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The iPad Pro has always struck me as a baffling device. It's significantly more expensive than the (very capable!) iPad and iPad Air. iPadOS still isnt a great environment for multitasking. And Apple hasn't yet justified why, exactly, you'd want a super-powerful tablet in the first place (simplified versions of Final Cut Pro and Audition aren't enough!). If you're trying to get serious work done, you're better off buying a slightly used last-gen MacBook Pro, instead of shelling out $1,000 or more on a souped-up tablet. And yet, something about this year's iPad Pros compels me. Apple Taken individually, most of the tablet's new features seem inessential. It's the first device with Apple's M4 chip, which has vastly better AI performance than its earlier M-series hardware. It has a "tandem" OLED display, which stacks two OLED panels together for better performance. And both the 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pros are incredibly thin and light (the latter model is the slimmest device Apple has ever made, measuring 5.1mm). But when you wrap all of those advancements together and pair them up with a redesigned, MacBook-like Magic Keyboard, the iPad Pro M4 is starting to look more and more like the ultra-light computer of my dreams. A super-powerful machine that's easy to take anywhere, with a gorgeous screen for binging TV shows and a capable keyboard for writing on the go. Maybe I'm just charmed by the side profile of the iPad Pro with the Magic Keyboard, which looks like it could have been designed by Syd Mead in the '90s, imagining how laptops could be transformed in a few decades. I'll admit, the new iPad Pro looks very similar to the 2022 model. But, as the kids say, it just hits differently now. This years iPad Pro is thinner than I ever thought possible, and the revamped Magic Keyboard solves most of the problems I've had with earlier versions, thanks to its aluminum top cover, function keys and larger touchpad. Part of the appeal, for me at least, is that Apple has also taken the idea of a tablet PC a step further than Microsoft's Surface tablets. While those devices can function as genuine PCs and run full Windows apps, Microsoft hasn't improved its keyboard covers or overall design in years. If you want to hold a Surface on your lap, you'll still have a kickstand digging into your legs and a pretty flimsy typing experience. The iPad Pro M4, on the other hand, now more closely resembles an actual laptop. Now I realize part of this gadget lust comes from covering Apple's recent launch event. I've been thinking far too much about iPads over the past few days, and it's taken a toll. You could potentially get a laptop-like PC experience from either the entry-level iPad or iPad Air when paired together with a keyboard case. But, then again, Ive already bought a 10th-gen iPad with Logitechs Slim Folio keyboard and I dont actually use it much for typing. Its fine for jotting down something short like emails, but the unsatisfying keys makes it tough to get into a writing flow. I'd also feel better about jumping on the iPad Pro bandwagon once iPadOS becomes an even better platform for multi-tasking. Stage Manager is a start, but it's a bit clunky and hard to navigate. Sure, Apple is constrained by what's possible on smaller displays, but I could imagine iPads (along with iPhones and Macs) becoming far more functional once the company starts rolling out its rumored local AI models. What if Siri could accurately note down your shopping list, pull in prices from local stores and share it with your friends. What if it could automatically edit your vacation videos to post on Instagram? Now imagine you could do those things without losing focus from the email on your screen, or your companys Slack channel. Multitasking doesn't necessarily need to involve jumping between several apps. With AI enhancements down the line, we could potentially complete complex tasks with natural language, and our devices could better anticipate what we actually need. Apple The iPad Pro M4s price problem Price is another obvious problem facing the iPad Pro. It has always been expensive, but Apple is really pushing the boundaries of acceptability with these new models. Both the 11-inch and 13-inch tablets are $200 more than before, starting at $999 and $1,299 respectively. While it's nice to see them come with 256GB of storage by default (up from 128GB), creative professionals will probably want to spend another $200 to get 512GB. If you want the full 10-core CPU power of the M4 chip, though, you'd have to shell out for at least 1TB of storage, which makes the 11-inch iPad Pro $1,599. Want nano-textured glass for additional glare reduction? That's another $100. Oh, and don't forget the Magic Keyboard! That's $299 or $349 more, depending on the size. If you actually wanted to spec out the iPad Pro like a laptop, it's easy to hit a price near $2,000. Alternatively, you could just get a $1,299 MacBook Air, or $1,599 14-inch MacBook Pro. Maybe add another $200 to get 16GB of RAM. At least with those machines, you've got larger screens, excellent keyboards, the ful desktop power of macOS and more than a single port for connectivity. If you really want an iPad Pro experience, you could always keep an eye out for used or refurbished 2022 models, which come with the very capable M2 chip. Given just how expensive it is, I likely won't be buying a new iPad Pro anytime soon. But the desire is certainly there, sitting somewhere deep within me, ready to take over my cognitive functions the minute these tablets get cheaper.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/oh-no-i-think-i-want-an-ipad-pro-now-170041331.html?src=rss
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Speedrunning video games is a time-honored tradition, and this is especially true when it comes to retro titles. Nintendo is getting in on the trend with a fairly bizarre forthcoming Switch game called Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition, which drops on July 18. Its all about speedrunning through the classics, like Legend of Zelda, Metroid and Super Mario Bros., among others. This comes in the form of 150 speedrunning challenges pulled from 13 NES games, which seems mightily familiar to those cool NES Remix releases from the Wii U era. There will be global online leaderboards, to give it a tournament feel, and local 8 player co-op. The game will also include an automatic rewind feature, letting people try and try until they get it right. If the name Nintendo World Championships sounds familiar, thats because it's taken from the companys semi-regular esports tournament. This has been the companys branding for in-person competitions since 1990, when Nintendo visited 29 cities throughout the country. That first national tournament also spawned an ultra-rare NES cartridge with minigames based on Super Mario Bros., Tetris and Rad Racer. Only a few hundred were made and they currently sell on eBay for, no joke, $175,000. The last time we covered this cartridge, it was selling for $5,000 to $10,000. Retro-flation is real, yall. Pre-orders for the digital version are available right now on the eShop, but there is a physical edition coming. This version will include 13 art cards, five pins and a physical game cart. Itll also include a gold commemorative NES cartridge, though it's sadly nonfunctional. Come on Nintendo! Make that thing functional so I can sell it for $175,000 in 30 years. The digital version of Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition costs $30 and the deluxe physical pack costs $60.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nintendo-just-revealed-a-nes-speedrunning-collection-inspired-by-an-ultra-rare-1990-cartridge-164607841.html?src=rss
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Amazon has the Google Pixel Watch 2 on sale for $70 off. The Wear OS 4-powered smartwatch arrived last fall with a new stress-tracking feature, slightly longer battery life and a better heart sensor, as Googles flagship wearable inches closer to rivals Apple and Samsung. Its current $330 sale price is a record low. The Pixel Watch 2 works with Android phones, so youll want to sit this deal out if you use an iPhone and dont plan on switching. But those with the right setup get a sleek device with a round (1.2-inch) screen. The watchs 41mm case (one size only) is lighter than its predecessor, thanks to its recycled aluminum material. It also has an IP68 water and dust resistance, meaning it has dust protection and can withstand half an hour of submersion in 1.5 meters of water. This latest model includes a stress-tracking feature that uses the watchs continuous electrodermal activity (cEDA) sensor to track changes in your skins electrical activity. This new sensor can point to possible signs of stress using a machine learning algorithm that incorporates heart rate, heart rate variability and skin temperature, Google explains. When the algorithm picks up on physical indicators of positive and negative stress, including excitement, the Body Response feature will send you a notification. Fitness tracking is likely one of the main reasons to buy a wearable like this, and Engadgets Cherlynn Low found the watchs Fitbit integration performed very well in our full review. Ive been wearing the Pixel Watch 2 alongside the Apple Watch Series 9 to all my workouts this week, and they generally showed similar results, she wrote when the smartwatch arrived last fall. It includes automatic workout start and stop prompts in case you forget to set up or end a session. The Pixel Watch 2s $330 sale price is for the LTE version of the Pixel Watch 2, so once you set it up with your wireless carrier, it can stay connected without needing you to keep your phone nearby. If you prefer the Wi-Fi-only version, its available for $300, which is $50 off its usual price. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-google-pixel-watch-2-has-never-been-cheaper-162729942.html?src=rss
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