ipadpro
Latest
Apple's new iPad Pro Magic Keyboard is available to order now
The built-in trackpad should bring much more utility to the tablet.
Ninja is getting his own skin in 'Fortnite'
The rise of Fortnite has coincided with that of Tyler "Ninja" Blevins. While the streamer had a sizable following before the battle royale exploded in popularity, he became Fortnite's best-known player and a megastar on Twitch (until he defected to Mixer). Now, Ninja will actually be a part of the game in which he truly made his name with his very own Fortnite skin. It'll be available to purchase between Thursday and Sunday.
Engadget readers love the iPad Pro 12.9
The word that Senior Editor Chris Velazco used to sum up his experience reviewing the iPad Pro 12.9 was "wow." While the ever popular tablet offers sleek hardware, an "absurdly fast" A12X Bionic chipset and a significantly improved Apple Pencil, it still lacks features on the software side that would have made it a realistic laptop replacement. Despite its speedy performance, Chris felt limited by iOS 12's abilities and continually needed work arounds to accomplish tasks that would have been simple on a laptop. While the iPad Pro 12.9 is an "impressive technical achievement," Chris ultimately wanted more from the software side and gave the tablet a solid, but not spectacular, score of 84. Users were actually more disappointed by iOS 12, awarding the device an average score of 78.
Apple users: Review your iPad Pro 12.9!
According to senior mobile editor Chris Velazco, Apple's iPad Pro 12.9 is a lot of things: specifically, sleeker, faster, and more flexible than previous iterations. However, he also noted in his review that the upgraded device is expensive, that its OS is still limited and that the overall experience remains somewhat disappointing. Ultimately, the iPad Pro 12.9 garnered a good, but not great, score of 84. There's certainly plenty to love about this version of the tablet like its A12X Bionic chipset and precise Pencil input, but it doesn't quite match Apple's vision of replacing a laptop for day-to-day work.
Apple explains iPad Pro build process in response to bending concerns
When Apple first responded to concerns that its iPad Pros were shipping with a slight bend, the company essentially said that it's a non-issue. Since that will definitely not be enough for a lot of people, Apple has detailed the device's manufacturing process in an effort to explain why the tablets may have "subtle deviations in flatness." In the support entry, Cupertino said it uses a process called co-molding for its iPad Pro cellular models.
Apple responds to reports of bent iPad Pros
Earlier this week, Apple reportedly acknowledged some iPad Pros to ship with a slight bend in the body and said it won't be replacing them. In an email obtained by 9to5Mac, the company's Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering Dan Riccio doubled down on the position, stating the device "meets or exceeds all of Apple's high quality standards of design and precision manufacturing."
Algoriddim merges its iOS djay apps, adds new Pro-level features
Algoriddim's djay app has been an Apple favorite for some time, regularly appearing in the company's keynotes to show off incremental updates over the years. There's been djay, djay for iPhone, djay for iPad, vjay (for video), djay 2, djay Pro and djay Pro 2, but the whole thing has gotten a bit fragmented. Today, the company is simplifying its app catalog by releasing the new djay for iOS, spanning all the requisite devices and available as a free download in the App Store. On top of that, djay for iOS Pro is now the same app, but with an unlocked set of new features as part of a $5-per-month subscription model (or $40 if you pre-pay for a full year).
The best gear for photo and video editing
If you do a lot of video or photo editing, the one thing you want to avoid when buying equipment is nasty surprises. A slow or badly equipped PC, laptop or tablet will be a drag on your creative process. Meanwhile, a subpar monitor or laptop display could yield videos that look shockingly different than what you saw during production. And you may miss a deadline if your machine can't render the final product quickly enough. This doesn't just apply to PCs. Adobe is planning a full version of Photoshop for the iPad, and it's developing an all-in-one video tool, Project Rush, that will work across platforms. Whichever app you choose, it's crucial to do some hardware research to ensure that your equipment will work with the app rather than against it. Luckily, we've already done a good chunk of the homework for you. Here's how to pick gear for photo and video creation, whether you've got $500 or $5,000.
ICYMI: Catch up on a busy week of Engadget reviews
It has been a busy few weeks when it comes to product announcements, and that means we at Engadget have been reviewing a number of new devices. This week alone we shared our thoughts on laptops from Lenovo, Microsoft, Apple and ASUS, breaking down what each does well and what we think needs some work. We also took a look at the new iPad Pro -- which might as well be a laptop, given its price and the way Apple is positioning it -- and, for a change of pace, BMW's "hybrid supercar," the i8 Roadster.
Apple plans to sell more of its products on Amazon
Apple and Amazon have come to an agreement to stock the online retailer's shelves with more Apple products, according to CNET. The deal will expand Amazon's direct access to Apple products, including the latest models of the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. The deal also restricts third-party sales of Apple products on Amazon to Apple-authorized resellers.
iPad Pro 12.9 review (2018): The future of computing?
The iPad Pro line has been around for three years now, and Apple has been adamant that it embodies the company's vision for the "future of computing." That's as big a claim now as it was when Tim Cook first made it, but with the release of the new iPad Pro, it's finally starting to feel like Apple is making good on its word. Consider this: The 2018 iPad Pro is sleeker, faster and more flexible than any other tablet Apple has ever made. At first glance, this new generation of iPads is the first we've seen that actually comes close to being able to replace a traditional laptop. It's just that good. But is it good enough? Or, rather, is it good enough in the right ways? That really depends on your priorities: artists and other creative professionals will be utterly thrilled, but the rest of us may be in for some disappointment.
iPad Pro preview (2018): Early signs point to a powerhouse with potential
Apple's newly updated iPad Pro is, to put it bluntly, a spectacular bit of hardware. In fact, it's so spectacular that we haven't been able to completely put it through its paces yet. Frankly, there's so much going on here that to try and pretend we could thoroughly test it in the four days we've had it would be a disservice to you and anyone else considering buying one. After all, these machines don't come cheap: The model we've been testing is the fully specced-out 12.9-inch Pro with 1TB of storage, and once you factor in the keyboard case and a new Apple Pencil, you're looking at more than $2,000. To really decide if something like that is worth it, we needed a little more time. That's why we're saying to hell with embargoes and holding off on publishing our full review for a few more days. Don't worry: You'll be able to read it soon, so you'll have our full verdict ready just as the new Pros go on sale. In the meantime, though, we've learned a lot about the 12.9-inch iPad Pro over the past few days, and I wanted to share some of those first impressions with you.
Apple, hear me out: iPad XR
Every iPad Pro released thus far has been met with a similar reaction from the press. There's an acknowledgement that the device is technologically impressive and, predictably, the "best" tablet from the company we've seen thus far -- but that's always followed by questions about who it's for, and whether it can replace a "real" computer. Well, Apple is trying to quell those questions once and for all this year. The combination of an impressive external redesign and new internals that sound ludicrously powerful should make the new iPad Pro lineup more capable than ever before. Unfortunately, though, Apple continues to raise the iPad Pro's price, putting it out of reach for almost anyone who isn't using the tablet day in and day out to get serious work done. Yes, the iPad Pro has always been expensive, but with a minimum entry price of $800, these new iPads aren't just a nicer, more powerful version of the standard tablet -- Apple is pitching them as an entirely new class of device.
Spare a thought for the guy with Lightning headphones
It was a questionable decision to opt for headphones that work with two devices. Nevertheless, I do love the Audeze iSINE 10s that I've used every day for the past year and a half. Sure, I can't charge and listen to music at the same time, but thanks to a Lightning cable feeding data and power to Audeze's in-line DAC, they sound fantastic on both my iPad and my iPhone. Unfortunately, I'm now stuck with some wonderful headphones that are roughly half as useful as they were yesterday, as Apple has just switched from Lightning to USB-C for its latest iPad Pros.
Apple's iPad and Mac event: By the numbers
For the second time in as many months, Apple's executive leadership took to the stage to reveal the company's latest luxury computing products. This time around we saw a new iPad Pro with a fancy magnetic stylus, a Retina-enabled MacBook Air (made entirely of recycled aluminum), a new Mac Mini, and $9 headphone dongles to make the tablet you just dropped a grand on minimally functional in polite society.
The biggest news from Apple's iPad and Mac event
As expected, Apple spent today's event in Brooklyn, New York, focused on the Mac and the iPad. The long-languishing MacBook Air finally caught up with the rest of the company's laptop lineup while the even-more-outdated Mac mini received its first meaningful update in years. And the iPad Pro, already the best pure tablet on the market by most measures, was completely redesigned again, adding USB-C and taking plenty of design cues from Apple's recent iPhones. Oh, and it's incredibly powerful. Apple even shows off the iPad Pro running attached to 5K displays now. While all these updates are meaningful, Apple is charging significantly more for them than it did for the products they replace. Get ready for some sticker shock. Whether these changes will be worth the cash is up to you: Read on to get details on the most meaningful changes Apple made today and how much the new hardware will set you back.
Apple iPad Pro (2018) hands-on: Even closer to a computer
For years now, Apple has strongly suggested that the iPad represented the company's vision for the future of computing, and for years, that felt like a bit of a stretch. Sure, crucial updates like iOS 11 gave the iPad a much needed dose of functionality, and that was enough to get some people looking at Apple's tablets as potentially valuable alternatives to traditional laptops and convertibles. This year... well, this year is a little different. I just spent some hands-on time with the updated iPad Pro -- specifically the bonkers 12.9-inch model -- and it's starting to feel more like a proper computer than ever. That's partially because of its more angular, no-nonsense design but also because of all the stuff Apple packed away inside.
The new iPad Pro vs. the competition: Working hard
Earlier this year students and other cost-conscious consumers got their hands on the latest low-cost iPad, but now it's time for professionals to get their hands on an upgrade. This year's iPad Pro switches the line to USB-C and boasts an improved Pencil. But the field it's facing is a lot different from last year's, especially now that Google's reentered the fray with its Pixel Slate. We've taken a look at some of the top productivity tablets to see how they measure up to the 12.9-inch iPad in numbers. For the real scoop on the new iPad, though, you'll have to wait for our full review, coming in the next few weeks.
Get ready to pay Apple $9 for an iPad headphone dongle
The new iPad Pro is a ridiculously powerful and expensive device, but as usual it's worth taking note of what Apple didn't include: a headphone jack. Yep, the iPad Pro is the next device to drop the decades-old port. Instead, get ready to pay $9 for a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter, because Apple isn't including it in the box. Also, the new USB-C port on the iPad Pro means you can't use those Lightning headphones that came with your shiny new iPhone. Courage isn't easy, friends -- but since you'll likely be paying more than $1,000 for a new iPad Pro, what's another $9?
Apple's new iPad Pros swap Lightning ports for USB-C
Apple began its commitment to USB-C back in 2015 with the original MacBook. The ports are now standard on the company's laptops, but today, Apple announced that its new iPad Pros are following suit. Swapping the usual Lightning port out for USB-C isn't just a case of changing what charging cable the iPad Pros use. USB-C enables new features, such as using the tablets to charge other devices like iPhones or being able to easily hook them up to musical instruments or external displays with up to 5K resolution. USB 3.1 Gen 2 support also means faster data-transfer speeds from other devices like cameras. In general, the USB-C switcheroo makes the iPad Pros more peripheral-friendly and therefore more-productive, on-the-go tools. The trade-off, however, is that the new iPad Pros don't have a headphone jack, so the USB-C port doubles as that too. Get your dongle money ready.
