During the last week I tried the new Apple iPad Air. The tablet, which goes on sale this Friday, November 1, it has earned the name whim of Cupertino. It is considerably lighter than the previous model and the first full-size iPad can be held comfortably for long periods of time with one hand.
a device designed to carry around 200 grams are a considerable difference but also the Air is tablet more powerful ARM architecture that has passed through my hands, thanks in large part to the A7 processor. His speed is amazing, even in complex tasks, and about the tablet a step closer to the ability of a conventional computer.
Design
new dimensions and weight are are certainly the protagonists in the new device. For the first time since the introduction of the iPad in 2010, Apple has decided to change the front design and has led to the same lines that debuted late last year with the iPad Mini. Instead of symmetrical frames the sides are much thinner. This makes the device a bit narrower keeping the same screen size.
Additional Savingssize battery and internal components make the iPad Air is the full size (9.7 inch screen) lighter so far. WiFi version weighs 450 grams , 200 less than the previous model weighed (4th generation iPad). The LTE connection version weighs 480 grams, 180 less than the equivalent model 4th generation.
less than half kilo in weight and thinner than 8 mm , the iPad Air is the first iPad that can be held with one hand comfortably for long periods of time . To hold, it is possible that part of the thumb is on the edge of the screen but the operating system is equipped with the same detection algorithm that the iPad Mini and not register the finger at rest as a valid pulse.
Apple goes further and claims to be the “full size tablet world’s lightest”. The problem is that the variety of screen sizes makes comparison difficult. HDX Amazon Kindle Fire, for example, weighs only 345 gram s, but has an inch less than this iPad and in 16:9 instead of 4:3 , which results in a smaller display surface. Still, the new iPad is clearly a big step as far as mobility is concerned.
Power
The heart of this tablet is the same processor that gives life to A7 iPhone 5s. According to the company is twice as fast and has twice the processor graphics capabilities present in the previous generation.
test I made (Linpack, Geekbench, etc …) seem to support this claim, but to the end user that throw numbers such tests have no significant value beyond giving comparative numbers.
Overall, the iPad Air is the tablet I’ve tested this year that has come closest to experience traditional sailing from my computer. The most advanced web pages loaded with much more ease and also games and applications respond much better than the 4th generation ipad. But we are approaching limits as to where is difficult to assess this added power, unless specific applications go to multimedia editing or design.
As I said in the analysis of the iPhone 5s A7 processor (1.4 GHz in this case) is the first ARM architecture to achieve the 64 bits. The biggest advantage of this architecture is to support a greater number of mobile platforms memory but rarely exceed 2 GB and therefore can not take advantage of this option. Thanks to greater control over the software and hardware , Apple can afford to use less memory and maintain performance. The iPad Air, for example, has only 1 GB of RAM but moves with more ease than other tablets that double this amount.
Still, there are obvious advantages in changing architecture, instruction set as a new and more efficient for the processor. iOS7 and official Apple applications are already adapted to 64-bit processor.
Software
It is no coincidence that the launch of this new tablet comes with a complete renovation of the official Apple applications both for office and multimedia editing. The Air is the perfect machine to demonstrate the new capabilities of these programs and Apple is making a major effort to bury the myth tablet consumer as an exclusive tool, not content creation (one good Post on this topic , in English, on the blog of Ben Thompson).
new iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand fly over this device and with the addition of free tools iWork (Pages, Numbers and Keynote) the iPad out of the box almost ready for the most common tasks that are performed a computer nowadays. still too early to know whether the company’s strategy will succeed or if the PC will get to keep his role in the home in successive generations.
Keep in mind also that Apple has now greater tufted in high . The company has lost market share in the tablet market during the last year. Until now it was because seven-inch models equipped with Android operating system with a price considerably less than the iPad but in the latter year Microsoft has begun an aggressive promotional campaign for your product Surface, which positions as a tablet “without compromise”, with access to Office tools and operating environment closer to that of conventional PCs.
Other Considerations
new iPad cameras have a resolution similar to the previous model but have improved somewhat in clarity and definition. In the case of the front camera is thanks to a larger sensor. In the case of rear five megapixel, thanks to higher quality lenses. It always amazes me to see tablet users take photos on mobile devices-often better choice for these applications, but each time it seems more common behavior.
This is the quality you get from the new iPad:
As evident the new design makes covers, covers and other accessories are no longer compatible with the device. Apple usually keeps the designs for two generations. In this case have been three (iPad 2, New iPad and iPad 4th generation) due to the rapid succession between the two latest models of that list. Still, it is important to consider.
In my case, for example, one of the accessories that I use is the cover with integrated keyboard from Logitech. Although the Bluetooth keyboard works seamlessly with the iPad Air, the new display format and make thinner device can not be stably support or close properly. Logitech has announced new cover compatible models coming to market in the coming days.
iPad Airalso introduces support for WiFi MIMO, which makes use of the two antennas on the device to transmit data at twice the speed. This feature was present in other tablets on the market, such as Microsoft Surface, but the first time you get to the iPad. The model with free LTE now supports many more bands and is universal for all operators.
Apple estimates autonomyiPad in about 10 hours of typical use, as in previous models. In my case I have noticed no difference in consumption between the 4th generation iPad and iPad Air.
Apple has not included the fingerprint reader TouchID present in the iPhone 5s, either for lack of production capacity or as a way to differentiate product ranges. ‘s a shame. The function would have been really useful on the tablet, especially in the business world where tablets are increasingly present.
Between Air and Mini
iPad catalog had remained as before the iPad Air would certainly the most desirable option for those not wanting to sacrifice power. On this occasion, however, the iPad Mini has grown to feature-parity with the iPad Air , including the retina display with the same resolution of 2,048 x 1,536 pixels.
iPad Mini??not hit the market until mid-November, but will have a lower price (about 90 euros cheaper) and a number of features that may be more palatable to some users. The screen is smaller (7.9 inches) but instead is much lighter and comfortable to hold. I’ve only been able to use the Mini with retina display briefly after the presentation last week.
extra screen area of ??iPad Air, however, is appreciated when surfing the net or using design programs or photo retouching and reduced weight helps trim the big difference that previously existed among both product families.
Air
iPad goes on sale for 479 euros in the basic version with WiFi and 16 GB of memory but can be configured with 32, 64 and 128 GB. Add LTE connection will cost 120 euros. Prices include VAT.
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