carriers worldwide.
Like the third-generation iPad, the fourth-generation iPad comes in black in white. It keeps the same pricing: The base 16GB model starts at $499, with 32GB at $599 and 64GB at $699. Cellular-ready models are available for $130 extra, at $529, $629, and $729 for 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB respectively.
Source: Apple - Press Info - Apple Introduces iPad mini
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Apple Event Invite Hints At iPad Mini
There has been much speculation and rumors about what Apple might be unveiling during their previously rumored Oct 23rd event. However, following the issuance of event invites today it appears as though it might be all but confirmed that Apple will be presenting the iPad Mini. Or we could be way off base and Apple who is well known for secrecy might have something else altogether up their sleeve. Either way in true Apple fashion it is likely that we'll see more than one device introduced. So consumers should also expect news on something like a refresh to the Mac Mini lineup or even a Retina Macbook Pro or perhaps even something else entirely new and different, sometimes with Apple you just don't know.
The invitation (seen below) simply states that Apple has “a little more to show” which could be a major play on words, or it could be signaling that the event is all about updating and showing off their little or mini devices.
For those following along with the iPad Mini rumors the device is said to be a e 7.85″ iOS device. It has been speculated that it will go on November 2nd starting at $249 and offer the same incremental price and feature options as the iPhone and iPad. Apple Insider speculates that Apple is plotting two dozen iPad configurations, with expectations that the $250 model will feature a mere 8GBs of storage and come in either black or white.
The invitation (seen below) simply states that Apple has “a little more to show” which could be a major play on words, or it could be signaling that the event is all about updating and showing off their little or mini devices.
For those following along with the iPad Mini rumors the device is said to be a e 7.85″ iOS device. It has been speculated that it will go on November 2nd starting at $249 and offer the same incremental price and feature options as the iPhone and iPad. Apple Insider speculates that Apple is plotting two dozen iPad configurations, with expectations that the $250 model will feature a mere 8GBs of storage and come in either black or white.
Thursday, August 02, 2012
How To: Use iCloud To Sync Your iPhone or iPad With OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion
With the release of Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion and the introduction of iCloud, comes a new way for iPhone and iPad users to sync all of their content wirelessly between their Mac and their iOS based devices. This makes is easier to keep track of all your photos, documents, music and even doing regular tasks like adding appointments into your calendar as they will all instantly appear on all of the Apple devices you're using.
Getting Started With Your iPhone or iPad
To begin with you'll need to make sure you have all your devices updated, as well as all your software. You'll need iOS5 or later and iTunes 10.5 or later for some of the services to work. Then you'll need to make sure you have iCloud setup on your iOS devices, this is pretty easy to do. Here are the detailed instructions from Apple.
Once you have iCloud turned on be sure you're using the same Apple ID on all the devices you want synced. This means the same AppleID on your iPhone, iPad and Mac. By default, your iPhone or iPad will usually use the same AppleID you use for the App Store, which may or may not be different from your iCloud account so double check that.
The last step is customizing your settings. Tap the Settings icon and select iCloud. Tap the On/Off switches to enable each individual iCloud service you want to use. To enable iCloud Backup, tap Storage & Backup and turn on iCloud Backup, Photo Stream, Find My iPhone ect. You won't need to use all the services, just start with the ones you do and make sure to disable the ones you don't.
Setting Up Your Mac
To get the most out of iCloud on your Mac, install OS X Mountain Lion but you need at least the latest version of OS X v10.7.4 or later to get things up and running. If you don’t have the latest version of OS X, you can purchase it from the Mac App Store.
To enable iCloud in Mountain Lion, go to System Preferences, click iCloud, enter the AppleID you are using for your iOS devices, and select the services you’d like to enable. You'll need to make sure you have the same services enabled on your Mac that you do on your iOS devices. So if you want to sync your photos from your iPhone turn on Photo Stream on both the iPhone and the Mac. If you want to sync all of your contacts turn on contacts. Books, you'd turn on iBooks ect. You don't have to enable them all you just need to make sure you check the ones that you'll be using on all your devices and uncheck the ones you don't.
Making Sure Things Sync
Once you have all of your devices running setup and iCloud you need to make sure everything syncs with all of your devices. Start by double checking to make sure you have all the same options enabled and your AppleIDs are all the same. To do this, go to Settings - iCloud on your iPhone or iPad and check that your account is the same as the one on your Mac and that the same services have been enabled on each device. Assuming they are all the same, then you should almost immediately notice your synced items appearing on each device. If not then try a test run, snap a few new photos or create a new calender entry (something for any of the services you are using) and see if they appear on the other devices.
Getting Started With Your iPhone or iPad
To begin with you'll need to make sure you have all your devices updated, as well as all your software. You'll need iOS5 or later and iTunes 10.5 or later for some of the services to work. Then you'll need to make sure you have iCloud setup on your iOS devices, this is pretty easy to do. Here are the detailed instructions from Apple.
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| Image courtesy of Apple |
Once you have iCloud turned on be sure you're using the same Apple ID on all the devices you want synced. This means the same AppleID on your iPhone, iPad and Mac. By default, your iPhone or iPad will usually use the same AppleID you use for the App Store, which may or may not be different from your iCloud account so double check that.
The last step is customizing your settings. Tap the Settings icon and select iCloud. Tap the On/Off switches to enable each individual iCloud service you want to use. To enable iCloud Backup, tap Storage & Backup and turn on iCloud Backup, Photo Stream, Find My iPhone ect. You won't need to use all the services, just start with the ones you do and make sure to disable the ones you don't.
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| Image courtesy of Apple |
Setting Up Your Mac
To get the most out of iCloud on your Mac, install OS X Mountain Lion but you need at least the latest version of OS X v10.7.4 or later to get things up and running. If you don’t have the latest version of OS X, you can purchase it from the Mac App Store.
 |
| Image courtesy of Apple |
To enable iCloud in Mountain Lion, go to System Preferences, click iCloud, enter the AppleID you are using for your iOS devices, and select the services you’d like to enable. You'll need to make sure you have the same services enabled on your Mac that you do on your iOS devices. So if you want to sync your photos from your iPhone turn on Photo Stream on both the iPhone and the Mac. If you want to sync all of your contacts turn on contacts. Books, you'd turn on iBooks ect. You don't have to enable them all you just need to make sure you check the ones that you'll be using on all your devices and uncheck the ones you don't.
 |
| Image courtesy of Apple |
Making Sure Things Sync
Once you have all of your devices running setup and iCloud you need to make sure everything syncs with all of your devices. Start by double checking to make sure you have all the same options enabled and your AppleIDs are all the same. To do this, go to Settings - iCloud on your iPhone or iPad and check that your account is the same as the one on your Mac and that the same services have been enabled on each device. Assuming they are all the same, then you should almost immediately notice your synced items appearing on each device. If not then try a test run, snap a few new photos or create a new calender entry (something for any of the services you are using) and see if they appear on the other devices.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Google Releases Chrome Browser For iOS Devices
Today at the Google I/O conference, Google announced the immediate availability of an iOS friendly version its Chrome web browser.
For current Chrome users the new Chrome app will provide many of the same features you'd see from current browser. Like the desktop version of Chrome, the iOS app will sync across all of your devices. This means that you can sync all your bookmarks, passwords ect. It even supports the continued reading function. So should you can pull up pages that you looked at on your PC or iPhone via the iPad, or vice versa.
The iOS market has been a tough one to crack from most third party browsers. Apple has set stringent requirement as to what platforms will be supported and how the apps can interact with their mobile operating system. However, more and more companies are working on projects to develop browsers based on Apple’s version of the Webkit (UIWebView) rendering engine.
Chrome for iOS will work on the both the iPhone and iPad and you can download it now from iTunes Chrome for iOS.
Note: It's worth mentioning that while both Safari and Chrome are based on the open source WebKit browser engine, Google was required to use Apple’s version of Webkit (UIWebView) as the Javascript engine for rendering also Chrome doesn’t get to use Mobile Safari’s Nitro Javascript engine, so Chrome may end up running noticeably slower than on your iOS devices than on your desktop or Android devices and it might be considerably slower than Safari.
For Firefox fans, Mozilla has announced their own WebKit based browser, currently called Junior. Details are still very sketchy and there hasn't been much news since the announcement so we don't know when it might be available.
Safari will remain the default browser on iOS, but for many, the option of Chrome will be a welcome change. Other iOS browser options currently include Yahoo’s Axis visual search app, Opera Mini and the Dolphin Browser.
For current Chrome users the new Chrome app will provide many of the same features you'd see from current browser. Like the desktop version of Chrome, the iOS app will sync across all of your devices. This means that you can sync all your bookmarks, passwords ect. It even supports the continued reading function. So should you can pull up pages that you looked at on your PC or iPhone via the iPad, or vice versa.
The iOS market has been a tough one to crack from most third party browsers. Apple has set stringent requirement as to what platforms will be supported and how the apps can interact with their mobile operating system. However, more and more companies are working on projects to develop browsers based on Apple’s version of the Webkit (UIWebView) rendering engine.
Chrome for iOS will work on the both the iPhone and iPad and you can download it now from iTunes Chrome for iOS.
Note: It's worth mentioning that while both Safari and Chrome are based on the open source WebKit browser engine, Google was required to use Apple’s version of Webkit (UIWebView) as the Javascript engine for rendering also Chrome doesn’t get to use Mobile Safari’s Nitro Javascript engine, so Chrome may end up running noticeably slower than on your iOS devices than on your desktop or Android devices and it might be considerably slower than Safari.
For Firefox fans, Mozilla has announced their own WebKit based browser, currently called Junior. Details are still very sketchy and there hasn't been much news since the announcement so we don't know when it might be available.
Safari will remain the default browser on iOS, but for many, the option of Chrome will be a welcome change. Other iOS browser options currently include Yahoo’s Axis visual search app, Opera Mini and the Dolphin Browser.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Apple Fined Over Misleading iPad 4G Claims
An Australian court has fined Apple $2.29 million dollars over misleading advertising.
When Apple launched their new iPad earlier this year in Australia it was advertised as being a 4G device despite the fact that the tablet cannot actually connect to the countries only 4G wireless network. Australia has only one 4G network, operated by Telstra Corp, which operates on a different frequency to the 4G on Apple's new iPad. The network operates on a frequency of 1800MHz; the new iPad's LTE 4G hardware only works on frequencies of 700MHz and 2100MHz.
As a result of these "misleading claims" the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission stepped in to take legal action. Which in turn resulted in Justice Mordy Bromberg of the country's Federal Court slamming Apple with a fine that totaled $2.25 million Australia dollars ($2.29 million in US dollars).
Apple previously said it would email all of the new iPad owners in Australia and offer them refunds if they felt they were mislead by the 4G speed claims. Since then the company has also changed the branding of the iPad to show it is "Wi-Fi + Cellular", rather than 4G. However, according to the . AFP.com reports, Justice Bromberg was not satisfied with this gesture. In his ruling the Federal Court Justice said, "The conduct concerned was deliberate and very serious. It exposed a significant proportion of Australian consumers of tablet devices to a misleading representation."
He said Thursday the risk of contravening Australian consumer law would have been "reasonably obvious" to Apple. "In that context, and in the absence of any other explanation, the facts to which I have just referred suggest that Apple's desire for global uniformity was given a greater priority than the need to ensure compliance with the Australian consumer law," he said. "Conduct of that kind is serious and unacceptable."
This isn't the only case in which Apple's advertising has come under question. We previously reported the company was drawing attention from regulators in several other countries because of the 4G speed claims.
When Apple launched their new iPad earlier this year in Australia it was advertised as being a 4G device despite the fact that the tablet cannot actually connect to the countries only 4G wireless network. Australia has only one 4G network, operated by Telstra Corp, which operates on a different frequency to the 4G on Apple's new iPad. The network operates on a frequency of 1800MHz; the new iPad's LTE 4G hardware only works on frequencies of 700MHz and 2100MHz.
As a result of these "misleading claims" the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission stepped in to take legal action. Which in turn resulted in Justice Mordy Bromberg of the country's Federal Court slamming Apple with a fine that totaled $2.25 million Australia dollars ($2.29 million in US dollars).
Apple previously said it would email all of the new iPad owners in Australia and offer them refunds if they felt they were mislead by the 4G speed claims. Since then the company has also changed the branding of the iPad to show it is "Wi-Fi + Cellular", rather than 4G. However, according to the . AFP.com reports, Justice Bromberg was not satisfied with this gesture. In his ruling the Federal Court Justice said, "The conduct concerned was deliberate and very serious. It exposed a significant proportion of Australian consumers of tablet devices to a misleading representation."
He said Thursday the risk of contravening Australian consumer law would have been "reasonably obvious" to Apple. "In that context, and in the absence of any other explanation, the facts to which I have just referred suggest that Apple's desire for global uniformity was given a greater priority than the need to ensure compliance with the Australian consumer law," he said. "Conduct of that kind is serious and unacceptable."
This isn't the only case in which Apple's advertising has come under question. We previously reported the company was drawing attention from regulators in several other countries because of the 4G speed claims.
Monday, June 18, 2012
iPad Owners Might Soon See A Mozilla Browser But It Might Not Be Firefox
Mozilla might own one of the world's top three most popular web browsers with Firefox. However, the company has yet to break into the top smartphone and tablets markets controlled by Apple's iOS and iPad. Things might soon change however as Mozilla's Product Design Team is apparently working on a new WebKit based browser the company has dubbed "Junior".
Working to build things from the the ground up for iPad Mozilla has decided to take a new approach in their iOS browser, and so far looks like a pretty impressive, clutter free experience.
Mozilla's Alex Limi said "We wanted to make something entirely new. We wanted to look into how we could reinvent the browser for a new form factor," he said. He goes so far as to deem Safari for iPad "a miserable experience" all the while acknowledging that it remains the best option available in terms of tablet-based browsing.
iOS, largely due to Apple's walled garden, is a platform where Mozilla has yet to make an impact, he admits. "There are a lot of reasons we should be on iOS even though we can't bring our rendering engine there." Ultimately he says Junior was born out of necessity: as of now, Mozilla has "no vehicle on one of the biggest consumer platforms in the world."
Junior is still very much a work in progress - so any of the design ideas we asee at this stage might not mean much. The team might still decide to change he functions and features related to what each of the buttons will do. The back and + button can both be expanded to reveal six functions, but they haven't reached a final decision on what those functions will be. Still, this new design looks like a cool approach to navigation, and it looks like it could be the perfect fit for tablets.
As of now there aren't many more details about Junior, heck Mozilla hasn't even decided if that will be the official name yet. So we don't know what the possible release date would be. Nor do we know exactly what platforms other than iOS and the iPad it might support.
Working to build things from the the ground up for iPad Mozilla has decided to take a new approach in their iOS browser, and so far looks like a pretty impressive, clutter free experience.
Mozilla's Alex Limi said "We wanted to make something entirely new. We wanted to look into how we could reinvent the browser for a new form factor," he said. He goes so far as to deem Safari for iPad "a miserable experience" all the while acknowledging that it remains the best option available in terms of tablet-based browsing.
iOS, largely due to Apple's walled garden, is a platform where Mozilla has yet to make an impact, he admits. "There are a lot of reasons we should be on iOS even though we can't bring our rendering engine there." Ultimately he says Junior was born out of necessity: as of now, Mozilla has "no vehicle on one of the biggest consumer platforms in the world."
Video linked courtesy The Verge
Junior is still very much a work in progress - so any of the design ideas we asee at this stage might not mean much. The team might still decide to change he functions and features related to what each of the buttons will do. The back and + button can both be expanded to reveal six functions, but they haven't reached a final decision on what those functions will be. Still, this new design looks like a cool approach to navigation, and it looks like it could be the perfect fit for tablets.
As of now there aren't many more details about Junior, heck Mozilla hasn't even decided if that will be the official name yet. So we don't know what the possible release date would be. Nor do we know exactly what platforms other than iOS and the iPad it might support.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
How To: Restart A Frozen iPad
We've all been there, your iPad seems to be frozen and unresponsive for no reason and no matter what you do it won't power off or reset. Don't worry your iPad is not dead. It might be completely unresponsive to touch but trust me this is an easy fix. All your devices needs is a good old fashioned restart which is only a few simple steps away.
Restarting your iPad
Follow these steps to reset your iPad
Note: Reset your device only if it is no longer responding and the steps above do not work.
Restarting your iPad
- Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button for a few seconds until the red "slide to power off" slider appears, or the screen goes dark. If the slider appears you can then power off your iPad. If the screen goes dark it just means it powered down.
- Once your iPad is powered down press and hold the Sleep/Wake button again until the Apple logo appears. When the Apple logo appears in the middle of the screen, you can release the Sleep/Wake button. The iPad will then restart again and things should be back to normal.
Follow these steps to reset your iPad
Note: Reset your device only if it is no longer responding and the steps above do not work.
- Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button and the Home button together for at least ten seconds, until the Apple logo appears. Ignore the "Slide to Power Off" button when it appears.
- Continue to hold the buttons until the Apple logo appears on the screen and then release the buttons. The Apple logo disappears and the iPad turns off.
- Press the "Sleep/Wake" button for about 3 seconds to turn the iPad on. It will take about 30 seconds for the device to restart.
- Reset the iPad settings by tapping the "Settings" icon on the home screen. Select "General" in the left column, followed by "Reset" at the bottom of the main screen. Select "Reset All Settings" to reset the settings but leave your data and files untouched.
Factory Restore the iPad
If neither of these options work the worst case scenario is to completely restore your iPad. This should be considered a last ditch effort, but one that might save you a trip to the Apple Genius Bar:- First make sure you have a USB 2.0 connection cable from Apple and the latest version of iTunes installed
- Connect the iPad to your Mac or PC and launch iTunes
- In the Devices section click on the iPad icon then the Summary tab, and then click on the Restore button
- When prompted, click on Back Up to back up all your iPad's files and settings
- Then click on the Restore button
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Apple In Trouble Over New iPad's 4G Advertising
It appears as though the marketing team over at Apple may have gotten a little rambunctious with the advertising of the New iPad is several foreign countries. Reports are surfacing about complaints that marketing is misleading consumers into believing the new third generation iPad is 4G compatible, even in countries currently without 4G capabilities.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has taken legal action to ensure Apple makes consumers aware its third-generation iPad cannot connect to a 4G mobile data network in Australia due to technical incompatibility. The ACCC alleges that Apple's recent promotion of the new "iPad with WiFi + 4G" is misleading because it represents to Australian consumers that the product "iPad with WiFi + 4G" can, with a SIM card, connect to a 4G mobile data network in Australia, when this is not the case.
According to reports by Reuters Apple will offer refunds to Australian buyers of new iPad. Apple promoted its third-generation tablet as the iPad with Wifi+4G, but Australia has only one 4G network, operated by Telstra Corp, which operates on a different frequency to the 4G on Apple's new iPad.
Further reports indicate that both Sweden and the UK may also enter the legal battle. Both countries have stated that they have received numerous consumer complaints about the iPad, which is being widely advertised as a 4G tablet despite not working on the 4G LTE networks in either country.
"One may rightfully ask if the marketing of the new iPad is misleading," said Marek Andersson of the Swedish Consumer Agency, which is considering launching an investigation over whether the ads run afoul of consumer protection laws.
The UK's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), meanwhile, has told Pocket-lint that it is currently assessing complaints from consumers to "establish whether or not there is a problem under the [Advertising] Code." ASA could impose a marketing ban on the iPad 3’s claims that it supports 4G in the UK.
While Apple has offered a refund to Australian customers there has been no word on whether or not consumers in other none 4G supporting countries will also be issued refunds.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has taken legal action to ensure Apple makes consumers aware its third-generation iPad cannot connect to a 4G mobile data network in Australia due to technical incompatibility. The ACCC alleges that Apple's recent promotion of the new "iPad with WiFi + 4G" is misleading because it represents to Australian consumers that the product "iPad with WiFi + 4G" can, with a SIM card, connect to a 4G mobile data network in Australia, when this is not the case.
According to reports by Reuters Apple will offer refunds to Australian buyers of new iPad. Apple promoted its third-generation tablet as the iPad with Wifi+4G, but Australia has only one 4G network, operated by Telstra Corp, which operates on a different frequency to the 4G on Apple's new iPad.
Further reports indicate that both Sweden and the UK may also enter the legal battle. Both countries have stated that they have received numerous consumer complaints about the iPad, which is being widely advertised as a 4G tablet despite not working on the 4G LTE networks in either country.
"One may rightfully ask if the marketing of the new iPad is misleading," said Marek Andersson of the Swedish Consumer Agency, which is considering launching an investigation over whether the ads run afoul of consumer protection laws.
The UK's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), meanwhile, has told Pocket-lint that it is currently assessing complaints from consumers to "establish whether or not there is a problem under the [Advertising] Code." ASA could impose a marketing ban on the iPad 3’s claims that it supports 4G in the UK.
While Apple has offered a refund to Australian customers there has been no word on whether or not consumers in other none 4G supporting countries will also be issued refunds.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Apple's New iPad Tops 3 Million Sold Claims Record First Weekend Sales
Apple has announced it has sold three million of the company's new third generation iPads, since its launch on Friday, March 16.
“The new iPad is a blockbuster with three million sold―the strongest iPad launch yet,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “Customers are loving the incredible new features of iPad, including the stunning Retina display, and we can't wait to get it into the hands of even more customers around the world this Friday.”
Its really unclear how quantify what Apple is calling "record weekend," since Apple general doesn't discuss opening weekend sales numbers and didn't provide similar reports last year when they launched the iPad 2. The only time Apple has boasted about early tablet sales was in April 2010, when it said it had sold 300,000 first-generation iPads on the first day of availability.
Apple's claims were reiterated by AT&T whom also reported record sales figures and activations. AT&T didn't provide specific numbers on its iPad sales, but did say the new iPad set single-day records for sales and activations and that it saw "robust demand for the new iPad."
Reviews of the new iPad have been greatly mixed with most consumers loving the new features but many stating they wish Apple had done more to refresh the device line. The new iPad features a new 2048X1536 Retina display, which has been called nothing less than extraordinary. A dual core 1Ghx Apple A5X chip and 5 megapixel iSight camera.
“The new iPad is a blockbuster with three million sold―the strongest iPad launch yet,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “Customers are loving the incredible new features of iPad, including the stunning Retina display, and we can't wait to get it into the hands of even more customers around the world this Friday.”
Its really unclear how quantify what Apple is calling "record weekend," since Apple general doesn't discuss opening weekend sales numbers and didn't provide similar reports last year when they launched the iPad 2. The only time Apple has boasted about early tablet sales was in April 2010, when it said it had sold 300,000 first-generation iPads on the first day of availability.
Apple's claims were reiterated by AT&T whom also reported record sales figures and activations. AT&T didn't provide specific numbers on its iPad sales, but did say the new iPad set single-day records for sales and activations and that it saw "robust demand for the new iPad."
Reviews of the new iPad have been greatly mixed with most consumers loving the new features but many stating they wish Apple had done more to refresh the device line. The new iPad features a new 2048X1536 Retina display, which has been called nothing less than extraordinary. A dual core 1Ghx Apple A5X chip and 5 megapixel iSight camera.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
iFixit Does An iPad 3 Teardown
Is it "The New iPad?" "iPad HD?" "iPad 3?" Does anyone really care?
The wonderfully geeky crew over at iFixit flew to the land down under to get there hands on the new iPad 3 when March 16 rolled past the International Date Line just so they could tear it apart and show the rest of the world what kind of magic Apple has hidden inside.
iFixit's teardown team flew to the Telstra store in Melbourne Australia to be the first ones in line to buy the third generation iPad and of course being the geeks they are they rushed over to the shop at Macfixit Australia and immediately began disassembling the device.
So what kind of magic did Apple hide under the hood? Well to be honest nothing all that amazing!
As expected they found a slightly thicker 42.5Whr battery. The already confirmed 1GB of RAM, coming in the shape of two sticks of 512MB Elpida LP DDR. A 1Ghz Dual-core Apple A5X processor which features a package on package (PoP) system-on-a-chips (SoCs) design that also packs a quad-core graphics processor. There is also a 5MP camera and of course that Samsung 9.7 inch LED LCD with 2048×1536 pixel Retina display.
All in all the specs are fairly reasonable for an upgraded version of the iPad. For full details as well as a picture guide of the teardown be sure to head over to iFixit to get a closer look.
The wonderfully geeky crew over at iFixit flew to the land down under to get there hands on the new iPad 3 when March 16 rolled past the International Date Line just so they could tear it apart and show the rest of the world what kind of magic Apple has hidden inside.
 |
| Courtesy iFixit |
iFixit's teardown team flew to the Telstra store in Melbourne Australia to be the first ones in line to buy the third generation iPad and of course being the geeks they are they rushed over to the shop at Macfixit Australia and immediately began disassembling the device.
So what kind of magic did Apple hide under the hood? Well to be honest nothing all that amazing!
As expected they found a slightly thicker 42.5Whr battery. The already confirmed 1GB of RAM, coming in the shape of two sticks of 512MB Elpida LP DDR. A 1Ghz Dual-core Apple A5X processor which features a package on package (PoP) system-on-a-chips (SoCs) design that also packs a quad-core graphics processor. There is also a 5MP camera and of course that Samsung 9.7 inch LED LCD with 2048×1536 pixel Retina display.
All in all the specs are fairly reasonable for an upgraded version of the iPad. For full details as well as a picture guide of the teardown be sure to head over to iFixit to get a closer look.
New iPad Goes On-sale Tomorrow What You Need To Know
Apple's new third-generation iPad will officially hit store shelves tomorrow, March 16, here's a bit of what you need to know before reaching for your wallet and shelling out that hard earned cash.
When and where can I get my iPad?
Apple will be opening the doors to their retail stores at 8 a.m. local time. There may or may not be long lines, some areas are prone to higher traffic so plan ahead. Another option would be to head to AT&T or Verizon locations, assuming you're interested in one of the LTE-enabled iPad models. Verizon In Store Sales begin 8:00 AM local time with Online Sales beginning at 3:01 AM EST.
The third option would be opting to try to find it available and in-stock at the select Best Buy, Target, Walmart, Sam's Club and Radio Shack stores that will be carrying it. I'd check with your stores tonight to see if they will have them.
Reports are indicating that Walmart will begin selling a limited quantity of the new iPad at 12:01 AM. Supplies and selection will be limited and will vary by store.
How much id the new iPad going to cost me?
Depending on the option you choose and the amount of storage you need you'll spend anywhere from $499 to $829. Here are your options:
With Apple's new retina display images and image files, as well as applications are going to be growing in size. For this reason I strongly suggest buying something other than the 16GB model. You may find yourself running out of space very quickly!
Each model will be available in your choice of white or black. You will be able to choose either AT&T or Verizon as your carrier if you select one of the LTE-enabled models. You'll also need to sign up for data service with either company and rates vary from $14.99 to $50 per month on AT&T and $20 to $80 on Verizon. No long-term contract is required with either option as there is no subsidized pricing.
The early reviews for the new iPad
I usually take early reviews with a grain of salt and I don't like to put a lot of stock in Apple's hand picked "reviewers" but the early reviews can be nice to read just to get the idea of what you are looking at. Here are just a few:
Should I buy it, keep my old iPad or what?
If you read Geek News very often you know I'm not a big Apple fan, nor am I a big early adopter. I can usually wait on new tech to hit, get some decent reviews and then make a well informed decision. The third-generation iPad looks impressive in some areas and really lacking in others. If I were an owner of an iPad 2 or one of the latest Android tablets I probably couldn't see the justification to buy the new iPad. If however I were the owner of the original iPad an older Android or I was buying my first tablet I could see the iPad at the top of my list of choices.
The problem for me is as Michelle Maisto of eWeek said, "this new version lacks a specific “wow” factor that's been common to Apple products." There isn't anything there that really pushes me over the top in comparison to anything else I can get at a cheaper price. You can find some screaming deals on the iPad 2 or even better in my opinion some great deals on some of the new Anrdoid tablets.
I'm sure the third-generation iPad is going to be a major hit, aren't all Apple products these days? For me however, I'll be relaxing at home tomorrow watching my March-madness while any Apple-madness ensues.
When and where can I get my iPad?
Apple will be opening the doors to their retail stores at 8 a.m. local time. There may or may not be long lines, some areas are prone to higher traffic so plan ahead. Another option would be to head to AT&T or Verizon locations, assuming you're interested in one of the LTE-enabled iPad models. Verizon In Store Sales begin 8:00 AM local time with Online Sales beginning at 3:01 AM EST.
The third option would be opting to try to find it available and in-stock at the select Best Buy, Target, Walmart, Sam's Club and Radio Shack stores that will be carrying it. I'd check with your stores tonight to see if they will have them.
Reports are indicating that Walmart will begin selling a limited quantity of the new iPad at 12:01 AM. Supplies and selection will be limited and will vary by store.
How much id the new iPad going to cost me?
Depending on the option you choose and the amount of storage you need you'll spend anywhere from $499 to $829. Here are your options:
- 16GB Wi-Fi-only for $499
- 32GB Wi-Fi-only for $599
- 64GB Wi-Fi-only for $699
- 16GB Wi-Fi + 4G for $629
- 32GB Wi-Fi + 4G for $729
- 64GB Wi-Fi + 4G for $829
With Apple's new retina display images and image files, as well as applications are going to be growing in size. For this reason I strongly suggest buying something other than the 16GB model. You may find yourself running out of space very quickly!
Each model will be available in your choice of white or black. You will be able to choose either AT&T or Verizon as your carrier if you select one of the LTE-enabled models. You'll also need to sign up for data service with either company and rates vary from $14.99 to $50 per month on AT&T and $20 to $80 on Verizon. No long-term contract is required with either option as there is no subsidized pricing.
The early reviews for the new iPad
I usually take early reviews with a grain of salt and I don't like to put a lot of stock in Apple's hand picked "reviewers" but the early reviews can be nice to read just to get the idea of what you are looking at. Here are just a few:
- AllThingsD - New iPad: A Million More Pixels Than HDTV
- The Verge - iPad review (2012)
- SlashGear - New iPad Review (3rd Gen)
- eWeek - New iPad Faster, Sharper But Missing a Little 'Wow'
- MacWorld - Review: The third-generation iPad
Should I buy it, keep my old iPad or what?
If you read Geek News very often you know I'm not a big Apple fan, nor am I a big early adopter. I can usually wait on new tech to hit, get some decent reviews and then make a well informed decision. The third-generation iPad looks impressive in some areas and really lacking in others. If I were an owner of an iPad 2 or one of the latest Android tablets I probably couldn't see the justification to buy the new iPad. If however I were the owner of the original iPad an older Android or I was buying my first tablet I could see the iPad at the top of my list of choices.
The problem for me is as Michelle Maisto of eWeek said, "this new version lacks a specific “wow” factor that's been common to Apple products." There isn't anything there that really pushes me over the top in comparison to anything else I can get at a cheaper price. You can find some screaming deals on the iPad 2 or even better in my opinion some great deals on some of the new Anrdoid tablets.
I'm sure the third-generation iPad is going to be a major hit, aren't all Apple products these days? For me however, I'll be relaxing at home tomorrow watching my March-madness while any Apple-madness ensues.
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