So the iPad 5 is due to be launched 6pm (UK time) today. Sounds like it’ll look like an iPad mini in form factor and have the usual upgrades of reduced weight and increased processor speeds (64 bit A7X chip).

There’s talk about smarter smart covers, possibly with a keyboard.

Apple Pages and Numbers Apps will now be free, as they are on the iPhone 5S. I think this is a step forward as it, should, take the iPad one step closer to laptop replacement.

What does everyone else think?

hens will still lay eggs.

Will they need an app for that though?

cows still a milkin’

So its going to tick all the boxes for playing Farmville

Waiting to see if there are some new MBPs

Was going to post this earlier, but forgot…soooooo:

Apple event kicks off at 6pm.

Live stream: http://www.apple.com/apple-events/october-2013/ …..Safari only.

Live blogging from Ars Technica: http://live.arstechnica.com/apple-october-22-event/

Apple Pages and Numbers Apps will now be free, as they are on the iPhone 5S. I think this is a step forward as it, should, take the iPad one step closer to laptop replacement.

Have you actually tried pages or numbers?

But does it have Flash?

(in before darcy)

ipad Air. *Wonders if anyone can afford one* $499 or I guess about £450.

Looks really good! Might finally upgrade my iPad 2 now!

I’m Queueing outside an Apple store already.

I was in the market for a Mini. Do I buy the cheaper old one, or the newer one? Hmmmm….

iPad mini new is only 16Gb now.

Just ordered an iPad 4 for my youngest’s Xmas pressie. I just need to know if I’ll die now they’ve announced this new one…

Ps got an Ipad 2 and if I hadn’t have gotten a good deal on the 4 I’d have happier bought another 2.

the reduced weight should be a bonus, the previous versions were a bit weighty.

Davidrussell – I like the weight tbh, it is a factor if holding for lengthy periods but then most people have stands.

Have you actually tried pages or numbers?

All our paper sheet forms and other some other bits at work have been converted and put onto our ipads using Numbers all seem to work fine.

Davidrussell – I like the weight tbh, it is a factor if holding for lengthy periods but then most people have stands.

Or, y’know, muscles. 😀

jam bo – Member

Have you actually tried pages or numbers?

No, I’ve not tried Pages or Numbers, what’s wrong with them?

Unless they have dramatically changed them for this release they are pretty clunky and hard to use.

keynote is good though for writing and giving presentations on the go.

keynote remote is brilliant.

Although I like the idea of the 5 being lighter, I can’t see a real-world problem for those having one of the heavier incarnations. Just use your lap, a table, part of the chair/sofa/bed or whatever else. Really not an issue.

I’ve not looked at press releases yet but, let me guess:

Looks exactly like the previous one, slightly lighter, better processor, some new trivial gimmick like NFC or faster wifi that’ll be ported to the old devices in an iOS update anyway, maybe a shinier screen, queues of people round the block who hail it as revolutionary and have to have it Right Now. How am I doing?

I don’t know, maybe it’s just me. The original iDevices were revolutionary, they changed the way we think about mobile computing. But since then we’ve seen evolution rather than revolution and I struggle to get excited about it. And the other streams aren’t much better, occasionally something interesting might come along, these bendy displays look interesting for instance, but we seem to be stuck in a thought process of “I’ve finally paid for this phone after two years, time to throw it away and spend another two years paying for something slightly better instead.”

I’m looking out for the day apple are as culturally unacceptable as MS. Where Steve is ridiculed as Bill is. It cant be long now?

The original iDevices were revolutionary, they changed the way we think about mobile computing. But since then we’ve seen evolution rather than revolution

Exactly.

IMO Apple gained such a head start over everyone due to their devices being super pretty AND super functional. But then they ran out of ideas and kind of stagnated whilst everyone around them began releasing OS’ with better features, many of which Apple then copied.

IOS is nothing to be excited about these days, not are their devices. I love my iPad 4 and IMO it’s the ‘best’ tablet available today. But my iPhone 4 is in need of an update so am looking at an Android and skinning it with IOS as I absolutely abhor Android’s styling.

Cougar’s right. I’m so bored of them bringing out better devices. Can’t they design something uglier, slower and with less features? That’s what we want (apparently).

Either that or every year without fail they should design and release some kind of device that completely changes the tech industry and how we think about/use computers. That’s not too much to ask is it?

zilog6128 – Member
Cougar’s right. I’m so bored of them bringing out better devices. Can’t they design something uglier, slower and with less features? That’s what we want (apparently).

Wasn’t his point more to do with the fact that people were right to be excited about these products perhaps 5 years go when they were ‘new and revolutionary?
But now it’s an established technology with a lot of players producing some very good kit and everyone copies bits from other manufacturers so they are all much of a muchness. But, people still get themselves into a froth about the lates i-Whatever and fornicate over how ace it will be, when really it’s just an iteration.

It does seem strange that companies produce all sorts of things and bring them out on a yearly product cycle but it only seems to be the phones and tablets that people have a real desire to replace so frequently, even though the ‘old’ one works almost as well but isn’t quite the ‘latest and greatest’….

We were in town last weekend and my OH nipped to the loo in John Lewis (no ‘McShit with Lies’ for us, no sireeee). While waiting for her, I was amazed at the crowd gathered around the stand of tablets. Most of them didn’t seem to have any intention of buying them. They just seemed to be drawn to them, randomly swiping the screen for no real reason like some kind of tech-addiction.

Have you actually tried pages or numbers?

Yep, they seem fine for smallish stuff. Although for anything large I just use Word / Excel on a W7 machine as they are fully featured.

I’ve not looked at press releases yet but, let me guess:

How about finding out some facts. Then your post would look less like a reflex anti-Apple rant. Just sayin’

But, people still get themselves into a froth about the lates i-Whatever and fornicate over how ace it will be, when really it’s just an iteration.

I suppose people on this site who get excited about a new frame or new dropper, etc are also complete twunts seeing as they have a bike already, and bikes have been around for years anyway? 🙄

I have an iPhone, I have an iMac, who unless its revolutionary different who gives a toss about the new iMac.
Is there a big song and dance every time kindle updates the resolution and processor? Do Advent have people queuing for their new overpriced tab? I just don’t get it with apple and iPads. Maybe someone here would care to explain.

How about finding out some facts. Then your post would look less like a reflex anti-Apple rant. Just sayin’

Don’t think it did. Read more like an anti-everyone tinkering with “newness” for the sake of releasing something new. Look at mobile phones, for example. Nowadays it’s all about better cameras, new colours. Nothing really “new”. For example, touch screens were “new” and made a real difference. Bluetooth was new and made a real difference. Fingerprint access? Been done. NFC? Been done. “Better” screens? Been done. Bigger phones? Been done. Smaller phones? Been done. Etc. It’s all just tinkering around the edges now.

What about someone coming up with a batter that lasts for weeks, not days? That would be really new. Sony have come up with waterproofing. That’s pretty clever and new for me, even if only for making calls in the rain!

Otherwise, all the newness in the phone industry is pretty much on a par with 650b. Not really that “new” is it? Just tinkering.

Any time I look at iPhones/iPads, I baulk at paying what they’re asking for them. Why would I pay £230 for an iPad mini, when I can get an Asus Memopad for £130?

The lack of choice bugs me too. One size, one shape, no choice.

Why would I pay £230 for an iPad mini, when I can get an Asus Memopad for £130?

You wouldn’t, if all you wanted to do was surf the net or check email.

The lack of choice bugs me too. One size, one shape, no choice.

This is a big part of why they are so massively ahead of the competition in terms of quantity and quality of apps. (Which incidentally, is the reason they are so great IMO. Hardware/processor speed/etc has very little to do with it).

I suppose people on this site who get excited about a new frame or new dropper, etc are also complete twunts seeing as they have a bike already, and bikes have been around for years anyway?

I never said anyone was a ‘complete twunt’. I just don’t understand the excitement & frothing over a new tablet/phone/whatever….
You don’t see Nikon fans queuing round the block to get their hands on the latest DSLR.

This probably says it better than I can….

iolo – Member
I have an iPhone, I have an iMac, who unless its revolutionary different who gives a toss about the new iMac.
Is there a big song and dance every time kindle updates the resolution and processor? Do Advent have people queuing for their new overpriced tab? I just don’t get it with apple and iPads. Maybe someone here would care to explain.

You wouldn’t, if all you wanted to do was surf the net or check email.

Whereas an iPad mini would allow me to do what, that I couldn’t with any Android Jelly Bean tablet?

Where Steve is ridiculed as Bill is.

Is that the same Bill who gave his billions to charity? The one who has a plan to end Malaria? The one who’s trying to persuade the rest of the World’s super rich to do the same?

As a Linux user for a decade I’m no MS fan but I suspect that Bill’s contributions will stand the test of time better than Steve’s.

Why would I pay £230 for an iPad mini, when I can get an Asus Memopad for £130?

Because you might prefer the Apple “ecosystem” (especially if you have other iDevices) or maybe you just want a better screen resolution, better cameras, longer battery life, bluetooth, fast CPU and graphics, etc?

You’re comparing Apples with Lemons 😉

Whereas an iPad mini would allow me to do what, that I couldn’t with any Android Jelly Bean tablet?

Very little in terms of general apps, although a lot will look nicer/work better on iPad as the apps will have been specifically designed for them which is generally not the case on Android. There are a lot of industry-specific apps though which simply don’t exist for Android. And as for games – probably the largest app market – the iPad is literally years ahead.

Because you might prefer the Apple “ecosystem” (especially if you have other iDevices) or maybe you just want a better screen resolution, better cameras, longer battery life, bluetooth, fast CPU and graphics, etc?

I don’t have other iDevices, because I like choice and don’t like overpaying for hardware. Until the Retina update, the Nexus2 had a better screen resolution than the iPad mini. The cameras on Android phones are getting better and better, and passing iPhone/Pad. Battery life is on a par with iDevices. I’ve never used bluetooth for anything, ever. Nexus devices are on a par with iPads in most benchmarks.