Apple just unveiled an all-new iPad Air for 2020 and it looks amazing. The only problem is that it costs $599 and up which is not great for those on a budget. If you don't need the latest and greatest model, you could save a solid amount on the previous-gen iPad Air 2 today at Woot. Prices start at just $219.99 for the refurbished devices there and, though they may show some cosmetic wear, they are restored to work like new and come with a 90-day warranty.

$899.99 $1299.00 Save $399 1623157769

Having now been replaced by the 24-inch M1 iMac, Apple's 21.5-inch iMac has been discontinued. That means big savings at third-party retailers including at Amazon where it's discounted by $399.

Prices Vary 1622214797

This sale includes iPhone models, the Apple Watch, iMac and iPad devices, Beats headphones, Apple services, and more. The deals vary by product, so be sure to check them all out now.

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Change how you use your iPad with the Apple Pencil. This stylus lets you use your iPad as a notepad, a canvas, or a drawing board for all of your ideas. Today's deal saves you 20% instantly at Verizon.

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Updated in late 2020, the Mac Mini has Apple's M1 chip that combines CPU, GPU, and machine learning for faster performance, better graphics, and an all around streamlined device. This version has 8GB RAM and a 256GB solid state drive.

From $329 1621244196

Apple Watch Series 6 models are available for some of their best prices ever right now. The lowest price is on the red 40mm version which is $70 off with 44mm and cellular models seeing discounts of up to $91.

While the iPad Air 2 is no longer the flagship tablet it once was, it's still a perfectly capable device in 2020 and even supports Apple's latest iPadOS 14 software.

The ultra-thin tablet weighs less than a pound, and the Retina Display provides you with impressive color and high contrast. Touch ID uses your fingerprint to keep everything secure and the tablet features an 8MP rear camera and FaceTime HD camera for video calls. It's powered by the A8X chip and has a battery life of up to 10 hours.

If you want an affordable device to keep around the house for emails, web browsing, or the occasional Apple TV+ show, the iPad Air 2 is still a great pick, especially if you can get one as cheap as you can today. The deal at Woot expires tonight or when sold out, so don't wait on placing an order if you want one. If it's not the device for you, be sure to peep our list of the best iPad deals for a bunch of other live offers.

Woot generally charges $6 per order for shipping, though you can score free shipping on today's order by logging in with an Amazon Prime account before checking out. If you've never been a member before, you can sign up for a free 30-day trial to have your orders shipped for free at Woot and Amazon. You'll also gain access to perks like the Prime Video streaming service, exclusive members-only discounts, and more.

As the Apple Store has come back online around the world it's time to check out what's new, but also what's gone. In the case of the iPad Air 2 there is now no longer an option to buy the 128GB model in WiFi or cellular forms it seems.

That means you're left with either 16GB or 64GB as your choices if you want to pick up Apple's now cheapest large iPad. You can still pick one up in gold, silver or Space Grey, but if you want 128GB of internal storage now you're forced to go for the iPad Pro. And one of those will cost you at least $749/£619.

It's not unusual to see such a thing. Apple now has no cross-over between the iPad Air 2 or the iPad Pro when it comes to storage sizes. Even if the iPad Pro does start at 32GB, something not available on the iPad Air 2.

You can check out the remaining iPad Air 2 models at the link below.

See at Apple

The iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 4 come with 16 GB, 64 GB, or 128 GB of storage. Picking between them can be tough, especially since cost increases along with size, and as apps and content get bigger, operating systems are getting more efficient. The last thing you want to do is pay for storage you don't need... except for running out of storage when you need it most. So, how much iPad storage is enough?

Price-per-gigabyte

The iPad has always been sold at different price points based on the amount of storage capacity it contains. Apple could choose to segment on any spec, but storage size is easy for everyone to understand. More buys you more.

iPad Air 2 break down:

• 16 GB - $499 or $31.19 per gigabyte.
• 64 GB - $599 or $9.36 per gigabyte.
• 128GB - $699 or $5.46 per gigabyte.

iPad mini 4:

• 16 GB - $399 or $24.94 per gigabyte.
• 64 GB - $499 or $7.80 per gigabyte.
• 128 GB - $599 or $4.68 per gigabyte.

So, while the 16 GB model remains the least expensive, the 128 GB model remains the best bang for the buck. If price is a major concern, just going from 16 GB to 64 GB quadruples your storage for just $100.

Local vs. Cloud storage

Apple's iCloud gives you free, unlimited storage for all your iTunes stuff. That includes iBooks, music, movies, TV shows, and apps. You also get 5 GB of additional storage for backups, data, and the new iCloud Photo Library and iCloud Music Library services that keep your personal pictures, videos, and Apple Music in the cloud. You can purchase more iCloud storage if you need it, and Apple has dropped the prices on all the paid tiers:

• 5 GB - Free
• 50 GB - $0.99/month
• 200 GB - $2.99/month
• 1TB - $9.99/month

iCloud integrates with iOS and OS X, has an iCloud Drive app in iOS 9, and otherwise keeps all your stuff connected and collected. Thanks to some really intelligent nearline management, iCloud can help make sure you're recent and frequently accessed content is instantly available, and your older and infrequently accessed content is only a tap and a download away when you need it.

What's more, Apple is no slicing out parts of apps and games that aren't needed for your iPad—like iPhone interface elements and older processor code, and staging resources on-demand so you only store what you're actually using or about to be using.

If you prefer other solutions, there's also built-in storage provider support for Dropbox, One Drive, Google Drive, and more.

The cloud still can't take the place of lots of on-device storage—you can't shoot 1080p video straight to the cloud, for example—but it can help you get the most of what you have.

Who should get a 16 GB iPad Air 2 or iPad mini 4?

If you don't use a lot of apps, if you don't want to have a lot of movies and TV shows, or a huge amount of music, if you don't intend to shoot and keep very many photos on your iPad, you'll probably be okay with 16 GB on the iPad Air 2 or iPad mini 4.

In other words, if you're a streamer rather than a store-er, you'll be fine. For most people, however, more storage won't just be nice-to-have, it'll be must-have.

Who should get a 64 GB iPad Air 2 or iPad mini 4?

If you want to be able to store a decent amount of music, photos, videos, apps, and games, and still have room for more, you'll likely be happy with the 64 GB iPad Air 2 or iPad mini 4.

Unless you plan on using your iPad as your primary or sole computer and want tons of content available offline, the middle of the line can also be the best of the line for you.

Who should get a 128GB iPad Air 2 or iPad mini 4?

If you don't want to have to depend on network access, if you want to keep a lot of media, apps, and games local, if you intend to work on multiple 4K streams or other high-capacity content, you'll want 128 GB.

In other words, if you want all the things available all the time, you'll need all the storage.

Still undecided?

If you're still not sure what storage size to get, jump into our iPad discussion forums and the best community in mobile will happily help you out!

Also, remember, in most places you'll have time to try out your new iPad and return it if you don't like it. So, make sure, as soon as possible, you put your new iPad Air 2 or iPad mini 4 through realistic paces. Load up all the apps and games you want with you, load up your movies and TV shows, go out and take some photos and shoot some video. Give it a complete and thorough workout. If it feels like you got too much storage or too little, then take your iPad back and exchange it for one that better suits your needs.

The Rugged Book is one of Zagg's newest keyboard case offerings for the iPad Air 2 and boasts great protection with 4 different modes, a backlit keyboard, up to two years of battery life on a single charge, and more. Let's take a look at how it holds up out in the real world!

The good

• Same great keyboard layout Zagg has been known for
• Backlit keys
• Awesome battery life
• 4 different modes that offer a keyboard and protective case all in one
• Lots of iOS specific function keys
• Check battery life right from the keyboard in a button push
• Multiple layers offer superior shock protection that isn't too heavy or bulky
• Easy Access to Control Center when in keyboard mode, the hinge doesn't block it, yay!

The bad

• Book mode is somewhat awkward
• Top portion detaches too easily and sometimes does this while adjusting viewing angles or opening the case

I've been using the Zagg Rugged Book for the past week as the sole keyboard case on my iPad Air 2. My first observation is that for a rugged case, it's not as thick or as bulky as I would expect, yet I feel it protects my iPad Air 2 well.

The Zagg Rugged Book offers 4 different modes; keyboard, case, video, and book. Keyboard mode is obvious. Case mode lets you easily detach the keyboard from the rest of the case so you can use your iPad in tablet mode. For video mode, just detach the top part from the keyboard, turn it around, and re-attach. The keyboard then works as a stand so you can interact with the screen and any media you need to. Book mode lets you stow the keyboard behind the case by attaching the same way you would for video mode. Just close the case with your iPad facing up instead. I never found a particularly good use for book mode and much preferred just detaching the iPad and using it in case mode. Why carry around the extra bulk?

When in keyboard mode, you have a spacious keyboard with several dedicated function keys. The top row of keys has lots of iOS specific keys such as a key for Home button, Siri, Spotlight search, quick toggle for international keyboards, and music controls. Along the bottom row you have a function key off the far left that you'll use to check battery life and toggle the backlight on and off.

Zagg boasts that the Rugged Book will last up to two years on a single charge. This estimate is based on using the keyboard case one hour per day with no backlight. Additional usage and using the backlit keyboard requires you to charge more frequently. While I haven't had the keyboard nearly long enough to fully work the battery, I have used it for more than 2 hours per day for a week or so and the battery is still showing as full.

You can quickly test the battery level by using the battery key on the keyboard. It will flash green 3 times if you have more than 50% battery remaining. Three yellow flashes indicates 25-49% and three red indicate less than 25%. In my experience, Zagg keyboards do a great job at sleeping themselves when idle. Both Zagg cases I had for my original iPad Air exceeded battery expectations so i'd expect the Rugged Book to do the same. Realistically, if you use the case each day for a few hours, you can expect to charge every 2-3 months or so.

One thing I'd like to point out that I feel is overlooked in keyboard case reviews is access to Control Center. Typically the hinge of every keyboard case blocks you from being able to swipe up. I was pleasantly surprised to see Zagg took this into account when designing the Rugged Book. The indent under the screen makes Control Center easy to access when in keyboard mode.

The bottom line

The Zagg Rugged Book is the case to beat in terms of protection and productivity packed into one. The keyboard layout is great and doesn't feel clumsy. If you need a keyboard that can handle whatever you throw at it, the Rugged Book by Zagg is what you want.

• $149.99 - Buy now

The iPad Air 2 took Apple's thinnest and lightest full-sized tablet ever and made it even thinner and lighter. It also laminated the screen to make the pixels look like they were floating inside the glass, added Touch ID, and 8 megapixel iSight camera, and introduced the Apple A8X — a custom three processing core, eight graphics core chipset so powerful it made even recent ultrabooks nervous. But Apple themselves have told us technology alone isn't enough. What matters is what we can do with it, where, and how well. Back in October we did a full iPad Air 2 review. Now we're revisiting that review three months later.

Design

Rene: The iPad Air 2's design is so perfectly minimalist I'm not sure where Apple could take it next. Two-dimensional? Like the original iPad Air, the thinner bezels on both sides make it easy to hold and type in portrait orientation, and the 9.7-inch screen makes it feel bigger than my big screen TV when I hold it close to watch video. Thanks to it being even lighter, I can also hold it close to watch video longer. That's the real win here — with thinness come lightness and with lightness comes usability. The iPad Air 2 is the most usable full-sized iPad ever, and that's saying a lot.

Ally: For the most part it looks and feels just like my iPad Air. Except Touch ID! Yay! Although the weight and design are near perfect, I still wish the curved glass on the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus had made its way to the iPad Air 2 as well.

Ren: I'll return to what I said when I first picked up the Air 2: It's the first ten-inch iPad that doesn't immediately make me long for its smaller cousin. I've been an iPad mini devotee for the last few years, but the Air 2 is light and portable enough to make me rethink that decision. I've even been carrying it around with me when I take my 11-inch MacBook Air around town; I'd previously been convinced I wasn't ever going to take a 10-inch iPad along with an 11-inch computer again.

Display

Rene: I wasn't sure how much I'd really notice the improvements to the iPad Air 2 display. On paper things like lamination, anti-glare, and dual domain pixels all sound technobabblingly cool. In real life, though, it turns out they're just as cool. The laminated display is the biggest difference. Like iPhone before it — and the Retina iMac at the same time as it — the laminated display makes the pixels look like they're in the glass. The difference is phenomenal. It doesn't look like a screen. It looks like digital paper. Seeing it on the iPhone 6 Plus is impressive. Seeing it on the iPad is immersive.

Ally: Ugh, it's so great. I didn't know how big of a different the laminated display would make but honestly, everything looks so much more vivid and sharp. Not only that, viewing angles are better too.

Ren: Gosh, but the display is still really beautiful three months in. I love the glare reduction and the laminated display, and colors just look extraordinary on the device. The iPad has always been great for television and gaming, but I find myself taking a step back to acknowledge and admire just how nice everything looks — especially in weird lighting that would have caused glare issues on previous iPads.

Performance and battery life

Rene: I called the Apple A6X a beast and the Apple A7 a monster. If I'd known how quickly Apple would be ramping up their chipsets, I would have started smaller, or spent more time researching appropriate sounding mythical monikers. Because the Apple A8X is a beastly monster compared to what came just last year. The iPad 3 felt like it was in redline all the time. The iPad Air 2 (iPad 6) feels almost impossible to get into the yellow. The biggest question I have now isn't how much it can do, but how will software evolve to take advantage of what it (and its immediate successors) can do?

That aside, the 2GB of RAM means more browser tabs stay loaded and more apps stay in memory for longer. As to battery life, it's been fine. I wish I could give a better answer but thanks in part to the iPhone 6 Plus having pulled some of my tablet time away from the iPads, and the consistent 10-hours of battery life Apple's always hit with the iPad Air 2, I find myself seldom if ever worrying about it running down. Once a week or so I plug it in our of habit and, unless I'm watching massive amounts of video all in one sitting, it's fine for the rest of the week.

Ally: I don't do anything that remotely puts the processor to the test but I can make a goat or any other small animal completely disappear from a photo in Pixelmator, and that is freaking awesome. I recently took a trip to Europe and on the way back my iPad Air 2 lasted an entire 8 hour and 40 minute plane ride. Not only that, I had 43% left after landing. And that's all after streaming a movie, playing a few games, listening to music, and editing a couple photos.

Ren: I haven't played many high-intensity games to put the A8X chipset through its paces, but as someone who frequently does a lot of photo work on the iPad, I've been wowed by its speed in apps like Pixelmator. That repair demo was impressive on screen, but more impressive is the fact that I can repair a part of an image on my Air 2 faster than I can on my Macbook Air. Like Rene, I'll go with "consistent" for battery life… I rarely run my iPad from 100 to 0 in a single sitting, and I've been pleasantly surprised by the amount of battery it holds over when I've put the device away for a few days and come back to it to edit photos or play some Hearthstone.

Touch ID and Apple Pay

Rene: Last year it took me over 10 seconds to unlock my original iPad Air. 6 seconds to realize it didn't have Touch ID, 1 second to curse, and 3 seconds to swipe over and enter my passcode. This year, thanks to Touch ID, my iPad Air 2 often unlocks before I have time to remember it has Touch ID. (Apple ID, on the other hand, still gets the last laugh because now it takes me 6 seconds to remember the sleep wake button is still on the top, not on the side like the iPhone 6 Plus…)

Apple Pay — wait for it — hurry up and go international.

Ally: I haven't used Apple Pay on my iPad. But I am sure it makes purchases faster for apps that support it. I am enjoying it on my iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. Touch ID however, you are so fancy and I am so glad you finally joined the iPad party.

Ren: Touch ID, you are my favorite. I am so glad you're on the Air 2 now. Though I really do think Apple should make you input both thumbs for an iPad, given how often the ID sensor ends up next to the thumb you forgot to encode. I only had my left thumb mapped for the first few weeks, and was constantly picking up the iPad backwards with the sensor next to my right thumb. Silly first world problem? Absolutely. But given that I've no other complaints about Touch ID...

Apple SIM and connectivity

Rene: Just like there's no Apple Pay in Canada yet, there's no Apple SIM in Canada yet. My carrier SIM works just fine, though, and on occasion I still get over 90Mbps of blessed LTE in my living room or at the coffee shop. Wi-Fi has been working similarly well for me. I hadn't been using my iPad as a Wi-Fi hotspot as much, since the iPhone 6 Plus battery had me using it instead, but I've gone back to it lately and thanks to Instant Hotspot it's working better than ever.

Ally: I use AT&T and my Apple SIM didn't work. I just ended up swapping the SIM out of my original iPad Air. Sad face.

Ren: The Apple SIM is super-nifty, and it's given me a chance to try out both T-Mobile and Sprint — two carriers whose networks I'd never used before. I'm annoyed that AT&T sim-locks and Verizon's not interested in the program at all, but baby steps.

iSight camera

Rene: Before Ally can get her mean, so very mean, shots in on iPad photography, I'm going to once again stand up and defend anyone taking a photo with whatever device they happen to own. iPad photography is a thing. Learn to love it, selfie sticker!

Thanks to the 8 megapixel iSight camera, a first for the line, the iPad Air not only takes convenient photos, it takes pretty good ones. I'll still default to my iPhone 6 Plus for almost all my photographic needs — it's a better, more ergonomic camera and I almost always have it with me — but when I want a giant view finder or I want to a photo of my iPhone, my iPad now lets me do that just fine.

Ally: Maybe one day iPad picture takers won't make me want to cry. However, that day is not today. It's still awkward and weird to me. But if you're one of them, the iPad Air 2 takes more than decent photos and that's a first for the iPad in my book. Either way, I may still judge you if you do it. That being said, selfie sticks for life yo.

Ren: In a pinch, I had to take a photo on my Air 2 for an iMore article and… it actually came out pretty well. Unsurprising, since the camera optics are much improved. I'm glad I have it available for emergencies, but I still don't see myself using the iPad Air 2's rear camera any time soon. Front is great for FaceTime, though I admit I tend to use FaceTime more on the iPhone than I do the iPad. (Something about the iPhone being less likely to drop on your face mid-conversation.)

Apps

Rene: Extensions are great, handoff is great, Workflow is genius, and Pixelmator is fantastic. Three months later, however, I'm anxious for more apps like Pixelmator. I feel like the iPad Air 2 architecture offers so much potential and we don't have enough apps that really take advantage of it. Maybe that's because iOS needs to grow to take advance of the super-computers in our hands, maybe that's because the App Store needs to be changed to better incentivize big, hairy, audacious apps, and/or maybe that's because developers are still figuring things out. Whatever the reason or combination of reasons, the iPad Air 2 for the first time has me asking — what's next when it comes to mobile software?

Ally: I agree with everything Ren and Rene have already said. MOAR APPS PLEASE!

Ren: I agree with Rene. Where's Final Cut Mobile, Apple? iMovie's improvements are great, but I want an editing app with a bit more power. Let's pro up this thing.

Accessories

Rene: I haven't been using much if any accessories with my iPad Air 2. I've got a Smart Cover on it for when I take it out of the house, but other than that it's been au naturel. Anyone have any must-try accessories they'd recommend?

Ally: I use a Smart Cover and that's it. I'm looking into testing out some keyboard covers so stay tuned for that. As for a stylus or other kind of drawing and sketching apparatus, I can barely draw a stick figure so I've never really used them or depended on them in the way Ren does.

Ren: Styluses are always my iPad accessory of choice, though Apple's display redesign meant that a lot of the Bluetooth ones need new models made for the Air 2 to work well. Ten One's Pogo Connect is still functional, as are many of the non-Bluetooth models like the Adonit Jot Pro.

The bottom line

Rene: Three months later the iPad Air 2 hardware is as if not more impressive than I first thought. It's so good, even with all the advances made in iOS 8 — extensibility, continuity, metal, etc. — it feels like the software now has to step up its game. I don't at all mean it needs to become a desktop or do things in a desktop way. That would be a step back. Here, it feels like there's an opportunity for accessible mobile technology to take its next step forward. Based on recent rumors, it feels like Apple's been working on just that.

Otherwise the iPad Air 2 is the closest thing to the internet and apps barely contained in an ultra-thin sheet of glass. It remains not only easy and powerful to use, but a pleasure to use.

Ally: The iPad Air 2 is my favorite iPad yet. My hope for next year is that I can see some of the same performance come to the mini. As much as I like the weight and feeling of the iPad Air 2, I sometimes find myself missing the iPad mini's ultra portable size.

Ren: It's fast, it's portable, and it's reliable: Three buzzwords that also happen to be a hundred percent true when it comes to the Air 2. I'm incredibly satisfied with Apple's latest iPad, both on the software and hardware side. I wish the company would make its screens slightly easier for stylus developers to build upon, but otherwise, it's a stellar product and a worthy successor to the iPad Air.

While the introduction of what amounts to a universal SIM card in the new iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 brought on celebration of an impending future of easier carrier switching with just one SIM, we're only halfway there. Not only does the SIM not support Verizon, but if you try to activate it on AT&T, it will lock the SIM to that carrier.

Per Apple's support documentiaton:

Naturally, T-Mobile CEO John Legere used this as a moment to poke at his rivals, noting that activating an Apple SIM-equipped iPad on his magenta network won't result in any carrier locking. If all else fails and your iPad's Apple SIM gets locked to AT&T or another carrier, never fear — the iPad itself is still unlocked. Swap it out with another SIM, even a new Apple SIM from Apple, and everything will be back to freedom.

Source: Apple, John Legere (Twitter)

The new iPad Air 2 is here with its gold finish, laminated Retina display, and monstrous new triple-core Apple A8X processor. Here's what's in the box, and a full hands-on tour of the new hardware!

We're busy reviewing it now, so if you have any requests, or any questions, fire away!

We're still working away on our in-depth iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 reviews, but in the meantime some early reviews have started going up already and they're worth checking out.

John Gruber, Daring Fireball:

Jim Dalrymple, Loop Insight:

The iPad created and made popular a market for powerful, portable tablets. The latest updates, along with iOS 8.1 and the App Store ecosystem, only solidifies Apple's position as the No. 1 tablet-maker in the world.

Joanna Stern, Wall Street Journal:

Nilay Patel, The Verge:

Dieter Bohn, The Verge:

Brad Molen, Engadget

Walt Mossberg, re/code:

If those things don't matter to you, neither may the iPad Air 2.

Samuel Gibbs, The Guardian:

Anick Jesdanun, ABC

Darrell Etherington, TechCrunch:

Also Darrell Etherington, TechCrunch:

Harry McCracken, Fast Company:

Lance Ulanoff, Mashable:

Also Lance Ulanoff, Mashable:

Farhad Manjoo, New York Times:

David Pogue, Yahoo:

Chris Davies, SlashGear:

When the iPad 2 launched in 2011 with both FaceTime and iSight cameras, it challenged a lot of prejudices and preconceptions, including my own. The image of something the size of an ancient dry plate camera with an accordion up front and a blanket draped over the back leapt to mind, as did tourists in Tommy Bahamas clicking away on iPads as they saw the sights. Part of the problem was the cameras themselves — they were dismal at first and never seemed to catch up to the great cameras shipping with the iPhones. But the rest was pure snobbery.

It should have been evident at the time. If "the best camera is the one you have with you", then for people who only have iPads, that becomes the best camera for them. That was certainly the case for my own family, where several relatives got iPads years before they got iPhones, and used the cameras to capture not only priceless personal memories, but create arts and crafts and more.

Sometimes they still do because the big iPad screen makes it really easy to see all the details and make sure you get as crisp and as perfectly positioned a shot as possible. That's also why, during CESLive last year, surrounded by tens of thousands of dollars of high end camera equipment, we used an iPad mini with hand and lens mount as a roving close-up camera. Under those conditions, for that task, the size of the viewfinder combined with the ability to stream the video made it invaluable.

This is also where I point out the iPad mini cost less than the small LCD display I bought 2 years ago to mount on my 5D Mark III to shoot the breakout videos for Talk Mobile. Sure it doesn't have all the wired outputs the the shoe-mounted LCD has, but then the show-mounted LCD doesn't have any wireless.

Apple's own Your Verse marketing campaign has shown that off as well, highlighting professional photographers who have taken the iPad and its camera to the tops of mountains and the bottom of the sea.

And this year, at the iPad and Mac event, Apple even boosted the iPad Air 2 camera to 8 megapixels and f/2.4, and added burst mode, time-lapse, and more. It's still not on par with the terrific iPhone 6 camera, but it's no longer far, far behind either. Combined with that 9.7-inch view finder, for some people, in some specific circumstance, it might even pull ahead.

My parents, siblings, god children, and more have taken some amazing photos with their iPads. I've taken some as well. And I expect to see many, many more, personal and professional both.

Prejudice and preconception take a while to change. When technology goes mainstream, some power users take exception to the newly empowered ones. Same when colors like gold or sizes like iPad get seen in contexts we aren't used to.

But if we shift our focus from technology and objects to people and achievements, if we consider those who are preserving their priceless memories where they couldn't have before, the ones taking connected photography to places never before possible, that's when prejudice and preconception can be conquered.

That's when it's impossible to look at iPad photography and do anything else but celebrate.

The iPads are coming! The iPads are coming! Yes, as expected, Apple announced the newest members of its ever-growing iPad family on Thursday—the iPad Air 2 and the iPad mini 3. These two will be available for pre-order beginning tomorrow, October 17; here's what you need to know about them.

1. The iPads are numbered again (and there are a lot of them)

Yes, it's true: Apple's abandoned its Mac-like naming structure of "The new iPad" and retreated into once again numbering its iPad models. And as much as I love the Mac's naming schema, I agree with Apple here: It wasn't working on the iPad because of the sheer number of models still available. iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad with Retina display, iPad Air… When it's difficult to explain to your mother which model she should remember to buy, that's trouble.

Apple hasn't completely alleviated the "which model to buy problem" with its five-iPad lineup, but they're at least all streamlined in name now: The iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 are the latest models, with the iPad Air, iPad mini 2 (née iPad mini with Retina display), and iPad mini sticking around as cheaper price-point options.

The cheapest iPad in the lineup is now the iPad mini, coming in at $249 for a 16GB-only model ($379 for cellular access); the iPad mini 2 and iPad Air stick around at $299 and $399, respectively, with a 32GB model available for $100 more; and the iPad mini 3 and iPad Air 2 begin in at $399 and $499.

2. The iPad Air 2 is packed to its super-slim gills with power

Apple spent a good portion of today's event going over the numerous power boosts and tweaks to its flagship iPad model: The company has created a brand new A8X processor to power the iPad Air 2 that's 40 percent faster than the A7 and provides a 2.5x graphics boost in comparison to its predecessor. It also gains the M8 chip found in the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus (and its new barometer sensor).

Despite this major power improvement, the new iPad retains its 10 hour battery life and slims down 18 percent from the iPad Air, coming in at just 6.1mm thick. In part, the device's thinness is due to display innovations; Apple has laminated its Retina display, reducing the space and air in-between the glass and screen. (Yes, Apple got rid of the air in the iPad Air 2. Har har har.) The iPad Air 2's display also receives an antireflective coating, reducing glare and reflectivity on the screen while out in bright or harsh environments.

The one casualty in this quest for thinness? The iPad's rotation lock/mute switch. RIP, little buddy.

Last (but not least) is some connectivity tweaks to increase speed over both Wi-Fi and cellular connections. The iPad Air 2 incorporates the Wi-Fi 802.11ac standard into its antenna set, and supports even more LTE bands.

3. Tablets are cameras, too

There are also some big camera improvements coming to the iPad Air 2 for those who like snapping images with their tablet. (I may not be one of them, but I know they're out there.) The iPad Air 2 isn't quite the gift to photographers as its iPhone cousin, but it at the least makes the tablet a viable alternative for shooting images. The rear camera now sports an 8-megapixel sensor with improved on-device image processing; the iPad also gets the iPhone's burst mode and slo-mo video features, though slow-motion video is only available at the iPhone 5s's 120 frames-per-second speed and not the 240FPS of the iPhone 6.

4. The latest iPad mini has only one major improvement: Touch ID

After lavishing a lot of love on the iPad Air 2, I'd hoped we'd be treated to a slightly shorter but still glowing presentation for the iPad mini; instead, we had to make do with a few short slides on Apple's smaller device. And for good reason: The company's iPad mini 3 has just two features that differentiate it from last year's model—Touch ID and a gold coloration option.

Yeah. That's it. It keeps the same exact form factor, the same A7/M7 chipset combination, the same 5MP camera sensor and photography features, and the same antennas.

Sure, if you're really itching for Touch ID and gold on your mini, the $100 might be a good investment. But for those hoping those on-stage upgrades made it to Apple's smaller device, you're flat out of luck.

5. Speaking of Touch ID...

Gone are the days when you had to click the home button, swipe over, and enter either a simple passcode or complex password just to access your iPad. Now, simply placing your finger on the Touch ID sensor will read your print, compare it to the one stored securely on the Apple A8 processor, and if it matches, instantly grant you access.

Touch ID is a biometric personal identity scanner and not only is it simple and fast, it's also an excellent compromise between convenience and security. It brings all of the authentication and authorization benefits the iPhone has enjoyed since last year, but now brings back consistency between iPhone and iPad as well.

In other words, those of us with both iPhones and iPads will no longer be placing our fingers on the home button and wondering why nothing is happening.

iPad users also get the online-only version of Apple Pay, which allows you to use the Touch ID sensor to pay for online purchases with certain vendors. It just means that shopping from the iPad—already one of the most popular devices for doing just that—becomes not only quicker and more convenient, but more secure as well. It doesn't carry over to using your iPad to pay for items in-store, however—you'll still need an iPhone 6 to take advantage of Apple Pay's NFC pay technology.

Stay tuned for more

We'll have lots more on the new iPads very soon, so stick around. Rene's down in Cupertino playing with the new iPad Air and iPad mini as I type this very sentence; check back later on iMore.com for his first thoughts and reactions.

We are still discovering things about the newly revealed Apple iPad Air 2 that the company didn't talk about during their press event today. One of these features is mentioned on Apple's website, where it reveals that the iPad Air 2 comes with its own custom Apple SIM card.

According to the site:

At the moment, the US carriers that support the new Apple SIM include AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile (sorry Verizon Wireless customers), while EE in the UK is the only one mentioned as supporting this feature in that country. What do you think of this rather interesting feature for the iPad Air 2?

Source: Apple{.nofollow}

As expectations and rumors all pointed towards, Apple has today officially announced the new iPad Air at its special event out in Cupertino. The latest in Apple's full sized iPad line, the iPad Air 2 has the same visual feel as last years iPad Air but with a few added new tricks like Touch ID — and it comes in gold!

As you'd expect from an Apple product it's slim, and it's light. At just 6.1 mm thin the iPad Air 2 is the world's slimmest tablet. It's so slim it's actually 18% slimmer than even last year's iPad Air, and it's less than half as thick as the very first iPad. Inside is Apple's A8X chipset, brand new and created just for the iPad Air 2 and it's paired with the M8 motion coprocessor.

Round the back it has an 8MP iSight camera with 1.12micron pixels and an ƒ/2.4 aperture. The camera also boasts a burst mode for photos, timelapse and the ability to take 43MP panoramas. When it comes to connectivity, the iPad Air 2 sports 802.11ac MiMO wifi with support for up to 866 Mbps. There's over 20 bands of LTE at up to 150 Mpbs.

While the iPad Air 2 won't support NFC for payment at brick and mortar stores, owners will still be able to use Apple Pay through apps that support it via Touch ID authentication.

The display is now optically bonded with no air gap and an anti-reflective coating, part of the reason Apple was able to reduce the overall thickness. It's got 56% reduced reflectivity, which is the lowest value of any tablet on the market today.

The iPad Air 2 will also continue to boast sterling battery life, with Apple promising its standard 10 hours of use from it. Oh, and did we mention it comes in gold? Pricing for the iPad Air 2 starts at $499 and comes in the following configurations:

• $499 - 16GB
• $599 - 64GB
• $699 - 128GB

We'll be going hands-on in a little while but in the meantime be sure to follow the rest of the event in our liveblog!

Apple Introduces iPad Air 2—The Thinnest, Most Powerful iPad Ever iPad Air 2 & iPad mini 3 Now Featuring Touch ID & Support for Apple Pay Within Apps

CUPERTINO, California—October 16, 2014—Apple® today introduced iPad Air™ 2, the thinnest and most powerful iPad® ever. Now just 6.1 mm thin and weighing less than a pound, iPad Air 2 features an improved Retina® display for enhanced contrast and richer, more vibrant colors, and better cameras for taking stunning photos and videos. Available in gold, silver and space gray, the new iPad Air 2 and iPad mini™ 3 offer Touch ID™ so users can unlock their iPad with just the touch of a finger and make purchases easily and securely within apps using Apple Pay™.¹

"iPad is a magical piece of glass that runs more than 675,000 apps specifically designed for it, and is thin and light enough that you can comfortably hold it all day; the new iPad Air 2 is packed with amazing new innovations, weighs less than a pound, and at just 6.1 mm is the thinnest tablet in the world," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. "iPad Air 2 has a new Retina display with anti-reflective coating, second generation 64-bit A8X chip, all-new iSight and FaceTime HD cameras, faster Wi-Fi and LTE wireless, and includes the revolutionary Touch ID fingerprint identity sensor."

Engineered for unmatched portability and ease of use, iPad Air 2 offers a beautiful, precision unibody enclosure of anodized aluminum for durability and a solid feel. The improved Retina display features a fully-laminated design that brings images and content closer to the user's fingertips, resulting in an even more personal and intimate experience. A custom-designed anti-reflective coating reduces glare by 56 percent² for a clearer display in the office, the classroom or outdoors.

iPad Air 2 is powered by the new Apple-designed A8X chip, which delivers a 40 percent improvement in CPU performance and 2.5 times the graphics performance of iPad Air, and still delivers the up to 10-hour battery life³ users expect while working, playing games or surfing the web. Combined with Metal™, the new graphics technology in iOS 8, the A8X chip unlocks realistic visual effects comparable to the most advanced gaming consoles. iPad Air 2 also includes the M8 motion coprocessor that gathers motion data from the accelerometer, gyroscope, compass and an all-new barometer which senses air pressure to provide relative elevation.

Innovations to the iSight® and FaceTime® HD cameras in iPad Air 2 enable better photos and videos, with an 8MP sensor and advanced optics in the iSight camera to help capture rich, detailed images and add new features including panoramic in Photos, time-lapse video, slo-mo and 1080p HD video. The FaceTime HD camera now captures over 80 percent more light than iPad Air's camera, and features burst mode as well as HDR stills and video. With thousands of powerful apps that take advantage of iPad's amazing cameras and large Retina display viewfinder, iPad becomes a tool that can scan and annotate documents, help study the sky above and provide athletic performance analysis—all with just a tap.

iPad Air 2 delivers faster connectivity with 802.11ac Wi-Fi with Multiple-In-Multiple-Out (MIMO) technology for 2.8 times the Wi-Fi performance of iPad Air at data rates up to 866 Mbps.⁴ iPad Air 2 with Wi-Fi + Cellular integrates even more LTE bands and comes with expanded LTE for up to 50 percent faster cellular connections,⁵ plus support for other fast cellular technology around the world (DC-HSDPA, HSPA+).

Touch ID gives iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 users a simple and secure way to unlock iPad with just the touch of a finger, plus the ability to authenticate within apps to better protect logins and data. Touch ID can be used as a secure way to approve purchases from the App Store℠, iTunes Store® or iBooks Store℠, and with Apple Pay, when paying for physical goods and services within apps.

The new iPads come with iOS 8.1 including Continuity features across iOS 8 and OS X® Yosemite that enable all your Apple products to work together seamlessly. Handoff lets you start an activity on one device and pass it to another, and when your iPhone® is on the same Wi-Fi network, you can make and receive phone calls right from your iPad.

The iPad mini line has been updated to include iPad mini 3 with Touch ID and iPad mini with Retina display, now called iPad mini 2 and starting at just $299, is even more affordable. Both iPads feature a stunning Retina display, amazing A7 chip, 5MP iSight camera, FaceTime HD camera and ultrafast wireless. iPad mini is also available at its most affordable price, starting at $249.

Pricing & Availability iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 come in three gorgeous metallic finishes including gold, silver and space gray, and customers in 29 countries and territories can order online beginning Friday, October 17. Both iPads will be available starting later next week in the US, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China (Wi-Fi models only), Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macau (Wi-Fi models only), Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. Availability in Croatia, Greece, Puerto Rico, Russia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and elsewhere around the world, will continue through the end of October with additional global availability in the coming months. iPads are sold through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), Apple's retail stores and through AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, additional carriers and select Apple Authorized Resellers.

iPad Air 2 with Wi-Fi models will be available for a suggested retail price of $499 (US) for the 16GB model, $599 (US) for the 64GB model and $699 (US) for the 128GB model. iPad Air 2 with Wi-Fi + Cellular models will be available for a suggested retail price of $629 (US) for the 16GB model, $729 (US) for the 64GB model and $829 (US) for the 128GB model. iPad mini 3 with Wi-Fi models will be available for a suggested retail price of $399 (US) for the 16GB model, $499 (US) for the 64GB model and $599 (US) for the 128GB model. iPad mini 3 with Wi-Fi + Cellular models will be available for a suggested retail price of $529 (US) for the 16GB model, $629 (US) for the 64GB model and $729 (US) for the 128GB model.

iPad Air, iPad mini 2 and iPad mini, available in silver or space gray, are offered at now more affordable prices. iPad Air starts at $399 (US) for the 16GB with Wi-Fi model, iPad mini 2 starts at $299 (US) for the 16GB with Wi-Fi model, and iPad mini starts at $249 (US) for the 16GB with Wi-Fi model.

To complement the new iPads, a colorful range of cases and covers offer both protection and customization with iPad Air and iPad mini Smart Covers available in seven bright colors and Smart Cases for iPad Air 2 and iPad mini offered in five new elegant shades. Custom-designed polyurethane Smart Covers for iPad Air and iPad mini will be available for a suggested retail price of $39 (US) in black, white, blue, green, pink, yellow and (RED). iPad Air 2 Smart Cases are available in beautiful aniline-dyed leather in midnight blue, olive brown, black, soft pink and (RED) for a suggested retail price of $79 (US) with Smart Cases for iPad mini available in those same colors at a suggested retail price of $69 (US). Smart Covers and Smart Cases are available through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), Apple's retail stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers.

¹ Apple Pay is only available in the US. ² Over the previous generation iPad Air. ³ Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors. Actual results may vary. ⁴ Based on theoretical speeds, actual speeds may vary. ⁵ LTE is available through select carriers. Network speeds are dependent on carrier networks. Check with your carrier for details.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.