The iPad Air is More Innovative Than You Think

 

by Michael Simo, maclife.comOctober 22nd 2013 7:57 PM

As he was wrapping up his Macworld 2007 keynote — you know, the one with the iPhone — Steve Jobs quoted Wayne Gretzky, comparing his playing philosophy to Apple's: "I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been." It was a testament to Apple's innovation, its ability to see three steps ahead of its competitors.

Critics like to point to this track record as proof that Apple is no longer innovating, no longer skating to where the puck is headed. There's a certain perverse logic this line of thinking: if tens of millions of people will rush out to buy a new iPhone just because it has a better camera or a fingerprint sensor, then Apple could conceivably rest on its laurels, failing to realize the tide is turning until it's too late.

If you believe this, you don't understand Apple. Whether we're talking about MacBooks or iPods, Apple has never deviated from its original design until there's a good reason.

Look at the iPad Air. Just three and a half years ago, Apple created a new market with the iPad, an impossibly thin and light tablet that changed our definition of mobile computing. The fifth-generation model unveiled today is remarkably smaller and lighter without sacrificing any of its screen or battery life, with up to 128GB of storage, a Retina Display, two cameras and a desktop-caliber processor. Nothing is reinvented per se, but it's better in every conceivable way.

Back in 1983, Jobs told Time magazine that Apple "could have introduced Lisa a year ago, but we wanted to make it perfect." Thirty years later, it's the same thing. Apple won't release a new product, or even a new feature, until it's just right.At Apple, iteration is innovation. Features and new models aren't unveiled until they're just right, even if it means delaying for months or years. Look closely and you'll find small innovations behind the iPhone 5s' camera and fingerprint sensor and the iPad Air's stunning enclosure. These take time. I'm sure Apple could have added a form of Touch ID to the iPhone 5 last year, but it wouldn't have "just worked."

The Galaxy Gear is a perfect example. It represents everything analysts think they want from Apple: a seemingly innovative product that opens up a new category while expanding the ecosystem. Except Samsung got it all wrong. Not only does it only work with the Note 3 — bringing the price of entry to a cool $599 —early reviews have been overwhelmingly negative, criticizing its laggy interface, poor design and questionable usefulness. And to top it off, its battery barely lasts through the day.

Just because something comes first doesn't make it innovative. Apple didn't sell millions of iPhones and iPads because it beat its competitors to the market; they were fully realized, expertly packaged roadmaps to the future. And it won't be any different with whatever's around the corner. I'm still not sold on the notion that Apple is developing a so-called iWatch, but if it is, I'm quite certain it won't be a rushed product that dupes unwitting customers into buying a clunky, limited accessory that doesn't work with Apple's most popular models.

And that's the difference: Apple's first-generation products may be head and shoulders above whatever they happen to be competing against, but Apple always leaves room for improvement. Not because it ran out of time or couldn't be bothered, but because it's better to wait than sacrifice or stumble. There's nothing groundbreakingly new about the way we use our iOS devices today versus 2007 — we still tap, pinch and click the home button to navigate between screens — but if you put the iPad Air next to it, the original model looks like an antique.

People may have wanted more from Apple today, but what we got — the iPad Air, Mavericks, the iPad mini with Retina Display — are Apple at its finest, taking great products and somehow making them better than we could have imagined.

If it seems like Apple isn't skating to where the puck is headed anymore, it might be because it's skating withthe puck. And it doesn't look like it's about to give it up anytime soon.

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Apple iPad 5 rumours, release date and everything you need to know

 

Apple, Tablets, iPad 5

• By Britta O'Boyle Follow on Twitter

• 23 hours ago

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Apple has officially sent out the invitations for the much-rumoured 22 October event, where the new iPad 5 is expected to be launched, along with the iPad mini 2 and new MacBook Pro models.

We've rounded up all the weird and wonderful rumours surrounding the iPad 5 and coupled them with our thoughts on what we expect the iPad 5 could bring with it on launch day.

iPad 5 release date

In December last year there were rumours that the iPad 5 would surface in March 2013but of course that didn't happen. The rumours continued, with April and September also dubbed as possible release months.

We are now in October and while there is no confirmed release date, if Apple's previous patterns are anything to go by, the new iPad 5 will be available soon after the launch event. We expect to see the iPad 5 on sale around 1 November if it is announced on 22 October as expected.

The iPad 5 build

Rumours have suggested the iPad 5 will be lighter than its predecessor. According toAppleInsider and Digitimes, Apple is looking to ditch the two LED backlighting bars found in the previous iPad models and replace it with one, meaning it will "decrease the device's overall weight". The removal of one of the LED tubes would also improve battery lifeaccording to the rumours.

Japanese website Macotakara also reported in December 2012 that "informed sources" said the iPad 5 would be lighter and thinner, as well as draw inspiration from the iPadmini.

Translation is sometimes tricky, but when the site claimed the new iPad would be "a small 4mm in height, 17mm in width, depth 2mm", we think it meant the iPad 5 would be smaller than the iPad 4 by the dimensions it quotes.

iMore and Digitimes also supported the idea that the iPad 5 would be thinner and lighter thanks to technology from the iPad mini. Digitimes said Apple would be using the same G/F2 (DITO) thin-film type touchscreen as the mini which would enable the thinner design.

According to Digitimes in May, the iPad 5 will be 33 per cent lighter than the current iPad4 and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted the iPad 5 would be 15 per cent thinner.

Chinese social site Weibo leaked an image which was then posted by nowhereelse.frclaiming to be the rear casing for the iPad 5. The image reveals Apple has done away with the angular edges of the iPad 4 in favour of a more curved design like the mini, along with adding the mini-style speakers either side of the Lightning port.

Chinese parts supplier sw-box.com also posted a video claiming to show leaked parts from the iPad 5 and it not only gives you the dimensions and the iPhone 5S Space Grey colour but also supports the rumours of the speakers being moved to either side of the Lightning port. The measurements in the video for the iPad 5 are shown as 169.5 x 239.2 x 7.2mm.

The video also shows the volume button split into two separate buttons, as well as a rear microphone which was also rumoured a couple of months ago and supports the idea of the of the iPad 5 taking its design from the iPad mini.

More recently, Sonny Dickinson also released a number of high-res and detailed pictureswhich he claims are of the iPad 5. If the images are correct, it confirms much of what has been rumoured so far including the rear microphone, iPad mini-style design, change of speaker location and thinner bezel.

Touch ID

In terms of the fingerprint scanner from the iPhone 5S, there is no concrete evidence to suggest Touch ID will be appearing on the iPad but there have of course been a couple of rumours. YouTube channel Unbox Therapy used creative tinkering to show why the fingerprint scanner could make its way to the iPad 5.

 

Using one of the leaked iPad 5 front panels that have been floating around from part suppliers, Unbox Therapy shows how the iPad 4's current home button will not fit in the new build. However it dismantled an iPhone 5S' Touch ID home button and placed it into the iPad 5 case which showed a perfect fit.

An image also leaked online earlier this week claiming to show the iPad 5 with the Touch ID scanner, although the image doesn't show much so it could easily be a fake.

The iPad 5 display

The iPad 5 is said to be coming with the same 9.7-inch size display but with a thinner 0.2mm glass substrate and GF2 touchscreen technology. The iPad 5 will still come with a Retina display however, as only the touchscreen technology will be taken from the mini. LG is thought to be making the Retina display which sports a resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels, a pixel density of 264ppi. That's the same as the current-gen iPad and given that Apple didn't bump the resolution in the iPhone 5S, it's perhaps an indicator that the company isn't in a hurry to make resolution changes.

A thinner bezel is also expected for the iPad 5, providing a larger viewing area. BothDigitimes and Macotakara claimed a thinner bezel would be making its way to the iPad 5, but Digitimes said Apple would need to get rid of one of the LED tubes for this to happen.

 

Sonny Dickinson, a previously reliable source, also published some close-up shots of what is said to be the iPad 5 front panel and supports the idea of the smaller iPad mini-style bezel. However, we're looking at an old style home button, so take this with a pinch of salt.

iPad 5 camera

According to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has had a relatively solid track record with Apple, the iPad 5 will receive an upgraded camera. Kuo claims the new iPadwill include an 8-megapixel rear camera meaning a vast improvement on the current iPad 4's 5-megapixel offering.

Although it isn't said specifically, it would make sense for Apple to introduce the same camera featured on the recent iPhone 5S to the iPad 5, which would be an 8-megapixel snapper with an f/2.2 aperture. The new sensor is said to be 15 per cent larger and can let in 33 per cent more light and as we said in our iPhone 5S review, the smartphone is especially good in low-light conditions so it would be great if the iPad gained the same advantage.

Like it or loathe it, a lot of people are using iPads to take photos out in public.

Conclusion

There are only a few days to wait before we find out which of the rumours become reality, and which remain a myth. We suspect the iPad 5 will be more in line with the iPad mini design, coming it at lighter and smaller than the iPad 4. It will of course come with iOS 7 and almost certainly the A7 processor.

In terms of the camera and Touch ID, it would make sense for both to appear on the iPad5, although there isn't as much evidence supporting either so we will have to keep our fingers crossed and wait until the 22 October to find out for sure.

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Ideas For Finding The Best IPad For Your Money

ipad-site.net

iPads are so user-friendly that you might not discover everything there is to know about them. Just tap a button and presto! It works, right? There is a lot more to it than that. This article will give you a lot of tips that will help you understand it.

If you use your iPad all the time to watch movies, listen to music and play games, the battery is not going to last very long. By tweaking the brightness of your iPad screen, you can make the battery last longer. You probably won’t even miss using the brightest setting.

Did you just launch a noisy app by mistake? Muting your volume is as simple as pressing and holding the volume button down. If you mute often, you can set your lock orientation button as a tool to mute.

Do you want to preview more of your email? Visit “settings” followed by “mail” and find the “preview” setting. You can adjust this to 5 lines. Now it is possible to preview more content from each message, making skimming quicker.

Watt Charger

Even if you are in a rush, don’t make the mistake of charging your iPad with the charger for your iPhone. The iPad charger is a 10 watt charger. The iPhone charger is a 5 watt charger. If you use that iPhone battery charger, it will be twice the time to charge. To save time, charge your iPad with the included charger.

If you fear someone might try to look at your device and read your data, it is possible to set a password so that all data will be deleted after a set number of incorrect attempts. As long as the person that finds your iPad does not guess the code within 10 attempts your information will be safe.

If you are a person that needs to have a manual with whatever you buy, you need to download the iPad’s one should you need it. Apple is all about minimalism and they would rather you download one than to include one with all of their products.

If you want to sync your Google and iPad calendars, go to Mail, Contact then Calendars. Click on Add Account and choose the Other option. Tap the Add CalDAV Account icon and put in your Google information. You can then exit the settings and access the calender through the app. Everything you need should be right there!

Search Engine

It is possible to change your search engine from Google. In the Settings menu, pick Safari, then Search Engine. This lets you change to Yahoo or Bing.

Do you hate having to tap the bookmark icon in order to open your bookmarked sites? You can permanently turn on your Bookmarks bar. Just click on Settings, then Safari, then turn on Always Show the Bookmarks Bar.

If your child will be using your iPad and you don’t want them seeing mature content, you can change your settings so these items become blocked. In settings, you can adjust the level of mature content your child can see. This can block anything that you would not want your child to see.

To quickly copy and paste on an iPad, tap and hold down the desired text and then pick select. Once the text is selected, tap “copy”, and switch to the app you wish to paste to and hold down a tap again. An option to paste will then come up on your screen. When you want to copy an entire paragraph, just give it four good taps.

It is easy to find out what website hyperlinked text will take you when using your iPad. There is an easy way to solve this. On your computer, all you have to do is put your mouse on the word and the URL will appear. On your iPad, just tap and hold onto the word. That will show you the underlying URL.

There is an iTunes store on your iPad, and there is actually quite a bit to it. An interesting one is iTunes U (which is used for universities). In this section, you will find a lot of educational presentations that are very helpful.

Although they are simple to operate, if you know more about the device, you can get more out of it. Improved performance and increased productivity can be yours with the simple suggestions in the following article. If you have a question, you can find an answer online, too.

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Apple Eyes 13-Inch iPad Hybrid? 8 Signs

by RSS and Bio, informationweek.com

October 12th 2013 9:06 AM

For at least the third time since July, reports are circulating that Apple is developing a larger iPad, possibly with an attachable keyboard that would turn it into a notebook, a la Microsoft's Surface tablets.

Barclay's analyst Ben Reitzes provoked the newest round of speculation, predicting in a research note that an iOS tablet-notebook hybrid could disrupt 25-30% of the shrinking PC market. The hit to laptop and desktop sales could be similar to the damage iPads and other tablets have already wrought, Reitzes said.

This forecast paints a potentially grim picture for Microsoft, HP, Dell and other major PC players still finding their bearings in the mobile space. But let's not get carried away. An iOS-infused TV has been hotly rumored for years, but it's still the stuff of Apple fans' unrequited hopes. The same might end up being true of the alleged plus-sized iPad.

Indeed, CEO Tim Cook has spoken critically of laptop-tablet hybrids. He dismissed the devices in April, comparing them to a product that tries to be both a toaster and refrigerator. Last fall he characterized Microsoft's original Surface as compromised and confusing.

Then again, the iPad Mini has become one of Apple's most important products, even though co-founder Steve Jobs said before his death that the company would never build such a device.

Is it likely a 13-inch iPad-laptop hybrid is the offing, despite Cook's earlier misgivings? Forrester analyst David Johnson told InformationWeek in September that such a product has "interesting potential," noting that many people already use third-party keyboards with their iPads. Here are eight signs Apple is prepping a large-screen iOS product.

1. Apple's been thinking about laptop-tablet convergence for a long time.

Apple's product line doesn't include touchscreen MacBooks or convertible iPads, but the company began filing patents based around these designs long before Windows 8 or Surface tablets were on the market. The patents range from a dock that turns an iPad into an iMac, to an attachable iPad keyboard that runs on solar power, arguably an ideal accessory for a 13-inch model, as Reitzes pointed out.

Apple's knack hasn't traditionally been to invent new technologies so much as to recognize when and how to bring new tech to market -- a point Apple VP of software engineering Craig Federighi alluded to last month when he told BusinessWeek, "New is easy. Right is hard." Having clearly given convergence a lot of thought, perhaps Apple finally feels it can do hybrids right.

2. Multiple sources have claimed a 13-inch iPad is in the works.

Supply chain rumors don't always pan out, but where there's smoke, there's also often fire. Citing supply chain sources, the Wall Street Journal reported in July that Apple was experimenting with a 13-inch iPad. Japanese website Macotakara reported in late September that a larger iPad was already in production for a planned 2014 debut, and that Taiwan-based manufacturer Quanta, a longtime Apple partner, was building them. DisplaySearch VP David Hsieh said this month that supply chain research indicates a 12.9-inch model with 2732 x 1536-pixel resolution will arrive next year.

3. Apple is reportedly working on a power adapter for a new mobile device that will sit between current iPads and the MacBook Air.

Citing inside sources, AppleInsider reported in early September that Apple is working on a power adapter that draws more wattage than today's iPads but far less than a MacBook Air. The site said the power supply is for a new portable product that will be released in the next year. It speculated the product could be for a plus-sized iPad, or perhaps even an iOS notebook -- conjecture that lines up with the aforementioned supply chain reports.

4. The A7 processor will bring desktop-class power to the iPad.

The iPhone 5s's 64-bit A7 processor is more powerful than desktop chips were just a few years ago. The 5s benefits from the extra power, but the A7 could really shine in devices with larger screens. In addition to providing more computational muscle, 64-bit processing allows a device to support far more than 4 GB of RAM. The 5s utilizes only 1 GB -- but a 13-inch, Retina-equipped iPad hybrid would demand much more.

5. Apple's A7 chip could allow an iPad to run PC-style apps.

If Apple introduces a larger iPad with a keyboard, more apps will have to accommodate both touch-oriented and laptop-style operation. Apple's iOS 7 documentation teases the possibility of an iOS device that runs desktop apps, noting that "the architecture for 64-bit apps on iOS is almost identical to the architecture for OS X apps, making it easy to create a common code base that runs in both operating systems."

OS X and iOS already share certain aesthetic cues, and are becoming more and more connected via iCloud. But the documentation's tone, which superficially evokes Microsoft's Windows 8 strategy, suggests deeper convergence is in the cards. The current iPad is too different from a laptop to make a unified code base broadly appealing -- but a 13-inch iPad with attachable keyboard could be a different story.

6. An iPad hybrid could offset falling Mac sales.

Apple's MacBooks and iMacs were initially unaffected by the PC market's decline. That's no longer the case; the industry-wide slump has now stretched for six consecutive quarters, and in the most recent one, Apple's computers fared worse than the market average.

The company could bounce back in the current quarter; it just launched new iMacs, is about to release OS X Mavericks, the redesigned Mac Pro and, presumably, new MacBook Pros with Intel's energy-efficient Haswell chips. But if Apple senses that its OS X machines are poised for long-term decline, a 13-inch iPad could make sense. It could cannibalize MacBook sales, but based on Reitzes' estimates, it could also sell more units than all the current MacBooks combined, maintain high profit margins and potentially discourage the sales of scores of Windows hybrids.

7. The revamped iWork suite could indicate a more productivity-minded iPad.

Apple recently made its mobile productivity suite iWork available as a free download with new iOS 7 devices. The company will also release new desktop versions later this year, as well as a cloud-based version that's been in public preview for the last several months.

Several possibilities could explain Apple's iWork motivation. The company could feel its ecosystem needs productivity software to compete with Microsoft and Google. iWork also pressures Microsoft to make its eventual release of Office for the iPad both excellent and excellently priced. But if Apple wanted to prove that iOS is the best mobile platform for both work and play, a 13-inch, keyboard-equipped iPad that runs iWork could be a good start.

8. There's a demonstrated market for an iPad hybrid.

A Forrester study published over the summer found 62% of information workers are interested in using tablets with keyboards. This interest hasn't yet propelled sales of Windows hybrid devices, which suggests two possibilities -- that the survey overstates interest, or that many users want keyboard-equipped tablets but prefer iOS to Windows 8 and Windows RT.

There's additional evidence of this second possibility. As Forrester analyst Johnson noted, many iPad users have already turned to third-party keyboards. There appears to be demand, in other words, for an iPad designed for both touchscreen and keyboard use -- a combination the rumored 13-inch model could deliver.

Analysts also feel hybrid devices could become more popular in the enterprise, as they allow employees to have both a laptop and a tablet experience but only require IT to manage a single device. Apple doesn't currently have anything to offer these customers -- but an iPad hybrid would change that.

Among nearly 900 qualified respondents to our 2013 Mobile Commerce Survey, 71% say m-commerce is very or extremely important to the future of their organizations. However, just 26% have comprehensive strategies in place now. That spells opportunity. Find out more in the 2013 Mobile Commerce Survey report. (Free registration required.)

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13-inch Apple iPad is a tablet or iOS laptop?

by Lynn Schindler, inferse.com

October 1st 2013

The tablet continues to change how people deal with technology. With the release of the first iPad back in 2010, no one really cared about tablets and apps. According to a recent note by Barclays Equity Research, now that Apple has a new A7 chip for a 64-bit architecture the iPad will have a “bigger” future.

On Tuesday, Barclays announced its theory about the possible 13-inch iPad springing from the new powerful processor of Apple. It is not just about the size but how the new iPad might be pegged as a replacement for laptops. The firm said that this new breed of iPad will cater to business and casual users.

The company speculated that the new model of the tablet will get more RAM than the current line of iPads. It might also come with a cover bearing a keyboard, trackpad, along with a battery pack for extended operation time. The analysts projected that the price for this iPad will be between $600 and $800.

The convertible tablet is on a collision course with Microsoft’s Surface tablet that was introduced last year. However, the Windows 8 tablet is not performing well in the market, perhaps seen as uninspiring by consumers.

“We believe a larger screened iPad would be a much better PC replacement than current tablets, including the Surface, and really be able to take on the higher end tasks and start another wave of notebook cannibalization,” the report of Barclays indicated quoted.

With the jumbo iPad doing the work for laptops, the firm speculates that it marks the closing of the curtain for the Macs especially if consumers will find the ultra-portability of the device extra appealing to perform usual productivity tasks and entertainment on the side.

 

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Apple iPad 5 Release Date Nears: 5 Features And Specs We're Expecting In The Fifth-Generation iPad

by Dave Smith, ibtimes.comOctober 5th 2013 9:14 AM

The design of the 9.7-inch iPad has remained static since March 2011 with the release of the iPad 2; two and a half years and two iPad models later, Apple is expected to unveil a newly-redesigned iPad that more closely resembles its "mini" counterpart.

But what can users specifically expect from this year's iPad release? We've been closely following the rumors for months and we believe we have an accurate picture of what Apple plans to reveal and release later this month. Here are the 5 biggest features we're looking forward to seeing at this month's Apple event before the release date of the iPad 5, which we believe to be Friday, Nov. 1.

1. iPad Mini-Like Form Factor: Apple wants to make the full-sized iPad look and feel more like the successful iPad mini, which is why Apple has reportedly chosen to release the iPad 5 with the exact thickness, thinner side bezels and symmetrical speaker grilles as the iPad mini, as well as a similar aluminum unibody and less tapered back for an easier grip. With this new form factor, we're also expecting the iPad 5 to release as a significantly lighter tablet than its predecessors: The iPad 4 weighs 1.46 pounds and the iPad mini weighs 0.69 pounds, so we're expecting the iPad 5 to release somewhere between those two measurements, possibly at 1.08 pounds, or 490 grams.

2. Enhanced Specs: The iPad 4, which saw its release date a year ago but eight short months after the release of the iPad 3, was powered by a dual-core A6X chip with quad-core graphics. For the release of the iPad 5, we believe Apple may implement its A7 chip from the iPhone 5s, but we're more likely to see Apple push the limits yet again with an A7X chip, which would perform similarly to the A7 chip but be optimized for iPad. If the A7X chip is anything at all like the A7 chip, that may mean the iPad 5 could release with the same M7 co-processor found in the iPhone 5s (which isn't really essential, but it would be a test-run before the chip's mass implementation in the iWatch) as well as Touch ID -- more on that later.

3. Better Cameras: Most people don't use their iPad as their main camera, but it's about time the iPad got an upgrade in the camera department. The iPad 4 featured a 1.2-megapixel FaceTime HD camera with 720p HD video and a 5-megapixel rear-side camera with 1080p HD video, and we expect to give tweaks to both cameras. Corroborating the rumors, we believe Apple will release the iPad 5 with an 8-megapixel camera for the first time, and we also believe the iPad 5 will release with a slightly-improved FaceTime HD camera, likely a 2-megapixel camera with 1080p HD video.

4. Touch ID: It may be a little early for Apple to implement Touch ID so soon after its initial release within the iPhone 5s, which was only two weeks ago, but assuming the iPad 5 features an upgrade in the processor department, the iPad 5 will release with either an A7 or A7X chip. What's different about the A7 chip is that it's specifically designed for Touch ID: Apple designed the A7 so fingerprint information was stored safely and securely within a cordoned-off region of the chip, which only communicates with other parts of the same chip with simple "yes" or "no" responses to make sure fingerprint information can never be reached and therefore compromised. So if the iPad 5 runs on any variant of the A7 chip, consumers might expect to see a small metallic ring around the tablet's home button when the iPad 5 sees its release date later this year.

5. New Colors: The iPad 4 and iPad mini are currently sold in two colors -- black and white. For the iPad 5, we believe Apple will introduce at least one new color option, since we've already seen the space grey and "typical silver" iPad 5 leaked by Sonny Dickson. But what about gold? The color proved extremely successfulfor the iPhone 5s, so it's possible Apple may release the iPad 5 in a similar gold option, although we've also heard Apple may be reserving that color for the new iPad mini.

Considering how Apple is planning an event in October to reveal and release a handful of new hardware and software products, including new Macs, OS X Mavericks, new iPads, and possibly even new Apple TV hardware, we believe Apple has chosen Tuesday, Oct. 22 to hold its media event, as it's far enough away from last month's iPhone event but gives Apple an opportunity to release all its products by Nov. 1. In fact, given this event date, we believe Apple will release its iPad 5 and iPad mini 2 one week after the event on Friday, Nov. 1.

 

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