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Apple's 256GB iPad Air is on sale for $549
You can currently get the 256GB model iPad Air for $100 off at Amazon.
Apple's keyboard cover for the next iPad Pro could add a trackpad
With the launch of iPadOS, Apple's tablet has become more of a conventional computing device than ever. As such, it makes sense that the line between iPad Pro and laptop could become even more blurred. A rumor from The Information claims Apple is gearing up to mass produce a new keyboard accessory for the tablet line that includes a built-in trackpad, with plans to release it at the same time as an updated version of the iPad Pro later this year. If you just can't wait, accessory maker Brydge is one of the the third parties promising a solution. It has opened pre-orders for its wireless Pro+ keyboard that includes a a trackpad plus backlit keys and adds a very MacBook-like look to the tablet. They're supposed to start shipping in late April, with an 11-inch version available for $200 or the 12.9-inch edition for $230. The third-party company also announced a standalone trackpad, but there's no release date or price listed for that yet.
Best Buy’s weekend sale takes up to $200 off the pricey iPad Pro (updated)
Best Buy is running another massive 3-day weekend sale. If that sounds familiar, it's because the retailer slashed prices just a few weeks ago. This time around, Best Buy is cutting prices on the latest entry-level MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. It's offering steep discounts on iPads, Surface notebooks and some of our favorite headphones. The sale runs through Sunday.
Apple iPad Air review (2019): Just right
For the past few years, Apple's iPad lineup has had a large and obvious hole in it. At one end, there's the $329 iPad, an affordable way to do basic computing and run the many excellent apps out there. It cuts some corners with a years-old design, older processors and a less-advanced screen, but for most people it's good enough. At the other end, there's the iPad Pro, which Apple has made increasingly more powerful in the three years since it first arrived. At this point, it's a bleeding-edge device with Apple's best design, a crazy-fast processor and a big, beautiful screen. It's also quite a bit more expensive, with a starting price of $799. The gap between those two devices is so pronounced that Apple is filling it with a new tablet, the $499 iPad Air -- though calling it new might be a stretch. The iPad Air takes the same design as 2017's 10.5-inch iPad Pro and makes a handful of changes -- some improvements and some downgrades to keep the Air out of iPad Pro territory. It's not the most inspired or exciting product Apple has built (I called it boring after it was announced). But the question is whether its features and improvements over the basic iPad are worth your cash.
