Trying to figure out the buying decision of iPad Pro vs iPad? Since Apple has launched the new iPad Pro 2020, complete with a new Magic Keyboard with trackpad, it’s a good time to do a round-by-round analysis of how these tablets compare.
The new iPad Pro is getting a lot of attention because it’s the fastest iPad yet (thanks to its A12Z Bionic processor) but especially because of its optional Magic Keyboard that includes a trackpad. But the iPad is a great entry-level tablet with a fairly large 10.1-inch display, support for Apple Pencil and an optional keyboard of its own with a touchpad.
For many years, shoppers have found the iPad to be a great tablet, and it’s getting better as iPadOS evolves.. But the iPad Pro is evolving to become a viable laptop replacement, and it’s now more worthy of consideration than before. Here’s everything you should know before buying an iPad or iPad Pro.
One is modern, the other is still clutching onto 2012’s looks. That’s right, this is a pretty simple comparison. Even though the 10.2-inch iPad released last year has a slightly bigger screen and slimmer bezels than the 9.7-inch iPad it replaced, it can’t hold a candle to the iPad Pro on design. It still looks a lot like the 4th Gen iPad, which came out in 2012.
The iPad Pro is one of the coolest-looking tablets there is; it’s almost all screen, with a slender bezel, that’s available in both 11-inch and 12.9-inch designs. But even though the iPad Pros are larger than the iPad, they don’t feel bulkier or harder to manage. In fact, the 11-inch iPad Pro manages to feel smaller than the iPad, due to its slightly slimmer chassis. The only bad thing you can say about the new iPad Pro is that its three-camera bump on the back is a bit much, but iPhone 11 Pro owners like myself have gotten over them.
Oh, and then there’s the manner of their charging ports. The 10.2-inch iPad sports the Lightning port (which it has since the aforementioned 2012 iPad), which seems to be on the way out. The iPad Pro, on the other hand, features USB-C, which you can charge with the same cable that charges modern MacBooks and many other devices.
iPad Pro vs iPad: Display
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
We really like the 10.2-inch iPad’s sharp Retina display. Not only does it boast a dense – 2160 x 1620-pixel resolution, it produces 105% of the sRGB color spectrum. It’s also plenty bright, producing 450 nits of brightness.
The iPad Pro’s displays are even better. First off, they offer shaper resolutions, with the 12.9-inch offering 2732 x 2048 pixels and the 11-inch 2388 x 1668 pixels. You should also expect more colors and brighter panels; both the 11-inch iPad Pro (111% sRGB, 572 nits) and the 12.9-inch (128.4% and 484 nits) outperformed the regular iPad. t 111% (11-inch) and 128.4% (12.9-inch) of the sRGB spectrum, and shined even brighter, at 572 nits (11-inch) and 484 nits (12.9-inch).
The iPad Pro’s big wins in the display category is solidified by its 120hz ProMotion display refresh rate, which is a techy way of saying web pages and other content scroll really smoothly. There’s also Apple’s True Tone technology, which adjusts the white balance of the screen to make it look more accurate, according to changes in the ambient light around it.
iPad Pro vs iPad: Keyboard and Apple Pencil
(Image credit: Apple)
Last year, I was happy to see Apple finally give the regular iPad a smart connector for its smart keyboards. But, when Apple finally gave the iPad Pro a touchpad, in the new Magic Keyboard? I was both surprised and elated.
Yes, after years of barely budging an inch, Apple has optimized iPadOS for touchpad input. This feature was formerly stuck inside of the Accessibility settings. But it appears that the excited reaction to that kinda-hidden feature inside of iPadOS has let Apple know that the public really wanted a touchpad to make the iPad Pro more like a laptop.
So, meet the Magic Keyboard, an optional accessory for the iPad Pro that’s coming in May, and even works with the previous generation iPad Pros. Not only does it have that touchpad, but it puts the iPad Pro on a cantilever hinge that grants it 130 degrees of movement, whereas the iPad’s keyboard only lets the iPad sit in one position. Another plus is that the Magic Keyboard is backlit.
However, the Magic Keyboard is very pricey. It costs $299 for the 11-inch iPad Pro and $349 for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
The good news for the regular iPad is that Logitech is offering a keyboard called the Combo Touch Keyboard Case with Trackpad. It has a backlit keyboard with a trackpad as well, as well as a built-in kickstand that offers 40 degrees of movement. The cost is just $150.
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
As for the Apple Pencils, much like the recommended pencil for standardized tests, we go with No. 2. The iPad Pro is the only Apple tablet that supports the 2nd Gen Apple Pencil ($129), which conveniently magnetically snaps onto its top edge, where it also charges. That’s a whole lot better than the regular Apple Pencil ($99), which charges by removing its little cap — which is so easily lost — and plugging it into the Lightning port on the side of the iPad. Not only does that look awkward, it just doesn’t feel right either, like the connector may snap off in the port.
iPad Pro vs iPad: Performance
(Image credit: Apple)
It’s hard to say how much faster the iPad Pro will be, when compared to the normal iPad, but it’s fairly safe to say this is not going to be a fair fight.
That’s because the iPad Pro rocks the new A12Z Bionic chip with Neural Engine and an 8-core graphics processor, a combination so snappy that Apple says it “outpaces most PC laptops available today.” It’s made for the pro-level applications, such as editing the 4K video that the iPad Pro can record (the iPad can only capture 1080p video), and optimized for the more demanding apps, like the Procreate drawing app and the more-complete Photoshop that Apple and Adobe have worked to bring to the stage.
Meanwhile the iPad’s A10 Fusion chip is far from new, having debuted on the iPhone 7 in 2016. It’s not a slow chip, it’s just not as fast. On the Geekbench 5 general performance benchmark, the iPad Air (2,519) even beat the iPad (1,429), and the Air uses an A12 Bionic chip, which will most certainly be outpaced by the A12Z chip.
(Image credit: Apple)
Oh, and the iPad Pro’s for more tricks, thanks to the LiDAR Scanner in the cameras, which greatly improves performance in AR (augmented reality) apps. Those apps, such as Ikea’s app that lets you place items around your rooms, should move even faster, with objects rendering at a speed Apple describes as “instantly,” among other enhancements.
iPad Pro vs iPad: Battery life
While we’ll likely see faster charging on the iPad Pro with its USB-C port, the iPad may win this round in the end. Apple rates the new iPad Pro for lasting up to 10 hours (for both models) when surfing the web, a time that the iPad beat with a time of 11:58 on our battery test. We can’t wait to test the iPad Pro’s endurance for ourselves.
iPad Pro vs iPad: Value and price
While this face-off feels a little lopsided in the iPad Pro’s favor, let’s break down how much you’re gonna pay to get these devices, to see how much more expensive the Pro is. For starters, its $799 price tag is so big, it covers two iPads, with $141 left over (just $18 shy of the iPad’s Smart Keyboard’s price).
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
And if you get the 11-inch iPad Pro with both the new Magic Keyboard (the touchpad beckons) and the 2nd Gen Apple Pencil, your total is $1,227… which is more than twice as much as it costs to get the two iPads with Smart Keyboard covers and Pencils. So, you’re going to need to ask yourself how much you need pro-level apps, and how much you want to spend to get them moving speedily on a tablet.
Because at this price, in this economy? The iPad’s $329 price is still one of its best features, at least in Apple’s ecosystem.
iPad Pro vs iPad: Early verdict
(Image credit: Future)
Overall, the iPad continues to be a great value, especially for students or for anyone who wants a solid tablet for work and play. You’re not going to get the fastest performance, but the regular iPad lasts a long time on a charge and it offers a bright and colorful display. And even though the first-gen Apple Pencil isn’t ideal, you can still write and draw on the iPad. With third-party accessories like Logitech’s keyboard, the iPad can pinch hit as a mini laptop.
However, if you want the power to truly replace your notebook, the iPad Pro has the potential to do just that. Its A12Z Bionic processor should be able to keep pace with — or exceed — the performance of Windows laptops. And the dual camera system combined with the LiDAR sensor will let you capture content and use a wide variety of AR apps without lag.
Once we’ve seen how the iPad Pro’s Magic Keyboard works in our own hands, we’ll start to get a better understanding of the case for spending so much more than what it costs to get a regular iPad. But for the iPad superfans among us, those who are already editing videos and podcasts on the tablet, the new iPad Pro looks like it could be worth the splurge.
Although no one likes a know-it-all, they dominate the Internet.
The Internet began as a vast repository of information. It quickly became a breeding ground for self-proclaimed experts seeking what most people desire: recognition and money.
Today, anyone with an Internet connection and some typing skills can position themselves, regardless of their education or experience, as a subject matter expert (SME). From relationship advice, career coaching, and health and nutrition tips to citizen journalists practicing pseudo-journalism, the Internet is awash with individuals—Internet talking heads—sharing their “insights,” which are, in large part, essentially educated guesses without the education or experience.
The Internet has become a 24/7/365 sitcom where armchair experts think they’re the star.
Not long ago, years, sometimes decades, of dedicated work and acquiring education in one’s field was once required to be recognized as an expert. The knowledge and opinions of doctors, scientists, historians, et al. were respected due to their education and experience. Today, a social media account and a knack for hyperbole are all it takes to present oneself as an “expert” to achieve Internet fame that can be monetized.
On the Internet, nearly every piece of content is self-serving in some way.
The line between actual expertise and self-professed knowledge has become blurry as an out-of-focus selfie. Inadvertently, social media platforms have created an informal degree program where likes and shares are equivalent to degrees. After reading selective articles, they’ve found via and watching some TikTok videos, a person can post a video claiming they’re an herbal medicine expert. Their new “knowledge,” which their followers will absorb, claims that Panda dung tea—one of the most expensive teas in the world and isn’t what its name implies—cures everything from hypertension to existential crisis. Meanwhile, registered dietitians are shaking their heads, wondering how to compete against all the misinformation their clients are exposed to.
More disturbing are individuals obsessed with evangelizing their beliefs or conspiracy theories. These people write in-depth blog posts, such as Elvis Is Alive and the Moon Landings Were Staged, with links to obscure YouTube videos, websites, social media accounts, and blogs. Regardless of your beliefs, someone or a group on the Internet shares them, thus confirming your beliefs.
Misinformation is the Internet’s currency used to get likes, shares, and engagement; thus, it often spreads like a cosmic joke. Consider the prevalence of clickbait headlines:
You Won’t Believe What Taylor Swift Says About Climate Change!
This Bedtime Drink Melts Belly Fat While You Sleep!
In One Week, I Turned $10 Into $1 Million!
Titles that make outrageous claims are how the content creator gets reads and views, which generates revenue via affiliate marketing, product placement, and pay-per-click (PPC) ads. Clickbait headlines are how you end up watching a TikTok video by a purported nutrition expert adamantly asserting you can lose belly fat while you sleep by drinking, for 14 consecutive days, a concoction of raw eggs, cinnamon, and apple cider vinegar 15 minutes before going to bed.
Our constant search for answers that’ll explain our convoluted world and our desire for shortcuts to success is how Internet talking heads achieve influencer status. Because we tend to seek low-hanging fruits, we listen to those with little experience or knowledge of the topics they discuss yet are astute enough to know what most people want to hear.
There’s a trend, more disturbing than spreading misinformation, that needs to be called out: individuals who’ve never achieved significant wealth or traded stocks giving how-to-make-easy-money advice, the appeal of which is undeniable. Several people I know have lost substantial money by following the “advice” of Internet talking heads.
Anyone on social media claiming to have a foolproof money-making strategy is lying. They wouldn’t be peddling their money-making strategy if they could make easy money.
Successful people tend to be secretive.
Social media companies design their respective algorithms to serve their advertisers—their source of revenue—interest; hence, content from Internet talking heads appears most prominent in your feeds. When a video of a self-professed expert goes viral, likely because it pressed an emotional button, the more people see it, the more engagement it receives, such as likes, shares and comments, creating a cycle akin to a tornado.
Imagine scrolling through your TikTok feed and stumbling upon a “scientist” who claims they can predict the weather using only aluminum foil, copper wire, sea salt and baking soda. You chuckle, but you notice his video got over 7,000 likes, has been shared over 600 times and received over 400 comments. You think to yourself, “Maybe this guy is onto something.” What started as a quest to achieve Internet fame evolved into an Internet-wide belief that weather forecasting can be as easy as DIY crafts.
Since anyone can call themselves “an expert,” you must cultivate critical thinking skills to distinguish genuine expertise from self-professed experts’ self-promoting nonsense. While the absurdity of the Internet can be entertaining, misinformation has serious consequences. The next time you read a headline that sounds too good to be true, it’s probably an Internet talking head making an educated guess; without the education seeking Internet fame, they can monetize.
TORONTO – A new survey says a majority of software engineers and developers feel tight project deadlines can put safety at risk.
Seventy-five per cent of the 1,000 global workers who responded to the survey released Tuesday say pressure to deliver projects on time and on budget could be compromising critical aspects like safety.
The concern is even higher among engineers and developers in North America, with 77 per cent of those surveyed on the continent reporting the urgency of projects could be straining safety.
The study was conducted between July and September by research agency Coleman Parkes and commissioned by BlackBerry Ltd.’s QNX division, which builds connected-car technology.
The results reflect a timeless tug of war engineers and developers grapple with as they balance the need to meet project deadlines with regulations and safety checks that can slow down the process.
Finding that balance is an issue that developers of even the simplest appliances face because of advancements in technology, said John Wall, a senior vice-president at BlackBerry and head of QNX.
“The software is getting more complicated and there is more software whether it’s in a vehicle, robotics, a toaster, you name it… so being able to patch vulnerabilities, to prevent bad actors from doing malicious acts is becoming more and more important,” he said.
The medical, industrial and automotive industries have standardized safety measures and anything they produce undergoes rigorous testing, but that work doesn’t happen overnight. It has to be carried out from the start and then at every step of the development process.
“What makes safety and security difficult is it’s an ongoing thing,” Wall said. “It’s not something where you’ve done it, and you are finished.”
The Waterloo, Ont.-based business found 90 per cent of its survey respondents reported that organizations are prioritizing safety.
However, when asked about why safety may not be a priority for their organization, 46 per cent of those surveyed answered cost pressures and 35 per cent said a lack of resources.
That doesn’t surprise Wall. Delays have become rampant in the development of tech, and in some cases, stand to push back the launch of vehicle lines by two years, he said.
“We have to make sure that people don’t compromise on safety and security to be able to get products out quicker,” he said.
“What we don’t want to see is people cutting corners and creating unsafe situations.”
The survey also took a peek at security breaches, which have hit major companies like London Drugs, Indigo Books & Music, Giant Tiger and Ticketmaster in recent years.
About 40 per cent of the survey’s respondents said they have encountered a security breach in their employer’s operating system. Those breaches resulted in major impacts for 27 per cent of respondents, moderate impacts for 42 per cent and minor impacts for 27 per cent.
“There are vulnerabilities all the time and this is what makes the job very difficult because when you ship the software, presumably the software has no security vulnerabilities, but things get discovered after the fact,” Wall said.
Security issues, he added, have really come to the forefront of the problems developers face, so “really without security, you have no safety.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 8, 2024.
As online shoppers hunt for bargains offered by Amazon during its annual fall sale this week, cybersecurity researchers are warning Canadians to beware of an influx of scammers posing as the tech giant.
In the 30 days leading up to Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days, taking place Tuesday and Wednesday, there were more than 1,000 newly registered Amazon-related web domains, according to Check Point Software Technologies, a company that offers cybersecurity solutions.
The company said it deemed 88 per cent of those domains malicious or suspicious, suggesting they could have been set up by scammers to prey on vulnerable consumers. One in every 54 newly created Amazon-related domain included the phrase “Amazon Prime.”
“They’re almost indiscernible from the real Amazon domain,” said Robert Falzon, head of engineering at Check Point in Canada.
“With all these domains registered that look so similar, it’s tricking a lot of people. And that’s the whole intent here.”
Falzon said Check Point Research sees an uptick in attempted scams around big online shopping days throughout the year, including Prime Days.
Scams often come in the form of phishing emails, which are deceptive messages that appear to be from a reputable source in attempt to steal sensitive information.
In this case, he said scammers posing as Amazon commonly offer “outrageous” deals that appear to be associated with Prime Days, in order to trick recipients into clicking on a malicious link.
The cybersecurity firm said it has identified and blocked 100 unique Amazon Prime-themed scam emails targeting organizations and consumers over the past two weeks.
Scammers also target Prime members with unsolicited calls, claiming urgent account issues and requesting payment information.
“It’s like Christmas for them,” said Falzon.
“People expect there to be significant savings on Prime Day, so they’re not shocked that they see something of significant value. Usually, the old adage applies: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”
Amazon’s website lists a number of red flags that it recommends customers watch for to identify a potential impersonation scam.
Those include false urgency, requests for personal information, or indications that the sender prefers to complete the purchase outside of the Amazon website or mobile app.
Scammers may also request that customers exclusively pay with gift cards, a claim code or PIN. Any notifications about an order or delivery for an unexpected item should also raise alarm bells, the company says.
“During busy shopping moments, we tend to see a rise in impersonation scams reported by customers,” said Amazon spokeswoman Octavia Roufogalis in a statement.
“We will continue to invest in protecting consumers and educating the public on scam avoidance. We encourage consumers to report suspected scams to us so that we can protect their accounts and refer bad actors to law enforcement to help keep consumers safe.”
Falzon added that these scams are more successful than people might think.
As of June 30, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre said there had been $284 million lost to fraud so far this year, affecting 15,941 victims.
But Falzon said many incidents go unreported, as some Canadians who are targeted do not know how or where to flag a scam, or may choose not to out of embarrassment.
Check Point recommends Amazon customers take precautions while shopping on Prime Days, including by checking URLs carefully, creating strong passwords on their accounts, and avoiding personal information being shared such as their birthday or social security number.
The cybersecurity company said consumers should also look for “https” at the beginning of a website URL, which indicates a secure connection, and use credit cards rather than debit cards for online shopping, which offer better protection and less liability if stolen.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 8, 2024.
