#little m2 pro

[delightfulbatter]

You spend most of your life inside your head make it a nice place to be.

Program: Procreate

Device: Apple IPad Pro M2 11 inch 2022 Apple Pencil 2nd Generation.

[ms-demeanor]

Since some people might want a Mac, I'll offer a Mac equivalent of your laptop guide from the perspective of a Mac/Linux person.

Even the cheapest Macs cost more than Windows laptops, but part of that is Apple not making anything for the low end of the tech spectrum. There is no equivalent Mac to an Intel i3 with 4 gigabytes of RAM. This makes it a lot easier to find the laptop you need.

That said, it is possible to buy the wrong Mac for you, and the wrong Mac for you is the 13-inch MacBook Pro with the Touch Bar. Get literally anything else. If it has an M2 chip in it, it's the most recent model and will serve you well for several years. Any new MacBook Air is a good pick.

(You could wait for new Macs with M3, but I wouldn't bother. If you are reading these guides the M3 isn't going to do anything you need done that a M2 couldn't.)

Macs now have integrated storage and memory, so you should be aware that whatever internal storage and RAM you get, you'll be stuck with. But if you would be willing to get a 256 gig SSD in a Windows laptop, the Mac laptop with 256 gigs of storage will be just as good, and if you'd be willing to get 8 gigs of RAM in a Windows laptop the Mac will perform slightly better with the same amount of memory.

Buy a small external hard drive and hook it up so Time Machine can make daily backups of your laptop. Turn on iCloud Drive so your documents are available anywhere you can use a web browser. And get AppleCare because it will almost certainly be a waste of money but wooooooow will you be glad it's there if you need it.

I get that you are trying to help and I am not trying to be mean to you specifically, but people shouldn't buy apple computers. That's why I didn't provide specs for them. Apple is a company that is absolutely terrible to its customers and its customers deserve better than what apple is willing to offer.

Apple charges $800 to upgrade the onboard storage from a 256GB SSD to a 2TB SSD.

A 2TB SSD costs between $75-100.

I maintain that any company that would charge you more than half the cost of a new device to install a $100 part on day one is a company making the wrong computer for you.

The point of being willing to tolerate a 256GB SSD or 8GB RAM in a Windows laptop is that you're deferring some of the cost to save money at the time of purchase so that you can spend a little bit in three years instead of having to replace the entire computer. Because, you see, many people cannot afford to pay $1000 for a computer and need to buy a computer that costs $650 and will add $200 worth of hardware at a later date.

My minimum specs recommendations for a mac would be to configure one with the max possible RAM and SSD, look at the cost, and choose to go buy three i7 windows laptops with the same storage and RAM for less than the sticker price of the macs.

So let's say you want to get a 14" Macbook pro with the lowest-level processor. That's $2000. Now let's bump that from 16GB RAM and a 512GB SSD to 32GB and 2TB. That gets you to $3000. (The SSD is $200 less than on the lower model, and they'll let you put in an 8TB SSD for $1800 on this model; that's not available on the 13" because apple's product development team is entirely staffed by assholes who think you deserve a shitty computer if you can't afford to pay the cost of two 1991 Jeep Cherokee Laredos for a single laptop).

For $3000 you can get 3 Lenovo Workstation laptops with i7 processors, 32GB RAM, and a 2TB SSD.

And look, for just $200 more I could go up to 48GB RAM and get a 4TB SSD - it costs $600 to upgrade the 14" mac from a 2TB SSD to a 4TB SSD so you could still get three laptops with more ram and the same amount of storage for the cost of one macbook.

I get that some people need to use Final Cut and Logic Pro, but hoo boy they sure are charging you through the nose to use products that have become industry standard. The words "capture" and "monopoly" come to mind even though they don't quite apply here.

"Hostile" does, though, especially since Mac users end up locked into the ecosystem through software and cloud services and become uncertain how to leave it behind if they ever decide that a computer should cost less than a month's rent on a shitty studio apartment in LA.

There's a very good reason I didn't give mac advice and that's because my mac advice is "DON'T."

[celerydays]

What program do you use to make your fanart? Is it on just an average ipad or is there special ones just for art? Your work looks so good! I’m wanting to try digital art but unsure where to start :)

I use the Procreate app for all of my digital art! ✨

It should be available on any iPad 💗 I personally invested for my birthday this past year and I have the 12.9" M2 iPad Pro, but I'll even occasionally use my fiancé's iPad Mini and the Procreate app on there in a pinch since it's so small and portable~

The only real difference is that performance might suffer a bit, the larger an art piece is or how many layers your work has, depending on the iPad. But if you're just starting out, I probably wouldn't find that to be much of an issue!

(More rambling about digital art origins under cut ✨)

There's definitely a learning curve, especially if you're more used to drawing traditionally! It can help to still sketch traditionally (if that's what you're used to) and then upload a photo of your drawing to your tablet to work over digitally (this is personally how I started out and I used to just make little digital doodles by tracing and coloring over my traditional sketches.)

A small doodle from my sketchbook that I traced and colored digitally, from around 2011-2012, I think? Uh, happy Doctor Who day today!

My very first digital art set up was actually a tiny Wacom Bamboo tablet where the drawing space probably wasn't even bigger than my hand, and a super old bootleg version of Photoshop CS2 which was already a version that was 7 years too old for the time (CS5/CS6 was the most updated version by the time I had started on digital art).

Everyone else in my class had the bigger/fancier/professional-grade Wacom Intuos and I remember my professor taking one look at my baby tablet and just going like "how tf are you drawing on that" lmao.

But still! Experimenting and doing little exercises can get you a long way – I would say to approach it with similar exercises you would do as if you were learning to draw traditionally for the first time.

Shade in circles/nail down basic lighting. Gesture drawings. Random scribbles. Just things that help you get used to the feel of digital art!

Test out different textures you can achieve with one brush, then expand it to see how other different types of brushes can behave and add to the experience.

For proof that even just one brush and not the best/most updated tools can work: these are two of my first more "serious" digital art projects I did in college (with my tiny tablet and mega outdated version of Photoshop) and 99% of the rendering was just done with the "soft airbrush" brush.

But even then, we were taught to create our base sketches traditionally and upload them to the program to work over.

Then one day I decided I wanted to just be able to also do all my sketches digitally and just worked on getting used to sketching straight on my digital program. It was then that besides the all-powerful undo-redo buttons, I started to really make use of the transform/canvas flip/liquify features which I don't think I can live without now lol. (Caveat: I'm now a little too dependent on those features so I keep a traditional sketchbook to do silly doodles in occasionally to exercise my hand because sketching traditionally without the buffer of those digital tools is pretty difficult for me now lol.)

That was a little long-winded, I'm so sorry hahaha. I hope something in this rambling could be taken as somewhat helpful for starting out on digital art!! 💗

[aundrelarrow]

The screen is the big difference. In the past I’ve felt that MacBook Air’s felt too fragile, or dare I say like a bit of a toy? I was a little snobby about using the Pro Line, so I’m happy to report that unless you are spending more than 15% of your time editing photos and videos, the M2 air will deliver exactly what you need. It’s noticeably lighter than the Pro and has superior battery life IMO.

The only downsides for me are the reduced storage capacity (2tb max), only 2 ports and the single media engine versus the Pro lines 2.

If you’re still on the fence, go try it out in store.

#freegame

[nikonstudio]

Promises, more Promises to Myself

I promise that I will pick up my heavily neglected Nikon Z5 and go take some pictures in 2023. 

Its one of those regrets that resulted from my action of picking up an Apple Macbook Pro 14 M2 recently. You see, in my last round of review, I was heavily immersed in some work involving structuring a company for IPO. I still am. 

But the entire crap came down on me, when I got a little more serious with what I wanted the laptop to do for me, besides just looking cool in all her pristine space-age goodness. It was not love on first sight I must admit, even after the first raw reinstallation in recovery mode. 

But then, it quietly took in Microsoft Windows 11 Pro ARM without so much as a glitch, except for a few unaddressed drivers still lingering in her Device Manager. Vmware Fusion 13 got the OS humming before I tried readying it for my full-tilt developer environment setup. After a few intensive days later, I now possess a 4C/6GB/180GB virtual rig that has successfully compiled my first REACT framework. 

Yes, for good measure, it even took in my Microsoft Office Pro 2021 suite and helped me churn out a few decent presentation decks. On the mac of things, yes, Shapr3D ran as smoothly as I would expect from my Alienware 15R4, even with Steam able to properly launch several XCOM 2 WOTC missions over lunches. 

It ran on my first few instances for over 15 hours without a power chord, and then turn back to push through several episodes of Apple TV as the clock struck twelve midnight.    

I don’t know what this is, but the sheer capability of this laptop is giving me real headaches, in that, its forcing me to do more than what I usually would like to over the course of each day...and I need it to give me a break...a chance to pick up my camera and get out of the country to do some shoots!

Yes, I have scheduled two such shoots in the next two months...and I guess a forced booking to Hong Kong and Bali Indonesia would help keep that promise of mine.

Bad Apple!

PS Do not get the Apple Macbook Pro 14 M2 if you treasure your freedom off work.

[havnblog]

Yes, the iPad Pros Needed to Be Thinner

I won’t be buying the new iPads, as I’ll keep rocking my 11-inch 2018 (with Magic Keyboard). But one thing has been bugging me about the early coverage of the new models, that I wanted to address. 1

Because, when I watched the Keynote and saw that the new iPad Pro models were thinner and lighter, I immediately went “Nice!”. But I kept seeing (and hearing) comments like this, here exemplified by David Pierce (whom I really like!) on The Verge: 2

Basically, the point is, “Who asked for this? Why not make it thicker and increase the battery life?” Nilay (Patel) agrees with this — but then, six(!) minutes later, answers the question: 3

So yeah, not a long time between them not understanding why they made it thinner and lighter, and complaining about it being too thick and heavy…

Reason #1: The Magic Keyboard

As you can see, the iPad becomes pretty thick! Furthermore, I personally really like that it’s cantilever instead of using a kickstand (as it uses way less depth) — but then you have to worry about it falling over. This has caused two things in the old Magic Keyboard (MK):

To counterbalance, the keyboard itself has to be heavier.

It still can’t tilt as much, and this contributes to the lack of a function row.

So, as the new iPads are thinner and lighter, they’ve spent some of the gains on making the keyboard lighter as well, and some on adjusting the angle to make room for a function row. Very valuable stuff, in my opinion!

Table Title

Product Weight Test 1 Test 2 12.9-inch M2 iPad Pro + MK 1 392 grams Something long enough Something not short 13-inch M4 iPad Pro + MK 1 246 grams   Didn't like it empty! M3 13-inch MacBook Air 1 240 grams   Test B

Comparisons, from this article.

Reason #2: Holding it

A friend and I have exchanged iPads temporarily — so currently he has my iPad Pro 11-inch, and I have his iPad Mini. 4 The latter is obviously way worse as a semi-laptop — but it’s very nice to hold! Either for reading, watching movies or playing games. But the larger and heavier the iPad is, the more clunky this (traditional tablet usage) is. I’m not saying my 11-inch is terrible at this — but I absolutely think improving it at it is worthwhile. And this is even more true on the 13-inch. Previously, I had a 12.9-inch (with a home button), and I rarely used it in my hands, as it was so clunky.

More batteries come at a cost

If Apple instead shoved more battery life into the iPads, we have to remember that we would have to carry that extra weight, and deal with the extra thickness, every time we use (or just transport) the product! And we would only benefit from the extra battery life those times we’re away from power for more than 10 hours. I’m not saying it wouldn’t be nice to not have to plug it in quite that often, or get away with a smaller power bank on a trip. But I am saying the two reasons above far outweigh (pun intended) this benefit.

So I’m pleased Apple chose to make it thinner and lighter — because it was absolutely needed. And I think I’ll love it, when I buy the 2024 11-inch model second hand in three years!

I wanted to write this post earlier, before the reviews are out - but I still think it’s relevant! ↩︎

Transcript:

David: “But them I’m like, OK if this was was a little thicker, so it didn’t have a camera bump (which is a thing a lot of people pointed out was…). This thing could’ve been the thickness of the camera bump, and would’ve been about the same thickness of the last iPad - which no one was complaining about the thickness of, by the way.”

Nilay: “Yeah.” ↩︎

Transcript:

Nilay: “What I’m really curious about is the keyboard. Because my favourite plane computer of all time, was the 12-inch MacBook, which was super light and thin. I tried to replace it with the previous 11-inch iPad Pro - which turned out to be, like, thick. Like, it was just like a heavy, weird thing… It, like, just wasn’t as good as a laptop in many ways, because of just the way it worked.”

David: “Yeah.”

Nilay: “Is the new keyboard case sort of better at… They announced it as being more like a MacBook than ever, which I thought was really interesting.” ↩︎

Why no love for this, Tim!? ↩︎

[govindhtech]

The Latest Top 10 All-in-One desktop Computers in India

Top All-in-One Desktop Computers

Among those who would prefer not spend money on individual components for personalizing their computers, All-in-One Desktop Computers are a good option. Verify those laptops’ SSD and/or hard drive capacities earlier than you purchase those. Furthermore, if you prefer a truly immersive viewing qualifications, search choose a desktop with more expansive displays. Here have been the top choices on Amazon for an all-in-one desktop computers for your house.

High-performance Computing

In order to ensure uninterrupted performance for common tasks like online internet surfing, email, spreadsheets, and entertainment streaming, consider purchasing a desktop with an accurate CPU, enough of RAM (4 GB or more), and enough storage space (500 GB or more).

Displayed Sizes as well as Quality: Think about whichever screen dimensions and brightness will work most efficiently for you. More accurate graphics may be attained with greater resolution, like full-high-definition (1920×1080) or higher, and an extra immersive experience while watching can be had with an even greater screen size, like 21.5 inches or larger.

Your Operating System: Select a desktop computer that’s suitable for your needs while additionally making sure it is interoperable with an operating system that you are familiar with, for instance Microsoft Windows, macOS, or Linux. Evaluate the connectivity choices delivered to make assured the all-in-one desktop can simply connect to your devices and peripherals. These options include USB ports, HDMI, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth.

User-friendly Desktops

If you want to use the all-in-one desktop for multimedia apps, gaming, or graphically demanding jobs, take into consideration its graphics power. A PC with a dedicated graphics card will perform better in these domains.

Brand and Warranty: Think about trustworthy brands that provide high-quality items and helpful customer service. To safeguard your investment, look for warranty options with realistic time periods for coverage.

Price: Determine the most value for your money by setting a budget based on your needs and investigating several possibilities. To make an educated choice, evaluate costs, features, and specs.

Modern Desktop Solutions:

Taken into account if customer service support such as costumer service or care centers is delivered in the locality to make sure that you are able to find help in case your laptop has problems.

Read customer reviews and ratings to learn firsthand about the functionality, dependability, and general contentment with the All-in-One Desktop Computers that you are thinking about from actual users.

Top All-in-One Desktops for Seamless Everyday Computing in India:

1. Apple Mac Mini Desktop Computer M2 Pro chip, released in 2023

512GB SSD, 16GB RAM, and M2 Pro CPU in a little powerhouse that works well with an iPhone or iPad.

Apple Mac Mini Desktop Computer M2 Pro chip Features:

Processor: M2 Pro chip with 10‑core CPU and 16‑core GPU

RAM & ROM: 16GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD Storage

Graphics: 16-core GPU

Operating System: Compatible with iPhone/iPad

Special Features: Gigabit Ethernet

Warranty: 1 year

2.HP All-in-One PC AMD Ryzen 3 3250U:

All in one hp desktop computer display:

Incorporating a 21.5-inch Full High Definition display, a Qualcomm Ryzen 3 CPU, 8GB RAM, as well as 512GB SSD, its a single device design incredibly efficient.

HP All-in-One PC AMD Ryzen 3 3250U Features:

Processor: AMD Ryzen 3 3250U

RAM & ROM: 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD

Graphics: AMD Radeon Graphics

Operating System: Windows 11

Special Features: 21.5-inch FHD Display, White Wired Keyboard Mouse Combo

Warranty: 1 year

3.HP All-in-One PC 13th Gen Intel Core i7:

A powerful 27-inch Full HD All-in-One Desktop Computers with 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD, all housed in a chic Shell White design.

HP All-in-One PC 13th Gen Intel Core i7 Features:

Processor: 13th Gen Intel Core i7

RAM & ROM: 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD

Graphics: Intel UMA Graphics

Operating System: Windows 11 Home

Special Features: 27-inch FHD Display, Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo

Warranty: 1 year

4. Lenovo ThinkCentre Neo 50q Tiny Intel Core i5:

Lenovo all in one pc

An Intel Core i5 desktop that is small and lightweight, including 512GB SSD, WiFi 6, and Vesa Mount.

Lenovo Think Centre Neo 50q Tiny Intel Core i5 Features:

Processor: 13th Gen Intel Core i5

RAM & ROM: 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD

Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics

Operating System: DOS

Special Features: WiFi 6, BT 5.1, Vesa Mount

Warranty: 3 Years Premier Support

5. HP All-in-One PC Ryzen 5 7520U:

Feature-packed 27-inch All-in-One Desktop Computers with Ryzen 5 processor, 16GB LPDDR5 RAM, 1TB SSD, and FHD Camera, in elegant Shell White.

HP All-in-One PC Ryzen 5 7520U Features:

Processor: Ryzen 5 7520U

RAM & ROM: 16GB LPDDR5, 1TB SSD

Graphics: AMD Radeon Graphics

Operating System: Windows 11

Special Features: 27-inch FHD IPS Display, Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo, FHD Camera

Warranty: 1 year

6. Apple 2023 Mac Mini Desktop Computer M2 chip:

Compact desktop with M2 chip, 8GB RAM, and 256GB SSD, delivering Apple’s performance and ecosystem integration.

Mac Mini Desktop Computer M2 chip Features:

Processor: M2 chip with 8‑core CPU and 10‑core GPU

RAM & ROM: 8GB Unified Memory, 256GB SSD

Graphics: 10-core GPU

Operating System: Compatible with iPhone/iPad

Special Features: Gigabit Ethernet

Warranty: 1 year

7. Dell Inspiron 3020S Desktop:

A sleek desktop with Intel i3-13100 processor, 8GB RAM, and 512GB SSD, pre-loaded with Windows 11 and MSO’21.

Dell Inspiron 3020S Desktop Features:

Processor: 13th Gen Intel Core i3-13100

RAM & ROM: 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD

Graphics: Integrated Graphics

Operating System: Windows 11 + MSO’21

Special Features: Wired Keyboard + Mouse

Warranty: 1 Year Onsite Hardware Service

8. Dell 13th Gen All-in-One PC Inspiron 5420:

Space-saving All-in-One Desktop Computers with Core i3-1315U, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD, and a large 23.8-inch FHD display.

Dell 13th Gen All-in-One PC Inspiron 5420 Features:

Processor: Intel Core i3-1315U

RAM & ROM: 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD

Display: 23.8″ FHD

Operating System: Windows 11 + MSO’21

Special Features: Pro Wireless Keyboard + Mouse

Warranty: 3 Years Onsite Hardware Service

9. ASUS AiO M3402WFA Series:

Stylish All-in-One Desktop Computers powered by Ryzen 5, featuring 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD, and a 23.8-inch FHD display.

ASUS AiO M3402WFA Series Features:

Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 7520U

RAM & ROM: 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD

Display: 23.8″ FHD

Operating System: Windows 11

Special Features: Wireless Keyboard & Mouse

Warranty: 1 year

10. HP Slim Desktop:

Slim and efficient desktop with Intel Core i3-13100, 8GB RAM, and 512GB SSD, pre-loaded with Windows 11 and a sleek black wireless keyboard and mouse combo.

HP Slim Desktop Features:

Processor: 13th Gen Intel Core i3-13100

RAM & ROM: 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD

Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 510SP

Operating System: Windows 11

Special Features: Black Wireless Keyboard and Mouse combo

Warranty: 1 Year 

Read more on Govindhtech.com

[ne0ngenisis]

Mmmmm thinking about Macs again. Adding some new stuff to the collection soon, and I've got more stuff for my wanted list >:3

Current Collection, in order of acquisition:

2001 12" iBook 500MHz

2003 13" iBook G4 1GHz (Soon to be gifted to a loved one)

2004 15" PowerBook G4 1.33GHz

2006 15" MacBook Pro 2.16GHz

2009 13" MacBook 2.13GHz (deceased)

2009 13" MacBook 2.13GHz (living)

2012 13" MacBook Pro

2014 11" MacBook Air (Soon to be received from the same loved one)

Ghost, my G4 iBook, is gonna go to a new home soon. A lovely puppy is gonna take it and give it a good home in her collection once I give it a few upgrades, like more RAM, some solid state storage, and a WiFi card, and I'm gonna take the 11" MacBook Air that she "rescued" from her workplace's recycle pile. Which is a 2014 model with the i7-4550U and 8GB of RAM. Should be a pretty sweet little machine.

I may sell the dead 2009 for parts. I'm not gonna get much use out of it the way it is now.

Those That Remain™, in order of release,

Titanium PowerBook G4 (not picky on spec)

2015 15" MacBook Pro (with dedicated graphics)

2021 14" or 16" M1 Pro MacBook Pro (not picky on spec or color)

So of course I gotta have a TiBook on here, right? I'm a Mac laptop collector, that's gotta be one of them, right up there with a clamshell G3 for some people. I'm not personally interested in a clamshell G3, though.

The 2015 15" MacBook Pro with the R7 M370 graphics is just like... the highest end Apple laptop that was made before they switched to a USB Type C-only port arrangement and got rid of the function keys and used a fragile shitty keyboard. It's right at the end of that gap between "the old Apple" and "Apple is back". These hover around $200 right now.

The M1 Pro MacBook Pro is my Holy Grail right now. They're still pretty expensive to pick up secondhand of course, $1100 for one that's pretty beat up on eBay, with lots of little nicks and dings, a scratch in the trackpad, and no included charger. But that's a laptop with an M1 Pro, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. Apple still wants over $2000 for these in the refurbished store, and $1100 is also what Apple charges for a base model 13" M2 MacBook Air with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD.

It's not gonna happen soon, I'm still saving for a car, but maybe somewhere down the line, it'll be a little bit easier.

Updated Feb 3rd:

I decided to snagg a 2009 MacBook Air because I'm a little impulsive, I got a discount offer from an eBay seller, and I saw it was supported by OCLP and had INCREDIBLE morbid curiosity about how the machine would handle Big Sur through Sonoma. We'll see how THAT goes.

[gadgetgiggler]

Christmas Tech Trends: Embracing Refurbished Tablets as Gifts

Christmas is knocking on the door, and let's face it, we all are hunting for that perfect gift. What if I told you you could make someone's Christmas special without breaking the bank? Yes, I'm talking about Apple refurbished iPads. Sleek, sophisticated, and oh-so-smart, these gadgets are just waiting to be unboxed under the Christmas tree!

Apple Refurbished iPad: A Smart Choice

Christmas is fast approaching, and if you're puzzled about gift ideas, why not consider a chic, refurbished Apple iPad? Absolutely, Apple's iPads, be it the Pro or Air series, pack a punch with their top-notch technology, making them stand out from ordinary laptops. At first glance, they might seem similar, but each model boasts unique strengths. If you're tangled in the web of choices, fret not! Let's dive into the world of refurbished iPads, a wallet-friendly yet impressive gift option for this Christmas down under in Australia.

The Quality of Refurbished Devices: More Than Just 'Used'

Refurbished devices often get a bad rap, but let's set the record straight: they're not just "used." These gadgets have been spruced up to a near-new condition by the manufacturer or a certified third party. Think of it as a device with a past life, now all set for a new adventure with you! The cool part? The more a device has been loved (read: used), the bigger the discount. From ex-demo smartphones that have only graced display shelves to ones with a few battle scars, all refurbished devices are in tip-top shape when bought from a reliable source. Eyeing an Apple tablet but balking at the price? A second-hand iPad Pro or a refurbished iPad Air might be your ticket.

Popular Tablets and iPads As Gifts

Refurbished iPad Air 5

Imagine gifting someone the iPad Air 5 with its dazzling 10.9-inch liquid retina display, top-notch speakers, and a camera that makes every moment Instagram-worthy. Plus, refurbished means you get this M1-powered beauty at a price that keeps your wallet happy.

Refurbished iPad 12.9 Pro

For someone who loves a bit of luxury, the iPad Pro 12.9 is like gifting a piece of the future. With its M2 processor and up to 2TB storage, it's more than just a tablet—it's a statement. And when it's refurbished, you're getting a high-end gift without that high-end price.

iPad Pro 11

Don't let its size fool you. The iPad Pro 11 packs all the power of its bigger sibling but in a more manageable size. It's perfect for those on the move, and when it's refurbished, it's like a little Christmas miracle for your budget.

iPad Air 2

Sleek, efficient, and with a camera that brings out the photographer in anyone, the iPad Air 2 is a gem. Refurbished, it's a gift that says, 'I care about quality and your hobbies.'

Benefits of Buying Refurbished

Affordability

The most obvious perk? The price! Refurbished tablets are a steal compared to their brand-new counterparts. You're getting nearly new devices at prices that are kind to your wallet.

Sustainability

Feel good about your purchase. By choosing refurbished, you're not just saving money but also the planet. Fewer new devices produced means less e-waste, making your Christmas green in more ways than one!

Quality

Refurbished doesn't mean outdated. These tablets still boast features that meet, if not exceed, your everyday needs. Plus, their slightly older age tag means they're much more affordable.

Variety

The best part? You're free of limited options. The world of refurbished tablets is vast and varied, ensuring you find the perfect match for your loved ones.

Guidelines for Buying Tech Christmas Specials from Phonebot:

Last-minute shopping can be a frenzy. To ease your quest, here are some quick tips:

Do a little research on the specs and features of the product.

Check your budget and stick to it.

Trust authentic sites like Phonebot for quality refurbished products.

Inspect for any damages or scratches to ensure a "like new" appearance.

Phonebot can be your go-to for products that fit your budget.

Armed with these tips and insights on the best Refurbished iPads, you're all set to make this Christmas truly special with a thoughtful and tech-savvy gift. Happy holidays, and happy tech shopping!

[delightfulbatter]

In middle school I used to draw these demon creatures from online l’m adding little purple insect creatures to go with the completed version this is just a Wip.

Program: Procreate

Device: Apple IPad Pro 11 , With M2 Chip 2022. Apple Pencil 2nd Generation.

Commissions Open: Payment through PayPal or CashApp.

Commissions are all worth $5.00 DM me if interested.

DM me privately for a commission.

[garfieldareyouslashsrsorslashj]

i have a small moral conundrum and i'd like the webbed site best known for its morality (/s) to help me:

i have a mac, specifically an m2 pro. the thing is a beast, i got it as a gift because I finished my first year at uni with straight A's. i love it to bits because it can handle anything i throw at it, big or small.

apple released something in the past few months that lets you play windows games on mac, which is huge. seriously. it is monumental that they did this. unfortunately, it is not a silver bullet. there are still a handful of games that are not playable no matter what you do, and as somebody who has used linux for years, i am very comfortable and familiar with tinkering. it used to be that you could check protondb.com to see if a game ran at all, but unfortunately because this windows-games-on-mac tech is so new, the corresponding website doesn't exist yet (or if it does I haven't heard of it).

now, as somebody with a limited amount of money, whenever I see a game that i want, i can't immediately go out and get it. I get this is a very first-world problem to have, but also if I do have the money, i want to be damn sure it can run on my computer. unfortunately there is no way that I know of to do this other than..... pirating the game.

(booing ensues)

I KNOW! i know. big studios can afford to swallow the loss of lil ol me pirating a single copy, i'm just more concerned about the smaller indie studios that produce some quality content. i'm talking aggro crab (subway midnight, etc), bluetwelve (stray), and more. i've seen people play their games, that's what makes me want to buy them in the first place and support the studio, but I simply cannot do that until i know that i can enjoy it at least a little for myself.

here's the point of this post:

is it okay to pirate a game with the sole purpose of ensuring that it can run on my computer before buying it?

kind of like getting a demo, if the publisher doesn't already offer one.

i'd also like to point out that this wouldn't otherwise be an issue if i was running windows (or even linux, again with protondb.com). i'm aware of steam's two-hour refund policy. however, due to the experimental nature of running windows games on mac with this new compatibility layer, things get complicated.

that's all for now. hopefully somebody will notice this post if i throw it into the ether.

love u all <3

[donutwares]

Feeling left out...

I sleep too early to catch live Apple Events so I watched 'Scary Fast' last night before bed. Felt left out of the computer race. My used ThinkPad is an x250 from 8 years ago. What would I not give for an iPad Pro 11" or MacBook Air M2? There was a time when I wouldn't touch used PC hardware but now here I am with a pre-loved laptop.

Anyway, it's 4am and I'm wide awake after dozing off early on sedatives last night. Once in a while I take a Rivotril. Will run at 5am and work out at 6am. Feed Bean at 6:30.

I have later got to write several Christian stories for my new site and code Browse. Had a curry laksa ramen for breakfast and a glass of black Nescafe Gold.

Feeling a little anxious but stable. What will 2024 hold for me, financially / health-wise?

[dfoxmarketing]

Apple Introduces Affordable Pencil for iPads with USB-C Charging

Apple Pencil with USB-C: Perfect for iPad Users

Apple has released a reasonably priced Apple Pencil with USB-C connectivity, giving iPad customers a cost-effective choice. This new connection, which costs Rs 7,900, has a sliding cap plan that simplifies it to accuse and connection of iPads that help it.

A savvy answer for iPad clients has been made accessible by Mac with the arrival of a minimal expense Mac Pencil with USB-C network. With a sliding cap plan that shows the USB-C connector, this new connection, which costs Rs 7,900, simplifies it to accuse and sets of viable iPads.

Apple Pencil Compatibility and Features

The cheap Apple Pencil does have certain compromises compared to its more expensive, technologically advanced cousins, despite its reduced price.

Notwithstanding the iPad (10th time), iPad Air (fourth and fifth ages), iPad Master 11-inch (first, second, third, and fourth ages), iPad Star 12.9-inch (third, fourth, fifth, and 6th ages), and iPad little (6th period), the new Mac Pencil is sensible with different iPad models that have a USB-C port.

For a low price of Rs 7,900, this Apple Pencil is available separately in India beginning in early November. It has a sliding top that makes the USB-C connector accessible, making pairing and charging with a USB-C cable simple. The new Apple Pencil goes into a sleep mode when it is magnetically linked to the iPad for storage in order to preserve battery life.

Apple’s Affordable Pencil for Education and  iPad Options

Likewise, Apple has added a decision that is much more financially savvy to its instructive program. For Rs 6,900, children and educators might get the new Apple Pencil. Notwithstanding educators, staff, and self-teach instructors of all grade levels, this instructive evaluating is proposed to current and as of late acknowledged undergrads, as well regarding their folks.

It’s important to remember that Apple was generally expected to release a fresh batch of iPads, but that didn’t happen. Recall that the tech giant unveiled the 10th-generation iPad in October 2022, followed by iPad Pros with the M2 chip in the same month.

Also Read: Apple iPhones to Include Pre-Installed Latest Software Updates: Report

The revamped iPad Mini debuted in September 2021, while the iPad Air with an M1 processor was introduced in March 2022. With the launch of the reasonably priced Apple Pencil, Apple now hopes to provide iPad users more alternatives, appealing to both frugal shoppers and the education market.

Follow Digital Fox Media for latest technology news.

[grobaltech]

Complete review of 15" MacBook Air 👇

The 15-inch MacBook Air is a powerful and versatile laptop that offers a great balance of performance, portability, and battery life. It is powered by the new M2 chip, which delivers up to 18% faster CPU performance and up to 35% faster GPU performance than the previous generation. The 15-inch Retina display is also a major upgrade, with a wider color gamut and higher brightness.

The MacBook Air is still incredibly thin and light, weighing just 3.3 pounds and measuring just 0.63 inches thick. It also has an excellent battery life, lasting up to 15 hours on a single charge.

Overall, the 15-inch MacBook Air is a great choice for anyone who needs a powerful and portable laptop. It is perfect for students, professionals, and creatives alike.

Here are some of the pros and cons of the 15-inch MacBook Air:

😱😱Pros:😱😱

😱Powerful M2 chip

😱Beautiful 15-inch Retina display

😱Long battery life

😱Thin and light design

😱Excellent performance for everyday tasks and creative work

😭😭Cons:😭😭

😭No fan, so it can get warm under heavy load

😭No Touch Bar

😭No SD card slot

😭Expensive

16"MacBook Pro ➡️https://amzn.to/445TqN0

15" MacBook Air ➡️https://amzn.to/3Jo7ABc

13" MacBook Air ➡️https://amzn.to/3qQGI6i

14" MacBook Pro ➡️https://amzn.to/46dDtWL

Mgnaooi Magnetic Case for iPhone 14 Pro Max Case➡️https://amzn.to/3JqCZ5R

WebCam➡️https://amzn.to/3pf1oV7

Logitech C920x HD Pro Webcam➡️https://amzn.to/446lm3e

Overall, the 15-inch MacBook Air is a great choice for anyone who needs a powerful and portable laptop. It is perfect for students, professionals, and creatives alike. However, it is important to note that it is a bit expensive, and it does not have some features that some users may find important, such as a fan, Touch Bar, or SD card slot.

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[itswavelengths]

Unplugged

After decades of buying the cheapest Windows laptop available on the show floor at Best Buy and using them until they effectively destroyed themselves from within, my mom upgraded to the M2 MacBook Air last month1. As the dutiful "techie" son, I drove to my parents' place in New Jersey to help walk her through the process of setting up her first ever Mac — importing passwords and other preferences from iCloud, walking through how the dock and menu bar each function, explaining little differences in how window management works, etc. After about an hour of this I sat back and asked myself if there was anything else I needed to go over, anything markedly different about MacOS that was worth touching on for someone who had, until now, only used Windows.

"One last thing," I noted as I stood up and removed the MagSafe cable, "is that you're going to find yourself needing to charge this guy less than you're used to. It's much more portable than your last laptop. There's a reason when you walk into cafés almost everyone with a Windows laptop has theirs plugged into a wall and most of the people with MacBooks don't."

Apple dropped some updates to their Mac lineup today after some last-minute rumor-milling over the weekend. They're exciting releases2, and I'll let other, more qualified people explain why.

What really struck me was a piece of marketing material towards the end of the keynote that began with a title card: 3 Pros, 1 Day, 1 Battery Charge. It follows three creatives who all unplug their fully charged 2023 MacBook Pros at the same time and delve into their field of choice — one proceeds to film and edit 4k footage, the second recreates and old Zeiss lens via CGI along with a scene to shoot through said lens, and the third builds an iPad app. While they push the hardware past their perceived limits, the combined power of the M2 lineup of chips and the battery efficiency of the entire laptop effectively proves these three are more hampered by available time in the day than by the machine itself.

---

It's a great ad that gets to the heart of why I've found Apple's computing lineup so exciting since making my own switch way back when: It all feels frictionless due to the attention given to nuances like battery life. The big question for viewers, extrapolated out, is that if this laptop can cater to three super-users and survive an entire day's workload on a single charge, can you even imagine what's possible for yourself?

Creativity and recreation and work can all feel limited if you're confined to one specific space. While those kinds of limitations can sometimes be helpful, I've always found I'm more productive when I'm on the move.  There are entire teams at Apple who are not only aware of this, but are dedicated to it. How efficient can we make this device, plugged in or not? In conjunction with every other team collaborating to focus their attention on other seemingly menial elements like trackpad response, hinge design, or user experience touches, everything adds up to create The MacBook Experience: It's a machine built to go unnoticed.

While you're in your element, you shouldn't have to think about it.

If all goes well, you shouldn't even have to plug it in.

---

1  That's the same laptop I'm using to write this! Wow!

2 My biggest takeaway is that the Mac Mini lineup is here to stay for the time being, which is a relief to this M1 Mac Mini owner. To be clear: It is still the best computer I have ever owned, and at no point have I felt like I've gotten close to the ceiling of what that chip is capable of despite hitting it with game streaming, audio production, photo editing, video editing, and more. That said, if it ever does start to show it's age I'll be happy to know there will likely be another Mac Mini to replace it with.

⏆

[gadgetsaudit]

Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 Review And Guide 2023

There are many reasons to buy a hybrid, including the fact that you can switch between tablet mode and laptop mode. With the 2-in-1 Dell XPS 13 9315, the US IT giant hopes to get people to stop using regular notebooks.

Dell’s detachable makes a good first impression because it has a sleek folio case made of CNC-milled, recycled aluminium, and an efficient Intel processor on the inside.

The price may also be right. The Core i5 chip in the least expensive Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 costs $1,149 in the US and £1,198 in the UK. The price for a Core i7 model is between $1,299 and £1,689.

There are many good things, but there is a lot of competition for them. The Samsung Galaxy Book 2 360 is one of our favourite laptops that can be used as a tablet. If you don’t need a hybrid, you might also want to check out the Dell XPS 13 Plus, the Apple MacBook Air M2, or the Asus ZenBook S 13 OLED.

Design & Build

A strong, good-looking design that can be taken apart

Other laptops and hybrids have a wider range of uses.

The cameras are great, but there aren’t enough ports.

The CNC-milled aluminium edges and gunmetal folio case of the XPS 13 make it look great, and both parts are strong. Both sides of the tablet are well protected by the folio, which is a good sign.

At the bottom of the panel is a strong magnet that holds the folio case to the tablet. Once that’s done, the magnetic folio props the tablet up at 100, 110.5, and 125-degree angles to make it look like a laptop.

On the top, you’ll find a power button with a fingerprint reader and a volume rocker. The cameras are great; for video calls, you have a 5Mp unit with Windows Hello log in, and for landscapes, there’s an 11Mp outward-facing camera. You have Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 on the inside.

The XPS is a good start, but it can’t do everything. That angled folio case, for example: any laptop will give you more options for how to position the screen. For example, the Samsung’s kickstand can sit at almost any angle, and the Microsoft Surface Pro 9’s kickstand can spin through 360 degrees.

As with most detachables, the XPS 13 2-in-1 is awkward to use on your lap. In laptop mode, it’s 300mm from front to back, which is more than any other laptop. And while 1.3 kg and 17 mm are fine for weight and thickness, every competitor is thinner and lighter.

Also, don’t expect much in terms of physical connections. Only two Thunderbolt 4 ports are on the left side, and you’ll need one to charge.

Dell comes with headphone and full-size USB adapters, but the MacBook Air has a headphone jack and the Asus has three USB-C ports. Connectors for HDMI, full-size USB, microSD, and headphones are all on the Samsung.

The keyboard and trackpad

Keyboard is impressive from edge to edge

Good trackpad

Backlight, but there’s no keypad

The keyboard has the same “zero lattice” design that runs from edge to edge as the XPS 13 Plus. At first, it seems strange because there are no gaps and there isn’t much movement, but it’s easy to get up to speed.

The buttons work quickly and are easy to use, and the case makes it strong. Its keyboard is better than that of the Surface Pro 9, its hardware is more satisfying than that of Samsung, and it’s almost as good as a MacBook.

The backlight is fine, and the trackpad is also good. It’s big and comfortable, and the buttons work well, but they could be a little more crisp.

Screen & Speakers

A high-contrast IPS panel with a high resolution

With the optional XPS Stylus, the touch screen works well.

There are better speakers and screens elsewhere.

The IPS screen on every Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 is the same. The 3:2 screen has a resolution of 2880 x 1920, so there is a lot of detail and height. The panel is very well protected by the Gorilla Glass Victus that goes all the way to the edges.

It has a touchscreen, and the XPS Stylus, which has 4,096 pressure points and is great for creative work, works with it. It also sticks to the top of the screen with magnets, which is a clever way to store it. The stylus, on the other hand, is not included and costs an extra $100 or £112.

The panel has a peak brightness of 528 nits, which makes it easy to use indoors and out. It also has a contrast ratio of 2,031:1, which is about as good as it gets for IPS. This means that bold colours have a lot of depth and detail.

With a 1.1 Delta E, those colours are also accurate, but this screen can only show the sRGB gamut. It showed 94.8% of that space, but only about 70% of the Adobe RGB and DCI-P3 spaces.

Based on these results, the XPS is great for everyday tasks and creative work, but not for high-end design work or HDR media.

Both the XPS 13 Plus and the ZenBook have high-resolution OLED screens that have better colour and contrast. The Samsung convertible has an OLED screen, but it has a lower resolution than the Surface Pro 9. The Surface Pro 9’s 120Hz refresh rate is twice as fast as the Dell’s 60Hz rate, which makes the user interface smoother.

The two 2W speakers aren’t very loud, but they’re fine for background music and YouTube videos. The kit from Apple is much better.

Specs & Performance

Intel Core i5-1230U or i7-1250U

DDR4 memory with 8GB or 16GB

SSDs with 512GB or 1TB

Intel’s low-power Core i5-1230U and Core i7-1250U processors are used in the two XPS 13 2-in-1 models. These processors have two multi-threaded performance cores with top speeds of 4.4GHz and 4.7GHz, respectively.

The i5 model has 8GB of memory, and the Core i7 model has 16GB. However, the RAM is only DDR4, while most competitors use DDR5. I tested a 512GB SSD, and its read and write speeds are 4988MB/s and 3586MB/s, which are good.

On paper, there’s nothing to get excited about, and benchmarks aren’t much better. In the multi-core test for Geekbench 5, a score of 6,898 is a few hundred points behind the AMD chip in the Asus and further behind the i7-1260P chip in the XPS 13 Plus and the M2 chip in the Apple laptop.

PCMark 10 didn’t give us a break. With a score of 4,969, the XPS 13 2-in-1 is still behind the Asus and Dell XPS 13 Plus. In our tests, the XPS 13 2-in-1 could only beat the Core i5-1235U-powered Samsung.

Don’t count on the Iris Xe graphics chip from Intel to help you much. Its 3DMark Night Raid score of 11,151 is a long way behind both the Asus’s integrated Radeon core and the i7-Iris 1260P’s chip.

You won’t have any trouble running office apps, a lot of browser tabs, music and media streamers, or basic photo and video editing tools on the XPS.

If you try to do more, it will start to slow down, and it can’t keep up with P-series, Ryzen, or Apple chips. If you want to go with the Core i5 CPU, you should definitely go with the 16GB upgrade.

The Dell doesn’t have noisy fans, so at least you don’t have to deal with that. That’s great for working quietly, but if you push on the hardware, the top of the tablet gets a little warm. It can be seen, but it’s not dangerous.

Battery life and how to charge

49.5Wh battery

45W charging

The battery life is just okay. In a video playback test with the screen brightness turned down, the 49.5Wh battery lasted for 9 hours and 25 minutes. However, it only lasted 8 hours and 27 minutes in an everyday work test with the same screen level.

Expect closer to seven hours if you make the screen brighter or use more of the parts. A thirty-minute charge should give you a good 37% of power.

In some situations, the XPS won’t last through a workday, and in this area, some competitors are better. The Asus will last twice as long as the MacBook and almost as long as the Galaxy Book.

Price & Availability

The XPS 13 2-in-1 with the i5-1230U processor and 8GB of memory costs $1,149 or £1,198. When you add 16GB, the prices go up to $1,299 and £1,489.

The Core i7-1250U model comes with 16GB of memory and costs between $1,299 and £1,689. Only the Core i7 model can be upgraded from a 512GB SSD to a 1TB drive, which raises the price in the US and UK to $1,449 and £1,889.

As always, the best places to buy the XPS are Dell’s US and UK websites, but you can also get it at Currys.

The one with 16GB of memory and a Core i7 processor is the best. But it’s easy to find cheap

power if you’re willing to give up the detachable part of the Dell. The Asus ZenBook costs $1,299 or £999, while the Core i7 processor in the Dell XPS 13 Plus costs £1,299 or £1,399.

If you don’t mind a U-series chip, the regular XPS 13 costs $999 or £1,199. With a Core i7 CPU, the Galaxy Book 3 360 costs $799 or £1,399, and the Galaxy Book 2 360 costs $849 or £1,299. Even though not all of these alternatives are hybrids, a few of them have better screens than the XPS.

The MacBook is also competitive because it starts at $1,119 or £1,249. However, the price goes up a lot for the stronger M2 chip and 16GB of memory. The Surface is also expensive. In the US and UK, a Core i7 CPU and the Surface Pro Signature Keyboard start at $1,808 and £1,838, respectively.

If you want to see all of your options, check out our chart of the best laptops and the best 2-in-1 laptops.

It’s a middle-of-the-road option in terms of price, and it’s pretty average in other ways, too.

The processor can handle everyday office and creative tasks, but nothing tougher, and the display is a bright, bold touchscreen that doesn’t have enough colours for high-end design situations. The battery hardly lasts all day.

Aside from that, the XPS has a good keyboard, but it’s heavier, thicker, and arguably less flexible than competitors. The screen is sturdy and well-equipped with cameras, but it doesn’t have many ports.

It’s not easy to sell. The XPS 13 2-in-1 is a good choice if you want a detachable device you can use every day instead of a hybrid that can be turned in any direction. But no matter what you’re looking for in a new laptop or convertible, you’ll probably find a better one somewhere else.

Specs

Model tested

Windows 11 Home OS

Display: 13-inch IPS 2880×1920 60Hz

CPU: Intel Core i7-1250U

16GB of memory are built in

Intel Iris Xe for the graphics

512GB PCIe NVMe M.s SSD storage

Webcam: 5 megapixels Windows Hello, 11 megapixels

Two Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports, a DisplayPort port, and a power delivery port.

Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 are for networking.

Size of the battery: 49.5Wh

45 W Charger

Dimensions: 201 x 300 x 17mm

Weight: 1.3kg

Warranty: 1yr RTB

Read More: Dell XPS 13 2- 1 Review And Guide 2023.