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The new iPad Air carries Apple’s most advanced chip

The most powerful iPad Air ever

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Apple’s latest chip — the A14 Bionic — was probably supposed to debut on the iPhone 12 but the pandemic happened and that announcement had to be delayed. Regardless, it still made a splash as the headlining component of the new iPad Air. 

Most Powerful iPad Air with A14 Bionic

The A14 Bionic chip offers a new six-core design for a 40 percent boost in CPU performance. There’s also a new four-core graphics architecture for a 30 percent improvement in graphics.

Apple showed side-by-side shots of a game and it showcased how the new chip helps in rendering an overall better visual experience of the game. There’s also no lag despite the more demanding graphics settings.

Its combination of the new Neural Engine, CPU machine learning accelerators, and high-performance GPU enables powerful on-device experiences for image recognition, natural language learning, analyzing motion, and more.

More colors, new finishes 

The upgrades aren’t all on the inside. The new iPad Air features a completely new thin and light design in five gorgeous finishes: silver, space gray, rose gold, green, and sky blue.

The new all-screen design features a larger 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display for a stunning visual experience.

To allow the display to extend on all sides, a next-generation Touch ID sensor is integrated into the top button. It provides the same fast, easy, and secure way to unlock iPad Air, log in to apps, or use Apple Pay that customers know and love.

The  iPad Air is compatible with Magic Keyboard and its floating design, and built-in trackpad, Smart Keyboard Folio, and new Smart Folio covers. It will also work with the Apple Pencil which attaches magnetically to the side for easy pairing, charging, and storing.

Upgraded camera, USB-C port 

The new iPad Air now features the same 12MP rear camera used in iPad Pro for higher resolution photos and 4K video capture. The new design features stereo speakers in landscape mode for a much better audio experience.

Also, Apple finally relented and opted for a USB-C port for up to 5GBps of data transfer. This is standard for connecting cameras, hard drives, and external monitors up to 4K. Highly unlikely though that we’ll see the same port on the iPhone 12. But we’ll see.

Distinct experience with iPadOS 14

Hardware is only half the battle. The biggest draw of the iPad over other tablets is iPadOS and the latest of which — iPadOS 14 — will run on the new iPad Air.

It better integrates Apple Pencil into the iPad experience for better note-taking capabilities, and new ways to work with handwritten notes. Smart Selection can now distinguish handwriting from drawings. Handwriting can be selected, cut, and pasted into another document as typed text using gestures that iPad users will be familiar with.

Shape recognition allows users to draw shapes that are made geometrically perfect and snap right into place when adding diagrams and illustrations in Notes.

Data detectors work seamlessly with handwritten text, recognizing phone numbers, dates, addresses, and links, making it easy for users to perform actions like tapping a handwritten number to make a call.

All of these will be available on the IPad Air plus more IPadOS 14 features.

Most environmentally friendly iPad Air

Perhaps this is the best thing about the new iPad Air that will likely go unnoticed. Apple already promised to bring its carbon footprint to net zero by 2030 and they’ve already started.

The iPad Air uses a 100 percent recycled aluminum enclosure and 100 percent recycled tin for the solder on its main logic board. The new speakers in iPad Air also use magnets with 100 percent recycled rare earth elements.

It remains free of harmful substances, is highly energy efficient, and uses wood fiber packaging that is recycled or comes from responsibly managed forests.

Pricing and availability

  • The new iPad Air will be available starting next month on apple.com and in the Apple Store app in 30 countries and regions, including the US. Wi-Fi models will be available with a starting price of US$ 599 and Wi-Fi + Cellular models start at US$ 729. It comes in 64GB and 256GB configurations, and will be available in five beautiful finishes including silver, space gray, rose gold, green, and sky blue.
  • iPadOS 14, the powerful operating system designed specifically for iPad, ships for free with the new eighth-generation iPad and new iPad Air, and will be available as a free software update tomorrow for all iPad Pro models, iPad Air 2 and later, iPad 5th generation and later, and iPad mini 4 and later.
  • Apple Pencil (2nd generation), available for purchase separately for US$129, is compatible with iPad Air.
  • Magic Keyboard and the Smart Keyboard Folio for iPad Air are available for purchase separately for US$ 299 and US$ 179, respectively, both with layouts for over 30 languages, including simplified Chinese, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish.
  • Smart Folios are available for iPad Air for US$ 79 in black, white, and three new seasonal colors including deep navy, cyprus green, and pink citrus.
  • Education pricing for individuals, including current and newly accepted college students and their parents, as well as faculty, staff, and homeschool teachers of all grade levels, is available for US$ 549 for the new iPad Air. The second-generation Apple Pencil is available for US$ 119, the Smart Keyboard Folio is available for US$ 159, and Magic Keyboard for US$ 279. For more information, visit apple.com/us-hed/shop.

Gaming

The Nintendo Switch is now Nintendo’s best-selling console ever

Meanwhile, the Switch 2 just crossed 17 million units sold.

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The Nintendo Switch 2’s success was bound to happen. After enormous success with the original Switch, Nintendo is practically destined to also put up impressive numbers for the console’s recently released sequel. Today, the company has whipped out some proof. The Nintendo Switch 2 officially sold 17.37 million units, as of December last year.

Nintendo shared the console’s numbers through an investor’s report. Despite coming out only eight months ago, the Switch 2 is already putting up impressive numbers. With those numbers, the console is already Nintendo’s fastest selling platform to date.

For comparison, the original Switch sold less than half of what Switch 2 has sold in the former’s first eight months. Though the second console is still miles away from its predecessor’s total numbers, it’s already well on its way. In fact, Nintendo already expects the Switch 2 to break 19 million units by the end of the quarter.

The second Switch isn’t the only console reaping the rewards of its hard work. The original Switch has also crossed a major milestone. As of last year, the console has sold 155.37 million units, making it Nintendo’s bestselling console ever. It just overtook the Nintendo DS, which sold 154.02 million units.

With that, the Switch 2 has a mountain to climb, just to reach the same heights that its predecessor already attained. For sure, the console’s ongoing success is buoyed by the goodwill established by the original. Now, the question is whether the Switch 2 can sustain its growth on its own.

To help, the console is expecting significant first-party titles including Pokémon Pokopia and Meetup in Bellabel Park, a Super Mario Bros. Wonder DLC.

SEE ALSO: The Nintendo Switch is nearing the end of its lifecycle

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Globe introduces The Loop, a portable 5G Wi-Fi hotspot

A home WiFi that moves with you

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Globe at Home The Loop

Globe is giving Filipinos a new way to stay connected — whether at home or on the go — with The loop, its latest portable 5G Wi-Fi device.

Globe at Home The Loop

Officially unveiled at The Blueprint event, The loop combines style and function in one compact device. It looks like a sleek mini basket with a handle on top and a touchscreen display in the middle — designed for everyday use, not just tech setups.

While it serves as a 5G Wi-Fi hotspot that can connect up to 16 devices simultaneously, Globe also built Theoop to fit right into modern lifestyles. You can stream music, watch videos, and even make video calls directly from the device — perfect for family bonding moments, group trips, or quick catch-ups anywhere.

Globe at Home The Loop

With its built-in battery, The loop keeps your connection running for up to two days even during a power outage, making it a reliable companion at home or outdoors.

Price and availability

Globe at Home The Loop

Available in green, orange,and white and soon in pink! The Loop retails for PhP 10,999.

Available on TikTok Shop! Get the connection you’ll love and feel the 5G energy with exclusive launch deals.

Also available at select Globe The loop stores nationwide — including Alabang Town Center, ICONIC Store BGC, Glorietta 3, Robinsons Place Manila, SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, SM North Edsa, SM Southmall, SM City Cebu, and more.

Globe’s The loop is more than a Wi-Fi gadget — it’s an experience built to keep every connection within reach.

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Gaming

New Civilization VII update will address everyone’s biggest issue

Soon, everyone can play as a single Civ.

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Despite being enjoyable in its current state, Sid Meier’s Civilization VII is a work in progress. Firaxis Games is still working on improvements, especially as suggested by the franchise’s fans. Now, approaching the new game’s first anniversary, Civilization VII is getting a massive patch, called the Test of Time update, later this spring.

Playing as a single Civ

Test of Time will address the biggest problem that players had with the base game: the inability to play as a single Civ. Currently, players are forced to evolve into Age-appropriate Civs at the end of the previous Age. The system leads to odd histories, such as Maurya somehow evolving into modern-day America.

Starting with the update, players can now take a single Civ across the test of time. And it’s not a shoehorned feature, too. Civs will now have an Apex Age, meaning the Age they were historically associated with. Playing Civs outside of their Apex Age will introduce a new kit that corresponds to the other Ages.

Plus, this also introduces a new system called Syncretism. Playing a Civ outside of their Age allows players to choose a unique military unit or infrastructure from other Civs to help bolster their strategy.

The new system works in reverse too. Players can start a game in the Modern Age using an Antiquity Age Civ. Finally, if players decide to use this system, the AI will follow suit, ensuring an equal playing field.

Reworked victory conditions

Besides the playability of Civs, Civilization VII will rework Victories. Instead of a clear path to victory via Legacy Paths (which players have complained as being too rigid), the new Triumph system will introduce new optional objectives to prod players further down the line of victory.

Plus, getting extraordinary progress in one victory condition can help players earn victory even before the Modern Age. Victory can be earned as early as the Exploration Age, but Firaxis has not explained how this can happen.

Firaxis says that the new system should help the game feel more dynamic and exciting after the Antiquity Age.

Now, to celebrate the actual anniversary, players will get access to a new leader, Gilgamesh, a fan favorite from the previous game. He will be free for all players with update 1.3.2.

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