Hasta La Gadget!

Unless you’ve been hunkered in a cave for the past few weeks, you’ve probably heard about that new iPad mini thing. Many of you will also be aware it goes on sale this very day — well, the WiFi-only version anyway, starting at $329 for the 16GB variant. Apple’s taking its first steps into an uncharted territory, launching a 7.9-inch slate that might tempt customers who weren’t keen on the 9.7-inch offering we’re all familiar with. It’s coming a little late to smaller-tablet game, but if history tells us anything, it’s that people go crazy for Apple products. That being said, many may have already invested in tablets of a similar size when the iPad mini just wasn’t an option, so might be less inclined to grab one now. Whether it’ll have the staggering uptake of Apple products that preceded it remains to be seen, but we’d love to hear your thoughts on it, including if you plan to buy one or not, in the poll and comments below.

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Filed under: Tablets, Apple

iPad mini goes on sale today — will you be buying one? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Nov 2012 10:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Interested in seeing all the adorable little parts inside Apple’s smallest iPad yet? iFixit’s already got its hands on one and has a currently-in-progress teardown going on, should that be your kinda thing. And what’s the verdict? Well, the teardown is still happening, but as of right now, there are some good signs. For one, the LCD and front glass are separate components, making replacement of individual components a possibility (and making a repair less expensive). And that LCD is once again of the Samsung variety, confirming Apple’s continued relationship with its legal adversary. As iFixit points out, Apple “often relies on multiple supplies for a single component,” so it’s possible that your teardown of another Mini will yield a different LCD manufacturer. More tidbits found inside thus far: confirmation of stereo speakers (a big change from the regular iPad’s mono setup). The teardown points out that the Mini’s Lightning charging port (significantly smaller than the previous 30-pin port) is likely what’s making space for that extra speaker. As for a final repairability rating, iFixit’s giving the iPad Mini a 2 out of 10 (not so easy to repair) based on a several factors: while the LCD/glass isn’t fused, nor is the battery soldered to anything, tons of adhesive and the lightning connector being soldered to the logic board make at-home repair less than ideal.

[Image credit: iFixit]

Filed under: Apple

iFixit tears iPad Mini asunder, finds very small screws originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Nov 2012 08:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s a big storm, moving slowly. A gigantic span of ferocious swirl meets a front of chilly resistance. The effect of that collision is amplified by powerful tidal influence. Upheavals and surges swamp the landscape. Many people are displaced; countless others stay with the familiar.

Also, in the real world, some nasty weather is happening. But I’m talking about the tech industry of the last five business days, which has aligned and concentrated its forces in a crystal-clear demonstration, if one were needed, that mobile is where the bets are placed and futures will be won and lost.

Apple is at the eye of the storm, where its devoted legions expect it, but no longer as a pioneer. Defending its territory rather than breaking new ground, the post-Jobs company did something its late and fabled leader scorned, split hairs to justify it, engaged in implicit combat with four competitors, ticked off some of its best customers and was squeezed by inexorable pressure of a quickly evolving industry.

Continue reading Editorial: Apple vs. everyone

Filed under: Tablets, Apple, Google

Editorial: Apple vs. everyone originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Oct 2012 16:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It just wouldn’t be a major Apple launch if there wasn’t a Microsoft executive calling out his old rival, would it? In a chat with AllThingsD, Windows division lead Steven Sinofsky has expressed doubts that Apple’s iPad mini is really a cost-effective pick against the just-launched Windows 8. It’s a $329 “recreational tablet” when there are work-ready Windows 8 laptops that cost $279, he says. He added that there are at least a few touchscreen Ultrabooks that could undercut the non-touch MacBook Air on price, and he ascribed the difference as much to “engineering” as the cost-cutting measures you’d expect.

Sinofsky was naturally just as keen to champion the advantages for work that Windows RT tablets like the Surface have when competing more directly with iPads, alluding to that Office bundle which hopefully keeps us more productive than a copy of Documents To Go. The company President would certainly disagree with Apple chief Tim Cook’s view that Surface is a confused product, calling it a “PC for everyone” that just doesn’t have to be used all the time. He makes valid points on the sheer value for money that you can get from both Windows PCs and tablets, although it would only be fair to mention that he didn’t touch on the currently low Windows RT app selection, or if the OS was exactly what the market wanted — we’d do well to remember that Microsoft alumni have a spotty track record when it comes to predicting Apple’s destiny.

Filed under: Laptops, Tablets, Software, Apple, Microsoft

Microsoft’s Sinofsky says Windows 8 PCs can undercut Apple’s ‘recreational’ iPad mini originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Oct 2012 23:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Anyone wondering what Apple CEO Tim Cook thinks of Microsoft’s new Surface tablet didn’t have to wait long to get an answer. Cook offered a fairly blunt assessment of the device on the company’s quarterly earnings call today, saying that while he hasn’t personally played with one, “we’re reading that it’s a fairly compromised, confusing product.” He went on to say that “I think one of the things you do with a product is make hard trade-offs. The user experience on the iPad is absolutely incredible,” adding, “I suppose you could design a car that flies and floats, but I don’t think it would do all of those things very well. When people look at the iPad versus competitive offerings, I think they’ll continue to want an iPad.”

As for Apple’s own new tablet, the iPad mini, Cook dismissed the notion that it would cannibalize other iPad sales. “The way that we look at this,” Cook said, “is that we provide a fantastic iPod touch, an iPad, and an iPad mini. Customers will decide which one, two, three or four they want, and they’ll buy those.” He went on to add that “we’ve learned over the years not to worry about cannibalization of our products. The far bigger opportunity is the 80 to 90 million PCs shipped each quarter. I think a great number of those people would be better off buying an iPad, or a Mac. That’s a bigger opportunity for Apple. Instead of looking at cannibalization, I see an incremental opportunity.”

Filed under: Tablets

Apple’s Tim Cook sees Microsoft Surface as a ‘fairly compromised, confusing product’ originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Oct 2012 17:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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