Tag - IPad Pro

Living with: Apple's iPad Pro (12.9-inch)
Previously, I've thought that some software or hardware is immediately and obviously useful. Plus, I've thought that some other such things didn't seem so at first, yet over time become vital parts of my work. For the first time, though, Living With has a new category: the product you didn't think you'd especially like, but which instantaneously became the most useful thing you own -- and so much a part of your work that you're sure you must've written about it before.

Productivity shoot-out: Galaxy Tab S2 versus iPad Pro 9.7
With a recent analysis of the tablet market showing that "detachables" are growing in popularity, Samsung's Galaxy Tab S2 and Apple's iPad Pro 9.7-inch represent two of the best alternatives on the market. Head to head, which one comes out on top?

Apple pulls iOS 9.3.2 update for 9.7-inch iPad Pro owners
Following some user reports of "bricking" and an "Error 56" issue that made the device unable to be recovered, Apple has pulled the iOS 9.3.2 update for owners of the 9.7-inch iPad Pro. Currently, Apple is replacing unit that have been "bricked" by the update with new ones, collecting the unusable units to help it determine the cause of the problem. Thus far, the problem with the iOS 9.3.2 update only affects the new 9.7-inch iPad Pro, and not other models -- so the update will continue to be made available to iPhone and other iPad owners. Not all 9.7-inch iPad Pro owners have seen the issue, with some upgrading to iOS 9.3.2 successfully.

One More Thing 037: Kimmy Mocks the Apple Store!
In an unexpected plot twist, co-hosts William Gallagher and Malcolm Owen this week agree on something. They've still got very different opinions on games, PCs and, this time, also hammers for some reason. Yet there is a moment of humanity that's only taken 37 episodes to appear. It's about a keyboard.

Hands On: Logitech Base for iPad Pro
Let's just cut straight to it: this is $100. Considering that you do not actually need it, or indeed anything remotely like it, that feels like a lot at the point of sale -- but then you can say exactly the same of your iPad Pro, and you'd be just as wrong. The Logitech Base for iPad Pro is a really fine piece of work. It's a charging stand for either model of the iPad Pro, which uses Apple's new Smart Connector.

IDC: Global tablet market shrunk in March; iPad Pro proves popular
New data from IDC shows that the global market for tablets declined in the first quarter of 2016, although Apple remains the dominant vendor, with its iPad line holding onto a 25.9 percent market share. Apple's iPad sale declined from 18.65 percent year-over-year, for a total of 10.25 million sales, although this was slightly worse than the overall contraction in the tablet market of 14.7 percent. One bright spot for Apple, however, is that the "detachable" tablet market is gaining in popularity, with the company's iPad Pro line already more popular than the Microsoft Surface line.

Logitech ships Logi Base charging dock with Smart Connector support
The iPad Pro line of Apple tablets now has a dock that takes advantage of the range's Smart Connector, courtesy of Logitech. The Logi Base is a stand for both the 12.9-inch and 9.7-inch versions of the iPad Pro, one that takes advantage of the Smart Connector's power transfer capabilities by using it to charge the iPad Pro's battery, giving users an alternative to the usual method of attaching a cable to the iPad Pro's Lightning connector.

One More Thing Episode 035: In the Pink
Can we just mention that we were right last week? We said, we actually said that if you go down to an Apple Store and wait for an hour, you might get a new MacBook. Okay, we didn't phrase it quite so specifically and actually we may possibly have meant iMacs rather than MacBooks but the principle holds: we called it. Which means this week, we have to keep that prediction record up.

Apple's most confusing product: Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter
If you don't know what an Apple product does, then the odds are that you don't need it -- and if you're curious, then you can certainly just ask in an Apple Store. Maybe you can debate whether you need a MacBook or an iPad Pro, but you know what they each are, and you can try them both out in a shop with someone from Apple genuinely helping instead of just trying to sell you something. Except for the Apple Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter.

DisplayMate rates 9.7-inch iPad Pro display 'best ever'
New and in-depth testing on the display of the latest 9.7-inch iPad Pro by monitor lab DisplayMate has revealed that not only is it an improvement over the screen used in the 12.9-inch iPad Pro and a "major upgrade" over the iPad Air 2, but that it handily beats all other mobile displays the company has ever measured. In an unusually praise-filled analysis by the AMOLED-favoring company, it notes that while the latest iPad Pro's display is the same size, ratio, resolution and PPI dot pitch as the iPad Air 2 it replaced, various improvements -- including the use of two color gamuts, and being 20 percent brighter than the previous model -- make it "very likely better than any mobile display, monitor, TV or UHD TV" on the market at present.
Now AAPL Stock: The symbol you provided ("AAPL") doesn't appear to be registered
Cirrus creates Lightning-headphone dev kit
Apple supplier Cirrus Logic has introduced a MFi-compliant new development kit for companies interested in using Cirrus' chips to create Lightning-based headphones, which -- regardless of whether rumors about Apple dropping the analog headphone jack in its iPhone this fall -- can offer advantages to music-loving iOS device users. The kit mentions some of the advantages of an all-digital headset or headphone connector, including higher-bitrate support, a more customizable experience, and support for power and data transfer into headphone hardware. Several companies already make Lightning headphones, and Apple has supported the concept since June 2014. http://bit.ly/29giiZj

Apple Store app offers Procreate Pocket

The Apple Store app for iPhone, which periodically rewards users with free app gifts, is now offering the iPhone "Pocket" version of drawing app Procreate for those who have the free Apple Store app until July 28. Users who have redeemed the offer by navigating to the "Stores" tab of the app and swiping past the "iPhone Upgrade Program" banner to the "Procreate" banner have noted that only the limited Pocket (iPhone) version of the app is available free, even if the Apple Store app is installed and the offer redeemed on an iPad. The Pocket version currently sells for $3 on the iOS App Store. [32.4MB]
Porsche adds CarPlay to 2017 Panamera
Porsche has added a fifth model of vehicle to its CarPlay-supported lineup, announcing that the 2017 Panamera -- which will arrive in the US in January -- will include Apple's infotainment technology, and be seen on a giant 12.3-inch touchscreen as part of an all-new Porsche Communication Management system. The luxury sedan starts at $99,900 for the 4S model, and scales up to the Panamera Turbo, which sells for $146,900. Other vehicles that currently support CarPlay include the 2016 911 and the 2017 models of Macan, 718 Boxster, and 718 Cayman. The company did not mention support for Google's corresponding Android Auto in its announcement. http://bit.ly/295ZQ94

Apple employees testing wheelchair features
New features included in the forthcoming watchOS 3 are being tested by Apple retail store employees, including a new activity-tracking feature that has been designed with wheelchair users in mind. The move is slightly unusual in that, while retail employees have previously been used to test pre-release versions of OS X and iOS, this marks the first time they've been included in the otherwise developer-only watchOS betas. The company is said to have gone to great lengths to modify the activity tracker for wheelchair users, including changing the "time to stand" notification to "time to roll" and including two wheelchair-centric workout apps. http://bit.ly/2955JDa

SanDisk reveals two 256GB microSDXC cards
SanDisk has introduced two 256GB microSDXC cards. Arriving in August for $150, the Ultra microSDXC UHS-I Premium Edition card offers transfer speeds of up to 95MB/s for reading data. The Extreme microSDXC UHS-I card can read at a fast 100MB/s and write at up to 90MB/s, and will be shipping sometime in the fourth quarter for $200. http://bit.ly/294Q1If

Apple's third-quarter results due July 26
Apple has advised it will be issuing its third-quarter results on July 26, with a conference call to answer investor and analyst queries about the earnings set to take place later that day. The stream of the call will go live at 2pm PT (5pm ET) via Apple's investor site, with the results themselves expected to be released roughly 30 minutes before the call commences. Apple's guidance for the quarter put revenue at between $41 billion and $43 billion. http://apple.co/1oi1Pbm

Twitter stickers slowly roll out to users
Twitter has introduced "stickers," allowing users to add extra graphical elements to their photos before uploading them to the micro-blogging service. A library of hundreds of accessories, props, and emoji will be available to use as stickers, which can be resized, rotated, and placed anywhere on the photograph. Images with stickers will also become searchable with viewers able to select a sticker to see how others use the same graphic in their own posts. Twitter advises stickers will be rolling out to users over the next few weeks, and will work on both the mobile apps and through the browser. http://bit.ly/29bbwUE
