iOS 9
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iOS 9 includes:
On October 16, another Apple presentation took place, the second for the current fall, which presented the iPad mini 3, the updated iMac mini, iMac with Retina displays and the iPad Air 2. This article will focus on the iPad Air 2 - the thinnest tablet in the world. After the presentation was over, the journalists got "access to the body" and thanks to the efforts of the Verge edition, we have the first live shots of the new tablet.
iPad Air 2 is indeed 18% thinner than its predecessor. Its thickness is 6.1 mm. Although, according to experts, visually and tactilely, this is practically not noticeable and does not play a big role. For comparison, the mobile flagship of the current autumn is thicker by 0.8 mm (6.9 mm). The Appleinsider portal compared the iPad Air 2 to a slate pencil.
But what about weight? The tablet has become incredibly light, namely 437 grams, which is 32 grams less than the previous model. Recall that the first iPad weighed 680 grams - the company managed to make the tablet almost 50% lighter. This means that you can forget about the unpleasant feeling of numbness in the hand after a day of working on the gadget.
iPad Air 2 received a fully laminated display with anti-reflective coating. These small improvements will allow users to use the tablet in sunny weather.
And here new processor- this is something that is really worth paying attention to. iPad Air 2 received Apple A8X, which means that the user can easily play the latest games made on Metal.
The tablet is equipped with 2 GB random access memory(two chips with 1 GB RAM each). The combination of three cores makes the system 68% faster than similar first-generation tablets. And 55% faster than the recently released iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.
Do not forget about the Apple M8 coprocessor - in combination with the main processor, iPad Air works without additional recharging for up to 10 hours, inclusive.
It is also worth noting that among Android competitors, only the Nexus 9 can boast of such indicators.
Compared to him Apple iPad Air 2 outperforms Google's tablet by almost 40%. Thus, the new tablet from Apple can easily be called the fastest gadget in its class at the present time.
The most long-awaited innovation is the introduction of the Touch ID fingerprint reader. The system supports up to five prints. Recall that Touch ID is used not only to unlock, but also to pay for purchases in the App Store and for some online transactions.
From external changes It immediately catches your eye that the screen orientation lock button has disappeared from the side. Presumably this is due to the fact that the device had to be made even thinner.
The iPad Air 2 also boasts an 8 megapixel camera that can capture truly stunning photos. Also the gadget received Apple support pay. The camera is extremely well built into the body - it does not stick out and creates a single design with back cover. Let's add a few more nice bonuses: video shooting has learned to work in slow-mode, and the camera supports burst shooting.
We invite you to familiarize yourself with the summary table, which will clearly demonstrate the main advantages of the iPad Air 2.
|
Parameter |
iPad Air |
iPad Air 2 |
| Display |
Retina 9.7 inches. Resolution: 2048×1536 pixels. |
Retina 9.7 inches. Resolution: 2048×1536 pixels. Laminated and anti-reflective coating. |
| dimensions |
Length 240 mm, Width 169.5 mm, Thickness 6.1 mm |
Length 240 mm, Width 169.5 mm, Thickness 7.5 mm |
| Weight |
469 g (Wi-Fi) and 478 g (Wi-Fi+LTE) |
437 g (Wi-Fi) and 444 g (Wi-Fi+LTE) |
| CPU |
A7+M7 |
A8X+M8 |
| Sensors |
Gyroscope, ambient light sensor, accelerometer |
Gyroscope, Ambient Light Sensor, Accelerometer, Touch ID, Barometer |
| Photo and video |
Camera: 5/1.2 Mpx. Video: 720p HD. |
Camera: 8/1.2 Mpx. Video: 720p HD. Burst shooting and slo-mode. |
| Offline work |
Up to 10 hours (Internet over Wi-Fi, video or music). Up to 9 hours (Internet over cellular network). |
|
| Colors |
Gold, space grey, silver |
space grey, silver |
iPad Air becomes the first model to ship in gold. Previous models were only available in two colors: silver and space gray. It is also worth noting that the new tablets are available with three memory sizes: 16, 64 and 128 GB. Apparently, Apple considered it rational to increase the storage space, which is logical given the intensive development of applications in the App Store ( we are talking not only about the number, but also about the fact that new applications get not only amazing graphics, but also significantly gain weight). Prices for iPad Air 2 start at 24,990 rubles for a 16 GB model without an LTE chip and go up to 40,990 for wood.
Conclusion: The new iPad Air 2 has received many improvements that have a positive impact not only on the design, but also on the performance of the device. Who will fit the second iPad version air? People who are betting on new applications, who are looking forward to the release of game monsters under the Metal system. People who would like to collect a collection of Apple devices in a golden robe. People who want to be sure that they have the latest cutting-edge gadgets. Sometimes it's nice to know that you're one step further than most.
| Width Width information refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 240 mm (millimeters) 24 cm (centimeters) 0.79 ft 9.45in |
| Height Height information refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 169.5 mm (millimeters) 16.95 cm (centimeters) 0.56 ft 6.67in |
| Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units measurements. | 7.5 mm (millimeters) 0.75 cm (centimeters) 0.02 ft 0.3in |
| Weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement. | 478 g (grams) 1.05 pounds 16.86oz |
| Volume Approximate volume of the device, calculated from dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. | 305.1 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 18.53 in³ (cubic inches) |
| Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale. | Grey Silver |
| Housing materials The materials used to make the body of the device. | Aluminium alloy |
| GSM GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is designed to replace the analogue mobile network (1G). For this reason, GSM is often referred to as a 2G mobile network. It is enhanced by the addition of GPRS (General Packet Radio Services) and later EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) technologies. | GSM 850 MHz GSM 900 MHz GSM 1800 MHz GSM 1900 MHz |
| CDMA CDMA (Code-Division Multiple Access) is a channel access method used in communications in mobile networks. Compared to other 2G and 2.5G standards such as GSM and TDMA, it provides higher data transfer rates and the ability to connect more consumers at the same time. | CDMA 800 MHz CDMA 1900 MHz |
| CDMA2000 CDMA2000 is a group of 3G mobile network standards based on CDMA. Their benefits include a stronger signal, fewer interruptions and network outages, support for analog signal, wide spectral coverage, etc. | 1xEV-DO Rev. A 1xEV-DO Rev. B |
| UMTS UMTS is short for Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. It is based on GSM standard and refers to 3G mobile networks. Developed by 3GPP and its biggest advantage is to provide more speed and spectral efficiency with W-CDMA technology. | UMTS 850 MHz UMTS 900 MHz UMTS 1900 MHz UMTS 2100 MHz |
| LTE LTE (Long Term Evolution) is defined as fourth generation (4G) technology. It is developed by 3GPP based on GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA to increase the capacity and speed of wireless mobile networks. The subsequent development of technologies is called LTE Advanced. | LTE 700 MHz Class 13 LTE 700 MHz Class 17 LTE 800 MHz LTE 850 MHz LTE 900 MHz LTE 1700/2100 MHz LTE 1800 MHz LTE 1900 MHz LTE 2100 MHz LTE 2600 MHz |
| SoC (System on a Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation. | Apple A7 APL5698 |
| Technological process Information about the technological process by which the chip is made. The value in nanometers measures half the distance between the elements in the processor. | 28 nm (nanometers) |
| Processor (CPU) The main function of the processor (CPU) of a mobile device is the interpretation and execution of instructions contained in software applications. | Apple Cyclone ARMv8 |
| Processor bit depth The bit depth (bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance than 32-bit processors, which, in turn, are more productive than 16-bit processors. | 64 bit |
| Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands by which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute. | ARMv8-A |
| First level cache (L1) Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently accessed data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small and much faster than system memory, and other cache levels. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for them in the L2 cache. With some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2. | 64 kB + 64 kB (kilobytes) |
| Second level cache (L2) L2 (level 2) cache is slower than L1, but in return it has a larger capacity, allowing more data to be cached. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for it in the L3 cache (if available) or RAM. | 1024 KB (kilobytes) 1 MB (megabytes) |
| L3 Cache L3 (level 3) cache is slower than L2, but in return it has a larger capacity, allowing more data to be cached. It, like L2, is much faster than system memory (RAM). | 4096 KB (kilobytes) 4 MB (megabytes) |
| Number of processor cores The processor core executes program instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing many instructions to be executed in parallel. | 2 |
| Processor clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 1300 MHz (megahertz) |
| Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphic applications. IN mobile devices ah it is used most often by games, consumer interface, video applications, etc. | PowerVR G6430 |
| Number of GPU cores Like the CPU, the GPU is made up of several working parts called cores. They handle the graphical calculations of different applications. | 4 |
| The amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost when the device is turned off or restarted. | 1 GB (gigabytes) |
| Type of random access memory (RAM) Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device. | LPDDR3 |
| Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the image quality of information directly depends. | IPS |
| Diagonal For mobile devices, the screen size is expressed in terms of its diagonal length, measured in inches. | 9.7in 246.38 mm (millimeters) 24.64 cm (centimeters) |
| Width Approximate Screen Width | 7.76in 197.1 mm (millimeters) 19.71 cm (centimeters) |
| Height Approximate Screen Height | 5.82in 147.83 mm (millimeters) 14.78 cm (centimeters) |
| Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side | 1.333:1 4:3 |
| Permission Screen resolution indicates the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. More a high resolution means sharper image detail. | 2048 x 1536 pixels |
| Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be shown on the screen in clearer detail. | 264 ppi (pixels per inch) 103 ppcm (pixels per centimeter) |
| Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for color components in a single pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors the screen can display. | 24 bit 16777216 flowers |
| Screen area Approximate percentage of screen footprint on the front of the device. | 71.86% (percentage) |
| Other characteristics Information about other functions and features of the screen. | capacitive Multitouch |
| Oleophobic (lipophobic) coating LED-backlit retina display |
| Sensor type | CMOS BSI (backside illumination) |
| Svetlosila | f/2.4 |
| Focal length | 4.3 mm (millimeters) |
| Image Resolution One of the main characteristics of cameras is resolution. It represents the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in an image. For convenience, smartphone manufacturers often list resolution in megapixels, giving an approximate number of pixels in millions. | 2592 x 1936 pixels 5.02 MP (megapixels) |
| Video resolution | 1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels) |
| 30 fps (frames per second) | |
| Characteristics Information about additional software and hardware features of the rear (rear) camera. | autofocus digital zoom Digital Image Stabilization geo tags panoramic shooting HDR shooting Touch focus Face recognition |
| Sensor Model Information about the manufacturer and model of the sensor used by the camera. | OmniVision OV2E0BNN |
| Sensor type Information about the type of camera sensor. Some of the most widely used sensor types in mobile device cameras are CMOS, BSI, ISOCELL, etc. | CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) |
| Svetlosila Luminosity (also known as f-stop, aperture, or f-number) is a measure of the size of a lens aperture that determines the amount of light that enters the sensor. The lower the f-number, the larger the aperture and the more light reaches the sensor. Usually, the number f is indicated, which corresponds to the maximum possible aperture of the aperture. | f/2.4 |
| Focal length Focal length indicates the distance in millimeters from the sensor to the optical center of the lens. The equivalent focal length (35mm) is the focal length of a mobile device camera that is equal to the focal length of a 35mm full-frame sensor that would achieve the same angle of view. It is calculated by multiplying the actual focal length of the mobile device's camera by the crop factor of its sensor. The crop factor can be defined as the ratio between the 35mm diagonals of a full-frame sensor and a mobile device sensor. | 2.18 mm (millimeters) |
| Video resolution Information about the maximum video resolution that the camera can record. | 1280 x 720 pixels 0.92 MP (megapixels) |
| Video recording speed (frame rate) Information about the maximum recording rate (frames per second, fps) supported by the camera at maximum resolution. Some of the most basic video recording speeds are 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps. | 30 fps (frames per second) |
| 1.2MP |
| Capacity The capacity of a battery indicates the maximum charge it can store, measured in milliamp-hours. | 8827 mAh (milliamp-hours) |
| Type The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more specifically, by the chemicals used. There are different types of batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries being the most commonly used in mobile devices. | Li-polymer (Li-polymer) |
| Talk time 2G Talk time in 2G is the period of time during which the battery is completely discharged during a continuous conversation in a 2G network. | 10 h (hours) 600 min (minutes) 0.4 days |
| 3G talk time Talk time in 3G is the period of time during which the battery is completely discharged during a continuous conversation in a 3G network. | 10 h (hours) 600 min (minutes) 0.4 days |
| 4G talk time Talk time in 4G is the period of time during which the battery is completely discharged during a continuous conversation in a 4G network. | 10 h (hours) 600 min (minutes) 0.4 days |
| Characteristics Information about some additional features device battery. | Fixed |
| SAR level body (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum number electromagnetic radiation, which the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device at the level of the hips. The maximum allowed SAR value for mobile devices in Europe is 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard established by CENELEC following the guidelines of ICNIRP 1998 and IEC standards. | 1 W/kg (watt per kilogram) |
| Body SAR (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device at hip level. The highest acceptable SAR value in the US is 1.6 W/kg per gram of human tissue. This value is set by the FCC, and the CTIA controls whether mobile devices comply with this standard. | 1.19 W/kg (watt per kilogram) |
In this article, we will discuss one of the most important features iPad - screen diagonals. This is the most impressive detail of the tablet, immediately striking. During its existence, the "apple" company has released many models of this device. And they all come with different display sizes. Let's see how gadgets have changed by this criterion over the years. And let's start the review with the very first lines - iPad 1, 2 and so on.
A tablet is the kind of device whose display diagonal size is of great importance. The first generation, which was released 7 years ago, was already in the standard version, rooted for many years. The parameter under consideration for gadgets did not change until the 4th generation, although something new was added for other screen characteristics:
But regardless of the model, the picture on the display of Apple tablets has always been excellent. But technology is constantly evolving and gadgets of the 3 and 4 lines received a Retina display. .
The quartet also had an increase in screen resolution and a pixel density parameter. This allowed us to make the image look like a picture of a glossy magazine. Pixels are not visible at all, which gives realism. The developer made a 100% right choice by implementing this technology. Among 10-inch tablets, this device is considered the best. The only drawback is the lack of anti-reflective coating. This minus on the forums was noted by many users.
The IPS matrix element, included in the models of lines 1 - 4, produces the color gamut of maximum naturalism and provides maximum viewing angles. Its quality is especially evident in the process of comparison with previous displays. The capacitive sensor has also been improved. In addition, warmer colors and improved image detail have been added.
Further development of tablets was very interesting. The body has been radically improved, new shades have appeared. The frames have been significantly reduced, but the display sizes have remained the same (as in the fourth and other iPads).
The more compact dimensions of the iPad Air line of tablets brought them to a higher level, made them stylish and modern.
Characteristics of the display devices of the Air model:
As you can see, everything remains the same. Only Retina is of interest - technology. Thanks to it, the response time to touching the display and power consumption have been significantly reduced.
It's time to highlight tablets that are close to the modern standards of top-end devices. The developer paused a little with the size of the displays, and this innovation is for the better.
Mini versions are widely used and loved by many users. After all, it is very comfortable to carry such a gadget with you, and its functionality is not inferior to ordinary models:
As can be seen from the above characteristics, the diagonals of mini devices are not at all the same as in iPad 4 and other standard versions. They are much smaller. The resolution parameter is similar, but the number of dots is more by 1 inch.
In terms of “appearance”, the two variations of the gadget of this line are almost identical. Therefore, users here choose according to functionality, because not everyone needs a TV to carry with them all the time:
To date, these two models are the best, both in terms of picture quality and performance. The latest anti-reflective coating makes working in the sun comfortable.
Above was a historical background on the development of tablets from the "apple" company in terms of display size. It is interesting how the iPad will develop in the future, but this can only be guessed at. But in terms of performance. At least another 2-3 years, Pro will be on top and satisfy the needs of the most demanding users.
And since the subject of our today's conversation is the iPads of the second line, then we will take a closer look at other characteristics of this line of tablets.
There has been no revolution since the release of the second generation of devices. Consumers were presented with the same product in a minimalistic style, very neat, made of glass and aluminum materials. You can not love Apple devices, but you can’t not admit that they are of decent quality. By design, they are several steps ahead of similar gadgets of competitors. Let's say you can't put them on a par with plastic products from Samsung Tab or Motorola XOOM, consisting of separate elements assembled together. If you have any doubts about this, just turn the "apple" tablet in your hands, and immediately feel the difference.
The back part remained the same "indestructible". It is made of non-scratch metal. The socket has now become almost flat - it narrows only towards the end part. The first line of tablets did not have this.
"Deuce" is much thinner than its predecessor (and even iPhone 4). Visually it seems that you can even scratch it, like a piece of paper. This effect is created due to the same narrowing towards the ends. In it, the developer applied the same design idea as in the MacBook Air, in which the minimum thickness parameters are only 3 millimeters.
Another tablet dropped a little weight. True, only 6 grams compared to its predecessors, but still this is a positive result. However, at that time, according to this criterion, the iPad 2 was ahead of its competitor from the Korean company - Galaxy, which weighed 7 grams less. At the same time, his case was made of plastic, which does not add to his price.
Here everything is standard and predictable, nothing new. In the box with the second tablet, in addition to the device itself, the user found:
"Apple" company, as always, has not changed the principles of minimalism. Nothing remarkable from the accessories was placed in a rather large box. By the way, the adapter is for an American outlet. So, whether you like it or not, you will have to purchase an adapter.
The period of work without additional recharging of devices of the second line is the same 10-12 hours. The same was true for the launch product of this type. And this is all with active use with the use of wireless elements, when watching movies and listening to music tracks.
All this is impressive, considering that we are talking about a device with a nine-cell battery. According to these criteria, Apple's tablet has no competitors so far. Similar gadgets from other companies, operating on Android, work for about 6 hours without recharging. It is especially pleasing that a long period of battery life has been preserved with a significant reduction in the thickness of the case.
This element was already the pride of the company in the very first tablet. At that time he was the best quality- the competitors had nothing of the kind. In the tablet of the second generation, everything was preserved as before. Many fans of "apple" products expected to see Retina technology in it, that is, a resolution increased by 400%. But for such parameters, the device did not have enough processor power and a graphic element. In other words, the miracle did not happen. And if it happened, then the starting cost of the gadget would soar by at least 50%.
But even such a display has become one of the best in terms of brightness, resolution and responsiveness to touch. No wonder any devices with a touch mechanism are usually compared with iPhones and iPads, because the latter have no equal.
However, there are more significant differences compared to previous version and competitors are also present. For example, thanks to the oleophobic layer, the display is not easily soiled. It is very difficult to soil it with touches. And if any dirt suddenly appears, it is easy to remove it. Users have to clean devices of the first line and tablets of competitors constantly.
Efficiency has increased in many areas - when surfing the net, when working with graphic elements. Separately, it is worth mentioning the increase in memory on board the second tablet up to 512 megabytes. Of course, today such an indicator will seem ridiculous, but at that time it caused delight.
The operating system in this line of tablets, compared to the previous one, was also more advanced. She was much taller. Accordingly, the functionality has expanded, and the work has become more nimble.
The tablet performs all commands remarkably. This applies to the interface, a smart browser, the absence of program freezes and slowdowns, and a lively playing video.
A new broom sweeps in a new way? Or not? Rather, yes, all the usual functions are now in a lightweight body, which pleases. And the Air is very fast, looks better than the previous generation, inside the A7 processor, you can immediately buy a model with 128 GB - however, let's talk about everything in order.
Well then Dear friends, lovers of large iPads, the tablet was a success. I want to say this right away, I happened to use the first iPad, the second, the third, the fourth - although there was a serious difference only between the first and second. Apple can afford to use the same case that the public is used to. In Sony or Samsung, a new device is always a new design, otherwise the public will not understand what the difference is. So, the iPad Air is something completely new, from the moment of the announcement, I decided that I would buy myself just such a device. There are several reasons for this. Small iPad display mini isn't great for watching movies, and we (my girlfriend and I) often watch movies on our tablet while traveling, at home, or even outdoors when the weather permits. The difference seems to be small, but it’s more convenient to work, play, and use mail, a browser - continue the list yourself. Yes, it’s corny to show a presentation better on a large iPad. As I have written more than once, a tablet for me is not at all an essential thing, it happens that the device lies in a bag for weeks and is not used, and then suddenly it turns out to be the center of attention and almost always with me. I'm sure many of you have a similar use case.
Well, what pleased me from the first minutes of the iPad Air? The design has changed, it has become more strict, if earlier the iPad stood out from the line of Apple mobile devices - silver metal, black or white frame around the display - now everything is brought into line with other gadgets. It looks like an iPad mini, everyone notices it. It has become much smaller, you can even take it with one hand - if you have a big hand. And most importantly, now it is really comfortable to hold with one hand! For example, while reading on public transport, or just reading before bed. The dimensions have changed drastically, compare, these are the dimensions of the iPad 2: 241.2 x 185.7 x 8.8 mm, weight - 601 grams, the 3G version weighs 613 grams. And these are the dimensions of the iPad Air: 240 x 169.5 x 7.5 mm, weight - 469 grams, the 4G version weighs 478 grams. If you look at the numbers, the difference does not seem to be particularly noticeable, but in real life it is still noticeable. The frames to the left and right of the display have been reduced, the Home button at the bottom has not changed, the layout of the controls is familiar: above the display is the camera, on the right is the mute lever, the volume buttons, and on the top end is the power button. Connector 3.5 mm - top left, LIghtning - on the bottom. It's a pity that there are no EarPods in the package, I believe many of you use the iPad for listening to music as well.
Aluminum case, two colors, white and dark gray, Cosmic Grey, it is the same as iPhone 5S. Both colors are very beautiful, but I liked the "blued" iPad more, although I originally thought to buy a light one. I want to emphasize that the Air collects fingerprints very quickly, it was not noticeable on the silvery metal, but here the apple on the back instantly gets dirty, the oleophobic coating on the display does not cope with fingerprints, before shooting I had to clean the Air for a long time and hard. The model with 4G has a plastic insert on the top end, there is an antenna, the SIM card slot is on the right end, nanoSIM is used.
There is a perforation at the bottom, it is not clear whether there are two speakers or one, but the sound of the tablet is simply gorgeous. You can safely watch a movie together and not connect an audio system, the volume margin is excessive. And this is not some kind of squeaker, there are even low, excellent voices, listening to music is also very interesting. In my opinion, the Air has even better sound than the MacBook Air 11, it is voluminous, interesting. This is a very welcome change, and everyone I showed the tablet to was positive about the sound quality. And as for the music in the headphones, I also want to respond positively, I listened to the Bose QC20, I really, really liked it, in my opinion, and here Apple has changed something compared to the previous generation. The volume has grown, the sound quality has changed for the better, that's really a musical machine. It's nice that they didn't forget about this aspect of the iPad, I often listen to something before going to bed or when I'm reading a book.
Once again I want to dwell on the design, next to the display - such bevels, like the iPhone 5S, most likely it is on the edge and there will be scuffs during active use without a case, with 5S just such a situation. The coating of the case of the smartphone was changed for the better, this is not a five, where the paint crumbled on its own - I will tell you more in the review. But we can assume that Air has reliable coverage, which is good.
The diagonal of the IPS display is 9.7 inches, there is an LED backlight, the resolution is 2048 x 1536 pixels, everything is simple here - this is one of best screens for mobile devices, literally good from any angle, no matter how you look at it. I don’t know what else to add, it pleases the eye, everything is clear, smooth, bright - by the way, I don’t set the brightness to the maximum, eighty percent, this is enough.
Here we must make a reservation, the iPad mini with Retina will soon be on sale, you may have a question what to buy. I would recommend looking at the store for both tablets and only then make a decision. For myself, I understood one thing a long time ago - the diagonal matters, even if the Air does not fit into any pocket.
Four versions, for the first time the iPad with 128 GB of memory was immediately announced - let me remind you, old version iPad 4 (let's call it that) appeared after the start of sales, as if Apple wanted to experiment whether consumers would like it or not. Or maybe there was a problem with the components, who knows. In any case, there are four versions: 16, 32, 64 and 128 GB. In general, there are eight versions, if we also take into account models with Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + 4G. And if you take into account the colors, there are sixteen models. Just in case, I bought a version with 64 GB of memory, in reserve. If you are used to carrying a lot of content and documents with you, you want to always have a supply, then it makes sense to look at a model with 128 GB of memory. Who would have thought three years ago that we would live to see such a capacity in a tablet become commonplace - at least for Apple.
I'm thinking of writing a buyer's guide for iPad Air owners, to tell you more about the most necessary and sensible accessories. Of the original additions, I immediately recommend EarPods - listen to music, chat in FaceTime (by the way, I often began to use this function on the tablet). I advise you to immediately buy SmartCover - a familiar cover that can activate the device when you open it, it can work as a stand. Well, or SmartCase, a full-fledged case with the same functions. In the operating experience, I will show how these covers look, for sure, offers from other manufacturers will soon appear. In general, I personally need an iPad case only as a stand, there is nothing special to protect here - glass, metal, the coating seems reliable.
The tablet ships with iOS 7.0.3, learn more about operating system can be read in a separate review.
It uses an A7 processor like in the iPhone5S, 64-bit architecture, and there is also an M7 co-processor: “Thanks to the new M7 co-processor, the iPhone 5s works even more efficiently. It offloads the A7 processor by processing the motion signals of the accelerometer, gyroscope and compass. Applications use this data without loading the A7 processor. And since the M7 coprocessor was built specifically for these tasks, it requires significantly less power than an A7 would need. Thus, the battery charge is consumed more economically. Naturally, the Air needs a coprocessor for the same tasks, the solution is interesting.
I measured the performance with a benchmark, but this, you see, is not very significant. Programs start quickly, but there is still a problem with the optimization of some applications, for example, Soundcloud - the brakes when changing the display orientation are clearly visible in the video, see above. There you can also see how the races start in a small window and expand to full screen only after pressing the Pause buttons. Naturally, this is not a hardware problem, just software needs optimization. After installing some utilities from the store, icons did not appear on the desktop, a reboot helped. Safari crashes, this has happened several times already. The tablet sometimes slows down while changing the layout, you press the change button - nothing happens. Previously, in the new iPad, I did not encounter such problems. At the same time, there is no need to complain about the speed, even after the latest generation iPad, the launch time pleases - we are talking about all sorts of heavy applications like Infinity Blade III. To be honest, I put this game only for testing. Years go by, nothing changes in IB, titans, swords, loud and meaningless speeches - it's a pity. The same evil Plague is more like it. By the way, Eldar and I are constantly trying to find all sorts of interesting games for the iPad, if you know anything special, tell us in the comments.
Naturally, all the problems mentioned above will be fixed in software updates.
As already written above, there are two versions, Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + 4G, I have a tablet from the USA. For me personally, the usual 3G is enough, but if they turn on LTE, it's easier to use the iPhone 5S as an access point for the iPad. Naturally, there is Bluetooth (profile 4.0), using AirDrop you can send a picture or something else to another iOS device. The mystery is why AirDrop on MacBook does not see iPhone, iPad.
Claimed battery life is 10 hours of video playback (Wi-Fi on) or 9 hours of surfing using 3G/4G. The Lightning connector is used, no matter what anyone says, but it is better than microUSB in every way, you don’t have to think about which side to insert the plug. This is a major advantage over microUSB.
I've only been using the Air for a couple of days and the numbers seem to match. Most importantly, it did not get worse, despite the fact that the processor is different.
The module has not been changed here, the same as in the iPad 3/4 (although is it worth calling the last tablet in the last “body” the fourth?). Above the display is a FaceTime camera, 1.2 MP resolution, 720p video, on the back is a 5 MP main camera with autofocus, you can shoot HDR, record HD video. Probably, in the Air update they will put a module from the iPhone 5. Sample shots from iPad review 3, the quality is the same. Enough for Instagram.
By the way, I have always wondered why take pictures on a tablet at all, from the outside it looks strange.
In the US, the price story is this, here are the Wi-Fi versions: 16 GB - $499, 32 GB - $599, 64 GB - $699, 128 GB - $799. And here are the prices for the Wi-Fi + 4G versions: 16 GB - $629, 32 GB - $729, 64 GB - $829, 128 GB - $929. Naturally, until official sales in Russia have begun, there is a revival on the gray market, they ask for about 35,000 rubles for the considered model, but I would like to note that there is no hype, as in the case of the iPhone 5S. And I completely understand why. A tablet is not a smartphone, people do not change it without a reason, impulsively. Let's say if you have a latest generation iPad with 128 GB of memory, bought a few months ago - what's the point of changing it to Air? I personally don’t see the point, well, except that I really want a new product. A tablet is like a camera, this thing is often changed only if it is out of order. Well, or there have been major changes in technology, two or even three generations of such devices have changed.
So who is the iPad Air for? It seems to me that it is just for those who use the iPad 2 and have been waiting for the release of a completely new device. For those who have not bought tablets at all before, new users, schoolchildren who turned into students, students who got their first job. For those who had experience with tablets on Android based and now wants to try a normal tablet (this applies to both software and hardware).
I really liked the Air - familiar features in a lightweight body (and this very lightness is very important for many), great battery life, a gorgeous display, big choice modifications, cool design and materials, there are complaints about third-party programs, but there are no complaints about performance. I think that the updated Air will have a fingerprint sensor, like in the iPhone 5S, you get used to this thing, it is especially convenient to use it for shopping. They will probably change the cameras, add another color, and who knows what else will come. It is clear that in three years the iPad will be like a piece of paper, everything is moving towards this - and that's great.
In conclusion, I will say that I am extremely impressed with the device and feel free to recommend the iPad Air to you. This will be one of the most sought after Christmas gifts, stock up in advance.
Sergey Kuzmin ()
