Apple : Explained: Apple Lightning connector: what you need to know

Explained: Apple Lightning connector: what you need to know
Explained: Apple's Fusion Drive: what you need to know
In Depth: iPad 3 vs iPad 4: the key differences
Google launches dedicated Windows 8 Search app
Apple updates iBooks and iBooks Author at iPad mini launch
Early view: Apple iPad mini vs Google Nexus 7 vs Kindle Fire HD 7-inch
In Depth: iPad mini: 10 things you need to know

Explained: Apple Lightning connector: what you need to know

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Apple Lightning connector explained

Apple's Thunderbolt connectors have a smaller sibling: Lightning, which replaces the familiar Dock connector on the iPhone 5, the iPad 4, iPod touch, iPod nano and iPad mini.

It's significantly smaller than the outgoing Dock, but it's received a bit of a mixed reaction from people who've splashed out on Dock-connecting accessories and cables and don't fancy paying for expensive adaptors. Is it a genuine step forward?

Hands on: iPad 4 review
Hands on: iPad mini review

Here's what you need to know…

The Lightning connector is very small

Where the Dock connector had 30 pins, the Lighting one has just eight signal pins - and that means it's much, much smaller, which helps Apple make super-slim devices such as the iPhone 5. It's a little bit bigger than a micro-USB connector, but only by a little bit.

The Lightning Connector has a processor in it

This is no dumb cable: the Lightning connector has a processor that can tell which way round you've plugged it in, and that processor then reroutes the electrical signals so that it works correctly whether it's upside down or the right way up.

That's a vast improvement over the Dock, which is awfully fiddly on an iPad 2 or 3, and over USB, which is wrong whichever way you plug it in.

Lightning works with both kinds of cable, Dock and USB, although that comes at a price - that processor is also an authentication device to ensure only official Lightning cables and connectors are used.

A Lightning connector isn't as fast as a Thunderbolt one

Lightning is based on USB 2.0, not the faster 3.0 or Thunderbolt cables, presumably for cost reasons. However, it wouldn't require much extra engineering to chuck USB 3.0 down there, and Apple also promises Lightning-to-HDMI and Lightning-to-VGA cables.

The Dock adaptor doesn't give you video

While Lightning is capable of delivering video output, it doesn't do so when it's connected to a Dock adaptor: as Apple's spec page says, the adaptor supports "analog audio output, USB audio as well as syncing and charging [but] video output [is] not supported."

The Lightning adaptors are frighteningly expensive

Fancy an adaptor that enables you to connect an existing Dock cable or connector to a Lightning port? Yours for £25. A cable with a Lightning connector on one end and a 30-pin Dock on the other? £30.

A cable with a USB connector on one end and a Lightning connector on the other? £15. A Lightning to Micro USB adaptor? £15.

Lightning adaptor

Why so expensive? The short answer is "well, y'know: Apple", and the slightly longer answer is that until now, Apple didn't have any competition.

However, it seems that Apple's authentication chip has now been cracked and third-party connectors and cables should appear fairly soon at significantly lower prices.

To the best of our knowledge nobody has actually tested these third-party connectors yet, so buyer beware: if you buy one and it makes your iPad 4 explode, don't say we didn't warn you.

Explained: Apple's Fusion Drive: what you need to know

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The new iMac doesn't just have a pretty new case: like the new Mac Mini, it can be configured with an interesting new disk drive that Apple calls the Fusion Drive.

Is there substance to the sci-fi labelling, or has Apple given old tech a new name? Let's find out.

The Fusion Drive promises hard disk space and SSD speed

Hard disks are big, cheap and relatively slow, while SSDs are extremely quick and fairly expensive. The Fusion Drive aims to give you the benefits of both kinds of storage without the downsides, so it's actually two drives in one: there's a traditional hard disk for storage space, and an SSD for speed.

Apple claims that the Fusion Drive will run three and a half times faster than a traditional hard disk for tasks such as photo importing and folder copying, with speeds close to those of pure solid state drives: according to Mac Observer, all disk writes will go to the solid state drive, with files copied to the hard disk platter afterwards if OS X decides they don't need to be on the SSD.

The Fusion Drive storage space is 1TB or 3TB, plus 128GB of SSD

While 128GB of solid-state storage sounds like a lot, it isn't a great deal if you've got an enormous library of HD home movies or massive-megapixel RAW photos - and you don't need SSD speeds for the odd Pages document.

The Fusion Drive comes with core apps on the SSD and documents on the hard disk, but Apple's Phil Schiller says that its software will monitor what you're using and move things from SSD to HDD and vice-versa.

Fusion Drive

The Fusion Drive doesn't use caching and isn't a RAID drive

We've seen hard disks with SSD caching for years now, and of course RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks) storage has been around since PCs were made of wood.

However, the Fusion Drive is neither a caching drive or a RAID one: it's a hybrid drive, so instead of mirroring - creating a cached copy of frequently used data on the SSD - it moves frequently used data from the HDD to the SSD.

The Fusion Drive is two drives, but it looks like one

Apple's Fusion Drive is designed to work invisibly, so you won't see two separate volumes in the Finder: if you go for the 1TB version you'll see a single volume with 1.12TB of storage (1TB of hard disk space coupled to 128GB of SSD storage) and if you go for the 3TB you'll get 3.12TB.

When you back up a Fusion Drive, you'll back up its single volume rather than two separate disks.

The Fusion Drive price isn't as high as you might expect

Apple hasn't announced the different prices for its new iMac range yet, but if you look at the Mac Mini configuration page you'll see that a 1TB Fusion Drive adds £200 to the base price.

That's £40 cheaper than the 256GB SSD option, so if the Fusion Drive's as fast as Apple says it is it'll be a tempting option for Mac Mini and iMac buyers.

In Depth: iPad 3 vs iPad 4: the key differences

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We thought we knew everything that was coming in today's iPad Mini launch, there were very little surprises. However one thing we didn't count on was the emergence of another "full sized" iPad.

Breaking their traditional annual product cycles, Apple announced its 4th iteration of the iPad series, with the new iPad 3 only hitting shelves in March of this year.

Interestingly, the 4th generation iPad has been released to completely replace the 3rd generation, and has now been named "iPad with Retina display."

So what does the latest generation of iPad bring to the table?

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iPad 3 vs iPad 4: Screen

Both the iPad 3 and the iPad 4 come with Apple's Retina display. Although "only" packing 264ppi, unlike the iPhone 5's 326ppi, the iPad's still have market-leading screens.

iPad 3 vs iPad 4: Camera

Apple might not have upgraded the screen, but it did upgrade the front-facing camera. The iPad 3 came with a 0.3MP standard definition offering, whereas the iPad 4 makes full use of the Retina display for video chatting with a 1.2MP HD camera.

iPad 3 vs iPad 4: Processor

Building upon the iPad 2, the iPad 3 comes rocking a dual core A5X processor, with a quad core GPU. However, the iPad 4 packs Apple's latest A6X processor, which Apple says "doubles the performance of CPU tasks."

iPad 3 vs iPad 4: Battery

The iPad 4 comes with a battery that lasts up to 10 hours, but so does the iPad 3. Don't think that this is a bad thing though, we noted in our iPad 3 review that despite the high-resolution retina display, the battery life was "more than acceptable."

iPad 3 vs iPad 4: OS

Apple's latest operating system, iOS 6, was recently launched alongside the iPhone 5, so unsurprisingly it's also featured on the iPad 4. The iPad 3 launched with iOS 5.1 but is upgradeable to iOS 6.

iPad 3 vs iPad 4: Price

With the announcement of the iPad 4, you'd be forgiven for thinking that the iPad 3 would be made cheaper. Apple has different ideas, with the plan seeming to be to phase out the 3rd gen iPad.

The iPad 4 comes in at the same price of the iPad 3, with the Wi-Fi only tablets coming in at £399($US499, AU$539) £479(US$599, AU$649) and £559(US$699, AU$759) for 16GB, 32GB and 64GB respectively. The aptly named Wi-Fi + Cellular versions cost a bit more, at £499(US$629, AU$679), £579(US$729, AU$789) and £659(US$829, AU$899) for the three storage options.

iPad 3 vs iPad 4: Connectivity

The big difference between the two iPad generations lies within their connectivity options. The most obvious of these is the new 8-pin Lightning dock, first announced on the iPhone 5.

This is 80 percent smaller and more durable than Apple's original 30-pin offering. The other major difference is that the iPad 4 (Wi-Fi + Cellular version) comes LTE enabled. The iPad 3 did come enabled with 4G, however, it couldn't be used in the U.K. But, with the introduction of the iPad 4 Brits can also enjoy super fast mobile internet when they're out and about.

Google launches dedicated Windows 8 Search app

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Google has released a dedicated Search application for Windows 8 prior to the global launch of the operating system Oct. 26.

The free touch-friendly app, available to download from the Windows Store, will give Windows 8 users an alternative to the default Bing search engine packaged with the new software.

The app will offer easy acces to Google Search without the need to open a web browser, but also opens the door to popular apps like Gmail, Google+, Drive, Calendar and Google Voice.

These portals will open within the app's tabbed browser interface, so it's very much like Google's all-encompassing iOS app in that respect.

Familiar features

Familiar features like one-touch Voice Search, Instant Results and Instant Previews are also on board, so there's little missing from the complete Google experience.

The search giant has been extremely punctual with the launch of its apps and services on rival platforms in recent months.

Almost immediately following the launch of the iPhone 5, the company was among the first to revamp its apps to match the new widescreen aspect ratio.

The company is also preparing to launch its market-leading Chrome web browser for Windows 8.

Apple updates iBooks and iBooks Author at iPad mini launch

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Apple has released a new version of the iBooks application and store, and has enhanced the iBooks Author tool for the creation of digital textbooks.

The updates were revealed by CEO Tim Cook during the iPad mini launch Tuesday and are already available to download from the App Store.

The revamped iBooks 3 app features a new "continuous rolling" reading option, which means if users flick the screen with their fingers, words will progress as they do when scrolling up and down a web page.

iBooks is now better integrated with iCloud, Cook explained, meaning every title customers have purchased now resides on their bookshelf.

Users can download titles by tapping the cover as they already can with previously purchased apps, music and movies.

Easier sharing and more languages

New sharing options were also introduced, allowing users to post passages from books to Facebook and Twitter, while the app now supports over 40 languages, including vertical text in Chinese.

"The pages move from left to right just as you'd expect... if you're Japanese," quipped Cook during the unveiling.

The company said it now has 1.5 million books available to download from the store, while 400 million titles have now been downloaded by users in just over two years since the launch.

Textbook updates also easier

The iBooks Author refresh makes it easier for publishers to create multi-touch digital textbooks, bringing new templates, custom fonts and rendered mathematical expressions and formulas.

Better still, publishers can now push textbook updates directly to the user without the need to re-download the title, which is great for continually changing school curriculums.

The iBooks Author update is also available now and remains free to download.

Early view: Apple iPad mini vs Google Nexus 7 vs Kindle Fire HD 7-inch

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Rather than take on the mighty iPad, Google and Amazon decided to try a different tactic: they targeted an area Apple wasn't interested in, where tablets would have small screens and even smaller price tags.

The result was the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HD, tablets that were warmly received by pundits and punters alike. Now, Apple's moving its tanks onto their lawns, and the iPad mini is the smallest, cheapest iPad yet. So how does it compare to its rivals? Let's find out.

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Apple iPad mini vs Google Nexus 7 vs Kindle Fire HD 7-inch: release date

Both the Google Nexus 7 and the 7-inch Kindle Fire HD are already on sale. The iPad mini goes on sale on the Nov.2, and Apple will accept orders from the Oct. 26.

Apple iPad mini vs Google Nexus 7 vs Kindle Fire HD 7-inch: price

The Wi-Fi version of the iPad mini starts at £269 (US$329, AU$369) for the 16GB model, rising to £349 (US$429, AU$479) for the 32GB model and £429(US$529, AU$589) for the 64GB.

As you'd expect the mobile broadband version is more expensive: it's £369(US$459, AU$509) for 16GB, £449 (US$559, AU$619) for 32GB and £529 (US$659, AU$729) for 64GB.

Both rival tablets come with two price tags, £159(US$199, AU$192) and £199(US$199, AU$192) but on paper at least you get more for your money with Amazon: the cheaper Nexus 7 has 8GB of storage compared to the Kindle Fire HD's 16GB, and the more expensive Nexus 7 has 16GB to the Kindle Fire HD's 32GB.

Apple iPad mini vs Google Nexus 7 vs Kindle Fire HD 7-inch: processor

The iPad mini comes with a dual-core Apple A5 processor, most likely running at 1GHz. The Kindle Fire HD processor is a Texas Instruments OMAP4 4460 (its bigger 8.9-inch brother has a 4470, which has faster graphics), which is a dual-core model running at 1.2GHz. The Nexus 7 processor is a Tegra 3, a quad-core rated at 1.3GHz. All three devices promise all-day battery life, with the Kindle Fire HD promising 11 hours of continuous use - the iPad mini 10 and the Nexus 7 nine.

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Apple iPad mini vs Google Nexus 7 vs Kindle Fire HD 7-inch: memory

Amazon hasn't specified how much memory the Kindle Fire HD has, but as its cheaper sibling the Kindle Fire 2 has 1GB, we're betting on that. The Nexus 7 has 1GB, too. Apple is similarly reticent, but we'd predict 1GB as well.

Apple iPad mini vs Google Nexus 7 vs Kindle Fire HD 7-inch: operating system

The iPad mini runs iOS 6, while both Amazon and Google's devices run version 4 of Android 4.1: Jelly Bean in the Nexus and 4.0 in the Kindle Fire HD - although the version in Amazon's tablet is a heavily customized one that keeps its origins well hidden. That customization means Amazon can offer some interesting things, such as excellent parental controls that can limit not just what your little darlings can do, but also how long they do it for.

Apple iPad mini vs Google Nexus 7 vs Kindle Fire HD 7-inch: display

On paper at least, Apple is at a disadvantage here: its 7.9-inch 1024x768 display runs at the lowest resolution here, but it does mean it can run normal iPad apps without having to rescale them. Both rival tablets have seven-inch, 1280x800 HD displays with Gorilla Glass, but Amazon reckons it's got the edge with its polarising filter and anti-glare technology. The former improves the IPS display's viewing angles, while the latter promises to cut glare by around one-quarter. The Kindle Fire HD also has a Micro-HDMI connector for HD video output. Apple would rather you used AirPlay to stream to an Apple TV.

Apple iPad mini vs Google Nexus 7 vs Kindle Fire HD 7-inch: storage

The iPad mini comes with a choice of 16GB, 32GB or 64GB versions, while both rivals come in two flavors: the Nexus 7 in 8GB and 16GB versions and the Kindle Fire HD in 16GB and 32GB versions. You can't use flash memory cards to add more storage to any of the three devices.

Remember that the operating system needs some of that storage: for example Amazon says that the Kindle Fire HD gives you around 12.6GB on the 16GB model and 26.9GB on the 32GB, while iOS 6 takes around 1GB of the iPad mini's storage space. All three devices are also tightly integrated with their respective creators' cloud-based media services, which you can use to supplement the local storage capacity.

Apple iPad mini vs Google Nexus 7 vs Kindle Fire HD 7-inch: camera and speakers

The Nexus 7 and iPad mini have 1.2MP front-facing video cameras for video chat, while the Kindle Fire has an "HD" front-facing camera for the same purpose. The iPad mini has a 5MP rear-facing camera for still photography and 1080p video recording. The Kindle Fire also has a pair of dual-driver stereo speakers with Dolby Digital Plus to deliver decent music playback and clearer video dialogue. The iPad mini and Nexus 7 are both mono devices.

Apple iPad mini vs Google Nexus 7 vs Kindle Fire HD 7-inch: network

Both the Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi+Cellular versions of the iPad mini benefit from dual-band Wi-Fi, with support for 802.11a/b/g wireless and 802.11n on both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequency bands, and the cellular versions support Everything Everywhere's 4G LTE as well as the various 3G network standards. All iPad minis also get Bluetooth 4.0 for low-power connections to accessories and peripherals.

For the time being both rival devices are Wi-Fi only (a 3G Nexus 7 is incoming), and the Kindle Fire has the edge: it has dual MIMO Wi-Fi antennas and operates in both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequency bands.

The Nexus 7 has a single antenna and only uses the increasingly crowded 2.4GHz frequency band, but it does have an NFC chip for device-to-device communication, and built-in GPS, accelerometer and magnetometer for location- and position-based apps. The iPad mini has a compass, gyroscope and accelerometer, and the cellular version has assisted GPS, too.

Apple iPad mini vs Google Nexus 7 vs Kindle Fire HD 7-inch: dimensions and weight

The Nexus 7 is 198.5 x 120 x 10.45 millimeters and weighs 340 grams, while the Kindle Fire HD is shorter and heavier at 193 x 137 x 10.3 millimeters and 395 grams. The overall dimensions of the iPad mini are 200 millimeters high, 134.7 millimeters wide and 7.2 millimeters deep, and the entire package weighs a slight 308 grams - making it lighter than its rivals.

In Depth: iPad mini: 10 things you need to know

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It's been rumoured for a long time, but it's finally here: the iPad mini exists and it's coming to an Apple Store near you. Smaller than a standard iPad but noticeably bigger than a seven-inch Android tablet, it's the most affordable iPad yet - but will it appeal to you?

Here's what you need to know.

Hands on: iPad mini review

1. The iPad mini release date is Nov. 2

We expected the iPad mini to ship in plenty of time for Christmas, and Apple didn't disappoint: the Wi-Fi model will start shipping for delivery on the Nov.2, with the LTE version coming along a few weeks later in late November. Apple will start accepting iPad mini orders on the Oct. 26.

2. The iPad mini price is $329

Prices are slightly higher than anticipated, but it's still the cheapest iPad yet: the Wi-Fi version of the iPad mini starts at $329(GB£269, AU$369) for the 16GB model, rising to $429 (GB£349, AU$479) for the 32GB model and $659(GB£429,AU$589) for the 64GB. As you'd expect the mobile broadband version is more expensive: it's $459(GB£369,AU$509) for 16GB, $559(£449,AU$619) for 32GB and $659(£529,AU$729) for 64GB.

3. The iPad mini screen size is 7.9 inches

Apple clearly believes that seven inches is a little too small for a tablet: the iPad mini has a 7.9-inch backlit IPS display running at a resolution of 1024x768. That gives it the same resolution as an iPad 2, so while it isn't a retina display the smaller screen means it should look much sharper than the iPad 2. The overall dimensions of the iPad mini are 200mm high, 134.7mm wide and 7.2mm deep, and the entire package weighs a titchy 308g.

By keeping the same screen resolution as the iPad 2, the iPad mini will be able to run iPad apps without any horrible rescaling or black bars - and as Phil Schiller showed far more often than was strictly necessary, it delivers significantly more screen real estate than a typical seven-inch device.

4. The iPad mini specifications are similar to the iPad 2

While the fourth generation iPad gets an A6X processor, the iPad mini sports something a bit older: an A5, the same dual-core processor you'll find in the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S. That isn't the very latest Apple processor, but as we know from our iPad 2 it's more than capable of handling even the most demanding apps - and it doesn't need an enormous battery to keep it running.

5. The iPad mini is black, but also white

Rumours of multi-coloured iPad minis proved incorrect: as with its big brother, the iPad mini comes in a choice of white or black, although while the normal iPad has a plain metal back the iPad mini has iPhone 5-style silver and black back covers. Perhaps we'll see multi-coloured cases in next year's inevitable second-gen model.

6. The iPad mini does 4G LTE

Like the iPhone 5, the iPad mini has different versions for different LTE bands: model A1455 will do LTE bands 1, 3, 5, 13 and 25, and model A1454 will work on LTE bands 4 and 7. That means for U.K. users, its model A1455: band 3 is the 1800MHz frequency used by Everything Everywhere's 4G LTE network.

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7. You can use it as a camera without embarrassment

The iPad mini has a front-facing 1.2MP camera for FaceTime calls and a 5MP rear-facing camera for still shooting and 1080p HD video recording, and that smaller case won't look as silly when you try and shoot photos with it. There's no flash but the sensor has backside illumination and an f/2.4 aperture for low-light shooting.

8. The iPad mini wireless is dual-band

Both the Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi+Cellular versions of the iPad mini benefit from dual-band Wi-Fi, with support for 802.11a/b/g wireless and 802.11n on both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequency bands. All iPad minis also get Bluetooth 4.0 for low-power connections to accessories and peripherals.

9. The iPad mini battery is good for all-day use

One of the best things about the iPad is its all-day battery life, and the iPad mini touts 10 hours of battery life from its 16.3-watt-hour lithium polymer battery. On mobile data, Apple reckons you'll get nine hours of web browsing.

10. The iPad mini has a lightning connector

Not a big surprise, we know, but the iPad mini has the same tiny Lightning connector as the iPhone 5 so you'll need an adapter if your existing accessories expect a Dock connector.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012