iPad

From the latest news to the most comprehensive tutorials, learn how to get the most out of your iPad with our step-by-step guides and expert tips.

Ten ways iPad Air 2 is better than iPad mini 3

Deciding between the original iPad mini and the iPad 4 was tedious due to a feature gap stemming from the notable hardware differences between the two. On the other hand, the choice between the iPad mini with Retina display (or the iPad mini 2, as it's now called) was a no-brainer. Both came outfitted with essentially the same hardware— from the sensors to the A7/M7 chips to the cameras — so the decision came down to picking your preferred screen size.

That said, brain work is required to make an informed purchasing decision concerning the latest iPads. In case you missed it, Apple's brought minor changes to the iPad mini 3 and the device got only like thirty seconds of stage time. Conversely, the iPad Air 2 is a much more substantial upgrade.

Here are ten iPad Air 2 features that the iPad mini 3 lacks which make the bigger model a better buy and arguably the right device to boost your tablet computing.

Rdio ushers in iPhone 6 and CarPlay support, interactive alerts and more in major iOS 8 update

Following a recent overhaul with new features, free streaming in more than two dozen countries and other perks, Rdio, the popular Internet service, on Thursday pushed a major iOS 8 focused update.

Following in the footsteps of rival Spotify which two weeks ago added support for CarPlay, Apple's in-car iPhone entertainment system, Rdio has now jumped on the automotive bandwagon, too.

In addition to music playback and navigating your favorites and playlists from the built-in display in CarPlay-enabled cars, Rdio 3.0.4 has a handy new control to adjust streaming quality (should prove indispensable to those concerned about cellular data usage).

Moreover, this update adds support for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus screen sizes, iOS 8's Interactive Notifications (you can play music and follow other users directly from an alert) plus other nice-to-haves mentioned after the jump.

New cellular iPads feature versatile Apple SIM for seamlessly switching from one carrier to another

Amongst the many new features included in the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3, we've come across an interesting one specific to the cellular models. It's a new pre-installed, Apple-branded SIM that allows you to switch seamlessly between participating US and UK carriers.

We've seen a number of Apple-filed patents pertaining to such an invention over the years, with some even speculating that the company was looking to become a wireless provider. But it appears it just wanted to make it easier to use the iPad with short-term data plans.

Apple Store goes offline ahead of today’s iPad/Mac event

Just as you'd expect, Apple's Online Store in the United States and around the world has been taken offline ahead of today's iPad and Mac media event. This is Apple's standard modus operandi: the company always takes the online store down ahead of major press conferences and important events.

Visiting the store yields the message “We'll be back. We're busy updating the Apple Store for you and will be back soon”. Typically, the store refreshes with new products right after the event has wrapped up so today should be no different.

‘Apple Events’ channel now available on Apple TV

Apple TV owners will notice that the ‘Apple Events’ channel has returned to their main menu this morning with an invitation-matching icon. As with previous events, this channel will allow you to watch a live stream of today’s iPad keynote (here's hoping it goes better than last time).

Apple will also be streaming the event to its website, where users running Safari on OS X or iOS will be able to tune in. For those that are unable to watch live, Apple typically uploads a video of its event to its YouTube channel within 24 hours or so, or you can just follow along with us.

Join iDB for tomorrow’s iPad event

The iPad event is now just 18 hours away, and we can't wait to see what announcements Apple has in store. A thinner, more powerful iPad Air 2 with Touch ID and a higher resolution display, refreshed iPad mini, and a 4K 27-inch iMac are just a few things rumored to be on the menu.

Apple has confirmed that it will be streaming the festivities to its website and various iOS devices, but for those who won’t be able to watch the keynote live, iDB has you covered. We will be here all day, providing coverage of all announcements made before, during and after the event.

iOS 8 User Guide inadvertently confirms ‘iPad Air 2’ and ‘iPad mini 3’ with Touch ID and Burst mode

An inadvertent (or is it?) slip-up on Apple’s iBooks Store on Wednesday all but confirmed that tomorrow's media event will in fact serve as a launchpad for a pair of iPad refreshes: a second-generation iPad Air and third-generation iPad mini. Furthermore, the images suggest Touch ID fingerprint scanning for both new tablets, in addition to Burst camera mode for the regular-size iPad.

These revelations were made public via iTunes screenshots for the iOS 8 iPad User Guide that can be downloaded to iBooks, as first discovered by the prolific Apple blogger Mark Gurman of 9to5Mac.

Rovio releases Angry Birds Transformers globally

Following its soft-launch in New Zealand, Australia, Canada and Finland on September 25, Rovio's Angry Birds Transformers is now available globally as a free-to-play download for the iPhone and iPad, the Finnish mobile games maker announced Wednesday morning.

Featuring cars, trucks, tanks and planes and a plethora of heroes and villains with unique attacks and abilities, the movie tie-in challenges your Autobirds (I chuckled) to save Piggy Island from the crazed robots on a mission to nuke it out of orbit.

TSMC reportedly lands contract to build A8X processor for iPad Pro

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world's leading independent semiconductor foundry, has landed a contract to fabricate Apple's upcoming A8X mobile processor, Taiwanese trade publication DigiTimes reported Wednesday.

The chip, which leaked on claimed photographs earlier this week, is said to feature faster graphics.

In addition to an improved GPU, it reportedly incorporates twice as much RAM as its A8 counterpart, which powers the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. As such, the A8X should power Apple's rumored 'iPad Pro' tablet with an ultra high-resolution 12.9-inch screen.

Apple to unveil 27-inch Retina iMac this week, initial iPad Air 2 supplies may be limited

Apple plans to unveil a new 27-inch iMac with Retina display at its event tomorrow, reports Ming-Chi Kuo. In a note to investors, the highly regarded analyst offers up last minute predictions of what Mac and iOS products we can expect to see announced during the keynote.

Kuo says that a 27-inch Retina iMac is on the docket, and should be available before the end of the year. Due to the difficulties involved in developing and mass producing different hi-res panels, however, he doesn't see a 21-inch version arriving before the second half of 2015.

Roundup + poll: what are you most excited about for Apple’s Thursday event?

In less than 48 hours, journalists blessed with Apple's “It's been way too long” invitation will gather on the Town Hall Campus grounds in Cupertino, California for another dose of technology news.

With new iPads and OS X Yosemite on everyone's mind, it's time to step back and asses exactly what other goodies Apple may or may not deliver at its media conference. And what better way to make such a roundup entertaining than a listicle augmented by a poll?

Here's a dozen predictions of our own so please kindly vote for your favorite one.

Apple said to be planning October 24 launch for new iPads

Apple is planning to launch its new iPads on October 24, according to a new report from MacRumors. Citing a reliable source, the outlet claims that the new tablets expected to be unveiled on Thursday will become available for purchase on Friday of the following week.

The source told the site that Apple was shipping "mass quantities" of a new product to the United States, in preparation for the October 24 launch, although they did not specifically say iPads. That being said, given timing and context, the product is almost certainly tablets.