Apple has unveiled its latest iPad Pro, which is powered by the company’s M2 silicon chipset. The tablet will offer faster connectivity thanks to WiFi 6E support and it has a new “hover” experience for Apple Pencil. The latest iPad Pro will offer ProRes video capture as well.

The M2 will offer up to 15 percent faster performance than M1 on iPad Pro, according to Apple, thanks to the chipset’s eight cores. The company also claims that the 10-core GPU will deliver up to 35 percent faster graphics performance as well. The M2 can carry out 40 percent more operations per second than the M1 and it has 50 percent more unified memory bandwidth than the previous chipset.

Apple notes that there’s a new media engine as well as an image signal processor. The company says that, combined with the new iPad Pro’s cameras, these features allow it to support ProRes video capture on an iPad for the first time. It added that the tablet will be able to transcode ProRes footage up to three times faster than in the past too, so you’ll be able to “capture, edit, and publish cinema-grade video from a single device out in the field.” There are five “studio-quality” mics, so you should be able to record sharp audio. The quad-speaker setup has Dolby Atmos support too. 

As was rumored, the new iPad Pro comes in 11-inch and 12.9-inch versions. The larger model has a display with 1,000 nits of full-screen brightness and 1,600 nits of peak HDR brightness, as well as a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio. The 11-inch iPad Pro has 600 nits of brightness. Both have ProMotion support with an adaptive refresh rate of 120Hz.

Like the 2021 iPad Pro, this model has a 12-megapixel ultra-wide front-facing camera with Center Stage support. The rear cameras don’t seem to have changed either — there’s a 12MP wide sensor and a 10MP ultra-wide camera. 

This iPad Pro is the first Apple device with WiFi 6E (though models on sale in mainland China and Japan will not have WiFi 6E support). Apple says you’ll be able to reach download speeds of up to 2.4Gb/s, which is twice as fast as the previous generation. Moreover, models with cellular connectivity will support more 5G networks around the globe. Support for mmWave frequency bands will only be available in the US and Puerto Rico, however.

The tablet has a nifty trick up its sleeve when it comes to the second-gen Apple Pencil. The iPad Pro will detect the peripheral when it’s up to 12mm away from the display. Apple says this will allow you to see a preview of any mark you want to make before you actually apply it. The company claims this will offer greater precision and add some extra functionality. When you place Apple Pencil near the Scribble app, text fields will expand automatically. Apple says the iPad Pro will convert handwriting to text more quickly too.

The new iPad Pro will have all the features of the delayed iPadOS 16, which Apple will release on October 24th. In the past, the company has released major iPadOS versions at the same time as iOS updates, but it pushed back the release of this year’s iPad firmware. Reports suggest the company needed more time to refine the Stage Manager multitasking feature. The company is actually skipping a public release of iPadOS 16 in favor of iPadOS 16.1.

Stage Manager brings overlapping windows to iPad for the first time. Later this year, Apple will update the feature to include full external display support for resolutions of up to 6K. You’ll be able to see four apps on your iPad and four apps on the external display simultaneously. Elsewhere, iPadOS 16 finally brings the Weather app to iPad, along with major updates to Mail, Safari, Messages and other core apps. There are new features centered around collaboration too.

The new iPad Pro is available in silver and space gray with 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB or 2TB of storage. The 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $799 for WiFi only and $999 for Wi-Fi and Cellular. The 12.9-inch iPad Pro starts at $1,099 for the WiFi variant and $1,299 if you want cellular connectivity. Orders are open now and the new iPad Pro will be available in stores on October 26th. 

Apple is also selling accessories including the Magic Keyboard and 

Developing…

Source: Engadget – Apple announces an M2-powered iPad Pro with WiFi 6E

The rumors were true — Apple has unveiled a redesigned version of its entry-level iPad. The new model borrows the thin-bezel form factor of higher-end models, including the switch to USB-C, no headphone jack and a fingerprint reader built into the sleep/wake button. You can expect a familiar 10.9-inch display with a 2,360 x 1,640 resolution and True Tone color adjustment. However, there’s a twist for the 12MP ultra-wide front camera. This is the first iPad with a landscape-orientation selfie cam, making it far better for group chats or laptop-like use.

The tablet uses the same A14 Bionic chip as the original iPad Air, and supports modern networking like WiFi 6 and (on cellular models) 5G. You’ll also find an updated 12MP rear camera. Unfortunately, this isn’t an ideal slate for creatives on a budget. You’re still limited to first-generation Pencil support, and you’ll need to use the included USB-C to Pencil adapter (available for $9 if you already have a Pencil) to pair and charge the pen.

You’ll at least have a slightly cheaper official option for turning the iPad into a notebook. A new $249 Magic Keyboard Folio (shown at middle) offers full-size keys (including function keys) and a trackpad like the pricier Magic Keyboard, just without the trick floating design. Instead, a built-in kickstand props up the tablet while you’re working. The magnetic attachment makes it relatively easy to detach the iPad, and the Smart Connector spares you the charging and pairing hassles that sometimes come with these keyboards.

The new base iPad is available to order now and will reach stores October 26th. Be prepared for a price hike, however. The revamp starts at $449 for a 64GB WiFi model, and climbs to $599 for cellular. That’s a significant jump, and Apple is keeping the last-generation iPad around for the same $329 as before. Think of this more as a discounted iPad Air for those who don’t need either an M1 chip or second-gen Pencil support.

Don’t worry about missing out on software features if you have an older model. After a slight delay, Apple is releasing iPadOS 16 on October 24th. You’ll need at least a fifth-generation iPad or iPad mini, a third-gen iPad Air or any iPad Pro to use the new platform, which includes upgrades like Stage Manager multitasking.

Source: Engadget – Apple’s redesigned entry-level iPad has an A14 chip and USB-C charging

Rolls-Royce has officially begun its transition to electric cars. The luxury British manufacturer has unveiled its first ground-up EV, the Spectre coupe. The “spiritual successor” to the Phantom looks much like its stately gas-powered counterparts (apart from a low 0.25 drag coefficient), but promises to be even quieter and smoother thanks to its powerplant. The brand is still finalizing specifications. However, it expects the all-wheel drive machine to make a 0-60MPH dash in 4.4 seconds and achieve an EPA range of 260 miles. Those aren’t exceptional figures, but the emphasis here is on a pampered ride, not absolute performance.

That decision is reflected in the interior. The design includes the now-obligatory instrument and infotainment displays, plus a digital fascia for the passenger. In keeping with Rolls-Royce’s bespoke design philosophy, you can even have the company customize the color of the on-screen dials. An “Eleanor” assistant can handle in-car tasks, and a Whispers app can both send curated location recommendations (such as restaurants) as well as remotely control basic car functions like the locks and heating.

This isn’t just a reworked version of the company’s existing designs, either. The Spectre uses a new aluminum platform (the “Architecture of Luxury”) tuned for EVs, and boasts “starlight” doors with 4,796 points of light. It’s very large for a coupe at 16ft long and 6.6ft wide, and even required the company’s first 23-inch wheels in over a century. This is for leisurely soirées and trips to the golf club, not all-out blasts down country roads.

The Spectre is available to order now, with first deliveries expected in the fourth quarter of 2023. Pricing starts at $413,500 in the US, but that’s before the customization process — expect to pay considerably more to get the design just so, right down to the colors of the signature in-door umbrella. Even more so than rival ultra-luxury EVs like the Cadillac Celestiq and expected Mercedes-Maybach EQS, this is aimed at customers who will spend whatever it takes to get their dream car.

Source: Engadget – Rolls-Royce’s first EV is the 3,500 Spectre coupe