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Our iPhone 12 thoughts so far: Camera upgrades, lidar, and that new design – CNET

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The iPhone 12 comes in black, white, Product Red, mint green and dark blue.


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The iPhone 12 is official. During a virtual event on Tuesday, Apple announced four new iPhones, all of which have new cameras, a new body design, support for 5G and “ceramic shield” displays. The new phones are named just like the iPhone 11 family: iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max. There is also the iPhone 12 Mini, which packs the iPhone 12 into a smaller and more affordable body while retaining all of its features. It’s the smallest iPhone you can buy new, and it’s even more petite than the current iPhone SE.

As far as price, the iPhone 12 Mini starts at $699, the same as last year’s 11. The iPhone 12 starts at $799. Prices for the 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max stay at $999 and $1,099 respectively. (See the chart below for a full price breakdown, including international prices.) Meanwhile the iPhone 11 dropped to $599, the iPhone XR is $499 and an iPhone SE starts at $399. 

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The 2020 iPhone family and prices.


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Preorders for the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro start today and both phones will be available Oct. 23. Starting Nov. 6, you can preorder the iPhone 12 Pro Max and 12 Mini which will ship on Nov. 13. On paper it seems like a good year to upgrade your iPhone, but note that we still need to test all of the new phones out.

Between the prices, the choice in sizes, support for 5G and the cameras there’s a lot to be excited and confused about. Here’s a breakdown of all the major features on the new iPhones and what makes them different.


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iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Mini, Pro and Pro Max explained

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iPhone 12 gets an iPhone 5 squared-off design

All four phones have a new hardware design defined by squared-off edges similar to those on the iPad Pro. You could even say Apple took inspiration from the iPhone 5, 5S and original 2016 SE. It kind of looks like the bodies of the iPhone 11 and the iPhone 5 had a baby, and that’s not a bad thing.

Those boxy edges house the antennas for 5G and are made from aluminum on the iPhone 12 and 12 Mini. They’re stainless steel on the 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max.

Compared to the iPhone 11, the 12 sounds like a Radiohead song: It’s smaller, thinner, lighter. Sadly, no mention from Apple about killing moths or putting boiling water on ants.

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The iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max come in four finishes: silver, graphite, gold and Pacific blue.


Apple

The 12 and 12 Mini come in black, white, product red, mint green and dark blue and the 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max come in silver, graphite, gold (shiny C-3PO gold) and Pacific blue finishes. The Pros also have a textured matte glass back like the one found on the 11 Pro.

Baseline iPhone 12 and 12 Mini models come with 64GB of storage. I’ll be honest, I was kind of hoping this would be higher, especially since the 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max start out with 128GB of storage.

Ceramic shield displays could be tough to crack

The iPhone 12 and 12 Pro both have a 6.1-inch OLED display. While the body of the iPhone 12 Pro and last year’s 11 Pro are roughly the same size, the 11 Pro only had a 5.8-inch screen. The 12 Pro Max also has a bigger display compared to the 6.5-inch screen on the 11 Pro Max. At 6.7 inches, the 12 Pro Max has the largest iPhone screen ever. Then there’s the iPhone 12 Mini and its 5.4-inch screen, which is larger than the display on the iPhone SE. But without those iPhone 8-esque bezels, chin and forehead, the body of the iPhone 12 Mini is actually smaller. I’m particularly excited about the 12 Mini.

All four phones have a ceramic shield display that’s made by infusing glass with nano ceramic crystals to make them more durable. Apple claims these displays have 4x better drop performance which could mean your iPhone has a better chance of surviving a drop out of your pocket. I look forward to seeing how these phones fare in a CNET drop test.

iPhone 12: To 5G or not 5G

Like most Android flagship phones released this year, all four iPhones support 5G. They support mmWave 5G which has some of the fastest speeds available right now, but you need to be pretty close to a 5G tower to use it. The phones also support low-band and midband 5G, which offer a longer range but less impressive speeds. Think of the difference as kind of like AM/FM radio — kind of.

Beyond hardware support for 5G and working with carriers, Apple optimized iOS to be faster and more efficient when on a 5G connection. The new iPhones also have a “Smart Data” mode that toggles between 5G and 4G LTE to save on battery life.

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Tim Cook announces that the new iPhone has support for 5G.


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If you’re interested in getting any of the iPhones 12 solely because of 5G, I’d recommend checking out which carriers offer 5G in your area, what the speeds are like and what the carrier’s plans are for building 5G out further.

LTE speeds also get a boost: The new phones are able to support data speeds up to 2Gbps.

Lidar, Smart HDR 3 and a new camera

Normally, new cameras would be the biggest feature of any iPhone launch. And while the new design and 5G will get a lot of attention, the cameras deserve some as well. The main wide-angle camera on all four iPhones has a new lens with an aperture of f/1.6 and a new larger sensor. Apple claims this combo offers 27% improvement in low-light situations.

The ultrawide-angle camera on all the phones gets a boost via software to help correct distortion better.

Then there’s the tale of two different telephoto cameras on the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max. The 12 Pro has a similar 52-millimeter lens as last year’s iPhone 11 Pro. But the 12 Pro Max gets a new longer 65-millimeter lens which offers a 2.5x optical zoom instead of the 2x optical zoom on the 12 Pro.

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Both the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max have lidar.


Apple

Both Pro models also have lidar, which stands for Light Detection and Ranging. It will help AR apps detect objects, depth and spaces. But the camera can also use lidar for improving autofocus with photos and video, especially in low-light. lidar even allows for Portrait Night Mode photos.

All of the cameras are powered by the A14 Bionic chip. According to Apple the new brains of the iPhone 12 family are 50% faster than any other phone sold today. The A14 brings Smart HDR 3, which optimizes the dynamic range of photos, identifies scenes like skies and optimizes for people’s skin and hair. Smart HDR 3 and Night Mode work on the wide, ultra-wide and selfie camera. Deep Fusion which optimizes pictures on a pixel level to reduce noise and improve detail is now on every camera including the telephoto ones on the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max.

All four phones can record video in Dolby Vision HDR which automatically color grades your videos in the Dolby Vision standard. The Pro models support Dolby Vision HDR at all settings up to 4K 60fps and the 12 and 12 Mini support it up to 4K 30fps. All of this happens inside the Photos app which is kind of amazing.

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The iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max will be able to save photos as Apple ProRAW files. The new format provides the flexibility of a RAW file with smarts of computational photography.


Apple

The 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max will also be able to record a special RAW photo file called ProRAW. The idea is to provide the flexibility of a RAW photo file but with the smarts of computational photography. This feature that will come out later.

I’m glossing over a lot of detail with regards to photo and video capture. But once we get our hands on these phones, we’ll go into more depth.

Wireless charging meets MagSafe minus the power adapter

Remember MagSafe from your MacBook? If you tripped over the charging cable it would pop out, so as to not bring your MacBook crashing to the ground. The technology centered around cleverly placed magnets. To improve your wireless charging experience Apple used specially placed magnets to better align your phone’s position to improve charging efficiency.

There is a new line of MagSafe accessories including a charger that supports 15W wireless charging and cases that allow you to charge through them better. Apple even showed off a detachable wallet.

An iPhone 12 Pro with a MagSafe leather case and wallet.


Apple

Apple is omitting the wired earpods and power adapter that would normally come in the box, but there is a fast USB-C to lighting cable included. That said, one of the arguments Apple made for not including the earpods and power brick was that there are so many already in existence. And I kind of agree. Except, how many people have a USB-C power plug at home? I have a bunch of old 5W ones but those were for USB-A.

I am excited to get my hands on the new iPhones and test them for an in-depth review.

iPhone 12 specs vs. iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max

Apple iPhone 12 Apple iPhone 12 Mini Apple iPhone 12 Pro Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
Display size, resolution 6.1-inch OLED; 2,532×1,170 pixels 5.4-inch OLED; 2,340×1,080 pixels 6.1-inch OLED; 2,532×1,170 pixels 6.7-inch OLED; 2,778×1,284 pixels
Pixel density 460ppi 476ppi 460ppi 458ppi
Dimensions (inches) 5.78×2.82×0.29 inches 5.18×2.53×0.29 inches 5.78×2.82×0.29 inches 6.33×3.07×0.29 inches
Dimensions (millimeters) 146.7×71.5×7.4mm 131.5×64.2×7.4mm 146.7×71.5×7.4mm 160.8×78.1×7.4mm
Weight (ounces, grams) 5.78 oz.; 164g 4.76 oz.; 135g 6.66 oz.; 189g 8.03 oz.; 228g
Mobile software iOS 14 iOS 14 iOS 14 iOS 14
Camera 12-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultra-wide) 12-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultra-wide) 12-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultra-wide), 12-megapixel (telephoto) 12-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultra-wide), 12-megapixel (telephoto)
Front-facing camera 12-megapixel 12-megapixel 12-megapixel 12-megapixel
Video capture 4K 4K 4K 4K
Processor Apple A14 Bionic Apple A14 Bionic Apple A14 Bionic Apple A14 Bionic
Storage 64GB, 128GB, 256GB 64GB, 128GB, 256GB 128GB, 256GB, 512GB 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
RAM Undisclosed Undisclosed Undisclosed Undisclosed
Expandable storage No No No No
Battery Undisclosed; Apple lists 15 hours of video playback Undisclosed; Apple lists 15 hours of video playback Undisclosed; Apple lists 17 hours of video playback Undisclosed; Apple lists 17 hours of video playback
Fingerprint sensor No (FaceID) No (FaceID) No (FaceID) No (FaceID)
Connector Lightning Lightning Lightning Lightning
Headphone jack No No No No
Special features 5G enabled; MagSafe; water resistant (IP68); wireless charging; dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM) 5G enabled; MagSafe; water resistant (IP68); wireless charging; dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM) Lidar scanner; 5G enabled; MagSafe; water resistant (IP68); wireless charging; dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM) Lidar scanner; 5G enabled; MagSafe; water resistant (IP68); wireless charging; dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM)
Price off-contract (USD) $829 (64GB), $879 (128GB), $979 (256GB) $729 (64GB), $779 (128GB), $879 (256GB) $999 (128GB), $1,099 (256GB), $1,299 (512GB) $1,099 (128GB), $1,199 (256GB), $1,399 (512GB)
Price (GBP) £799 (64GB), £849 (128GB), £949 (256GB) £699 (64GB), £749 (128GB), £849 (256GB) £999 (128GB), £1,099 (256GB), £1,299 (512GB) £1,099 (128GB), £1,199 (256GB), £1,399 (512GB)
Price (AUD) AU$1,349 (64GB), AU$1,429 (128GB), AU$1,599 (256GB) AU$1,199 (64GB), AU$1,279 (128GB), AU$1,449 (256GB) AU$1,699 (128GB), AU$1,869 (256GB), AU$2,219 (512GB) AU$1,849 (128GB), AU$2,019 (256GB), AU$2,369 (512GB)

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Take-Two Interactive to Acquire 'Borderlands' Developer Gearbox From Embracer Group for $460 Million – Yahoo Canada Sports

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Take-Two Interactive has acquired video game developer Gearbox, the maker of the “Borderlands” franchise, from Embracer Group for $460 million.

Per Take Two, the company “expects the transaction to deepen its successful relationship with Gearbox Entertainment and to provide increased financial benefits through a fully integrated operational structure.”

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As part of the deal, Take-Two will acquire Gearbox IP, including “Borderlands” and “Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands” franchises, games published by Take-Two’s 2K Games, as well as “Homeworld,” “Risk of Rain,” “Brothers in Arms” and “Duke Nukem.”

Currently, Gearbox has six “key interactive entertainment projects in various stages of development,” per Take-Two, which includes five sequels, two from “Borderlands” and “Homeworld” universes, and at least one “exciting new intellectual property,” all of which have been acquired in the sale.

Take-Two’s purchase of Gearbox is expected to close in June, pending regulatory approval. Upon completion, Gearbox will operate as a studio within 2K, continuing to be led by Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford and his management team.

Former Gearbox owner Embracer, a Swedish gaming conglomerate who snapped up the rights to “Lord of the Rings” two years ago, has undergone a severe restructuring program over the past year, which has seen the company shut down or dispose of dozens of games studios and titles and lay off hundreds of staff, resulting in aftershocks that have reverberated throughout the games industry.

The sale of Gearbox marks the latest insistence of Embracer unloading assets, following the company divesting Saber Interactive.

“Our acquisition of Gearbox is an exciting moment for Take-Two and will strengthen our industry-leading creative talent and portfolio of owned intellectual property, including the iconic Borderlands franchise,” Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said. “This combination enhances the financial profile of our existing projects with Gearbox and unlocks the opportunity for us to drive increased long-term growth by leveraging the full resources of Take-Two across all of Gearbox’s exciting initiatives.”

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An OLED iPad Pro and the first big-screen iPad Air will reportedly arrive in May – Engadget

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Apple will finally launch new iPads in early May, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Expected are a new iPad Pro with an OLED display and a faster iPad Air, including a 12.9-inch model for the first time in that lineup. The details of the upcoming iPad models have been consistent, circulating through the rumor mill since last year.

The new iPad Pro models will reportedly add OLED displays (offering deeper blacks and richer colors) and run on the new M3 chip, already found in several Macs. The new tablets are said to launch alongside a redesigned Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard. Other than a white color option, the latter has remained unchanged since its arrival four years ago.

Meanwhile, the iPad Air will supposedly run on a new processor. Bloomberg didn’t specify which, but — considering the current model uses the M1, and Apple likely wants to reserve the M3 for the more expensive Pro — the M2 sounds like a safe bet. The 12.9-inch screen option would mark the first time the iPad Air line has offered a display larger than 10.9 inches. Although Apple will charge more for that model than the smaller sibling expected alongside it, that would be the cheapest way yet to get a supersized iPad screen.

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Gurman said early this month that the new tablets would launch alongside the M3 MacBook Air, but the laptop arrived without any iPads in tow. He now reports that Apple’s release schedule was pushed back to finish working on the devices’ software and ironing out the kinks from the “complex new manufacturing techniques” they require.

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Ashleigh Oakridge offers boutique-style condos with concrete construction – Vancouver Sun

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Peterson Group’s latest project will be chock-full of amenities and have timeless interiors

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It may not sound exciting to say the big selling points for a new condominium project are that it’s concrete construction and four storeys. But start thinking in terms of getting all the benefits of concrete-tower construction in a sophisticated, boutique-style building of only 34 to 35 units, chock-full of amenities, situated on a quiet, tree-lined Vancouver street and the appeal is obvious—especially to those downsizing in the neighbourhood.

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“That on its own really sets it apart because if you want to be in a boutique setting, you don’t love the idea of highrises, and you want a concrete home type, there aren’t many options. It’s highly unique,” explains Barrett Sprowson, vice-president of sales and project marketing at Peterson Group, the developer of the Ashleigh Oakridge project, which will be composed of three buildings when completed.

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Two of the three buildings, the Berkley and the Alma, will be constructed first, with the Cambridge following later. Each one will have its own curb appeal, but all are designed to integrate into the neighbourhood, hence the plan to maintain the existing trees. The wellness amenities of sauna, steam room, cold and hot plunge pools and fully-equipped fitness room are centrally located in the Berkley for all the residents’ use. All three buildings have their own rooftop amenities that feature an indoor-outdoor flow from an expansive entertainment and co-workspace to patio lounging, dining, fire pits, communal gardens and children’s play area.

The interiors at Ashleigh Oakridge will feature classic styling with design-forward touches.
The interiors at Ashleigh Oakridge will feature classic styling with design-forward touches. Photo by Supplied by Peterson Group

The interiors of the homes, which Sprowson says offer generous, well-laid-out floorplans, feature numerous elevated design details that complement a classic esthetic. His personal favourite is the pot filler over the gas cooktop in the kitchen. “There’s not too many times you run into that, and there’s a little feature that’s practical, helpful and useful but is also tricky and expensive to do,” he says.

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The interior design team at Ste. Marie Studio framed their overall concept around the idea of classic styling accented with design-forward touches.

“We looked at it through the lens of a single-family home and wanting it to feel really timeless,” says Craig Stanghetta, founder and creative director of Ste. Marie Studio. “We don’t want it to feel that it doesn’t have a little bit of risk. There’s a little bit of risk in terms of some brushed metal accents.”

Their use of a bold marble for the kitchen backsplashes makes a dramatic visual statement, but though striking, the pattern is a classic marble, not one heavily veined, and one that would be at home in a Paris apartment or a New York brownstone, Stanghetta observes. In the larger homes, they’ve used it to wrap the islands. “They become a big feature, but in some of these other ones, we’re using the manufactured stone in those areas and letting the backsplash be the big design gesture,” Stanghetta says.

The wellness amenities will include sauna, steam room, cold and hot plunge pools and a fully-equipped fitness room.
The wellness amenities will include sauna, steam room, cold and hot plunge pools and a fully-equipped fitness room. Photo by Supplied by Peterson Group

In the smaller units where the backsplashes are marble, but quartz is used on the counter and island surfaces, the team introduced a dining table-island combination that works for multiple uses—kitchen prep, home office or dining—and the generous bank of wall storage available in the L-shaped configuration allowed for this unique style of island.

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“I think we just acknowledged that sometimes people are prioritizing different things, and if you’re in a one-bedroom living scenario, then we want the flexibility to choose your own adventure with that piece of furniture,” Stanghetta explains.

The appliance package is Miele and features built-in coffee makers, gas ranges, speed ovens, wall ovens and, in some units, wine fridges. There are also sleek can lights over the islands and open shelving for personalizing the space. Sprowson notes that the full-height pantries also boost the kitchens’ functionality and that, though expected when downsizing from a single-family home, they’re often not an option in condo living.

“It’s also a striking kitchen. You look at the marble backsplash and the marble countertop with the waterfall edge, and you’ve got all the functionality, but it’s also, dare I say, very pretty to look at,” he says.

When complete, each building at Ashleigh Oakridge will have rooftop amenities that include an entertainment and co-workspace, patio lounging, dining, fire pits, communal gardens and children's play area.
When complete, each building at Ashleigh Oakridge will have rooftop amenities that include an entertainment and co-workspace, patio lounging, dining, fire pits, communal gardens and children’s play area. Photo by Supplied by Peterson Group

The bathrooms reflect that same mix of functionality and sophisticated styling, with details like flattering sconce lighting and wall-mount toilets. Stanghetta says the floating shelf under the medicine cabinet creates a “nice balance of high-functional storage but then these clean lines that also give you a more fully designed and realized space.”

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He notes that the double vanities in the larger bathrooms have an oversized countertop, a beautiful detail that works with the timeless design concept: attention to detail that will last. The combination of timelessness with contemporary accents creates interiors that reflect the project’s overall vision.

The development is ideally situated to allow residents to be central to everything while enjoying a quiet location.

“This is a viable option for anyone who wants concrete, a good amount of space, decent amenities, all the walkability and proximity to Oakridge and all the cool stuff that’s on the Cambie corridor,” Stanghetta observes.

Ashleigh Oakridge

Project Address: 5080 Ash Street, Vancouver

Project Scope: A development of three, four-storey, concrete, boutique buildings offering one, two and three-bedroom homes that range from 590 to 1,800 square feet. Each building features rooftop amenities and a shared wellness and fitness centre in the Berkley building.

Developers: Peterson Group

Architects: GBL Architects

Prices: Starting in the low $800,000s

Sales centre: Ashleigh PC 2094 W 43rd Ave, Vancouver

Sales centre hours: Open daily (Except Friday), noon to 5 p.m.

Sales phone: 604-476-429

Website: ashleighoakridge.com

Occupancy date: Estimated completion summer 2028

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    HAVAN announces finalists for its annual Awards for Housing Excellence

  2. This three-bedroom detached house located at 12614 Thornton Place, in  Maple Ridge, was listed for $1,298,888 and sold for $1,275,000.

    Sold (Bought): Proximity to greenbelt key to Maple Ridge home’s appeal

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