Items tagged with iPad Mini
We’ve been hearing rumors of new iPad models incoming from Apple, and today with little fanfare the company has unveiled two new product updates. The first is a [internal] hardware refresh of the long-in-the-tooth iPad mini, while the second is an all-new 10.5-inch iPad Air. The iPad mini is getting a significant processor upgrade, going from the A8 in the previous-generation model to the latest A12 Bionic (used in the iPhone XS, XS Max and XR). Standard storage comes in at 64GB, and the out-the-door price for a base system is $399. If you want to double your storage to 128GB, you’ll have to fork over an additional $150. As before, you have the option to add 4G LTE cellular...
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According to various leaks and a report from famed Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, a new iPad mini will be upon us shortly. Apple introduced the iPad mini 4 way back in September 2015 and it has largely soldiered on unchanged since then. That means that the tablet uses an Apple A8 processor with 2GB of RAM and is available in up to 128GB storage capacities. We’re learning today, however, that we shouldn’t expect a big design revamp for the iPad mini 5. Instead, the tablet is expected to retain its same design form-factor, which means big bezels above and below the display along with the retention of the Home button with Touch ID. Apple apparently isn’t ready to introduce...
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Apple fans love rumors, and one of the best places to find hints of upcoming hardware is within new developer versions of iOS. The iOS 12.2 beta is currently available and one developer dug into the code looking for references to future products. Not surprisingly, iOS developer/guru Steven Troughton-Smith found references in the code to four new iPad models. The models referenced include "iPad11,1"; "iPad11,2"; "iPad11,3"; and "iPad11,4". The iPads with the 11,2 and 11,4 designations called out in the code are rumored to be cellular versions with the other two offering Wi-Fi only. All we have to go on right now is speculation, but the thought it that these iPad designations are for new iPad...
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If you thought that Apple's $329 9.7-inch iPad was cheap for a relatively large tablet, it could get a lot cheaper. A fresh report suggests that Apple is looking to dramatically reduce the price of the tablet for its next generation, which will likely debut during the first half of 2018. According to a report out of Taiwan, the new 9.7-inch iPad will debut next year priced from $259. As smartphone displays have gotten larger and larger, sales have weakened for tablets across the board. Lowering the price of entry is just one way that Apple could help energize iPad sales. While the cheaper price point will no doubt be appreciated by everyday consumers, Apple is reportedly hoping to also spur adoption...
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Apple introduced the 7.9-inch iPad Mini in 2012 as the diminutive counterpart to the larger, 9.7-inch “regular” iPad. With the smaller frame came a lower price tag, which enticed many customers to embrace Apple’s vision of a tablet future. However, a new report suggests that Apple has had enough of the iPad Mini, and that the tablet will be discontinued. There are likely a number of reasons for this decision, with competition from other Apple products being a key factor. The iPad Mini was introduced two years before the iPhone 6 Plus, with its 5.5-inch display, burst onto the scene. Today, smartphones with displays measuring 5.5-inches or larger are common in the marketplace. In fact, Samsung’s...
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It may be hard to believe, but it has now been 7 years since then CEO Apple CEO Steve Jobs (RIP) unveiled the original iPad. At the time, Apple heralded the iPad as a reinvention of mobile computing; a device that could do most of what your desktop or notebook could do, but in a smaller, lighter form-factor. Initially available in only a 9.7-inch display size, sales of the iPad quickly took off, skyrocketing to become Apple’s No. 2 revenue generator right behind the iPhone. It wasn’t long before Apple began to expand its lineup, adding the smaller 7.9-inch iPad mini in 2012, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro in late 2015, and the 9.7-inch iPad Pro in early 2016. However, over the years, it appears that...
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One of the telltale signs that Apple is getting ready to release new products is when retailers start marking down prices for current generation items, especially when they're representative of deep discounts. We're starting to see that happen on some items -- more specifically, both Target and Staples are now offering discounted iPad mini and iPad Air tablets. If you head over to Target, you'll find iPad Air models selling for $50 off the normal price, and a generous $100 discount on iPad mini tablets -- that beats Apple's refurbished price by $20! According to the website listing, the sale is valid for this week only. In addition, 9to5Mac says it heard from Target that supplies are limited,...
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Retailers have been discounting iPhone 5 smartphones heavily ahead of the anticipated launch of Apple’s next generation of iPhones in early September. Now, AT&T is running a promotion that knocks $200 off the price of an iPad or iPad mini when you buy an iPhone 5c or 5s on an AT&T Next plan. This is not an online promotion, so you’ll need to visit an AT&T brick-and-mortar to take advantage of it. The deal applies to iPads and iPad minis, but not the iPad minis that have retina displays. You’ll need to buy the iPad with a two-year AT&T wireless agreement (in addition to buying an iPhone 5c or 5s with AT&T Next) to get the $200 discount. The iPhone 5c (pictured)...
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FreedomPop Aims To Disrupt Mobile Market By Selling Discounted LTE Tablets With Calling Capabilities
It's one thing to talk the talk, but when a company like FreedomPop starts walking the walk, it makes the competition nervous. FreedomPop's newest promotion should have wireless carriers sweating bullets -- the free mobile service company that already shook up the mobile industry by offering free voice, text, and data plans announced that it is now offering discounted LTE tablets, with a twist. Not only do these tablets come with free data, they also include phone capabilities. Customers who sign up receive a unique phone number that they can associate with any FreedomPop tablet to make free calls and texts. According to FreedomPop, the reason larger carriers like Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and...
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...Eventually, Apple caved to the demands of the market, and perhaps demands from within its own mothership, as it revealed the iPad mini. In typical Apple fashion, the original mini was priced higher than other 7” slates in the market, with the company all but conceding the sub-$300 tablet market, while plenty of others fought it out at the bottom end of the price scale. A year later, the next iteration of the iPad mini has been unwrapped, but it’s not your average revamp. Apple claimed that the first iPad mini was “every inch an iPad,” but many argued that the lackluster specifications, omission of a Retina display, and the lofty price tag left a lot to be desired. The...
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When Apple introduced the iPad Air, the company made a big deal about the tablet having a custom 64-bit System-on-Chip (SoC) inside. It's the same 64-bit part found in the iPhone 5 and the latest iPad mini. If you own any of those devices and are into benchmarking, you'll be happy to know that Futuremark's 3DMark benchmark has just been updated to include a 64-bit version for those devices. Futuremark says the iPad Air, iPhone 5S, and second generation iPad mini will all see "slightly" improved scores with the newest 3DMark (version 1.2.0). 3DMark is a popular benchmark and one that we frequently use when evaluating a range of hardware, from graphics cards to laptops and desktops. With the latest...
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In our review of the iPad Air, we were a little torn on how to feel. On one hand, it's the fastest, thinnest, lightest, and best version of the iPad to date. At the same time, we didn't feel it was a revolutionary jump over the previous model, which left us a little underwhelmed. Be that as it may, holiday shoppers are certainly enamored with not only the iPad Air, but the newest iPad mini and other iPad tablets as well. CNN Money posted a summary of what several industry analysts saw and recommended over the holiday shopping season, and the general consensus is that Apple is doing a bang-up job this holiday shopping season. Among the list of analysts is Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster, who analyzed...
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Apple and its manufacturing and component supply chain partners may finally have a handle on the newest iPad mini with a Retina-class display. It's that so-called "Retina" display that's been holding back production of the iPad mini, leading to a shortage of devices. However, it's now being reported that all bottlenecks on the manufacturing side have been removed. According to Digitimes and its sources within Apple's supply chain in Taiwan, the Cupertino company just placed an order for 4 million iPad mini models for November alone. Not only is Apple gearing up for a busy holiday shopping season, but it's also a show of faith in its manufacturing partners that they'll be able to fulfill an order...
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Apple may have chosen to quietly launch its second generation iPad mini tablet with an upgraded "Retina" class display, but that didn't stop the folks at iFixIt from snagging a sample for their operating tablet. They made quick work of tearing into the newest iPad mini, which sports a panel that still measures 7.9 inches like before, but with a tastier 2048x1536 resolution at 326 ppi. Does the upgraded panel make a difference in terms of how difficult it is to service these devices? Short and sweet, the answer is "no." The newest iPad mini mustered a rather pathetic "Repairability Score" of just 2 out of 10, meaning it's not something you'll want to try and crack open at home unless you're highly...
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