Like iPads? Like stuff called AIR? Here's our REVIEW ROUNDUP-squared Apple fans, if you’ve an ounce, make that 6.9 ounces of fanboi credibility, you’ll be reading this from your tired old iPad that you now don't really like any more or shiny new iPhone 5C – yes, the 5C, the one you bought out of loyalty to show everyone that it was cool despite the price. OK, so maybe the fact that when you …
What exactly do you expect? It's thinner and lighter, same battery life and a much faster (64 bit) processor - those are decent achievements for a start. Yes future versions will have fingerprint readers and better cameras - but (again) what do you expect it to be?
You could say this of anything - my washing machine still washes clothes, my fridge still keeps beer cold etc. - it is probably a lot more efficient and had other 'under the hood' changes but essentially it does the same job.
On computing sites, a new washing machine is unlikely to generate many columns (though I am intrigued by the cunning computer programmes used in them - what language, hardware, problems, crashes? Certainly more interesting than most of the stuff on The Register).
But perhaps (and I have got no idea in which magazines or web sites to look), there are specialist reviews and speculation about the newest white goods, as well as in consumer magazines advising buyers what to buy or not buy. I suspect, though, that one does not get the stupid partisanship displayed in the mobile phone and computer world, nor the silly mania to get the latest or boast of having the oldest.
@ cupid stunts:
"@ac 12:51 ' a much faster (64 bit) processor'
64 bit does not necessarily equal faster."
That's not what that sentence says.
Round brackets are used when there's non-essential information to include - so in this case, the poster is saying that the iPad Air has a "much faster processor, which is also 64-bit" rather than "the processor is much faster because it is 64-bit".
Please I hope they don't improve the camera.
Nothing looks more daft than an idiot stepping backwards holding an iPad in the air trying to take a photo of something/someone.
A better camera will only encourage them more.
No longer are people holding small digital cameras at arms length (as if the camera is going to bite them)... they are now holding iPads like they are holding on to a steering wheel of an out of control car.
> You could say this of anything - my washing machine still washes clothes, my fridge still keeps beer cold etc. - it is probably a lot more efficient and had other 'under the hood' changes but essentially it does the same job.
...and your car may still get 20mpg, just like the 1908 Model T Ford :-)
@AC 12:51 - >"What exactly do you expect? It's thinner and lighter, same battery life and a much faster (64 bit) processor - those are decent achievements for a start."
Please tell us all about this great new 64-bit magic you speak of. And how many of the 3/4 million iPad apps have been ported to 64-bit to take advantage of all this wondrous new Godly power? Five? Six?
"Please tell us all about this great new 64-bit magic you speak of. And how many of the 3/4 million iPad apps have been ported to 64-bit to take advantage of all this wondrous new Godly power? Five? Six?
"
Very good point. I bought into Win 7 64 bit for my then-new laptop, an OS I am generally quite happy with I might add despite the naysayers.
I fitted it with the latest and greatest:
Thunderbird - 32 bit.
Mozilla Browser - 32 bit.
Open Office - 32 bit.
Some of these masqueraded under pages that were linked under Win 7 (64 bit) too, which I thought was a bit strong.
I started doing a bit of real work. I loaded Apache - 32 bit.
Because of the Open Office I "needed" Java - 32 bit.
Etc. More etc.
Three years and more down the pike and not much has changed, as a rebuild (to put in a bigger disc) showed when I went to get the latest and greatest last month.
Now that's what I call good thunking.
Luckily, my iDevices don't loose 90% of their value when I open the box since most people actually WANT an iDevice VS settle for an Android device.
Well now ... I've just sold both an iPad mini and a Nexus 7 in the past week. The Apple sold for 85% of it's original price while (surprisingly) the Android went for 70% of the original cost. Clearly, there's perceived value in Android devices.
A lot depends on the construction. The new Macbook Pro has a battery apparently glued in on top of the trackpad cable. It looks as if its design life is 2-3 years. Meanwhile the dirt cheapo Acer 720 Chromebook has a bottom that comes off with screws, and an easily replaceable battery and flash drive, which means it could have a working life of 5 years or more. If the iPad Air has the same construction as the MBP, its value in 2-3 years could well be zero.
I see Android users upgrading their phones more often then iPhone users and see a lot of older iPhones (even back to the 3GS etc.) still in use. I know Apple haters love to propagate this myth that all iUsers upgrade every 12 months but think the reality is far different.
The difference is some people like to go to the shops where mostly the staff are friendly and there is a nice atmosphere against going in Fones4uRUSasaurusWarehouse - so are prepared to queue but I am sure 90% of people but online / from their network provider. Think Apple shipped 9m iPhones in the first weekend - I can't imagine every Apple shop worldwide could have served more than 10-20% of that number in a weekend.
After reading the Independents frankly gushing review this morning(goo.gl/BwLXEC) I did an experiment to find out what the 164 grams wight difference between the ipad and ipad air actually felt like.
I filled a plastic cup with enough water to make 164 grams. The result? frankly nothing, you could hardly feel it. Now there maybe be many good reasons to get the iPad air, but I am not sure weight is one of them, but some commentators are going on like the thing can now fly under its own power.
Personally I would be more impressed if 100 grams of that reduction was sacrificed for a bigger battery.
Crikey, you've just given me an idea to sell to Apple.
We'll fill the next version of the iPad with helium (dont worry about leakage, the damn thing can be a pressure cylinder as people arent supposed to touch the insides anyway!). We'll call it the iPad "Lighter than Air!". It'll sell bazillions!
I'm off to go patent the idea now...
Well consider an iPhone 5S weighs 112g - cutting 164g (around 50% more) while adding a faster processor seems a decent achievement. While it would make bugger all difference in your bag etc. when holding it and using it for a longer time it would.
Plus the CPU is faster and the battery life is unchanged - so it's clearly an improvement - unlike many others that take the attitude of crudely adding more cores and a bigger battery to make it faster without actually looking at making it more efficient.
@ AC 12:57
Sorry the CPR is not faster yet as apps etc are not written for it so must be converted from 32bit so most likely are the same speed, as to the battery read again your commen......"and the battery life is unchanged" plus "a bigger battery to make it faster without actually looking at making it more efficient" what ? so a bigger battery added not to make it more efficient or last longer ? ? ?
Oh and why wuld a faster processor be heavier than a slower one ? ? ?
No wonder you posted such rubbish as an AC
Now hold your cup of water up as you would an iPad, for say half an hour. How does it feel? Add it to the other books or whatever you carry in your briefcase or rucsac; imagine all the electronics you carry around were reduced by that much (in proportion). Look how much physical space the thing saves in comparison with other versions.
As for a lighter mobile: for a lot of us it goes in a trouser or jacket pocket. The less weight and thinner it is, the better, particularly if it has to share the pocket with a wallet or one does not want a decent piece of clothing to look like a bag of old clothes on its way to the Oxfam shop. This, of course, is also the practical argument against a mobile as long and broad as a paperback book, without the flexibility.
Of course, if your being and appearance are predicated on the constant use of a mobile, then appearances and convenience are of no account, so ignore these comments.
"“so far the consensus is incredibly positive, with tech journalists heaping praise on the recently announced tablet.”"
Now we know where the hype comes from. However, as anyone knows, you never believe a word a tech journo writes! Most are paid Apple shills with their head rammed up their ass as not to upset the apple cart.
It's about time they all realised its 2013 and the iOS/OS X world is ANCIENT NEWS.
While the real tech users have shifted attention to the next thing, waiting for these so called "tech journalists" to catch up.
"Most are paid Apple shills…."
Have you got any evidence for this? Are you a "Samsung shill"? Actually, what is a "shill"?
Do you honestly believe that people write positive reviews of anything only if paid and, conversely, write bad reviews if not?
I fear you are judging others by your own standards. Very run of the mill attitude.
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