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Android tablets are available with the fastest processors and maximum memory inside, but Apple has chosen an approach which they continue to dominate in - design. In fact Apple feels their design is so elegant that it deserves to share a name reserved by the device that revolutionized mobile computing - Meet the Apple iPad Air.Just like the MacBook Air which obviously inspired this design, the iPad Air is a testament to Apple's design team. Its thinner and lighter than the previous model without sacrificing performance. The design is curvier and easier to handle, like the Apple iPad mini, which has also been upgraded. The design offers a much thinner iPad, which only measures at 7.5 millimeters compared to the 9.4 millimeters thickness of the previous model. The bezels have also been shrunk by 43 percent compared to the iPad 4. But the more amazing fact about the new iPad's proportions is its weight. At roughly around one pound (about 469 grams), the iPad Air is the lightest tablet of this size.
The display size of the iPad Air remains the same 9.7 inches, with its Retina Display offering a resolution of 1536 by 2048 pixels. Even though the display remains the same as its previous model, it is still very capable and pleasing to the eyes of consumers and critics alike.The iPad Air comes with two cameras. The rear 5 megapixel iSight camera remains the same as before, while the front facing camera has been improved with larger pixels and better backside illumination technology for clearer selfies and video chats. The iPad Air also offers dual microphones, though Apple has still to confirm if they record stereo sound or if they are used for noise cancellation.
Other enhancements include the improved Wi-Fi radio, which now features MIMO antennas. Thanks to this upgrade, up to twice as fast 802.11n data rates can be achieved, at least in theory.
While Apple has stayed clear of quad-core processors on their iOS devices, the Apple A7 chip which debuted on the Apple iPhone 5s has proven to be more powerful than many of its competitors. The iPad Air brings the same 64-bit Apple A7 processor under its hood. This makes Apple's new tablet twice as fast as its predecessor in processing and graphics power. Apple has managed to achieve this without affecting the battery life on the device.
Software
The Apple iPad Air is the first tablet to ship with iOS 7 preloaded. Apple was sure to point out that iPads have access to over 475000 exclusive apps. As an added bonus Apple will include their iWork Suite (Pages, Numbers and Keynote) and their iLife Suite (iPhone, iMovie and Garageband) for free with your new iPad purchase.
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Apple iLife Suite will be free with new iOS and Mac devices The updated versions of iPhoto, iMovie and Garageband, which are a part of Apple's iLife Suite will be available for free to new iOS and Mac users. If you already have a device and want to download Pages, Keynote or Numbers, it will cost you $14.99 each on your Mac or $4.99 each on your iOS device. |
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Apple iWork Suite will be free with new iOS and Mac devices The updated versions of Pages, Keynote and Numbers, which are a part of Apple's iWork Suite will be available for free to new iOS and Mac users. If you already have a device and want to download Pages, Keynote or Numbers, it will cost you $19.99 each on your Mac or $9.99 each on your iOS device. |
Pricing and Availability
The base model with Wi-Fi and 16GB of storage will cost you $499. 32 GB, 64 GB, and 128 GB variants are priced at $599, $699, and $799 respectively. Meanwhile, a 4G LTE iPad Air model is to be released alongside its Wi-Fi-only counterpart, starting at $629.
With the release of the iPad Air, Apple has also discontinued the Apple iPad 4. If you are looking for a cheaper iPad, the Apple iPad 2 is still available, starting at $399 for its base model.
Expect the iPad Air to hit the shelves both online and in Apple's retail outlets on November 1 – just in time for the holiday shopping spree. The iPad Air will be available in silver and white or gray and black. Unfortunately the rumored gold color, turned out to be nothing more than a rumor.
