News - page 84

Apple’s “Crush!” video advertising the new iPad Pro is rubbing a lot of people the wrong way with its graphic destruction of creative tools.

The video first aired during Apple’s “Let Loose” event Tuesday. And when CEO Tim Cook included the video in a post about iPad Pro on X, hundreds of people replied with irritation. You can see some of the strongest reactions, and the video itself, below.

Updates on Thursday: Later on Wednesday Hollywood names piled on with more criticism of the “Crush!” video. Actor Hugh Grant, for example, referred to it as, “the destruction of the human experience, courtesy of Silicon Valley.”

And filmmaker Rizo Sixo Safai made more of a splash when he told Apple he “fixed” the video by running it in reverse with some tweaks, resurrecting the creative tools. See that version below.

It also came to light that Apple’s “Crush!” ad closely resembles an LG Renoir phone ad from 2008, as pointed out in yet another X post (also below) and elsewhere. Some call Apple’s ad a rip-off.

And on Thursday, Apple issued an apology for the ad in a statement to Ad Age, saying the ad “missed the mark.”

“Creativity is in our DNA at Apple, and it’s incredibly important to us to design products that empower creatives all over the world,” Apple marketing VP Tor Myhren said. “Our goal is to always celebrate the myriad of ways users express themselves and bring their ideas to life through iPad. We missed the mark with this video, and we’re sorry.”

Apple touts the beautiful OLED screen and speedy M4 processor in the latest iPad Pro, but some other features quietly disappeared.

And more that had been rumored or just hoped for simply never appeared.

Benchmarks giving an early look at the performance of the Apple M4 processor in the 2024 iPad Pro reveal that the new chip is 21% faster than its predecessor.

The processor launched in the latest iPad but is expected to make its way to Mac later this year.

Plugable AD-6IN1 is a six-port hub designed specifically for iMac that connects to the desktop’s stand so it doesn’t clutter up the user’s desk. It can even be used as a small shelf.

In addition, Plugable introduced a small USB-C Ethernet adapter that can also supply power to a notebook or tablet.

The new Pitaka MagEZ Folio 2 serves as a case and holds the recently released M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air in landscape and portrait orientations as a stand, the company said Wednesday. It provides an option for new tablet owners in search of an affordable case and stand.

“We are thrilled to introduce the Pitaka MagEZ Folio 2, the ultimate accessory for the new iPad Pro,” said Pitaka CEO James Zheng. “Designed with the modern professional in mind, this folio combines sleek design, premium materials, and innovative features to elevate the iPad Pro experience.”

Academy Award nominee Lily Gladstone will follow up Killers of the Flower Moon with a powerful new family drama on Apple TV+, if the trailer the streamer dropped Wednesday for Fancy Dance is any indication.

Fancy Dance premieres in select theaters June 21 and streams on Apple TV+ June 28.

Apple unveiled the 2024 iPad Pro and iPad Air on Tuesday, and third-party accessory-makers were prepared. Logitech, Otterbox, Zagg, Pitaka and ESR have all already unveiled peripherals for the new tablets.

There are keyboard cases, cases, screen protectors ands more.

A prolific YouTuber runs today’s featured MacBook Pro setup. And you can tell it’s the pride and joy of a streamer or podcaster just by some of the crucial equipment. Namely, an excellent Shure SM7DB microphone run through a Focusrite Vocaster Two audio interface to ensure high-quality audio recording.

The sleek new Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless noise-canceling earbuds seem destined to compete with top buds like AirPods Pro 2 and the best from the likes of Sony and Bose. Yet they cost just under $200, the German audio brand said Monday, opening preorders with shipping to commence May 21.

So what else sets the buds apart, other than moderate pricing? Accentum earbuds feature Sennheiser’s TrueResponse wavefront sculpting, which analyzes the unique anatomy of your outer ears to create a precise sound projection tailored to you.

Following the iPhone’s footsteps, Apple has switched entirely to eSIM on the 2024 iPad Pro and Air. The two tablets’ cellular models lack a physical SIM slot altogether.

With this move, Apple has transitioned two major product categories to eSIMs.

Today’s “Let Loose” Apple event overhauled the iPad lineup. Apple unleashed a new iPad Pro and iPad Air, the refreshed Apple Pencil Pro, a sleek new Magic Keyboard, and lowered the price of the regular iPad. The iPad mini was acknowledged, too.

If you don’t have time to sit through the 38-minute presentation, here it is in just 90 seconds.

When Apple unveiled the Apple Pencil Pro during Tuesday’s “Let Loose” event, the company seemingly bid adieu to the second-generation Apple Pencil. An Apple tool reveals that unspecified Apple Pencil 2 compatibility issues mean the older stylus won’t work with 2024 iPad Pro and iPad Air models.

So, if you’re an artist buying a new iPad, or someone who takes lots of handwritten notes, you probably need to budget an extra $129 for a new Apple Pencil Pro.

Those who want the most powerful 2024 iPad Pro available need to choose one with at least 1TB of storage. Going with lots of capacity brings a faster version of the new M4 processor and twice as much RAM.

The high-storage versions also have the option of a nano-texture display glass.

Getting all these adds considerably to the price tag, though.

Apple introduced a new third-generation “pro” Apple Pencil at its “Let Loose” iPad event Tuesday alongside new iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The first Apple Pencil Pro brings a new “squeeze” gesture, an internal gyroscope, haptic feedback and Find My support, making it the most capable iPad stylus yet.

Available to order today for $129 — the same price as the second-generation Apple Pencil — the Apple Pencil Pro gains features normally found on styluses for dedicated drawing tablets, like a new “squeeze” gesture and a “Barrel Roll” gyroscope for precise tool controls.

“The new features in Apple Pencil Pro are simply revolutionary,” said John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering, in the introductory “Let Loose” video. “And we’re also excited that Apple Pencil Pro works with the new iPad Air as well, giving air users yet another pro feature to push their creativity.”

Alongside the M4 iPad Pros and M2 iPad Air, Apple announced a price drop for the 10th-generation iPad. The tablet now costs $349, making it $100 cheaper than before.

Additionally, Apple discontinued the iPad 9 from its lineup for good, which retailed for $329. This makes the iPad 10 the entry-level tablet in its lineup.

Apple just took the wraps off the 2024 iPad Pro, the first with an OLED screen rather than a traditional LCD. If that wasn’t enough, a brand-new Apple M4 processor powers the tablet, which Cupertino says is the “thinnest Apple product ever.”

“We’ve always envisioned iPad as a magical sheet of glass,” said John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering, during Tuesday’s prerecorded “Let Loose” event. “And with this new design, that vision is brought to life more than ever.”

Upgraded versions of Logic Pro for iPad and Mac will give musicians and music producers new tools for crafting killer tracks.

New features in Apple’s pro audio software — Logic Pro for iPad 2 and Logic Pro for Mac 11 — include:

• Session Players, which puts virtual musicians in the mix.
• Stem Splitter, which producers extract drums, bass, vocals and other instruments from audio files.
• ChromaGlow, a processing tool designed to bring analog “warmth” to digital tracks.

“Logic Pro for iPad turns things up for music producers,” said Will Hui, Apple’s product manager for creative apps, in a prerecorded video Tuesday. “Designed for everyone from emerging to established artists, Logic Pro for iPad has delivered the entire studio experience with the simplicity of touch. Logic Pro 2 is so exciting — and it’s smarter than ever.”

Just seven months after the M3 chip debuted, Apple shocked expectations by unveiling the new iPad Pro with the introduction of the brand-new M4 chip. The M4 chip is built on second-generation three-nanometer technology that’s even more power efficient.

Tim Millet, Apple’s vice president of platform architecture and hardware technologies, says the M4 chip was “essential to deliver incredible performance” in the new iPad Pro, which is now “the most powerful device of its kind.”

The M4 chip was a last-minute rumor broken by Mark Gurman, which was dismissed by some as being unfeasible only half a year after M3 rolled out in last year’s MacBook Pro.

Apple has finally given the Magic Keyboard for iPad the revamp it deserves. The new keyboard accessory includes an aluminum palm rest, a larger trackpad and a row of function keys.

Given the big redesign, the new Magic Keyboard for iPad is only compatible with the M4 iPad Pros.

Apple gave the iPad Air a significant size increase at its “Let Loose” event Tuesday. You can get the new 2024 model with a 13-inch display in addition to the familiar smaller size, now 11 inches instead of 10.9. But no matter the size, the tablet runs an Apple M2 processor and features a front-facing Ultra Wide 12MP camera on the landscape edge and beefed-up speakers.

“Inspired by iPad Pro, where about half the users choose a larger screen, we created a 13-inch model of the new iPad Air, as well,” said Melody Kuna, Apple’s director of iPad Product Design. “[It] has 30% more screen real estate than the 11-inch Air.”

Apple’s online store has gone down ahead of its “Let Loose” event later today. Rumors suggest the company will announce new OLED iPad Pros and Apple Pencil Pro at the event.

Additionally, the 12.9-inch iPad Air might also make its debut at the event.

Sonos’ first headphones and its AirPods Max competitor, the upcoming Sonos Ace, have leaked online. The slip-up revealed the headphones’ design and the array of buttons on both earcups.

Like other Sonos products, the Ace also appears to have a premium design, which should help it stand out.

An AI-powered “Clean Up” feature reportedly coming soon to the Apple Photos app could let users eliminate unwanted objects from images. If true, Apple could showcase the rumored image-editing feature Tuesday at its “Let Loose” event.

During the prerecorded product launch, Apple should show off new iPads alongside some updated accessories, like Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard.

Gorgeous new iPad Pro and iPad Air models are expected to be the highlights of Apple’s “Let Loose” product event on May 7. Tablet accessories are on the agenda, too.

But there also could be big news for those who don’t use an iPad. Apple might surprise us with the M4 processor, a first glimpse at upcoming AI features, and maybe even a Mac Studio upgrade. Plus more.

Add Apple Pencil Pro to the list of products expected at Apple’s May 7 “Let Loose” event. A reference to the stylus turned up on the Japanese version of Apple’s website.

It’s for iPad but might also work with Vision Pro.