Hasta La Gadget!

Happy iPad Mini launch day! Sure the iPad Mini is cute. But the gurus at ifixit.com – home of repair manuals and parts for gadgets galore – want to get to the bottom of the device. So yes, they dissected an out-of-the-box unit earlier this week in their iPad Mini Teardown. View the step by step process at the video below or on their website.

Interesting findings along the way include:

• Held together with “lots of adhesive”
• Glass not fused to the front display – makes for easy repairability
• Same metal plate protecting internals, like with newest iPod Touch
• Confusion as to batteries real specs (information on the battery varies versus spec information released by Apple). Regardless, ifixit seems curious as to whether battery will last 10 hours – as reported – as the mini battery has about 50% of the power of an iPad 2.
• Dock connector sodered to the logic board – means connector replacement has to include a new board

As they do with other devices, ifixit gives the iPad Mini a ‘repairability  score’. I’ll let you watch the video to see the results. If an iPad Mini may be in your future but you are seeking feedback take a look and give ifixit’s findings consideration before you buy.

It seems that apart from the Mac mini, there is an incremental update being made to the mainstay of Apple’s tablet business, which would be the new iPad. Of course, having said that, the new iPad of the past is not so new any more with the updated fourth generation iPad with Retina Display, where it will pack a faster A6X processor that can be found in the iPhone 5. This basically means the fourth generation iPad is an iPhone 5 with a far larger display, albeit without the kind of phone functionality that the iPhone 5 carries with it.

Maintaining its 9.7-inch Retina Display and powered by the new Apple-designed A6X processor, the new iPad will also feature a FaceTime HD camera and ultrafast wireless performance (more LTE networks will be supported worldwide in addition to dual-band Wi-Fi connectivity), running on iOS 6. Pricing for the fourth generation iPad with Wi-Fi models stand at $499, $599 and $699 for the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models, respectively. What do you think of the incremental upgrades, and if you have just picked up a third generation iPad yesterday, how do you feel about the whole situation?

Press Release
[ Apple updates iPad, some call it the iPad 3S copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

It is Apple picking time today, and here we are with a spanking new iPad for the mass market. In fact, you can say that if the late Steve Jobs were to be around today, there might not be an iPad mini, or he would unapologetically claim that there is a need in the 7” tablet market that Apple wants to create upon the iPad mini’s announcement, never mind the fact that he did insinuate that the 7” tablet market is dead in the water right from the get go, which was why Apple came up with the iPad in the first place. Well, the new iPad mini sports a totally new iPad design that makes it 23% thinner (some say it is literally pencil thin) and 53% lighter than the third generation iPad. Sporting a stunning 7.9-inch Multi-Touch display, FaceTime HD and iSight cameras, you know that the iPad mini is a bundle that was made to sell. The thing is, is the target market those who have yet to jump aboard the iPad bandwagon, and will current iPad owners bite as well?

Sporting up to 10 hours of battery life, it is small enough to hold in one hand. Meh, nothing new here, as 7” tablets from other hardware manufacturers have been able to do that for the longest time already. Apple claims that the 7.9-inch Multi-Touch display delivers a similar iPad experience that we all know and love, offering 35% more screen real estate compared to Android-powered 7-inch tablets, in addition to having 67% more usable viewing area when browsing the web. A dual-core A5 chip runs the show from underneath the hood, while the front-facing FaceTime HD camera and a 5 megapixel iSight camera at the back with advanced optics ensures you are able to capture amazing images on the move.

Not only that, theiPad mini comes with dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi support, while Wi-Fi + Cellular models will be able to support ultrafast wireless standards, such as LTE and DC-HSDPA. The iPad mini with Wi-Fi models will come in black and slate or white and silver colors from November 2nd onwards, where the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models will go for $329, $429 and $529, respectively. Top up $130 if you want the Wi-Fi + Cellular iPad mini at its respective storage space.

Press Release
[ Apple unveils the iPad mini copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

So there is no new iPod shuffle at yesterday’s press event by Apple at the Yerba Buena center in San Francisco, California, but that does not mean that things have not gotten slimmer during the announcements. Not only were we treated to the thinnest iPhone to date as well as the slimmest iPod touch ever, we also have another superlative title introduced for the reinvented iPod nano, which is touted to be the “thinnest iPod ever”, measuring at a mere 5mm, now how about that? Despite its small size, do not think that this is an iPod nano to be trifled with, where it will now come with the largest display ever built into an iPod nano at 2.5” so that your eyes will be able to enjoy more of your music, photos and widescreen videos.

The new iPod nano, as mentioned above, will come with a 2.5-inch Multi-Touch display that makes life a whole lot easier when navigating through your music. There is also a home button that helps you return to your home screen quicker than ever before, conveniently located buttons that makes it easy to control volume and quickly play, pause or change songs without having to take a second look.

Music lovers will also appreciate the fact that the new iPod nano comes with built-in Bluetooth for wireless listening with Bluetooth-enabled headphones, speakers and cars. Not only that, boasting a whopping 30 hours of battery life, the new iPod nano delivers the longest music playback of any iPod nano to date, so that you are able to enjoy your favorite music and FM radio longer than ever before. Other integrated fitness features include a pedometer and support for Nike+, meaning you should be able to see newer iPod nano models throughout gyms in the neighborhood.

The new iPod nano will arrive this October in pink, yellow, blue, green, purple, silver and slate for $149 a pop where it has 16GB of storage space to get you started.

Press Release

[ Apple announces iPod nano copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Yesterday’s Apple event included the announcement of new generation Touch and Nano products. Over 350 million iPod devices have been sold over the years. And the new generations should prove to continue the sales trend.

After a 2 year hiatus from new models the 5th generation Touch provides loads of enhancements. Following many of the leads of the iPhone 5, the Touch has a sleeker look. At just 6.1mm and 88g, it is the thinnest and lightest Touch ever. The 4” retina display means more space to view what you choose.  For the first time the Touch comes in silver, black, blue, yellow and red. And as practical flair the “iPod Touch loop” pops up from the back of the Touch so you can attach a wrist strap. Units also come with Apple’s new EarPod earbuds.

Internally the A5 chip with dual core graphics will boost graphics up to 7 times. And iOS6 will give all the latest advantages that the iPhone 5 offers. Feature-wise a built in 5MP iSight camera means autofocus, LED flash, help with motion artifacts and panoramic capability. Battery time will give you 8 hours of video or 40 hours of music and it charges via the new, smaller Lightening connector. The iPod Touch will retail for $299 (32GB) and $399 (64GB) and ship in October.

The small but mighty iPod Nano underwent a massive change too. The Gen 7 form factor – usually a Nano advantage – does not disappoint at just 5.4mm thin and 31g. Apple saw then need that many users did and added big, easy to use controls for common tasks like volume and play/pause/forward and backward. The advantage is that you no longer have to look at the screen to perform basic functions. For those that do want to look at the 2.5” screen, the Nano contains a multi-touch screen. Choose one of 8 colors (including a Product RED option).  EarPod earbuds are also included.

Internally the Nano finally includes Bluetooth, perfect for streaming music to other receivers. The Nano can handle widescreen video too. A full charge via the Lightening connector will get a user 3.5 hours of video or 30 hours of music. The 16GB, $149 Nano will also ship in October.

These majorly revamped products sure do give existing owners reason to upgrade and perfect gift options for the holidays!

[ Meet the New iPods® copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]