iOS7 iMessage - what has changed in SMS app ?

Messages or texts are one of the most used application in any mobile phone. Apple iMessage was introduced two years back, which is the new beginning for a iMessage which is a combination of SMS and instant messaging.New shows that messaging app has been revamped and it is quite different than the previous version - iOS6. Let's have a look at what has been changed in ios7 SMS application?

Looks - a simple blue and white interface

Apple believes in simplicity and we have used white and blue combination for messages application. Green - white combination indicates IM, whereas blue- white combination represents normal text SMS. The UI is pretty amazing and there are lots of small features which have been included in the app.

The basic functionality of the application remains the same and their small change for the send button. The button carries Gray theme which is different from its previous version. the shortcuts are same.

• Swipe to the left - to delete the whole conversation
• Tap On the status bar - to get to the top of the list
• Start new conversation- click on the upper right corner
• Copy/move the message - tap and hold the message

Color fades for older messages

This picture is pretty brilliant. As you keep getting new messages, color of the older messages gets lighter. This looks pretty amazing when you scroll from very old message to the latest message.

So we are going to say that we loved the revamped messaging system. The bubbles are bouncy, they can be pulled and stretched, the bubble color fades as a new message arrives and the best thing is they get delivered.

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iOS7 - Do you Hate new Safari icon ?

If you're hating new Safari browser's icon - you're not alone! Right after the preview of all new iOS7,one of the important makeover was new icons and facelift. majority of the people are actually Loving the facelift but have taken issues new icons for Apple iOS7. One of the most hated icon is Safari browser.

it's going to take who sometime for Apple users to get used to the new icons. Safari browser icon has been changed completely and it's difficult for user to easily track the new icon, Safari is one of the stock icons docked at the bottom of of your Apple device and according to the users they are likely to hide the icon just because it didn't like it.

These icons are not as clear and easily recognizable as before - such as the Reminders and Notes icons. The store symbols are too big in their icons, and the Game Center one is just depressing. There is no much change for the very basic usage icons such as call, text, clock and the notes.

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iOS7: How to Change SIRI's Search Engine to Google from Bing

Every iOS update brings tons of new features and new UI changes. iOS7 is not an exception and the beta update has been very significant in terms of default apps. Most of the changes are quite positive and welcomed by the Apple user community. Apple replaced Google by bing as a default search engine for voice assistant siri. That simply means SIRI will respond to the user queries with search results powered by Microsoft Bing. well , this is not a disaster still will be users willing to use SIRI with Google.

Replace Bing with Google for SIRI

The new OS has made quite a few changes in SIRI and that's why now results generated from Microsoft Bing are shown in embedded form. iOS7 beta version does not provide any setting to switch from Bing to Google but we are going to see a very simple trick to redirect you to Google. let's see how can you redirect a search on Google through SIRI.

before you could see the trick and start using Google, let us remind you that Microsoft Bing is the second largest search engine used after Google. so searches you'll get from SIRI will be perfect and close to what you will be searching. enough talking and let's see the trick.

Whatever you'd like to search just say 'search Google for ...'

if you're looking for a new iPhone candy shell case then you should say 'search Google for iPhone candy shell case'. SIRI opens Safari browser and redirects you to the Google with searched query 'iPhone candy shell case'.

This sounds pretty stupid but it does work. Will you like to get results from Microsoft Bing or will you use prefer to get your search results from Google?

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Pros and cons of Apple 2013 MacBook Air 13

While people were smitten by iOS7 release, Apple launched an improved MacBook air at Apple's WWDC  2013 event. The new Macbook air v11 and 13 comes with tons of improvements. The changes are not  very big but important enough to make cater the current strengths of the device. With the new Intel processors, Apple is promising 12 hours of battery life for the 13.3-inch model, and 9 hours for the 11.6-inch version. If you're comparing it with previous versions then there has been a significant improvement over the battery life, as last year’s Air models have just 7 hours/5 hours of battery life. The new MacBook air is faster, lighter and cheaper.

We have compiled a list of advantages and disadvantages for the latest Mac Book Air.

MacBook Air 13 pros

1. One of the noticeable features is Over 12 hours of battery life. It's quite amazing how a device powered with Intel i5 processor can last for entire day.
2. It users faster flash memory which means faster reading or writing data. This is crucial factor for system performance.
3. Improved graphics performance along with excellent keyboard and touchpad.
4. The new Mac Books are extremely light and very easy to carry anywhere.
5. It's cheaper than previous iterations.
6. Dual microphones for FaceTime and future Siri use which a clever thinking.

We have to admit that these devices are well built and designed to achieve the perfection. But we've found few points and there is always a little room for improvement.

MacBook Air 13 cons

1. Though this device is powerful and capable of playing high graphic games, fan can get noisy when playing games.
2. MacBook Air 13 Lacks HDMI which might be a turn off for some users.
3. The design remains the same , no major changes for exterior.

Prices

The 2013 MacBook Air (128GB PCIe SSD) costs  $1099 for  where as price for the 256GB PCIe SSD is $1299.

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Do I need Internet for iPhone 5 & iPad 4 iOS6.1 Jailbreak using evasi0n tool

Do I need Internet for Jailbreaking evasi0n  iOS6.1 - iPhone 5 & iPad 4

As the new jailbreak has been launched for iPhone 5 which has the iOS6.1 , people are very curious about getting the iOS jailbreak for their phones and pads. Lot of users often ask if it is necessary  to have internet when they jailbreak.

The answer is 'NO'.

You do not need the Internet for Jailbreaking iOS6 using evasi0n tool

It's not necessary to have internet while you jailbreak your iPhone 5 or iPad 4 - or any iOS 6.1 devices. The evasi0n has released iOS 6.1 jailbreak on the 4th February 2013 and web is full of posts how to get your iOS device jailbroken.

Just unzip all the files and start by clicking on the evasi0n after you finish going through the ReadMe. All the data will be retrieved from the setup, it doesn't need any connectivity to complete the jailbreaking of your iOS6.1 device. And after it all do not forget to thank the evad3rs team whose hard work made this jailbreak possible.

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How to get the evasi0n iOS6.1 Jailbreak for iPhone5 & iPad4 (with Video)

(Video Tutorial) How to get the iOS6.1 Jailbreak by evasi0n tool

Finally iOS6.1 Jailbreak has been launched and people are rushing to jailbreak their device. The Jailbreak took quite some time as Apple keeps patching up the loopholes used but group of devs called the 'evad3rs' composed of the popular Jailbreak devs MuscleNerd, planetbeing, pimskeks and pod2g worked at it really hard and released the tool evasi0n which could Jailbreak the iOS6.1 You just need download evasi0n tool from the site evasi0n.com and and run the exe inside and wait for the tool to do its magic. Let's see how to get iOS6 jailbreak for your apple devices. You can jailbreak iOS6.1 for your iPhone5, iPad4 and 20 other iDevices using a Mac, Linux or a Windows system.

evasi0n tool by eva3der - YouTube Video tutorial of iOS jailbreak goes live

Jailbreak iOS6.1 using evasi0n tool - for Linux, Windows & MAC

• Go to evasi0n's site & download evasi0n for Windows, Linux or MAC. This tutorial covers jail breaking for the windows system. Works on (Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 8 for 2013 )
• Before you start the Jailbreak process, go through the Readme inside the folder. Now right click on the evasi0n.exe file and select Run as administrator. If a user access control windows pops up, choose yes.
• Plug in your iPhone 5 or iPad or any device having iOS 6.x, it doesn't include any jailbreak for appleTV product.
• You will notice a pop up message on the evasi0n tool indicating that it has detected your Apple device.. Once your apple device is detected, the Jailbreak button will be enabled.
• To begin the jailbreak process, click the Jailbreak button.
• All the needed steps will now be performed automatically which includes lot of commands to the bootrom etc and this may take a while, so wait for sometime.
• Now system will ask you unlock your device. Now unlock your device, and you will see a new application icon on your springboard named “Jailbreak”. Tap this Jailbreak app once , and the screen should go black and then return to the Home screen. 
• Please Make sure to tap the application icon only ONCE (this is really important).
• You will continue to see messages such as injecting JB data, and Root File system successfully remounted on the evasi0n tool.
• After all the steps are s completed, you will see a “Done!” pop up message on the evasi0n tool. The system will then ask you to reboot your newly jailbroken apple device..
• Done!

This process has been verified by tons of users who used the evasi0n Jailbreak tool and it is working on every iOS6.x devices released so far uptill Feb 2013

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iOS 6.1 Jailbreak Monday release by evad3rs - iOS 6.1 released with more LTE support and Siri enhancements

Update: The iOS6.1 Jailbreak is out and working... read about it here.

iOS 6.1 released, jailbreak to be released on Sunday

The highly anticipated iOS 6.1 has just been released by Apple to the public... after a long and a relatively patient wait by the jailbreak community. The newly formed jailbreak team known as 'evad3rs' composed of MuscleNerd, pimskeks, pod2g and planetbeing can now start testing if their method of jailbreaking which can jailbreak a staggering 22 iOS devices is still valid or not. Hopefully everything goes great and the jailbreak is released for iOS 6.1 this week itself... we know we've kept our fingers crossed.

We'll be updating the list of features of the new iteration of iOS will be updated as soon as it finishes downloading for us.

So far, the features we know are...

- LTE support for more carriers (complete list of supported carriers here)
- Purchase movie tickets through Fandango via Siri (USA only)
- iTunes Match subscribers can now download individual songs from iCloud
- New button to reset the Advertising Identifier

iOS 6.1 Jailbreak Status

However what most people are waiting for is a word from the evad3rs team on the jailbreak progress front as Apple continues to play its game of cat and mouse with the devs making it harder and harder for them to find a working un-tethered jailbreak with every single iOS release.

The evad3ers have given sufficient hints via reddit and twitter to indicate that they have a fully working jailbreak that can run untethered on 22 iOS devices and that they have been waiting for iOS 6.1 to finalize it and release it to the public.

What remains now is to verify that every exploit discovered is still working and if so, to package it and release it to the masses... and if by some chance some exploit has been patched by Apple, it would be a step back and they will have to start looking for exploits again thus delaying the jailbreak everyone is expecting.

Update by planetbeing: iOS 6.1 seems to be vulnerable to the exploits we are planning on using

Awwwww yeaaaaaaa...!

Update 2 by planetbeing: 

Update 3 by MuscleNerd:

iOS 6.1 to be released coming Sunday Monday 4th Feb

So there you go folks, you couldn't possibly need a clearer hint than this. MuscleNerd confirmed that the iOS 6.1 is safe to update and his above hint pretty much says the coming Sunday is the day they'll be releasing the iOS 6.1 Jailbreak unless something critical puts a stop to their plans. In the past the jailbreaks have usually been released on Sunday giving meaning to the phrase "Sunday is Funday"

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Why you should still buy the iPad Mini - Advantages and Pros of iPad Mini over Nexus 7 and competitors

The iPad Mini is the latest device to cause an uproar in the market, with its supposedly mediocre screen and processor everyone out there has their pitchforks against Apple. We too published a post saying why one should avoid the iPad Mini and prefer the alternatives available in the market such as the Nexus 7 or maybe the Kindle. I, however being a self professed Apple fan think differently than my co-author. We have to realize that in the end Apple and Google are both companies out to make profit and they will make it either way, and if something is cheaper there will be some compromises. Sure its hard to go back into the "non-Retina" world now that we have a taste for it, but I have my reasons why you should still prefer to go for the iPad Mini.

Even though my first point of advantage could be about how the iOS itself is a lot smoother than Android, lets keep that out of the argument. We all know that Android will sooner or later remove the kinks in its OS and will be able to match up to Apple's offering. With that, here are my reasons on why I would prefer an iPad Mini still.

Processor Comparisons

Now before everyone starts shouting that Apple sucks in the matter of giving out spec upgrades also consider the fact that iOS and Android both run on different architectures. Think of the fact that an iPod touch having 128MB RAM and a single core can easily run high end games like Infinity Blade and N.O.V.A without any lag at all, while one of these is not available for Android, the other stutters and lags like crazy on a 1GB RAM dual core device. Looking at that comparison, is a device that has 512MB RAM and a dual core processor enough for anything the developers can throw at it? Yep. You can count on it.

Build Quality of the Device

If you're buying a device that you want to last, you would obviously prefer one with a good build quality. Apple has always been far far ahead of its competitors in that field. I still have a six year-old iPod that works perfectly fine even today. They know they are the king of the ring when it comes to the build quality match. And if I want a device that will definitely last at least 2-3 years versus a device which creaks and bends when it is new, there is no contest on which one to pick.

Upgrade Cycle

Apple has a yearly upgrade cycle (barring the iPhone 4S and the iPad 4) and maintains backward compatibility of at least up to two generations. I know many people are thinking of how the original iPad isn't even supported anymore even though its only three years old but then I can argue using the example of the iPhone 3GS... A device almost four years old and its still getting iOS updates. Whereas Android devices on the other hand fade out of memory when they reach the customer. Devices like the Nexus One which are slightly over two years old are already out of the loop of software updates. So if you need to buy a device that you will hold on to for the next three years, which one will you choose? One getting updates and slightly pricier or the one that doesn't guarantee updates and is cheaper?

No Malware allowed

I don't think this one needs much explanation. Downloading an Android App these days seems like a game in itself... with the user thinking will it be another ad infested joke on an actual App or will it actually be fun to use as a daily means of consuming data and media while on the other hand every App submitted to the App Store is reviewed by Apple to see if it is up to their standards.

Rich Ecosystem

And now for my biggest argument which is also sort of abstract in nature... I'm a sucker for aesthetics, and by that I don't mean just the beautiful hardware aesthetic. The Android Apps are always in a seemingly endless loop of playing catch-up to the iOS counterparts. And even then they're not as beautiful as the ones on iOS. Also add the fact that iOS has a lot of exclusives that are an absolute joy to use for example Garage Band, DJay, Bastion and Infinity Blade show off the marvelous capabilities of your device. Yes, Android seems to have a replacement app for everything out there but that doesn't mean its a good app. For instance, take the Facebook, one of the most popular ones on both platforms... and you will notice a difference between the two. More developers flock to iOS simply because its easier to develop and easier to sell on iOS. The SDK for iOS is by far Apple's biggest and most underrated achievement in my opinion. It allows amateur developers to produce beautiful Apps and makes it all look effortless. When you have to use a device day in and day out, after a while you wont care about what specs your device has and it wont matter if its a dual core or a quad core. What will matter is what you see on that big beautiful screen on yours. And so far Apple is winning.

The use of the desktop has made us all so used to comparing RAM and processor speeds that we compare specs these days without even thinking of anything else, be it a different device altogether (Phone vs Tablet vs Desktop) or a different architecture (Android vs Windows Phone vs iOS). Its as if people just want to boast of having the biggest thing, be it the screen size or the hardware specifications. My huge rant may or may not have convinced you of my opinion, but just remember what we were taught when we were kids, good things often come in small packages... and with the iPad Mini I say we might even see the larger iPad become obsolete in favor of this little package.

Liked this post? Leave us a comment... Didn't like it, or have a different opinion? Tell us why in the comments!

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iOS Best Apps and Games of 2012 for iPhone and iPad released by Apple

A guide for the new iOS device users

While a long time user of Apple devices like iPhone and iPad wont have much of a problem trying to sort through the massive listing of games and apps released each week, every year more and more new people join the Apple ecosystem. And as with every normal user, we all like to know what the best offerings were of the year that has gone past just in case we might have missed that one special game that could entertain us for hours or that app which could make our lives easier. So if your iPhone or your iPad was your first foray into the massive world of iOS, surely you'd want to know what were the best games and apps to download for your device in the year 2012.

Apple Releases Best of 2012 List

Apple knew that every blog and website releases their version of the 'Best Apps and Games of 2012 for the iPad or the iPhone' and thought they could help the users out a little in this area and prematurely released their own version of the list based on popularity & sales, and I have to say the entire list is made up of some really amazing apps and games. Some of them might even be the best iOS has had to offer ever, with the developers pushing the boundaries of the platform with graphic intensive games or sometimes with amazingly intuitive apps. Each one of them has something special and unique to offer, be it games like Rayman Jungle Run or apps like Paper by Fifty Three they are all truly the best iOS has to offer in the year of 2012

List has something for Everyone

The App Store Best of 2012 is divided into different categories of apps so almost everyone will find something they can enjoy. Apple didn’t stop with just the App Store and its huge offering of Apps and Games. The Best of 2012 list also includes great choices from Music, Movies, TV Shows, Books, and even Podcast.

You can check out the entire list released here
Is there any app you think should have been included? Or maybe one that deserve its ranking? Let us know in the comments.

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iPhone 5S Leaked Pics and Rumors

The iPhone 5S Rumor and Leaked Pics

The iPhone 5 availability isn't regular yet worldwide and we already have leaked pics of the rumored iPhone5S. Going as per the leaked images, Apple has maintained the design the same as the iPhone 5 keeping with its trend of maintaining the form factor of the phone for two generations but the internals are distinctively different. Rumors on the internet said that Apple will release its 7th generation of iPhone, the iPhone5S in the first half of 2013. However, the latest news said that its released date will be some day next summer.

Ready for production?

It has also been reported that the components suppliers of the new iPhone5S have already submitted their samples to Apple and will trial-manufacture 50~100 K new iPhone5S.
While the media are still speculating the reliability of these rumors, a couple of rear housing pictures of suspected new iPhone5S were found and leaked to the web.
The images originally leaked over at iPhone5parts and were publicized by Etrade Supply.

iPhone 5S vs iPhone5

Going by the history of the company, the next iPhone5S will retain the iPhone 5 form factor and industrial design while adding a hardware boost to the specs with a faster CPU/GPU, better camera technology, updated wireless and cellular technologies and so forth.


If you really think about it, it doesn't make much sense really. The iPhone 5 has been extremely popular and is flying off the shelves as we speak and it would be foolish of Apple to replace it with a new version before summer 2013. Also, the iPhone 5 is still in the process of rolling out globally and won’t available in a hundred countries before year’s end.

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iTunes Store launches in India, Russia and 54 other countries

iTunes Store Launches in India and other 55 countries

The iTunes Store has just been launched in a multiple number of countries and more specifically, India is one of them. Its nice to see that Apple is now starting to consider India as a full fledged market for its product offerings. The iTunes Store unlike the App Store is a media seller. This means that you can now download all your favorite songs and movies from iTunes itself at a price.

Selling Media at a Reasonable Price, but is it enough?

Yes, We Indians are very used to piracy and not many people want to pay for their movies but the Store has set a pretty good bar for its price with new songs priced at Rs. 12 which is ~0.22$ and whole albums for Rs. 96 which comes to ~1.75 The new pricing is pretty nice as it is competitive but iTunes lacks one feature that its competitor the Nokia Music Store offers unlimited downloads for a week for Rs. 55 which is a complete steal. The plus point of iTunes is that anything brought from the Store is automatically available to be synced across multiple devices via Apple's iCloud. This is a major step for Apple in promoting the music bands themselves but I as a user don't think India is the right market to be pitching to.

Full Press Release by Apple

    MOSCOW—December 4, 2012—Apple® today announced the launch of the iTunes Store® in Russia, Turkey, India, South Africa and 52 additional countries featuring an incredible selection of local and international music from all the major labels and thousands of independent labels. The iTunes Store features local artists including Elka in Russia, Sezen Aksu in Turkey, AR Rahman in India, and Zahara in South Africa, international artists including The Beatles, Taylor Swift and Coldplay, and world-renowned classical musicians including Lang Lang, Yo Yo Ma and Yuja Wang. Customers can choose from over 20 million songs available to purchase and download on the iTunes Store.

    Movie fans can choose from a wide selection of films available for rent or purchase from the iTunes Store, with many available in stunning HD, from major studios including 20th Century Fox, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, The Walt Disney Studios and Warner Bros. Pictures, as well as leading local distributors.*

    The iTunes Store is available in 119 countries and is the best way for iPhone®, iPad®, iPod®, Mac® and PC users to legally discover, purchase and download music online. All music on the iTunes Store comes in iTunes Plus®, Apple’s DRM-free format with high-quality 256 kbps AAC encoding for audio virtually indistinguishable from the original recordings.

    iTunes® in the Cloud lets you download your previously purchased iTunes music to all your iOS devices at no additional cost, and new music purchases can be downloaded automatically to all your devices. In addition, music not purchased from the iTunes Store can gain the same benefits by using iTunes Match?, a service that stores your entire music library in iCloud® for access at any time, from any iOS device. iTunes Match is available for purchase in the new countries added today.

    Customers also have access to the revolutionary App Store? with more than 700,000 apps available in 155 countries.

What do you as a user think about the new iTunes Store? Would you pay a small price to have a song legally or wouldn't mind carrying on with pirated one? Let us know in the comments.

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New Slimmer Apple iMac 2012 Editions Models & Prices

New Apple iMac - 2012 Models & Prices

Apple has announced the launch date for new iMac computers in India. The Slimmer and Sleeker New iMac is likely to arrive in India on the 30 November, 2012. This year, Apple rolled out refreshes for almost all of its Product line including iPhone 5, iPod 4th Generation, iPad mini and now iMac will be the new addition to the team.

iMac Models - 21.5 & 27 inches

The new iMac models will be showcased in 2 sizes - 21.5 inch & 27 inch. The new models will supposedly have 75% less reflection. As we all know iMacs have standalone system & uni body design. All the new Apple iMac models will have 8 GB 1600 MHZ of RAM which is almost too much firepower. The memory technology called as Fusion Drive has been introduced as a compromise between SSD and a Hard Disk which combines 1 TB Hard disk with 128 GB of SSD and gives a performance which is only slightly lesser than the SSD. The new iMac has been redesigned to make it extremely slim thanks to a new welding process called the "friction-stir welding" The new device comes in two models, 21.5-inch with a resolution of 1920 x 1080, and a 27-inch model at 2560 x 1440. They're less than an inch thick, a significant reduction in size and weight and is almost 8 pounds lighter.

iMac Models - Price in India

21.5 inch iMac - 2.7 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 CPU - Rs 86,000
27 inch iMac - 2.9 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 CPU - Rs 100,000
* both the models come with NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M card.

2.9 GHz quad-core Core i5 and GeForce GTX 660M - Rs 123,000.
3.2 GHz quad-core Core i5 and GeForce GTX 675MX - Rs 135,000.

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Should You Upgrade or Not Upgrade to iPad 4 (Fourth Generation iPad)

Apple recently launched the new iPad Mini and as a surprise released the new fourth generation iPad (iPad 4) with an A6X processor and lightning connector even though the iPad 3 was launched in March itself. Rubbing a little salt in the wound is that the new iPad 4 is almost twice as fast as the third generation one which is bad news for a lot of people who have most recently got their iPads. However is it really bad news? In no way does it make your device obsolete. I guess most people feel slighted by Apple because this is the first time they have got to experience what an Android user experiences with newer devices coming out left and right. So should you upgrade? Read on below.

iPad 4 - Should you Upgrade ?

Buying your first tablet

If you've never bought a tablet and are looking for a good choice, there is no question. Apple's iPad is far more superior to any tablet in the market. The experience of an iPad is absolutely amazing with its retina screen and its amazing selection of Apps. Some might argue that all of those apps are on the Android ecosystem too but where Apple beats Google is the quality of those apps. Most of the Android tablet apps are just phone apps scaled to size thus not making use of the larger space area of the tablet. If an iPad 4 is too costly for you you can look into the iPad Mini which is significantly cheaper than the full sized iPad. If you like the open nature of Android, you shouldn't even be reading this post.

If you're already an iPad or an Android tablet user 

Reasons why you shouldn't upgrade to iPad 4

- The biggest reason not to upgrade to the new iPad 4 is that the iPad 3 is already so far ahead of the competition. None of the other tablets can match up to the processing power of the third generation of the iPad and buying the new iPad  just because it loads the apps marginally better is overkill. None of the applications, even the processing intensive games like Real Racing or Infinity Blade II stutter even the slightest on the iPad 3.

- Just because a new iPad was launched, it does not make your iPad obsolete, only slightly outdated. You count on the fact that Apple will not stop support for the iPad 3. Any major features introduced in the future will be supported by your iPad 3 also so you wont be missing out on anything.

Reasons why you should upgrade to iPad 4

- If you're a hardcore Apple fan and just have to have the latest device launched for the bragging rights you should upgrade.

- If you have an older iPad and have some spare cash, the new iPad is the best choice. Its amazingly fast, and has LTE support for most countries.

- If you're looking to hold on to your tablet for the long term, like say the next 3-4 years or so the iPad 4 is the perfect model to upgrade. The iPad 4 is at its almost perfect form now and in my opinion most of the changes from now will be internal. In terms of processing power the A6X is miles ahead of any other tablet out there and none, not even one application in the app store comes close to utilizing the full power capability of the new iPad, thus making it ideal for the long term purchase

What are your thoughts on the new fourth generation iPad? Do you think its worth the price? Let us know in the comments.

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Why you shouldn't buy iPad Mini - Cons, Disadvantages of iPad Mini

Why you shouldn't buy iPad Mini - Cons, Disadvantages of iPad Mini

Apple has unleashed complete range of new apple products in 2012. After iPhone 5, this year’s most anticipated device Apple iPad mini hits the market in Q4 of 2012. The iPad Mini is Apple's first entry into the mid level price range tablet market. After ruling the market with its 10 inch iPad, Apple is now trying to enter the market for the cheaper tablets. While a lot of people might see this as the 7 inch tablet cannibalizing their 10 inch one, its better to sell a 7 inch iPad Mini to a customer rather than none.

My co-author seems to have a different opinion on this topic and he has voiced his thoughts a post detailing his reasons to still prefer an iPad Mini

Even though its packed with some awesome features, iPad mini has a few cons - disadvantages which are plainly visible to every informed user looking to buy a tablet.

No Retina Display in iPad mini

One of the major cons will be missing the highly popular Retina display feature of the larger iPad. The iPad 3 introduced us to the awesome retina display and so it was expected that iPad mini would feature the retina display too as Apple seems to be taking the 'make all products retina' road. But for some unknown reasons probably to reduce the cost of the device, the decision to omit the Retina Display is a huge drawback.

It’s still quite expensive for a 7 inch tablet

The iPad mini is more expensive than any of its competitor tablets like Nexus 7 and the Kindle Fire. Granted the device will offer unmatchable quality of an Apple device, any user will think twice before going for the iPad Mini especially when the Nexus 7 sells for just $200, iPad mini’s cellular data model seems even more overpriced where a user has to pay a huge amount of 100$ just to be able to use cellular data .

iPad Mini (white/Black)	8 GB	16 GB	32GB	64 GB
Wifi	$ 250	$ 350	$ 450	$ 550
Wifi + Cellular	$ 350	$ 450	$ 550	$ 650

Low screen resolution

Apple devices have made an impression with their Retina display screen making everything look sharp. Compared to that the 162 ppi offered by the iPad Mini is not a very great screen resolution when the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 has 170ppi. Almost every other competitor to the iPad Mini has a sharper screen than it, giving the device a huge negative.

Older Chipset & no default USB connectivity

The iPad mini was launched with a chip-set which was used in iPad 2, the A5X. Technically it is a 2 generation old chipset and while surely Apple must have made some modifications here and there to improve the performance, an almost two year old gap is way too much in the electronics world.
Apart from that its puzzling why apple always avoid giving prime connectivity options like USB connectivity and microSD slots in their device. These are the kind of points that make people choose other options and slowly but surely Apple is learning that now by losing sales to competitors.


The iPad Mini might be a really great device but Apple has clearly just stuffed older hardware into a smaller size and it has tried to hold back on features it wants to keep exclusive to the larger 10 inch iPad like the Retina Display etc so that people still have a reason to buy the larger model but the new iPad Mini has disappointed a lot of people who had higher expectations. But if we go plainly by the history of Apple releases, the iPad Mini will continue to sell extremely well regardless similar to the iPhone 4S which was touted as one of the most disappointing releases by Apple but went on to be a top selling phone.

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Google LG Nexus 4 vs iPhone 5 : Specs & Comparison

Google LG Nexus 4 vs iPhone 5 - Specs

Apple made iPhone 5 faster, thinner & smarter & undoubtedly it is much ahead of it's competitors in terms for hardware as well as software. Where LG Nexus 4 has some awesome features & it beats the iPhone in terms of affordability.

Google-LG's Nexus 4. Nexus 4 is one of the most anticipated devices of the year 2012. Apple iPhone 5  was rolled out earluer this year &  we are going to compare Google LG Nexus 4 vs iPhone 5.

	Google LG Nexus 4	Apple iPhone 5
Intro	After a series of leaks very little was left for launch day, the Nexus 4 announcements ended with all the fans happy- it's $100 cheaper than the Galaxy Nexus, yet it integrates a quad-core Snapdragon CPU, larger display, and 8 megapixel camera.	The iPhone 5 runs on a new Apple designed custom A6 CPU which it claims is twice as fast as its predecessor, and adds 4G network radios. A recent teardown by iFixit, along with some analysis has established that the A6 runs on ARM7 architecture, with three modified GPU cores.
Display	4.7 inch IPS Plus capacitive touch-screen, 16M colors, 768x1280 pixels (~318 ppi)	4-inch LED backlit LCD, capacitive touch-screen, 16M colors, 1136x640 pixels, (326 ppi)
CPU	Qualcomm APQ8064, quad-core 1.5 GHz	A6 Processor, modified-quad-core 1.4GHz
GPU	Adreno 320	Triple-core PowerVR SGX 543MP3
Storage and RAM	8/16 GB storage, 2 GB RAM	16GB/32GB/64GB, 1 GB RAM
Camera	8 MP, 3264x2448 pixels, autofocus, LED flash, 1080p@30fps, Secondary Camera	8 MP, 3264x2448 pixels, autofocus, LED flash, 1080p@30fps. 1.2 MP 720p Secondary Camera
Connectivity	HSDPA, 21 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, DLNA, Bluetooth v4.0 with A2DP, microUSB (MHL) v2.0, A-GPS support and GLONASS	DC-HSDPA, 42 Mbps; HSDPA, 21 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps, LTE, 100 Mbps, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP, Lightning port, A-GPS support and GLONASS
Battery	Li-Po 2100mAh	Li-Ion 3.8V - 5.45Wh - 1434mAh battery
Price	$299(Rs 18,000), $349(Rs 20,000)	$649(Rs 45,500), $749(Rs 52,500), $849(Rs 59,500)
OS	Jelly Bean 4.2 supports wireless displays, and brings Swype like gestures for keyboard input, panoramic photos, support for multiple user profiles, apart from features integrated in ICS.	Launched last month, iOS 6 brings over 200 new features, native Facebook integration, Passbook, Shared Photo Streams, and a Panorama Mode for photography.
Pros and Cons	(+) Uses microSIM (+) Early firmware updates (+) NFC, MHL, wireless charging (-) No expandable storage slot (-) No LTE	(+)Unibody metal design (+)Extremely thin and light while still has that good quality build feeling when you hold it. (+)Comfortable for one-handed use regardless of 4 inch screen. (-)Uses a nanoSIM (-)A lot of mapping features like Flyover and the digital assistant Siri will not be supported in India.

Verdict

At half the price of the iPhone, clearly the most exciting smartphone launch this year - here's hoping LG can bring the phone down to India soon, and keep prices level. With a larger screen, incredibly thin build, even more improved camera optics, and a uni-body metal design, and the almost twice as fast A6 processor it's a considerably improved iPhone and gives lots of reasons for the loyal fans to upgrade to the new phone

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iPhone 5 India - Launch Date and Price Rumors

The iPhone 5 launched just a month ago has been one of the best selling smartphones in the world, so much so that Apple is still unable to deal with the inane amount of demand in the market. However, The iPhone 5 hasn't been launched in India yet where the demand for the iPhone has grown over the years and the people are desperate to get their hands on the beautiful phone.

The iPhone 5 - So what's New?

The iPhone 5, Made entirely out of aluminum and glass, weighs 112 grams, and is 20 percent lighter than the iPhone 4S, and is the thinnest iPhone yet at 7.6mm. Apple has chosen to debut iOS 6 with the iPhone 5. The new OS includes Apple's own highly controversial Maps app, an updated version of Siri and lots more. Overall, the new iPhone has been upgraded in almost all respects. The new iPhone comes with iOS 6 with over 200 new features, a 4-inch Retina display, an Apple-designed A6 chip for blazing fast performance, ultra-fast wireless technology and an improved battery life.

One of the biggest changes to iOS is the addition of Apple’s own Maps app in the place of Google Maps. The new Maps app has a built-in search for local points of interest, with over 100 million possible suggestions. Other features of the Maps app include turn-by-turn navigation, routing, Flyover maps, satellite imagery – that wraps around the 3D maps – and the ability to get turn-by-turn directions directly through Siri.

Here is a quick look at the highlighted features of the iPhone 5:

•     4-inch, 326ppi Retina display at 1136 x 640 pixels,
•     GPRS, EDGE, EV-DO, HSPA, HSPA+, DC-HSDPA, LTE and Wi-Fi
•     8-megapixel camera with 1080p HD recording, 720p front-facing camera
•     16GB, 32GB and 64GB versions

Launch Date

Rumors suggested that Apple would launch the iPhone 5 in India on the 26th October. However, Apple India has officially rejected rumors that the iPhone 5 is going to be launched in India on October 26. The folks at IBTimes India have contacted an Apple official, who confirmed that the company has no plans to launch the iPhone 5 in the country 'anytime soon'.

"We have no announcements at the moment on a launch (iPhone 5) or price in India. All reports currently (doing the rounds) are purely media speculation," PR Manager, Apple India told IBTimes.

Rumours about the iPhone 5 were triggered after BGR India citing 'multiple sources' claimed the device is going to hit the Indian shores on the last Friday of this month, which happens to be October 26. The tech site further claimed that Apple will taking care of the distribution of the iPhone 5 own, instead of teaming with the Indian cellular operators.

Hopefully we will know soon when Apple’s iPhone 5 will be launched in India. What we do know from previous roll-outs, is that India is on the ‘third wave’ of the official launch of the device. Speculation is that it is likely to go on sale ahead of the Diwali shopping season where it will see a large amount of sales..

Pricing

According to reports, the iPhone 5 will bear pricing similar or higher to the iPhone 4S (Rs. 44,500 for the 16GB model), when it launched it in India last year. Apple had first reduced the prices of the iPhone 4S to Rs 41,500 but later they were slashed down to Rs 38,500. This could be an indication that Apple is trying to decide on a suitable price for the new iPhone5 for the Indian market. Right now the in-demand iPhone 5 is available on the grey market and through sites like e-bay for a hefty premium amount with the highest being a whopping 1 lac Rupees for a 64GB variant.

Via: IBTimes

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iPad Mini Event Announcements and Keynote Video

Apple's iPad Mini event today was incredible. There have been a lot of expectations from Apple ever since Steve jobs passed away and today Tim Cook and the gang just unleashed a wave of new Apple products on the world for the second straight month. Yes, the iPad Mini made an appearance, but there was so much more sweet stuff that it’s hard to keep up with all the details.

iPad Mini- 7 inch Tablet with iOS6

Rather than making a ton of posts that will be written about the Apple event today, we’ve broken down all the necessary info into bite-size information nuggets just for you, so you can know all the essentials.

Things started off rather quietly, with Apple CEO Tim Cook giving shareholders a little update on just how much his company has achieved since, well, last month. After the usual flurry and superlatives and self-gratification, the products began to emerge as both Cook and Phil Schiller took it in turns to officially reveal the fruits of the fruit company’s labor.

iBooks

The first announcement was a new version of iBooks. No significant changes, but now it features continuous scrolling in between pages for easier reading, better iCloud support and social sharing features. Not exactly the kind of major rework everyone had hoped for, but still, we got one.

•     New continuous reading option
•     More iCloud integration saves the spot you were reading
•     Sharing features available for Facebook and Twitter
•     40 new languages supported
•     Available today

13-Inch Retina MacBook Pro

The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display was exactly what everyone in the blogosphere had hoped for, and offers those looking for a thinner, lighter (yet still high-end) notebook the chance to purchase one at a smaller size. The screen may be a bit smaller, but it’s no less impressive, and with a $1699 price tag, it’s a cool $500 cheaper than the entry-level 15-inch edition.

•     20% thinner than previous model at 0.75 inches thick
•     3.5lbs. Lightest MacBook Pro ever
•     No optical drive, 2 Thunderbolt ports, MagSafe 2, SD Card slot, HDMI out and 2 USBs
•     Retina display is 13.3 inch on the diagonal and a 2560 x 1600 resolution
•     Up to 768GB of flash storage, 8GB of RAM, Intel HD 4000 graphics, and Bluetooth 4.0
•     7 Hour battery life
•     Starting price is $1699
•     Ships today

 

Mac Mini

The Mac mini presented us with a refresh in line with what had been rumored for the weeks prior to this morning – featuring Intel’s newest Ivy Bridge processor along with four USB 3.0 ports, and with a server edition offering up to 2TB of HDD space, it does now look to be the real deal.

•     New base of 2.5 GHz quad-core i7 processor
•     4GB of RAM
•     Dual 1TB HDDs
•     Starts at $599
•     Available today

The new iMac2012

The iMac was given a beautiful redesign, which is now just 5mm thick at its thinnest points around the edges. The optical drive is gone, but taking into consideration the beauty of Apple’s favorite desktop computer, I doubt anyone will feel the loss.

•     5mm thin at the edge
•     45% thinner display is laminated to the glass with 75% less reflection
•     27-inch and 21.5 inch models available
•     FaceTime HD camera, Dual microphones, and stereo speakers
•     Up to 768GB flash storage, 32GB of RAM, Core i5 or i7 processor and NVIDIA graphics
•     Four USB 3.0, three Thunderbolt ports
•     Fusion Drive combines 128GB Flash storage and either 1 or 3TB HDD
•     21.5-inch iMac starts at $1299, 27-inch iMac $1799
•     21.5-inch available in November, 27-inch iMac available in December

The Mac alterations were very pleasing, but that wasn’t what took prime stage in the event. This was the iPad mini event, and when Schiller finally unveiled it to the world, all doubts about the device were put to rest.

The iPad Mini

It packs in the A5 processor, 720p 7.9-inch display, and with a bezel reflecting that of the iPod touch, it fits nicely into the hand. Although the idea of 12 different models turned out to be a little off, there’s still plenty of variety for everybody, and since $329 buys you 16GB of iPad mini I doubt there would be much demand for it.

•     7.9-inch screen with 1024-by-768 resolution
•     New aluminum glass enclosure
•     23% thinner than 4th gen iPad at 7.2mm thin
•     0.68 lbs (half the weight of the 4th gen iPad)
•     Dual-core A5 chip
•     FaceTime HD camera
•     5MP iSight camera on the back
•     LTE wireless with 802.11a/b/g/n dual-band WiFi
•     Lightning connector
•     10-hour battery life
•     Comes in black and white models
•     16GB Wifi starts at $329
•     Pre-orders start October 26th
•     Wifi models available in stores Nov. 2nd. Wifi+4G available mid-November 

The fourth generation iPad

Last but by no means least, Apple took the controversial decision to give the 3rd-gen iPad quite a few more changes than we’d bargained for. In fact, the new, "twice as fast" Apple A6X processor is quite a bump, and with better Wi-Fi support, improved 4G LTE in European / Asian nations, and the new Lightning connector, the major talking point seems to be how Apple has ripped off its customers. The people who bought their third generations recently must feel a twinge of disappointment that they finally know what every Android owner feels like.

•     A6X processor doubles CPU and graphics performance
•     10 hours of battery life
•     FaceTime camera is 720p
•     Retina display
•     Lightning connector supported, and 802.11a/b/g/n dual-band WiFi and LTE
•     Black and white models available
•     16GB Wifi starts at $499
•     Preorders start October 26th

You can check out today’s entire keynote video by heading over to this link. We’re certain that the event will be available to watch via YouTube as well soon, and when that happens; we’ll update this post and embed the video below this paragraph for your viewing pleasure.

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iPad Mini Announced - Features and Details

Apple has finally announced the iPad Mini today and it is exactly what most people expected... A smaller iPad with the specs and the hardware of iPad2. Here are the basic specifications, pricing etc. Though an impressive device it is basically an iPad for the cost conscious people.

Display

The display is exactly the same as the rumored 7.9 inches. The resolution is the same as the iPad2s 1024 x 768 giving it a pixel density of 163 ppi which comes nowhere near to the retina standard.

Cameras

The iPad mini is accompanied by two cameras, one at the front which supports FaceTime HD, and a 5-megapixel iSight Camera at the back which shoots video at 1080p.
Yes, the same rear-facing camera found in the latest generation iPad. In short; you don’t just get a smaller iPad, you also get an amazing camera which you can carry around with you most of the times.

 

Lightning Connector

As everyone might have expected, the 30-pin connector is long gone and the iPad mini comes with Apple’s brand-new Lightning connector which made its debut with the iPhone 5, fifth-gen iPod touch and the seventh-gen iPod nano.

Dimensions/Weight

Besides the reduced display size, the overall dimensions of the device have also been scaled down: It is slimmer and will, most definitely, have an appropriately reduced weight. Weighs in at just 0.68lbs, this thing is really, really light as far as we can tell. The device is just 7.2mm thick, and is dubbed as being thinner than a pencil. I guess we’ll buy that notion.

Processor/Battery life

With 10-hours of battery life, Apple hasn’t made any sort of sacrifice! And we really mean that. The iPad mini is powered an A5 processor, the one found inside the iPad 2. Its impressive that Apple can reduce the size of the device and still provide the same amount of battery life.

Price

iPad mini comes in Apple’s usual selection of colors: black and white. There are three storage configurations – 16GB ($329) / 32GB ($429) / 64GB ($529) – and two configurations based on connectivity – Wi-Fi only and LTE (add $130). This is quite expensive compared to the other 7" Android tablets on the market but is no surprise considering its an Apple branded product.

Siri

The assistant with a personality - Siri is a part of the iPad mini now, as well. Making its debut on the iPhone 4S, then making its way onto the third-gen iPad, then the iPhone 5 and iPod touch. Siri has found a new home in the iPad mini.

 

Availability

The iPad mini will be in stores in selected countries on November 2nd, with a wider availability rolled out in stages. Online pre-ordering start on Friday.
Combine the smaller display with slimmer, lighter design, lower price and you have a tablet that goes head to head with the likes of the popular Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HD. The next few months will be very interesting as we will see how not just consumers, but also how Google and Amazon will respond to it.
The best part about it being in the Apple ecosystem is that every app which works on the larger iPad works flawlessly on the iPad mini. Hence, the devs can rest assured that their apps can get into the hands of many at launch.

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Microsoft Surface vs Apple iPad vs Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1

Microsoft Surface v/s Apple iPad v/s Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1

Microsoft has finally revealed pricing and specification for its upcoming Surface tablet. Now that there's another big player in the Tablet market, it again begs the comparison to which tablet is the best. No doubt the iPad has ruled the market for a long time now and has blown away every competition so far, does the new Surface tablet have what it takes to dethrone the king? We'll get to know more when we can get our hands on one but for now we can at least compare the hardware specifications of the Surface Tablet with the other two big names in the Tablet market.

 Comparison Table of Surface v/s iPad v/s Galaxy Note 10.1

MicroSoft Surface RT Tablet

Here's the complete break down of specification of microsoft Surface, Apple iPad 3 & Samsuing Galaxy Tab 10.1.

	Microsoft Surface	Apple iPad	Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1
Pricing	$499 for 32GB w/o Touch Cover; $599 for 32GB w/ Touch Cover; $699 for 64GB w/ Touch Cover	$499 for 16GB; $599 for 32GB; $699 for 64GB	$499.99 for 16GB; $549.99 for 32GB
Operating system	Windows 8 RT	Apple iOS 6	Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
Size	10.81" high by 6.77" wide by 0.37" thick; 1.5 lbs	9.5" high by 7.31" wide by 0.37" thick; 1.44 lbs	10.3" high by 7.1" wide by 0.35" thick; 1.31 lbs
Display	10.6-inch, 1,366 x 760 pixel multi-touch	9.7-inch, 2,048 x 1,536 pixel multi-touch	10.1-inch, 1,280 x 800 pixel multi-touch
Camera	720p HD rear- and front-facing cameras	5-MP rear camera, VGA front-facing camera	5-MP rear camera, 1.3-MP front-facing camera
Processor	NVIDIA T30 processor	Dual-core Apple A5X processor	1.4GHz quad-core Exynos processor
Memory slot	Yes	No	Yes
Sensors	Accelerometer, digital compass, ambient light sensor, gyroscope	Accelerometer, digital compass, ambient light sensor, gyroscope	Accelerometer, digital compass, ambient light sensor, gyroscope
Ports	USB 2.0, 3.5mm headphone jack, HD video out, cover port	30-pin connector, 3.5mm headphone jack	USB 2.0, proprietary power connector, 3.5mm headphone jack, infrared port
Connectivity	Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0	Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0	Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0
Notable features	Features a “VaporMG” magnesium casing, ships with Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013	Siri personal assistant app, retina display with IPS technology for wider viewing angles	Ships with S Pen, a pressure-sensitive stylus that can be used to take handwritten notes
Colors	Carbon Black	Black, white	Gray, white

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iPad Mini Launch Date and Pricing Leaked

The iPad Mini is Apple's first entry into the mid level price range tablet market. After creating the tablet market with the original iPad in 2007 and owning the lions share of it for over two years Apple now wants to kick out its competition by making a lower priced tablet with the iPad Mini. One thing the fans can count on is that Apple doesn't go for cheap marketing tricks and release a sub-standard product like some of its competitors. With Apple, even the cost-conscious crowd can count on a product worth its price.

iPad Mini Launch Date

The new and long awaited iPad Mini is rumored to be launched on the 23rd of October which is  a Tuesday. This fact is interesting because Apple is breaking its usual trend of launching major products on a Wednesday like the iPad Retina and the iPhone. This date has been confirmed by various sources who have internal ties within Apple which makes it more than just a random rumor.

Update: Apple has sent out invites for a special even being held on the 23rd Oct with the tagline 'We've got a little more to show you.'

It will be the first time Apple has chosen to launch a product that will cannibalize the sales of another product i.e. the iPod Touch. But I guess with the popularity of the 7" tablets increasing day by day, its better to lose your sales to your own product than to a competitor.

iPad Mini Pricing

The newest device in the rumor-market, iPad Mini models and prices have been revealed by someone with access to the internal system of one of Europe’s largest electronics retailer.

According to the leaked screenshot there will be 16 options for the Apple fans to choose from, 8 WiFi only and 8 Cellular + WiFi and offers memory variations starting from a measly 8GB to 64GB.

The prices are an interesting comparison to an iPod Touch, which starts at $299 for 32GB, an iPad2, which starts at $399 for 16GB, and the newest retina iPad, which begins at $49 which will make the user think a little about what exactly he wants before going out to buy any of these.

However, as Apple is the pricing tends to be a little on the higher side thought not too high. Apple aren't really challenging the 200$ tablet market which is what Google and Amazon have done with the Nexus 7 and Kindle respectively which can afford to sell at low prices as they have different revenue models than Apple. Regardless, Im pretty sure Apple will manage to sell a lot of these, maybe even more than the 10" iPad seeing that the price is a lot lower than the original one... which allows it entry into the mid price range tablet market, a market which is sure to have a ton of Apple fans.

Different iPad Mini configurations that will be available:

• 8GB WiFi Black/White $250
• 8GB Cellular + WiFi Black/White $350
• 16GB WiFi Black/White $350
• 16GB Cellular + WiFi Black/White $450
• 32GB WiFi Black/White $450
• 32GB Cellular + WiFi Black/White$550
• 64GB WiFi Black/White $550
• 64GB Cellular + WiFi Black/White $650

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