iPad Air – Minor Upgrade for Current Owners

To those running around with older iPads,Β  don’t bother to open your wallet for Apple’sΒ  new iPad launched yesterday.

The new iPad Air is not worth the extra $599 (32GB), $699 (64GB) or more if you want higher storage.

iPad Air - Not Worth ItApple CEP Tim Cook with iPad Air
(Pix: WSJ)

Except for a new A7 64-bit processor (same as in the iPhone 5s) and reducing the thickness and weight, there’s not much new in Apple’s new tablet.

Sure, the iPad Air is 20% thinner and 28% lighter than the fourth generation iPad but that’s not enough reason to get a new tablet.

My iPad 2 works as well today as it did two years back. I watch live Indian TV channels, listen to music, play YouTube videos, turn on my favorite Korean movies and TV serials and read the news without any issues.

Although my 32GB iPad 2 is running out of space (thanks to all those digital New Yorker issues), I can still easily run with it for some more time by deleting my music collection from theΒ  device.

iPad Air will ship November 1.

A 32GB version (WiFi only) costs $599.

The iPad Mini, which got a Retina makeover, is now $399 for the 16GB model.

3 Responses to "iPad Air – Minor Upgrade for Current Owners"

  1. boopalanj   October 24, 2013 at 12:31 am

    Did you upgrade ipad 2 to the new iOS 7?

    Some of my friends suggested the OS is slow with older devices and hence I did not do it yet.

    SearchIndia.com Responds:

    I have not upgraded even to iOS 6 over concerns of battery issues and slower response time.

    I have no plans to upgrade to iOS 7. The only issue is occasionally some new apps ask for iOS 6 or higher before I can download them. But I can live without those apps.

    • boopalanj   October 24, 2013 at 6:57 am

      Great!

      Glad to know wise people such as you and me stay with just iOS 5 πŸ˜‰

      SearchIndia.com Responds:

      Wise people of the world flock at the SI water hole to drink deep from the pool of knowledge. πŸ˜‰

  2. boopalanj   November 7, 2013 at 6:46 am

    Off-topic:

    http://www.dell.com/us/p/dell-venue-8-pro/pd

    I think the pricing is alright – for the first time on a Microsoft tablet device. Starting with 299 USD is not bad. What do you think?

    I would expect it around 199 USD and a lot of apps though.

    SearchIndia.com Responds:

    1. Is there even an YouTube app for Windows 8 tablets? I doubt it.

    App availability is still a big issue with Windows tablets.

    http://blogs.computerworld.com/tablets/22613/will-lack-good-windows-8-apps-kill-windows-tablets

    2. Excerpt from a Dell Venue 8 Pro review on Amazon:

    The cameras are ok. Really can’t compare to phone cams though. The on/off switch and vol. are somewhat set outwards were, for me, sometime I change orientation I end up either turning off or increasing volume.

    The touch sensor compared to iPad and android tablets is a bit finicky. When typing I will get double and triple taps. Even after reset. Without a thin stylus and using my fingers touching around the desktop becomes a hazard for me. Hitting something I didn’t want, or shutting down something I needed.

    The os is good at the metro part, but the desktop, were I do most of my stuff is still buggy and reminds me of vista and win me. There is to much real estate used by the taskbar with all the icons. However without some of those icons I wouldn’t be able to work. So I am waiting on time to give me more user experience.

    Overall, does not seem like a good deal.

    Stick to your iPad 2.

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