Apple new product rumours and general news

[Chz]

Lies, damned lies, and benchmarks. They are very powerful, but I would guarantee the number of real-world tasks that are faster on a Macbook Pro outnumber those that are faster on the iPad Pro. Certainly anything with an extended run time, as the iPad can't possibly stop itself from thermal throttling.

Someday they'll move MacOS to ARM. But it's not short-term.

 

[cybershot]

As well at this claim...

The new iPad Pro features less bezel, larger screens and USB-C

The company is working to position the device as a serious gaming platform — even going so far as comparing favorably it to the new Xbox, demoing a Warriors vs. Nets game on NBA 2k. The graphics were certainly solid for a tablet gaming demo. Ditto for the ability to run a full version of Photoshop on the device. Adobe is also one of the companies helping push Apple’s ARKit augmented reality platform. The company also demoed a sneak peak of a file created on its Project Aero AR app.

 

[Crispy]

Lies, damned lies, and benchmarks. They are very powerful, but I would guarantee the number of real-world tasks that are faster on a Macbook Pro outnumber those that are faster on the iPad Pro. Certainly anything with an extended run time, as the iPad can't possibly stop itself from thermal throttling.

Oh sure the thermals limit it in the ipad, but the A12 is a very impressive chip. They're ahead of Intel now on transistor count and process size (7nm!). With proper cooling, it certainly could totally go toe-to-toe with x86. And you just *know* they keep ARM builds of macOS updated behind the scenes. Just in case, like. I reckon it'll happen within 5 years.

 

[elbows]

The new ipad pro is more powerful than any laptop Apple currently sell (multi core rating. single core, there are just 3 laptop models that can beat it, and not by much). Apple will transition all their computers to their own ARM chips in the medium term; it's almost certain now.

Oh sure the thermals limit it in the ipad, but the A12 is a very impressive chip. They're ahead of Intel now on transistor count and process size (7nm!). With proper cooling, it certainly could totally go toe-to-toe with x86. And you just *know* they keep ARM builds of macOS updated behind the scenes. Just in case, like. I reckon it'll happen within 5 years.

I agree. I hope they dont compromise on anything that stops me joining in with this journey in the years ahead, will be interesting finding out. In the meantime, GPU performance matters to me a lot so I will try to check out the new ipad pro at some point to see where they are at on that side of things.

 

[Crispy]

Lies, damned lies, and benchmarks

Some real-world tests in this review: New iPad Pro 2018 12.9-inch



Intel should be very worried.

 

[cybershot]

Fuck! (written on a Dell XPS 13!)

 

[Crispy]

Those are the sort of graphs Apple used to be able to show off when PowerPC had a real edge on Intel (and again 10 years later when Intel caught up and overtook)

 

[cybershot]

Also I assume the app would need to stay in focus (and not auto lock) to achieve those results. So you still can't do anything else while the iPad is doing its thing. Although in most cases I would just go off and leave the computer to it when doing something like the above, but sometimes it's nice to be able to do some simple web surfing at the cost of adding a few minutes.

 

[editor]

The Verge is not quite so blown away with their $2,227 iPad Pro as it's a machine burdened with limitations and compromises:

The one thing iOS can do with external storage devices is import photos: if you plug in a camera or a memory card from a camera, iOS 12 will automatically pop open the camera import screen and let you import photos into your camera roll.

That’s it. That is the sole way iOS 12 can address external storage. And to make matters worse, you are required to import to the system camera roll — you can’t import photos directly into an app like Lightroom CC. Apple has to be in the middle.

I use Lightroom CC all the time and I would love to manage and edit all my photos on an iPad Pro, especially since editing with the Apple Pencil is so much fun on this display. But I have no desire to import hundreds of RAW files into my camera roll and iCloud photos account. When I brought this up, Apple very proudly pointed to a new Siri Shortcut from Adobe that imports photos from the camera roll into Lightroom and then automatically deletes them from the camera roll.

I couldn’t test that Lightroom Siri Shortcut, since it’s not yet available. But I can tell you that macro-based hacks around the limitations of an operating system are not usually included in bold visions of the future of computing, and that Siri Shortcut is a pure hack around the limitations Apple has imposed on the iPad Pro.

Oh, but it gets worse. I shoot photos in JPG+RAW, and the iOS PhotoKit API only allows apps to grab one or the other from the camera roll. So I could only import my RAW images into Lightroom, leaving the JPGs behind to clutter up my camera roll and iCloud storage. That’s untenable, so I just gave up and imported everything directly into Lightroom using my Mac, because my Mac doesn’t insist on abstracting the filesystem away into nonsense.

This little Lightroom vignette is basically the story of the iPad Pro: either you have to understand the limitations of iOS so well you can make use of these little hacks all over the place to get things done, or you just deal with it and accept that you have to go back to a real computer from time to time because it’s just easier. And in that case, you might as well just use a real computer.

And, most irritatingly, Apple refuses to support Google’s VP9 video codec, so there is literally no way to watch YouTube in 4K on the iPad Pro. You just can’t do it.

I can see any number of ways for me to get rid of my laptop and use the iPad Pro as my main computer — using an iPad is extremely pleasant, and it’s nice to use a computer with a touchscreen. But over and over again, some annoying iOS limitation stopped me from making the switch. I don’t think I’m just stuck in some old way of thinking, or that I need to to spend more time inventing a new workflow out of Siri Shortcuts and glue. It’s just basic stuff, like plugging in a flash drive to grab a file, or quickly changing the name of a document before emailing it off.

I don’t think people should adapt to their computers. Computers should adapt to people.

Apple iPad Pro review 2018: the fastest iPad is still an iPad

 

[Chz]

That all looks to me like Intel is going to have to offer a lot more options with AMD's graphics on the CPU. Crunching the numbers from everywhere, it looks like Apple has a CPU that's competitive with Intel at lower power levels. But what they've spent their time on is an onboard GPU that's worlds better than Intel's. Now those in the know are going to say "That's not exactly difficult, is it?", but AMD has failed to get their APUs into the mobile space so this is the first time that there's a powerful mobile CPU with plenty of GPU oomph to challenge Big Blue.

The one downside is that it runs iOS with all that processing prowess. People are going to want full-fat Photoshop, etc. with that much power. (particularly at the price point they're coming in at)

 

[Crispy]

full-fat Photoshop

Which is, to be fair, coming to iPad very soon.

 

[skyscraper101]

It will take a lot of convincing me that I can ever replace a fully functioning desktop OS with an iPad iOS, especially at that price. I'd say for maybe 75% of things, fine. But right now there are too many apps outside of iOS which I would miss.

Take nothing away from it though - those are some impressive stats, and yes I would like one please.

 

[editor]

It will take a lot of convincing me that I can ever replace a fully functioning desktop OS with an iPad iOS, especially at that price. I'd say for maybe 75% of things, fine. But right now there are too many apps outside of iOS which I would miss.

Take nothing away from it though - those are some impressive stats, and yes I would like one please.

Those stats stats are wildly impressive but it's still a tablet with all the compromises that involves. Not being able to plug in an external drive is ridiculous and I'm not sure producing powerhouse tablets is even the greatest idea for many folks.

My £200 touchscreen Chromebook is probably little bigger than the iPad Pro and it does probably 85% of the things I use my desktop for, and I fancy a tablet - even a mental fast one - would have even more annoying limitations...

 

[elbows]

Its certainly Apples own fault that all of the weaknesses and limitations of iOS are being talked about afresh now in relation to these new models, since Apple choose to market the thing as a pro computer.

There are many compromises that Apple have made over the years that I have been able to live with, some of which I was even happy about. But the success of the app store on iOS and what that has helped to entrench in Apples view of 'what a computer should be' is not positive and makes me think that eventually Apple stuff may occupy only a niche in my setup.

My interest and ownership of ipads over the years was only really sustained after the initial 'tablet honeymoon period' by the lively music creation app situation on iOS. Especially given the price difference between those apps and equivalent apps on the desktop, which eventually starts to really help offset even silly ipad pro pricing.

Stuff that benefits massively from the apple pencil is another area I could imagine justifying the ipad pro to some users quite understandably. My own lack of ability to draw etc means I cant really tap into this justification myself though.

On the more general computing, surfing web etc front, it would be nice if I could use a large ipad for that task, but I dont have to go far beyond the most casual of sessions before I find myself wanting to be able to use a mouse.

I always get excited about GPU improvements because I have an internal conflict - the stuff I am obsessed with making uses was too many watts of electricity when paired with beefy desktop GPUs, and the fanciful nature of what I'm doing makes me not very keen to think of how much electricity use my app could be responsible for if many people used it. So I've been growing old waiting for some mobile/low power computing options to gain sufficient grunt, and havent finished or released a desktop version in the meantime. Wanting to be able to test my stufff on the new ipad pro to see how it performs, combined with wanting to experiment with 120hz refresh rate, and wanting a larger screen for the music apps I use, means I suppose I am in the market for the new ipad pro despite the limitations and the hefty price. Not straight away though, although probably before the year is out.

 

[Crispy]

Apparently, there's a bunch of iPad stuff that was meant to be for iOS 12 but they decided to park it and focus on bug fixing and efficiency, which is understandable given the bad press iOS has been getting recently. I guess we'll see in a year or so.

I find it rather funny that macOS is now very well formed, but Macs are all over the place, while iOS on iPads is a mess, but the hardware is incredible.

 

[cybershot]

New AirPods Model Numbers Show Up in Bluetooth Database, Hinting at Upcoming Release

 

[elbows]

Apparently, there's a bunch of iPad stuff that was meant to be for iOS 12 but they decided to park it and focus on bug fixing and efficiency, which is understandable given the bad press iOS has been getting recently. I guess we'll see in a year or so.

I find it rather funny that macOS is now very well formed, but Macs are all over the place, while iOS on iPads is a mess, but the hardware is incredible.

Well unless they are parking that stuff for more than one version, only have to wait till WWDC in June to find out whats coming.

I'm not sure I think of macs as being all over the place exactly, but I've not been overjoyed by whats been on offer. A lot of what made nearly every mac of the last 5 years or so of limited interest to me came down to it being too easy to compare the spec of the hardware on offer to standard pc equivalents, and the price gap/performance bang for buck just being way too massive even for me. And a lack of GPU options. I know eGPUs take a performance hit, but I am glad that this avenue is now at least official and a little bit mainstream. I dont mind paying a bit of a premium to get macOS, and in various models you are at least getting a brilliant screen for the hefty price tag. But a decrease in repairability/expandability coupled with intel cpus, AMD gpus etc not exactly being a match made in heaven in terms of the thermal design Apple tend to want to use to fit their physical 'style', has left me wanting in terms of macs. I couldnt justify the trash can mac pro or the imac pro, and there is every chance I wont be able to justify whatever pro mac they come up with next. I have been able to justify this years mac mini an hopefully it wont disappoint me, just over a week left till I find out. Ideally I would quite like this to be my last intel mac, and that by the time I need a new one in some years time, they will have gone down their own cpu & gpu route with interesting results. On the iOS front, I dont really expect the things I'd like to see change in iOS for ipads happen.

 

[editor]

Better than the MacBook concludes this review.

There’s no doubt the new Air marks a sizable update. It’s pricier, too, though Apple’s kept things more in check here than with the Mac Mini. With all of its upgrades and lower price point to boot, the Air is the clear pick over the 12-inch MacBook in practically every way.

As a matter of fact, barring some major future upgrade, the 12-inch likely isn’t long for this world. And that’s perfectly fine. The new Air is very clearly the better buy.

MacBook Air review

 

[elbows]

Looks like my slightly souped up mac mini is now due to be delivered later this week rather than next week.

And the initial reviews seem mostly positive, although from the couple I looked at so far Apple have been dishing out the i3 version for review. I'm not surprised the review are positive, as form factors like that of the mac mini were always going to benefit from this ssd era, just like everything else has. So apart from the price, there isnt too much for people to complain about, especially since Apple didnt go crazy with port removal on the mac mini.

Reviews seem to be saying that the fan is exceedingly quiet, although as I am getting a more powerful CPU in mine compared to what they have reviewed, I will just have to judge that for myself. I suppose its the only thing I'm slightly nervous about since I will be spending so much time with it, if it makes any noises that annoy me then I shall be disappointed.

My first ever mac was a mac mini. The price was rather different to what I have paid this time, but then again so is the performance.

 

[cybershot]

Looks like my slightly souped up mac mini is now due to be delivered later this week rather than next week.

And the initial reviews seem mostly positive, although from the couple I looked at so far Apple have been dishing out the i3 version for review. I'm not surprised the review are positive, as form factors like that of the mac mini were always going to benefit from this ssd era, just like everything else has. So apart from the price, there isnt too much for people to complain about, especially since Apple didnt go crazy with port removal on the mac mini.

Reviews seem to be saying that the fan is exceedingly quiet, although as I am getting a more powerful CPU in mine compared to what they have reviewed, I will just have to judge that for myself. I suppose its the only thing I'm slightly nervous about since I will be spending so much time with it, if it makes any noises that annoy me then I shall be disappointed.

My first ever mac was a mac mini. The price was rather different to what I have paid this time, but then again so is the performance.

What size drive you gone for?

 

[elbows]

What size drive you gone for?

I've been used to having around 500GB main system SSD drives for a few years now so thats what I went with. I built a silent NAS with a 1TB SSD and some QNAP fanless NAS enclosure recently and I am quite happy with it so far, and have also just got a cheap USB C 2.5" drive enclosure that I will use with existing SSD out of an old system to give me several external storage options.

 

[sim667]

It seems the new machines won't be able to boot linux any longer, which seems like a stupid move considering how many linux people love macs

 

[2hats]

It seems the new machines won't be able to boot linux any longer, which seems like a stupid move considering how many linux people love macs

Does the T2 interfere with virtualbox guest VMs?

 

[sim667]

Does the T2 interfere with virtualbox guest VMs?

I don't know..... I'm assuming not, as it seems to be a kernel level issue, but I don't know 100%. If it does, this would effectively mean we can't use macs at work any longer.

Booting Linux Is Impossible On New Apple Hardware

 

[editor]

Another very mixed review for the iPad Pro

2018 iPad Pro review: “What’s a computer?”

 

[Lazy Llama]

It seems the new machines won't be able to boot linux any longer, which seems like a stupid move considering how many linux people love macs

Hmmm.
It seems you can run VMware ESXi in them though. I wonder how that differs, would have thought the boot mechanism is pretty much the same.

 

[sim667]

Hmmm.
It seems you can run VMware ESXi in them though. I wonder how that differs, would have thought the boot mechanism is pretty much the same.

I guess when you run it in ESXi, ESXi boots and then runs linux as a layer on top, rather than linux directly asking the kernel for authenticate the certificate.

 

[Lazy Llama]

I guess when you run it in ESXi, ESXi boots and then runs linux as a layer on top, rather than linux directly asking the kernel for authenticate the certificate.

Was thinking more about how ESXi is authenticated as an "approved" OS.

 

[sim667]

Was thinking more about how ESXi is authenticated as an "approved" OS.

Hmmmmm..... I don't know tbh.

 

[2hats]

Was thinking more about how ESXi is authenticated as an "approved" OS.

Maybe it offers up the appropriate Apple signed certs for boot?

I read that one can disable T2 secure boot by booting to recovery mode and selecting the Startup Security Utility from the Utilities menu, which is an option of sorts I guess. Am waiting to see someone confirm that Virtualbox can still play (ie run a Linux guest under Mac OS un the most recent hardware).