Chip upgrade breathes new life into compact slate ready for AI and better accessories while still in a class of its own Apple’s premium tiny tablet gets a speed boost for 2024 with support for new accessories and imminent AI features, while providing the full modern iPad experience in a compact package. The revamped design of the iPad mini in 2021 was excellent so it is no surprise that Apple has kept it mostly the same with internal changes and a tweak to the side to support new accessories. But while it may be small in stature, the new iPad mini remains pricey, costing from £499 (€599/$499/A$799), placing it in between the £329 base-model iPad and the £599 11in iPad Air. Screen: 8.9in 2266x1488 LCD display (326ppi) Processor: Apple A17 Pro RAM: 8GB Storage: 128, 256 or 512GB Operating system: iPadOS 18 Camera: 12MP rear and selfie cameras Connectivity: wifi 6E (5G optional eSim-only), Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C, Touch ID Dimensions: 195.4 x 134.8 x 6.3mm Weight: 293g (4G version: 297g) Continue reading...

iPhone upgrade joined by watchOS 11, iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia, adding new features to Apple’s devices Apple will release software updates for its iPhone, iPad, Mac and smartwatch on Monday, adding new features and designs for compatible devices. Announced at the company’s developer conference in June, iOS 18, iPadOS 18, watchOS 11 and macOS Sequoia add extensive new home screen and control centre customisation options, smart handwriting and maths tools for Notes and new watch faces, among other new features. Continue reading...

Lighter weight, better screens, faster chip and fancy AI features are all welcome, but feel iterative for the price Samsung’s most advanced, hi-tech folding phone for 2024 is the Galaxy Z Fold 6, which looks to see off rivals from Google, OnePlus and others with a lighter frame, bigger and better screens, and the fastest chip available for Android. The latest phone-tablet hybrid from the category pioneer is designed to be the ultra-premium device of choice for buyers, but faces stiff competition from several worthy challengers, most of which undercut the South Korean firm on price. Continue reading...

Dumping Intel for Qualcomm chips delivers big boost in speed but not battery life and breaks some apps Microsoft’s latest Surface tablet promises to be a generational upgrade that goes beyond just being faster, quieter and more efficient – all down to a change in the type of processor at its heart. The Surface Pro 11 is not the first Microsoft machine to swap traditional Intel or AMD PC processors for Arm-based chips, similar to those in your smartphone or Apple’s recent Macs and iPads. But it is by far the most successful, leaving even recent editions such as the 2020 Surface Pro X and last year’s Surface Pro 9 5G in the dust. Continue reading...

Asus machine is best yet at being a laptop on the go and a dual-screen productivity beast at the desk Portable computers with multiple touchscreens have long been a feature of sci-fi films. But while several manufacturers in the real world have tried to make dual-screen laptops, none of them have really worked out. Typically this is because they have tried to do too much with too many compromises. Now Asus thinks it has cracked it with a new dual-screen machine that also has a full-size detachable physical keyboard. Continue reading...

Apple’s mid-range tablet gets larger screen option and more power, being ‘pro’ enough for most Apple has more options than ever for those after a tablet with different sizes, prices, screens and power, but the iPad Air is fairly simple to understand – it is the premium big-screen iPad for those who don’t want to fork out thousands for an iPad Pro. The Air starts at £599 (€699/$599/A$999) and is now available in two screen sizes: the original 11in and a larger 13in model for big-screen viewing. That puts it right in the middle of Apple’s lineup, with the 10th-gen iPad starting at £349 at the bottom and topped by the new iPad Pro M4 starting at £999. Continue reading...

Apple sets new standard in screen and power but Pro model verges away from consumer tablet needs Apple’s latest iPad Pro is thinner and lighter, and has a stupendous new OLED screen, plus oodles of power to do practically anything. But it is no longer just the super-premium iPad – it is also aiming to be an impressive tool for the creative industry. It still looks and acts like an iPad, ready to do regular iPad things such as browse the web, watch TV or chat to your family on the other side of the country. But to do only that with a machine this advanced is total overkill – Apple has many other iPad models suited to that sort of thing. Continue reading...

Super-premium phone-tablet is the thinnest and lightest ‘folder’ yet – but compromises on camera Honor’s Magic V2 is the best designed folding phone-tablet yet. It feels just like a regular phone when closed but then opens up like a book to reveal a large, plush screen. Launched in China last year, the Magic V2 has now made it to Europe but not at a price that could be considered affordable. At £1,700 (€2,000), it is placed between the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and OnePlus’s slightly cheaper Open. Main screen: 7.92in (402ppi) 120Hz OLED flexible display Cover screen: 6.43in (404ppi) 120Hz OLED Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 RAM: 16GB Storage: 512GB Operating system: MagicOS 7.2 (Android 13) Camera: 50MP + 50MP ultrawide + 20MP 2.5x tele; 2x 16MP selfie Connectivity: 5G, dual sim + esim, USB-C, wifi 7, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3, GNSS Water resistance: none Dimensions folded: 156.7 x 74 x 10.1mm Dimensions unfolded: 156.7 x 145.4 x 4.8mm Weight: 237g Continue reading...