iPad 2

Apple’s second ever iPad is officially obsolete

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iPad 2 ad
We can't hate on that price, though!
Photo: Apple

As we noted earlier this month, one of Apple’s earliest tablets is now officially classified “obsolete” by the company.

Apple’s iPad 2, released in 2011, packed a dual-core A5 processor, thinner form factor, and VGA front-facing and 720p rear-facing cameras. However, what was state-of-the-art almost a decade is ago is now considered so old that Apple Stores will no longer service it.

iPad 2 heads for Apple’s obsolete list

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iPad 2 is so old it doesn’t have a Lightning port. And it has a single speaker.
iPad 2 is so old it doesn’t have a Lightning port. And it includes just a single speaker.
Photo: Apple

An early Apple tablet is about to be put out to pasture. The second-generation iPad is reportedly going on the “vintage and obsolete products” list at the end of this month.

Most people might be surprised to hear that this device, released in 2011, isn’t already listed as obsolete.

Apple fixes Activation Lock bug with iOS 9.3 update

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Get your iOS device up to date fast and easy.
Get your iOS device up to date fast and easy.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

A fix for the Activation Lock bug that plagued older devices that upgraded to iOS 9.3 has been released by Apple this morning, after the company pulled iOS 9.3 availability on select iPhones and iPads last week.

Apple pushed out iOS 9.3 build 13E237 to iPad Air and earlier models, as well as the iPhone 5s and earlier models. The previous build bricked those models during Activation Mode due to failed password authorization.

Apple pushes out update to fix bricked iPads

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iOS 9 is upping security.
iOS 9.3 is bricking some iPads.
Photo: Apple

iOS 9.3 has caused headaches for some iPad owners, who updated to the new operating system only to find their devices bricked. But Apple already has a fix out to help bring those older devices back to life.

Apple temporarily pulled the iOS 9.3 update from some devices yesterday. The company has since released a new build of the update specifically for iPad 2 users whose devices failed to install the update.

Speed test puts every iPad ever made under the gun

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Ready, set, unlock!
Ready, set, unlock!
Photo: EverythingApplePro/YouTube

The iPad lineup has seen a ton of changes since Apple introduced its first tablet in 2010. Not only have the form factors evolved ever so slightly, but the internal components have pushed the product line from a cool reading/gaming device into a powerhouse machine that can replace your laptop.

To see just how much iPad has progressed, EverythingApplePro created a speed test using every iPad ever made. It’s no surprise that the iPad Pro comes out on top, but the original iPad off a shocker by beating some of its successors.

Check it out:

Old iOS device? These iOS 9 features will work just fine

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Best Buy is preparing for shoppers wanting iPads.
Best Buy is preparing for shoppers wanting iPads.
Photo: Apple

If you want to use the new gee-whiz features of iOS 9, like Picture in Picture to FaceTime with your significant other while you write a paper in Pages, or you want to Slide Over a Twitter app to keep track of all the goings on while you surf the web, you’re going to need a newer device.

However, all is not lost if you have an older device. Most of the power of iOS 9 is under the hood, making even older devices just a little more battery efficient, just a bit more useful.

Thieving educator takes phrase ‘an Apple for teacher’ too far

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If only this story was quite so innocent. Photo: Pioneer Institute
If only this story was quite so innocent. Photo: Pioneer Institute

An old saying states that those who can, do; those who can’t, teach — and to this we should maybe add that those teachers who can’t afford the latest Apple products on their salary, steal.

That’s according to a new report stating that a former Caldwell School District teacher in Idaho has pleaded guilty to grand theft charges, after buying (and then failing to hand over) a plethora of Apple gadgets — including two iPod touches, three iPad 2s, a 27-inch iMac, and three iPad minis.

That’s an A for effort, but a D- for execution.

Got an iPhone 4s or iPad 2? Why you should never upgrade from iOS 7

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iOS 8.1.1 is still a bad choice for iPhone 4s owners. Photo: Ars Technica
iOS 8.1.1 is still a bad choice for iPhone 4s owners. Photo: Ars Technica

When Apple first released iOS 8 to the general public, more than a few people with older devices such as the iPhone 4S, iPad 2, and iPad mini noticed that it slowed their devices down to a crawl.

When Apple released iOS 8.1.1, they promised that the update would fix some of the speed issues that iOS 8 had on older devices.

So how’d it work out? iOS 8.1.1 is sometimes an improvement. Sometimes, but not always. And even then, it’s not a huge leap.

Why Apple Wins Where Others Don’t, This Week On The CultCast

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Secret sauce—it’s the reason Apple keeps winning where others fail, and on our newest CultCast, we discuss the recipe that keeps Apple ahead of the pack. Plus, iOS 8 rumors detail some powerful new features; whispers of an impossibly thin iPhone 6; A-list musicians praise Pono as the digital music player for audiophiles; iPad 4 makes a comeback; and we reveal our favorite Cult movies on a all-new Get To Know Your Cultist!

Guffaw your way through each week’s best Apple stories! Stream or download new and past episodes of The CultCast now on your Mac or iDevice by subscribing on iTunes, or hit play below and let the uproarious good time commence.

And thanks to FreshBooks for sponsoring this episode! That’s right, Fresbooks the simple online accounting solution built for small business owners – just like you – who want to skip the headache of tax time. For a limited time, try FreshBooks free 60 days, and enter “CultCast” in the “How Did You Hear About Us” section.

Show notes up next!

Leave your comments, topics, or suggestions on our new Facebook page! We always try to include them in the show. Facebook.com/TheCultCast.

Episode

CultCast #118 – The Secret Sauce

On The CultCast this week

Leander Kahney – Cult of Mac Editor-in-Chief, loyal subject of the Queen.
Erfon Elijah – Cult of Mac writer and host of The CultCast.
Buster Heine – Cult of Mac writer and community manager.

This Week’s Stories

iOS 8 Apple considers Notification Center Messages tweaks removing Game Center app (Discussion)

Pegatron And Foxconn Gearing Up For iPhone 6 Production [Rumor]

Apple Retires iPad 2, Replaces It With Retina Display Model

Apple Confirms The 8GB iPhone 5c Will Not Be Sold In The U.S.

Tim Cook Says ‘Haunted Empire’ Book Is A Bunch Of Nonsense

By Resurrecting The iPad 4, Apple Moves Closer To A Lightning-Only World

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(image credit: Ars Technica)
(image credit: Ars Technica)

You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who would argue that Apple’s Lightning connector isn’t superior to the old 30-pin connector in every way. That’s why it’s surprising that it has taken Apple so long to phase 30-pin out of its product lineup.

Today Apple brought back the fourth-gen iPad to replace the non-Retina iPad 2. While the press release focuses on the obvious display upgrade, discontinuing the iPad 2 means something else that’s important: another nail in the coffin for 30-pin.

Every Year, Customers Keep Buying Cheaper And Cheaper iPads

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When Apple unveiled the iPad Air back in October, they curiously decided to keep the iPad 2 around for another generation at a $399 price point… the exact same price as an entry-level iPad mini with Retina Display.

In theory, Apple’s idea here seems to have been to price the vintage iPad 2 at a sub-$400 price point so as to have a cheaper 9.7-inch tablet available for educational institutions, budget shoppers and the like. But it looks like no one’s really all that interested, with only one customer in twenty opting to buy an iPad 2 in the latest quarter. Despite this, though, average price of a purchased iPad fell for the second year in a row.

Retina iPad Mini Comes ‘Distant Third’ In Display Shootout Against Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HDX

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You’ve probably heard that the new iPad mini with Retina display has a significantly smaller color gamut that the larger iPad Air, but how does it compete against rival tablets like the Google Nexus 7 and Amazon’s new Kindle Fire HDX?

According to the experts at DisplayMate, not very well. In fact, the new iPad mini came a “distant third” in their tablet display shootout, thanks to Apple’s “inexcusable” decision to use old technology.

“Apple was once the leader in mobile displays, unfortunately it has fallen way behind,” DisplayMate says.

iPad Air Is 80% Faster Than Its Predecessor In Benchmark Tests

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Imagination
The iPad Air was a massive hit for Apple.
Photo: Apple

The fourth-generation iPad with its dual-core A6X processor was certainly no slouch, but it looks like one when you put it up against the new iPad Air. Thanks to that new 64-bit A7 chip, the iPad Air is an incredible 80% faster than its predecessor in Geekbench tests, and over five times than the iPad 2 (which is only $100 cheaper).

Why Does Apple Keep Selling The iPad 2?

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apple-ipad-2-review-hands-on-10

Apple unveiled a couple of incredible new iPads on Tuesday, including the new iPad mini with Retina Display and the svelte, one-pound iPad Air. They even kept the low-res iPad mini for sale as an entry-level iPad at $299.

What, then, is Apple doing selling the iPad 2 still? At $399, it’s as expensive as a more powerful Retina iPad mini. It’s also less powerful than the $299 iPad mini Apple is selling at the price-tier below it. So why does Apple even bother selling them? It’s as simple as the fact that people keep buying the iPad 2.

Watch An Apple Store Construction From Start To Finish In This Internal Apple Video

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Apple is well known for its gorgeous retail stores that draw impressive crowds on launch days, but the actual work that goes into the construction of each Apple Mecca is pretty impressive in its own right. An internal Apple video has been published on YouTube highlighting all the details that went into the construction of Apple’s pop-up store at SXSW for the launch of the the iPad 2.

Check it out:

Apple Gets Support From Microsoft, Intel & Others In Fight Against iPhone 4 Ban

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iPhone-4-iPad-2

Thanks to Samsung and the International Trade Commission, Apple will be banned from importing the iPhone 4 and the iPad 2 into the United States from Sunday, August 4. The Cupertino company has been trying to fight the ban since it was confirmed last October, but it’s had little success.

Now it is seeing unlikely support from Microsoft, Intel, and Oracle, which all agree that the use of standards-essential patents to ban products should not be allowed.

iOS 7 Beta 2 Adds Support For iPad 2, Retina iPad & iPad Mini

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As we predicted, iOS 7 Beta 2 dropped for developers today, but substantially, it’s the first iOS 7 beta to support the iPad 2, Retina iPad and iPad mini.

We’ve already seen official shots of what iOS 7 looks like running on the iPad, as well as shots of iOS 7 running on Xcode’s iPad emulator. Now, though, we’ll get to finally see it running on a real device.

Here are the direct download links:

Smarter Stand Clips: Turn Your Apple Smart Cover Into An iPad Stand [Deals]

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CoM - Clips

If you own an iPad with a Smart Cover or Case, then you know how much of a pain it is to use it as a stand for your iPad. It literally only has two positions that aren’t ideal for doing what you need to do on your iPad. Thanks to these Smarter Stand Clips your iPad Smart Cover (or Case) can now be transformed into a fully functional stand that creates 4 different stand positions. Moreover, these clips are designed to slide up and down your Smart Cover with ease so you’ll be able to quickly change your stands position in a flash.

And Cult of Mac Deals has the Smarter Stand Clips for just $14.99 for a limited time.

Redesigned Backlighting Could Be Behind iPad 5’s New Thinner, Lighter Design

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iPad-display-assembly

Apple could introduce a redesigned backlighting system to the fifth-generation iPad to help make the device thinner and lighter, according to NDP DisplaySearch. The Cupertino company will have to make significant changes if it is to bring the iPad mini’s sleek and slim form factor to its bigger brother, and this is one of the areas in which it could reduce bulk.