As an iPhone owner since 2013, the announcement of the next iPhone is usually an exciting moment for me. To be more precise, the anticipation leading to the announcement is what’s stimulating; the actual moment of truth tends to be disappointing since 2017. About a year ago, I wrote about how there has not been any dramatic change since the introduction of the iPhone X. The 2021 iPhone, rumored to be called iPhone 13, will not change that trend if all the leaks get confirmed next month.
This made me look towards the Android ecosystem, where some inspiring changes are happening while iPhone power users yawn. Top examples of this are Samsung’s folding devices, like the newly announced Fold3 and Flip3, and Google’s futuristic AI features, namely the on-device speech recognition on the new Pixel 6 or Duplex’s ability to make and receive calls for you.
Steve Jobs introduced the iPad in 2010 as a consumption device, a tablet to browse the web, watch a movie, read a book, you get the idea. Certain productivity tasks, like writing documents, painting or composing music, also adapted well to the touch-only interface and over time, the iPad became a versatile tech product.
For years, Apple has defended the idea that a single customer can benefit from owning both an iPad and a MacBook, using them in different scenarios but bound by the same ecosystem. On one hand, an iPad was more suitable for light-weight scenarios, for those who did not want to be tied to any heavy peripherals to get things done. On the other hand, a MacBook was more convenient for sit-down scenarios with a need for processing power, the comfort of a bigger screen, the precision of a keyboard and mouse, etc.
This product distinction started blurring with the introduction of bigger iPads, accessories like the Apple Pencil or the Magic Keyboard, and more desktop-like features on iPadOS. An example of this was adding mouse or trackpad support in iPadOS 13. Taking into account all of these changes, there seems to be a secret plan from Apple to transform the iPad into something new, with features that were previously reserved for a laptop/desktop experience.
One more nail in the coffin was Apple’s recent Spring 2021 event, when it was announced that the new iPad Pro will house the new M1 chip. This new desktop-class processor allows Apple to compete with the likes of Intel or AMD. More importantly, Apple now owns the entire hardware manufacturing pipeline, reducing costs and eliminating dependencies on vendors. M1 already provides significant performance improvements to the latest line-up of Macs, and now iPads too. The new iPad Pro will also include up to 16GB of RAM, which is surprising given that these are the same tech specs of the newest MacBook Pro.
Many have started wondering, what is Apple planning to do with an iPad Pro that contains the same hardware as a MacBook Pro? Rumors and leaks have not provided much insight into what’s being cooked in Cupertino, so let’s explore the iPad’s intriguing future.
In early October 2019, Microsoft borrowed a page from Apple’s keynote playbook and gave us a “one more thing” that nobody expected: a dual-screen Android-powered smartphone. Microsoft announced its return to the smartphone market with the Surface Duo (although they officially said “it’s not a smartphone, it’s a Surface”).
The reveal was surprising given that this is the first Android device ever produced by the software giant. It is not supposed to go on sale until late 2020, but the few minutes of footage that were shown mean a big deal for Microsoft. Here’s why.
Thousands of people unwrapped new and shiny iPads the morning of Christmas Day. Many of them will attempt to use the new device as their only computer, and they will need the right setup in order to succeed. I’ve been using an iPad Pro as my main computer for six months now, and having an organized home screen is the secret sauce for making it possible.
Last week Facebook reported an important data breach that resulted in between 50 and 90 million accounts potentially compromised. This is more serious than the Cambridge Analytica issue reported earlier this year, because unlike that infamous case, this last breach provided attackers with access tokens for these accounts.
The iPhone X was already controversial even before it was officially introduced last Tuesday, mostly due to the rumored removal of Touch ID in favor of Face ID.
However, Apple’s presentation caused a new controversy: the infamous notch. Even though the array of cameras and sensors got leaked long before the event, nobody knew how Apple was planning to do in order to integrate it with iOS 11. We have the answer now: Apple is so proud of that black bar that they decided to render the user interface around it.
Since Apple controls the operating system, they made sure it looks good with most 1st party apps. But what happens with 3rd party content like a website? The notch gets in the way.Continue reading “About the iPhone X notch controversy”→
Apple will present the new iPhone this Tuesday and, as usual, most of the details have already been leaked.
What seems guaranteed is that we’ll see 3 models being introduced: the iPhone 7s, 7s Plus and a special edition to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the original iPhone. That special edition has been known until now as iPhone 8, iPhone Edition, or iPhone Pro, but the official name iPhone X has been confirmed (among other details) thanks to the final version of iOS 11 leaking.
These are the top 3 reasons why I’m excited about the iPhone X.
Right before my last trip to Spain, rumors of a laptop ban in flights from Europe to the U.S. started appearing. I didn’t want to take my Surface Book and risk being forced to throw it inside my luggage on my way back (we all know how airlines treat luggage).
So what options did I have? Either leave my laptop at home, or travel with a device that I could live without, in case it broke after being handled like a sack of potatoes.
That’s when I thought of my old Surface RT, abandoned in a shelf for years. I wasn’t sure it would be “enough of a tablet” for my trip but coincidentally, that same week happened to be the 5th year anniversary of its presentation, so it was perfect timing for a test.
Would I be able to use my email? Write a little bit? Upload pictures to Facebook? Read Twitter? Buy tour tickets and make trip reservations? Would any of the old apps work?
The answer to all of those questions was, surprisingly, yes.
When Panos Panay announced the Surface Book on October 6, I was immediately intrigued by it: could Microsoft really make a great laptop on its first attempt? The Surface line needed 3 iterations to reach maturity, so would it be different this time?
I preordered the Surface Book knowing that there would be quirks here and there (it’s a first-generation device after all), but I was excited to see if it was a true convertible. Would it feel like a real laptop while typing on the physical keyboard? Would it feel like a real tablet while holding it with one hand and tapping around with the other?
I love Windows 10 and I truly believe it’s one of the best editions of Windows ever released. I upgraded my little 8″ Dell Venue 8 Pro and I’m loving it, so I honestly recommend you to get it as soon as you can. However, the upgrade experience wasn’t simple in my case, and that’s why the #1 thing I’d change from Windows is Windows Update.
Geek on record 