iPad Air vs Microsoft Surface 2

How do the iPad Air and Surface 2 stack up against each other

Now that the iPad Air has been made official, how does it stack up against the recently launched Microsoft Surface 2? Is there even a comparison?

Let's compare the two tablets and see how they really fare against each other.

Before we dive in, let's recall the big picture when it comes to each device. The iPad Air is the next iteration of the iPad, but it's half a pound lighter. It also has the new A7 chipset and a 5MP iSight rear camera. Oh, and Apple promises up to 10 hours of battery life, too.

The Surface 2 is the successor to the Microsoft Surface. It runs Windows RT 8.1 and promises up to 28 days of standby time, though most reviews online show about six to seven hours of real-world use.

iPad Air vs Microsoft Surface 2: Display

These days, when you're buying what is essentially just a big slab of screen, the display really matters. Here, we have a 9.7-inch 2048 x 1536 display on the iPad Air versus a 10.6-inch 1920 x 1080 display on the Surface 2.

The winner in terms of sheer resolution and sharpness is the iPad Air. At normal viewing distances, you really wouldn't be able to tell the difference. But side-by-side, you'd probably be able to tell which one is best. But don't strain your eyes, because we're telling you now it's the iPad.

iPad Air vs Microsoft Surface 2: Processor and performance

There's more to performance than just plain old hardware. You can put a 200 horsepower engine in a motorcycle and it will fly, put that in a 5,000-pound truck and it's a different story. Likewise, chipsets and processors in tablets and smartphones don't tell the whole story.

Here we have Apple's new A7 chipset with 64-bit architecture powering iOS 7. Apple claims that, thanks to the A7, the new iPad Air is going to be eight times faster than the previous model.

The Microsoft Surface 2 has NVIDIA's Tegra 4, which has had performance issues depending on the device and software running.

Given our experience with iOS 7 and Windows RT 8.1, we can safely assume that the overall user experience as a result of performance will be better with iOS, and therefore, the iPad.

iPad Air vs Microsoft Surface 2: Battery life

Apple promises up to 10 hours of real world use with the iPad Air. Microsoft seems to only offer standby times, but most reviews online show six to seven hours of real world use.

Perhaps for many prospective buyers, the battery life isn't as important if the tablet is going to be for home use. But if you plan on taking a tablet with you on your commute, you'll definitely want the iPad for that extra juice.

One interesting thing is that reports on the web are mixed regarding battery life on the Microsoft Surface 2. Some claim that it's great, others are not impressed. The ones who tend to be excited about it are reviewers who are comparing it to its predecessor, so you may want to take that into consideration if you plan to buy it.

iPad Air vs Microsoft Surface 2: Apps

When you buy a tablet, you're really buying it for one main reason: apps. You're running browsers, social networking apps, productivity apps, games and so on. It's really one of the biggest considerations, or at least it should be, when buying a new tablet.

Hands down, the iPad Air wins here. If there was one consistent thing reviewers disliked about the Microsoft Surface 2, it was the lack of apps.

iOS has always had the biggest number of quality, tablet-designed apps when compared to Android or Windows. That hasn't changed, and it becomes more obvious once we start comparing the iPad to other tablets.

If you're not going to use a browser only - and why would you? - you should strongly consider the iPad Air over the Surface 2.

iPad Air vs Microsoft Surface 2: Pricing

Perhaps the one thing that the Surface 2 has going for it is pricing. Starting at $449, it's $50 cheaper than the iPad Air. If money were truly an issue, and $50 wasn't worth getting a better overall tablet experience, the clear winner is the Surface 2.

However, we believe that in most cases you get what you pay for. Not only will you get better battery life with the iPad Air, it's a lighter and more svelte tablet, too.

Then there are the apps. Sure, the iPad Air starts at a hefty $499, and cost up to $929 if you get a 64GB model with Wi-Fi + cellular connectivity, but you're buying into the richest app ecosystems available today.

Verdict

It's clear that in every category that matters, the iPad Air edges out the Surface 2 We do wish that it wasn't such a landslide victory in this comparison, but that's the reality of it.

Where Microsoft is really lacking is in its app selection. There aren't very many good apps for the Surface 2, or on Windows RT 8.1. Perhaps developers are going where the sales and money are, and that makes sense.

When it comes to build quality and weight, battery life, apps, display and performance, we give this one to the iPad Air in every category. Oh, and obviously the Apple tablet takes it in the value category, too. For the money, you just get more bang for your buck with Apple tablets.

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iPad Air release date, news and features

The new iPad is here and this is what you need to know

Ever the tease, Apple announced earlier in October that "it still had a lot to cover" in its latest event invite and now we know just what Cook and co meant by this cryptic sentence - the iPad Air.

At an event in San Francisco it has taken the wrapper off of its airborne tablet.

It's crazy to think that in just three short years, Apple has helped create a new essential sector in the gadget market and it is hoping its new iPad will cement its lead in the tablet space. And that lead is hefty, at 81%.

Apple called the first iPad "the most advanced technology in a magical and revolutionary device," and it has sold 170 million iPads. But how has it improved the device?

But, we hear you cry, what does the new iPad Air offer? Is it a massive refresh or just a minor upgrade? Well, read on as we reveal all...

iPad Air features and specifications

There's an abundance of new feature with the iPad Air. For a start, the tablet is a whopping 8x faster than the original iPad. And when it comes to GPU, it is an unbelievable 72x faster in the graphics department.

It has been confirmed that the new iPad will indeed be 64 bit, have over 1 billion transistors, an A7 processor and Apple's M7 motion-sensing chip. When it comes to new camera features, there is a 5MP iSight camera and 1080p HD video on board.

FaceTime has been given a 720p HD video camera than can push out 1.2MP photographs.

When it comes to battery life, Apple claims you should get 10 hours out of the device. Wi-Fi should be speedy too, thanks to Apple adding MIMO 802.11n support. This does mean that there isn't any 802.11ac support.

The iPad Air is certainly capacious. The version available are: 16GB, 32GB, 64GB and 128GB.

The official specs for the iPad are: 169mm in width, 240mm in height and, as we said before, thickness is a nice and slim 7.5mm.

Interestingly, Touch ID which was mooted for both the iPad Air and iPad mini 2 with Retina has missing on this update. We guess Apple is saving this feature for another day.

iPad Air design

The iPad Air is said to be 20% thinner than the iPad 4 at 7.5mm and it weighs in at just 1 pound (453g). It has the same screen size as before - 9.7 inches - with a 2048 x 1536 pixel resolution Retina display.

Looks wise it is a lot more reminiscent of the iPad mini meaning that this is the most significant redesign the iPad has ever undergone.

Color wise there are a few to choose from. Apple is sticking with its ridiculous naming conventions and will offer the iPad Air in silver and white and space grey and black color options.

When it comes to ports and buttons there is nothing out of the ordinary here. Other than a lack of touch ID, the iPad Air has the usual Home button, volume, rotation lock, dual mics, 3.5mm headphone jack, the trust Lightning connector and a built in speaker. Oh, and the on/off button.

iPad Air apps

The iPad Air has launched at an interesting time for Apple apps, as the Cupertino company has seen fit to make most of its software free.

iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand are now all free, though you will have to add some in-app purchases. Other, more productivity based apps, are also free - including Pages, Numbers and Keynote.

iPad Air price

The iPad Air price begins at $499, £399, AU$598 for the 16GB and you will also be able to get an LTE / 4G version beginning at $629, £499, $749.

iPad Air release date

The new iPad Air will be released globally November 1 - including the US, UK and Australia - and it will be the first iPad to arrive in China.

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iPad mini 2 release date, news and rumours

All the latest details on the next iPad mini

The iPad mini has been on sale since November 2012, so when will we get the iPad mini 2?

We're expecting the new iPad (both the iPad mini 2 and new iPad 5) to be launched at an event on October 15 - the invites for this should be sent out any day now, so stay tuned. It's likely to be on sale before the month is out, so if you're thinking of being that person and queuing, then best buy your camping gear now.

It seems like Apple was surprised by the iPad mini demand - it shifted three million units of the new iPad 4 and iPad mini in three days alone. so it will be looking to make something that can really wow the crowds with the follow up.

The likely scenario is that the iPad mini 2 will have an even sharper display of 2,048 x 1,536 pixels packed into the same 7.9-inch space, which will bring it closer to the impossible sharpness of the Nexus 7 2013.

When retailers start to price cut that can sometimes mean they're making way for a newer model, and as Cult of Mac notes, in the US that's just what Wal-Mart, Best Buy and MacMall are did on Wednesday 3 April, reducing prices of the iPad 3 and iPad mini prices by about 30%.

It seems a little bit early to be bringing the cost down as, like last year, the iPad mini 2 will launch in October, before being released onto shop shelves later that month, or perhaps spilling into November.

And could the iPad mini 2 also have the A5X processor under the hood? It seems likely, but as GottaBe Mobile reports, it's unlikely that Samsung will be the manufacturer of whatever part appears in the device.

And don't forget about iOS 7 - that's the new platform for Apple, and no matter what version of the tablet launches later this year, the iPad mini 2 will be on the latest version of iOS.

iPad mini 2 release date

With production of the sharper screens projected to start by the later half of 2013, the iPad mini 2 release date is almost certain to land in the run up to Christmas.

We've already seen a couple of rumours that there will be an event to announce the iPad mini 2 at an October 15 launch - this date is fast approaching, so we're expecting an invite any day now.

According to analysts, the iPad mini 2's production has already begun, with leaked documents and factories already revving their engines to bring the new device to market. The price drops are continuing too, so the likely October / November iPad mini 2 release date seems nailed on.

To corroborate this, BGR cites a pair of reports that agree with the late 2013 release date, in time for the Christmas rush. Indeed, Apple Insider reckons that development issues have caused the new iPad mini to be delayed along with the cheap iPhone and iPhone 5S, but will still hit the all important Christmas rush.

Bloomberg has more recently cited 'sources' saying that the release is imminent, but there is one horrendous idea being bandied about: that Apple will simply 'refresh' the iPad mini (the iPad mini S?) and save the new, Retina-powered device for 2014.

Say it ain't so...

iPad mini 2 casing

Images of what could potentially be the casing for the new iPad mini 2 leaked online in February. The photos come courtesy of the Chinese Weiphone forum, showing a silver rear casing for an iPad mini.

Most immediately noticeable on the casing is that the Apple logo and text is a sky blue color, rather than the typical black.

We've since seen a couple of other colours leak out to match those seen on the new iPhone 5S - both Space Grey and Gold could be making an appearance. We're not sure about those ideas, as it would look rather odd with a two tone back, so it would probably be a more monotone thing.

After you get over the color distraction, the more important point is a more subtle difference from the current mini, in that the casing appears to indicate a thicker device that the existing model.

The iPad gained a little extra girth when Apple upgraded it to a Retina display, so a thicker casing in these alleged iPad mini 2 shots seem to point to some Retina presence in this model.

We've since seen more in the way of iPad mini 2 casings, with a couple of new casings contradicting the earlier reports, with the first from new Apple-tipster-on-the-block Sonny Dickson thinking it will maintain the form factor of the original iPad mini.

Another, more likely faked, prototype has appeared, shorn of the usual iPad markings and regulatory notices as above, but does seem to corroborate the notion that Apple is keeping things the same with the new iPad mini.

It seems that there's a chance we could see two iPad mini versions coming when the device is launched later this year; a refreshed iPad mini that just gets a little speed bump, and the iPad mini 2 with a Retina display... here's hoping that it causes competition in the market and pushes prices down. We all want that.

iPad Mini 2 display

The grown up iPad 4 has a Retina display, and the next mini really needs Retina tech or something similar to allay the annoyances of those that eschewed the first iPad mini.

It makes sense that the biggest criticism of the current iPad mini so far is its relatively low 1,024 x 768 resolution. Critics wonder why a Retina display wasn't incorporated into the first iPad mini to begin with, but it seems it was largely to do with the speed of the product's announcement.

Some said Apple went with a lower resolution so it had some low hanging fruit to grab for the next upgrade. Production problems surrounding the iPad mini might also be the culprit - something that may well be holding backan iPad mini 2.

The forthcoming iPad mini 2's retina display is said to have a resolution of 2,048 x 1,536 pixels, doubling the current iPad mini's 1,024 x 798 screen and packing more pixels than the iPad 4's 264 ppi. In May 2013, NPD DisplaySearch predicted a 2,048 x 1,536 pixel display which will have a pixel density over 300ppi.

There are reasons not to worry about the iPad mini 2 coming with a thicker case to accomodate the Retina display. As we saw with the iPad 4, could a better iPad mini 2 display also mean a bulkier product? Not it, as rumours suggest, the screen is a tough Sharp IGZO display. Other rumours point at several manufacturers being involved.

The more recent trend of rumour-mongering is to claim that Apple still doesn't know whether it's going to whack a Retina display on the new iPad mini, with the first such notion appearing in July, in order to make the iPad mini even sleeker and bezel-less.

This was corroborated then refuted later in the same month, with developers noting that the code in the new iOS 7 platform didn't contain any mention of a higher-res display for the iPad mini.

However WSJ sources think this is total nonsense, with Samsung joining Sharp and LG in making the new screen for the iPad mini 2... which would make more sense if Apple is going to make enough of the things.

That's actually something that's a worry, as it could be that which causes a shortage of iPad Mini 2 units in the short term when it launches.

Our take is simple: we'll bet the house on the iPad mini 2 having a Retina display. Anything less and Apple would be too far behind the current trend for super-clear devices to have a hope of selling anywhere near as many units.

iPad mini 2 specs

In addition to an Apple A6X processor, an 8 megapixel camera is also expected to sit on the rear of the device.

Any other information on the specs of the upcoming tiny tablet have been few and far between, with the main focus on the display and case. However the battery will need to be boosted to accomodate the new Retina display, and we'd therefore expect an uprated GPU to help things out.

There will also be a double RAM unit plopped in as well as the new A7 chip from the iPhone 5S to help power the improved amounts of pixels - while this isn't confirmed, it would follow Apple's upgrade logic for the last few years.

iPad mini 2 price

When the iPad mini was first released, reports said the steep price point of $329/£269/AU$369 was due to manufacturing difficulties. Indeed, well into early 2013, iPad minis were not shipping quickly.

The new GF DITO touchscreen technology that helps make the mini so small is reportedly one of many production hurdles.

AU Optronics (AUO), the company that produces the current iPad mini LCD panels, was also having yield issues with the mini screens at first, so a Retina-like display could have caused additional production headaches.

However, AUO claims it smoothed out production problems surrounding the current panels, already resolving the light leak issues that held up fabrication.

Would a retina display iPad mini 2 also push the price upwards? There may also be retina and non-retina variants to keep the basic price low, which would satisfy a number of consumers while still maintaining the Apple tradition of keeping all its Christmas products shiny and new.

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A gold iPad mini 2 surfaces as word of double RAM bubbles

The iPad 5 could see a RAM boost too

While we can almost be certain the iPad mini 2 will be come in a darker shade of gray, details have dropped potentially revealing new tech specs for Apple new iPads. What's more, we could be in for a more celebratory shade for the smaller iPad.

Apple leak expert Sonny Dickson is back again with new images of space gray suited iPad mini 2. The new pics, posted to Twitter, add further credence to similar photoswe saw last week.

The new miniature iPad will supposedly come with 1GB of RAM, while the hunkier iPad 5 will have 2GB. This upgrade will mean the entire iPad line will be getting twice the amount of RAM compared to the last gen models.

Dickson also tweeted that the iPad mini 2 will be available in gold and silver in addition to space gray. A gold tab would of course follow the wildly popular color option Apple introduced us to with the iPhone 5S, one Samsung decided to jump on as well.

Going for gold

Hot on the heels of Dickson's tweets, we also caught newly leaked images of a gold iPad mini with Touch ID over at DoNews. Just like iPhone 5S'questionably reliable fingerprint scanner, the tablet in the leaked image has a home button with a ring around it, indicating the presence of Touch ID tech.

But before you get your credit card primed to buy a blinged out iPad mini 2, you should take these new images with a grain of salt - especially when this new golden boy seems to be the very first full, assembled tablet unit of this color we've seen.

These photos could just be rushed color-corrected images of the current iPad mini.

Of course we're all eager to see what Apple has in line for its next generation of tablets which could be revealed in the coming days as we get closer to the rumored Oct. 15 tablet extravaganza.

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