Apple Watch Brings Flight and Airline Apps to Your Wrist [iOS Blog]
Apple Watch will make the flying experience more convenient for both casual and frequent flyers, with a number of airlines updating their apps for the Apple Watch in recent weeks, or announcing support coming soon, including American Airlines, Delta, United Airlines, JetBlue, British Airways, EasyJet, Ryanair, Qantas Airways, Air Canada, WestJet, Emirates and Japan Airlines.
Notable airlines that have not announced or planned Apple Watch support include Southwest Airlines and Virgin Airlines in the United States, and Cologne-based Lufthansa, the largest airline in Europe. As more airlines begin updating their apps for the Apple Watch, however, it is likely that others will follow in an effort to keep up with their competitors around the world.
The roundup below provides a closer look at Apple Watch apps for several airlines across the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, France, Ireland, United Arab Emirates and Japan. A handful of other general flight-related apps are also listed that provide general flight statuses, notifications, real-time departure and delay information and more for an easier traveling experience.
United States
American Airlines
American Airlines for Apple Watch provides comprehensive flight information on your wrist, including gate change announcements, an in-flight map with estimated travel time remaining until arrival, and baggage claim and connection details. You can also receive a notification when it’s time to leave for the airport and check in to your fight directly from your Apple Watch. American Airlines is free on the App Store.
Delta
Delta Air Lines will also be joining the mix of airline apps for Apple Watch in a future update to its current Fly Delta app for iPhone and iPad. Delta for Apple Watch will deliver notifications about flights to users ahead of their boarding times, and it will give them access to the boarding pass stored on their iPhones directly on the wrist.
Delta for Apple Watch will offer flight numbers, gate numbers, flight times, and other info. If a flight gets changed, for example, users will get a notification on their Apple Watch. There will also be a notification when a flight is approaching a destination city, with information about luggage pickup. Fly Delta is free on the App Store.
United Airlines
United Airlines has not released screenshots or in-depth details about its Apple Watch plans, but it has confirmed that support for the wrist-worn device is in the works. United’s app will offer at-a-glance information on upcoming flights, including gate numbers and status, and let users view their flight reservations. It will also pull a traveler’s boarding pass from the Passbook app, and it’s able to alert users if flight times or gate numbers change. United Airlines is free on the App Store.
JetBlue
JetBlue has updated its app with Apple Watch support, enabling users to purchase onboard premium offerings from their wrists. The new Apple Watch app provides flyers with a Glance flight status, travel countdown and smart mobile boarding pass from the Apple Watch. JetBlue is free on the App Store for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.
Canada
Air Canada
Air Canada, the largest airline in Canada, recently updated their app with Apple Watch support for viewing the status of your flights departing within 24 hours, seeing your countdown to boarding time from your Glances, getting notifications for checking in and boarding your flight, using Handoff from your Apple Watch to complete your check-in and viewing boarding passes from Passbook. Air Canada is free on the App Store.
WestJet
WestJet, the second-largest Canadian airline behind Air Canada, recently updated its app for the Apple Watch to allow users to keep track of saved flight statuses and details in Glances, or view a countdown of time remaining until your next WestJet flight. WestJet boarding passes saved to Passbook will also be available on Apple Watch. WestJet is free on the App Store.
United Kingdom
British Airways
Keep up to date with the latest flight information using British Airways for Apple Watch. At a glance, the app allows you to view the status of your next flight, access both scheduled and estimated departure times, and view the latest weather at your destination. The app also provides up-to-date information about the flight’s gate status and provides notifications on your wrist when your gate status changes at Heathrow Terminals 3 and 5. British Airways is free on the App Store.
EasyJet
EasyJet, a low-cost airline in the United Kingdom, has also updated their app with Apple Watch support recently, providing personalized flight information and real-time views of travel information checked most frequently by passengers. Apple Watch users can also tweet and post to Facebook at various stages of their trip directly from the watch face. EasyJet is free on the App Store.
Australia
Qantas Airways
Qantas for Apple Watch is designed to eliminate the stress that can be associated with the flying experience. The app will provide a range of up-to-the-minute travel information and notifications on your Apple Watch including: departure time and gate information, in-air departure and arrival time-zone information, transit time information, lounge access eligibility, frequent Flyer login access, baggage carousel information (at selected destinations), boarding pass access (via Passbook) and delay or cancellation notifications. Qantas Airways is free on the App Store.
France
Air France
Air France for Apple Watch will deliver much of the same functionality as the airline’s iPhone app, access upcoming reservations, including the ability to check if your flight is on time or confirm that you are checked in. You can also view all of your essential trip information via Glances, including your gate or departure terminal, your seat and the time remaining before boarding, and obtain your boarding pass through Passbook. Air France is free on the App Store.
Ireland
Ryanair
Ryanair has pledged support for the Apple Watch when the wrist-worn device becomes available in Ireland.
United Arab Emirates
Emirates
While the Apple Watch is not available in United Arab Emirates until later in 2015, the airline Emirates recently updated their app with Apple Watch support for a hands-free travel experience. Emirates will be the first airline in the Middle East and African region to offer an Apple Watch app, with similar functionality as others: review your list of upcoming trips, access real-time flight information, receive notifications and access your boarding pass through Passbook. Emirates is free on the App Store.
Japan
Japan Airlines
Japan Airlines has developed an Apple Watch app that it will be available when the device launches on April 24. The app will offer similar functionality as the other airlines listed above. JAL is free on the App Store.
General Apps
- FlightTrack 5: Flight tracking, real-time departure and delay information, and more
- TripCase: Manage your trips, receive free flight alerts, and more
- Foursquare: Find places to eat, drink and visit
- Hotwire Hotels & Car Rentals: Hotels and car rentals and more from your wrist
Review: Belkin’s Qode Ultimate Pro Keyboard Case Offers Versatility and a Full Set of Keys [iOS Blog]
In our ongoing iPad Air 2 keyboard review series, we’ve looked at the ClamCase Pro and the BrydgeAir. Today we’ve got a look at another popular iPad keyboard that MacRumors readers suggested we review, the Qode Ultimate Pro from Belkin.
The Qode Ultimate Pro Keyboard Case is one of the more versatile keyboard cases we’ve looked at, because it’s able to detach from the keyboard to serve as a standalone iPad case and it’s usable in both portrait and landscape modes. Other standout features include backlit keys, a full keyboard layout, and auto on/off functionality.
What’s in the Box and Setup
The box includes the two-piece keyboard, an accompanying micro-USB charger, and instructions on how to get it up and running. Setup is similar to any other Bluetooth device, with pairing done by pressing the Bluetooth button on the keyboard and selecting the keyboard in the Settings menu of the iPad.
We ran into some occasional difficulties with Bluetooth, where we had to remove the device completely from the list of known devices and re-pair, but for the most part, the Bluetooth connection was solid in our testing.
Design
The Qode Ultimate Pro comes in two separate pieces: a detachable keyboard and a plastic case that snaps on to the back of the iPad Air 2. The two pieces connect to one another using several magnets. There’s a magnetic flap covered with a leather-like material on the keyboard that attaches to the back of the case to hold the pieces together, and then the case fits into one of two slots on the keyboard where it is held in place by additional magnets (these magnets also control the automatic connection between your iPad and the keyboard). The two different slots allow for slightly different viewing angles.
Using magnets to attach the two pieces of the case together allows the iPad to be used without the keyboard attached or with the keyboard folded back, providing several possible use cases not possible with other keyboard cases on the market.
Read more 
YouTube App No Longer Available on Older Apple TV, iOS Devices [Mac Blog]
YouTube today announced changes to its YouTube Data API, causing many older apps on various devices to stop functioning. On the second-generation Apple TV or older, the YouTube channel will no longer be accessible, and on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, iOS 7 or later is required for the YouTube app to function.
Second-generation Apple TV users will have no way to watch YouTube videos on their devices after today, but iOS device owners with versions of iOS older than iOS 7 can use mobile YouTube in Safari to watch videos. YouTube is sharing the news via a discontinuation video that’s being shared on all older devices.
If your device supports iOS 7 or above, you can download the YouTube app from the App Store. If not, visit m.youtube.com in your mobile browser to access YouTube.
If you’re using Apple TV 3rd generation, you can get the latest version of the YouTube app by updating your software:
Select Settings > General > Update Software
If there is an upgrade available, click Download and Install
If you’re using Apple TV 2nd generation or older, unfortunately there’s no current way to watch YouTube on these devices.
Attempting to use the YouTube app on an older iOS device or on an older Apple TV still lets users watch videos at the current time, but the discontinuation video above is always the first result, suggesting access will be shut down shortly after YouTube notifies everyone about the upcoming API change.
The YouTube channel on a second-generation Apple TV
Today’s API change affects several other older devices in addition to the Apple TV and iOS devices, including those running old versions of Google TV and many smart televisions and game consoles. The official YouTube app will only be available on most 2013 and newer Smart TVs, blu-ray players, game consoles, and other streaming devices.
Shazam, OneDrive, Porsche, FIFA 15, ESPN, JetBlue and More Apps Updated for Apple Watch
A number of notable apps have been updated with Apple Watch support to start off the week, including Shazam, Microsoft OneDrive, Porsche Car Connect, FIFA 15 Ultimate Team by EA SPORTS, Epicurious, Nick Jr, ESPN, Avea, JetBlue and Letterpad. The updates should be rolling out on the App Store today prior to the Apple Watch launch on April 24.
Shazam for Apple Watch will enable you to discover which artist, song and lyrics you are listening to from your wrist in seconds. You will also be able to see your past Shazams at a Glance with a simple swipe up gesture, turn on Auto Shazam to continue discovering music automatically and use Handoff on Apple Watch and iPhone to buy songs on iTunes, watch videos and more. Shazam is free on the App Store.
Microsoft recently released an update for the OneDrive app to view your photos and albums stored on the cloud storage service on an Apple Watch. You can view your most recent photos, delete photos you don’t want to keep, find photos by tag and view your albums directly from your wrist using the latest version of the app. OneDrive is free on the App Store with tiered storage plans available.
Porsche Car Connect for Apple Watch (Image: WatchAware)
Porsche Car Connect has been updated to allow remote display and control of your Porsche from an Apple Watch. The app, compatible with select 2014 models and later, provides safety notifications, journey statistics, vehicle status and a vehicle locator directly on the Apple Watch. Porsche Car Connect is free on the App Store and available for the new Panamera, 918 Spyder, Macan and Cayenne.
EA Sports has introduced new Apple Watch features for FIFA 15 Ultimate Team that help you assemble and manage the ultimate soccer team from your wrist. FIFA 15 Ultimate Team for Apple Watch lets you manage your top five player transfers and get instant game-related notifications. FIFA 15 Ultimate Team by EA SPORTS is free on the App Store with in-app purchases available. Read more
First Wave of Apple Watches Begin Shipping Ahead of Friday’s Launch
Apple Watch pre-orders are being sent to centralized distribution points across the United States as couriers prepare the shipments to be delivered ahead of the wrist-worn device’s launch on April 24, according to a source for MacRumors that has provided accurate information in the past.
Apple retail chief Angela Ahrendts confirmed earlier this month that Apple Watch pre-order deliveries will begin on April 24 as scheduled, although many customers have received shipping estimates of 4-6 weeks or later and it remains unknown how many Apple Watch pre-orders will be delivered on day one.
iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus pre-orders began switching from “Processing Items” to “Preparing for Shipment” on the Apple Online Store for several customers on the Monday prior to Friday delivery, so customers that pre-ordered the Apple Watch early should see their order status change soon. Due to limited stock and the wide 4/24—5/8 delivery estimate for launch day pre-orders, however, there is a possibility that pre-order statuses may take longer to change.
To date, we’ve not seen any reports of pre-orders changing or credit cards being charged.
Apple Watch pre-orders were available on April 10 at 12:01 AM Pacific through the Apple Online Store in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan and United Kingdom, and sold out completely in less than six hours. The company also began taking Apple Watch try-on appointments the same day at Apple retail stores and select fashion boutiques such as Selfridges in London, Isetan in Tokyo and Galeries Lafayette in Paris.
DODOCase and Pad & Quill Introduce New Apple Watch Stands [iOS Blog]
With Apple Watch’s April 24 delivery date getting closer and closer, a few accessory manufactures have been revealing new stands for the wrist worn device.
First is “The Timber Catchall for Apple Watch”, a more comprehensive version of Pad & Quill’s “Luxury Pocket Stand“, which the company announced closely following Apple’s “Spring Forward” event. The Timber Catchall aims to provide grooves for keys and loose change with a larger area on its base built for charging a resting iPhone, along with an elevated specified area designed for the Apple Watch.
Pad & Quill’s Timber Catchall can be pre-ordered from its website in three different color options at three different price points: American Cherry ($99.00), African Mahogany ($109.00), and Premium American Walnut ($139.00). All versions of the stand have an estimated “Late May” shipping date.
DODOCase’s “Charging Stand for Apple Watch” has a similar natural wood finish akin to Pad and Quill’s line of stands, but with a weighted base that the company promises will provide “sturdy placement” and less fumbling when removing the Watch from the stand.
As a less traditional charging option, DODOCase is also selling the “Dual Charging Dock Organizer“, which is fashioned after a novel and allows users to simultaneously charge their Apple Watch and iPhone. The slot for an iPhone “Holds all iPhone sizes, and can fit most phone cases”, according to the company, and a hidden compartment lies underneath to thread the Watch’s MagSafe adapter and allow for an easy laid-flat charging solution with the wearable.
Most interesting is a hidden storage compartment underneath the charging area of the stand, big enough to hold headphones, charging cables, and even extra Apple Watch bands when not in use.
Part of our Apple Watch accessory collection: a Dual Charging Dock Organizer for both your iPhone and Apple Watch. Our innovative Charging Dock is made from a Baltic Birch wood tray, which magnetically attaches to a handmade Bookbound Cover. Apple’s inductive MagSafe charger is seamlessly integrated into the wood dock, allowing your watch to lay flat while your phone slides into a carved divot perfectly angled for optimal viewing capability.
The book features a hidden compartment beneath the Birch tray to store cables, headphones, and extra watch straps. When not in use, close the cover and everything disappears into the disguise of a book. The Charging Dock Organizer will become your essential bedside table companion or desktop accessory featuring traditional craftsmanship for today’s modern technology.
DODOCase’s Charging Stand retails for $99.95, but is on a pre-order sale for $77.95. Similarly, the Dual Charging Dock Organizer will retail for $79.95, but those interested can pre-order it at only $59.95.
At some point in life, you’ll want a marble iPhone case
Wood and leather are so yesterday. What you really want is some genuine marble on your precious gadgets. At least that’s the pitch from Native Union, which has recently announced its Clic Marble iPhone 6 case, available in matt black or glossy white — the latter consisting of the nice Carrara white marble from Italy. Don’t be fooled by its simple look, as the company took a year and a half to figure out how to carefully slice marble at just 0.8mm thick, and then reinforcing it with fiberglass to keep it flexible plus shatter-resistant. The case does add 2mm of bulk onto your device, and it does ask for $79.99 in the US or £69.99 in the UK, but these are the kinds of sacrifices that some are willing to make in return for that cold luxurious feel.
Filed under: Cellphones, Peripherals, Mobile, Apple
Source: Native Union
Demo Apple Watch Shows 70-Second Startup Time in New Video [iOS Blog]
A new video posted to YouTube over the weekend takes a look at the startup time for a demo Apple Watch, with the device taking exactly 1 minute and 10 seconds to go from a black screen to showcasing the clock face of the Watch. Although that startup time seems lengthy in comparison to those of other Apple products, multiple factors could be affecting the device’s boot process.
The Apple Watch in the video is a demo unit, with internals reportedly very close to retail units, but heavy software customization and other factors particular to the demo setup could be impeding this particular Watch’s boot time. It’s also unclear how much starting up an Apple Watch will be an issue with consumers, with most likely to leave the device on while charging it overnight, similar to an iPhone.
The Apple Watch has been up for pre-order for just over a week, with many models drifting past the initial 4/24-5/8 delivery window from the moment of availability or very soon after, and all models selling out within just a few hours. Customers in the first wave of deliveries should begin getting shipping updates on their Apple Watch orders shortly as the official April 24 launch on Friday draws near.
(Thanks, Enis!)
Apple Promotes Environmental Responsibility in New Video
Apple has uploaded a new video to its YouTube channel called “Better Starts Here” that promotes the company’s environmental responsibility throughout its supply chain, data centers and more. Apple emphasizes how it plans to leave the world better than it found it through renewable energy sources, hydro power and more.
“Apple’s commitment to the environment starts from the ground up. We strive to create not only the best products in the world, but the best products for the world. And over the past year, we’ve made significant progress through projects that focus on renewable energy and forest preservation. Learn how we are leaving the world better than we found it.”
Quick look: Google Nexus 9 vs Apple iPad Mini 3
Editor’s note: this comparison originally appeared on our sister site TabTimes, your resource for tablets and convertibles running all operating systems.
We’ve spent some time recently looking at the Nexus 7, Nexus 9, iPad Air 2 and the iPad Mini 3. As we’ve been putting these tablets side-by-side to help you determine which is best for your computing needs, it is time we pit the 8-inch iPad Mini 3 against Google’s 9-inch Nexus 9.
Welcome to the Apple iPad Mini 3 vs Google Nexus 9 shootout.
Overview
The overall approach to these two tablets is perhaps similar in that they attempt to offer an excellent overall user experience, and package it up in a fairly mobile device. Neither the iPad Mini 3, nor the Nexus 9 rock the best of specs available, but they are still well equipped and ready to rock.
When we talked about the iPad Mini 3 and the Nexus 7 last week, we presented them as pocket-sized tablets – using that as a reference, I will say that the Nexus 9 is just a little too large for most pockets.
Design
In the basic sense of a modern tablet device, the Nexus 9 and the iPad Mini 3 share similarities in being 4:3 aspect ratio devices with beyond HD displays, house a single power/data port, and have been carefully crafted in shape and materials. Both devices feel solid to the touch, with the minor exception of the Nexus 9’s little back cover loose spot.
When we take a closer look, however, the differences are many. From the top down, the Nexus 9 houses its power button on the right hand edge of the device, where the iPad Mini 3 has a power button that lives up top. Volume rockers are in about the same position on the right edge and are very easy to find by touch on the iPad Mini 3, this is not true of the Nexus 9, as the side has a slight beveling to it that protects the buttons from protruding, eliminating many accidental presses.
Audio is another design difference, while the iPad Mini 3 has speakers on the bottom edge of the device, the Nexus 9 has dual speakers, one at the very top of the device and one at the very bottom, both facing the user. iPad Mini 3 users for whom audio is of the utmost importance may want to check out our iPad speaker docks piece for ideas.
Rear facing cameras live on the back side of each of these tablets, in the top left corner. Front facing cameras are centered above the display on the front. Front bezels are fairly minimal on the sides of the display for both the Nexus 9 and the iPad Mini 3. The top and bottom bezels are a little larger, especially with the Home button in the iPad.
That charging/data port lives on the bottom edge of both of these devices, with the Nexus 9 employing a micro USB port and the iPad with Apple’s new Lightning port.
The back casing of the iPad Mini 3 is of solid metal construction. The Nexus 9, on the other hand, is a full plastic non-removable back cover with a decent soft non-stick finish to it. The full outside edge of the Nexus 9 is where you’ll find metal in HTC’s design.
Display
When Google and HTC put the plans together for the Nexus 9, they decided on a display with resolution of 2048 x 1536. We keep calling it a 9-inch display, but it actually measures in at 8.9-inches, constructed of Gorilla Glass 3.
Viewing angles and brightness are more than adequate for your everyday needs, including when you head into a dark room or head out to enjoy some sunshine. Auto brightness settings are fairly accurate, but you may occasionally need to manually adjust for optimal viewing.
As it turns out, the iPad Mini 3 also rocks 2048 x 1536 on its 4:3 aspect ratio 7.9-inch IPS display.
Auto brightness settings on the iPad Mini 3 will bring you from a dim enough display when viewed at night, to a bright enough display to also see in the sunlight. I find that the auto settings err on the side of darkness, as I’ve only ever had to manually override to turn brightness up.
Performance
As mentioned earlier, the Nexus 9 and the iPad Mini 3 each offer specs that are not exactly what you would call the latest and greatest. This is not to suggest that performance suffers on these devices, on the contrary, each plow through the basics without a stutter and only really show signs of weakness in the heaviest of operations.
The Nexus 9 is one of the first 64-bit Android tablets to hit the market, powered by the Nvidia Tegra K1 Denver, which is a well appointed dual core SoC. With some of the benefits of Google’s latest version of Android, version numbers 5 and up Android Lollipop, the tablet does well with memory management from ART. Admitting that there are some issues with Lollipop right now, we won’t talk too in-depth about the operating system performance on the Nexus 9 ta this time.
Overall, the Nexus 9 performs well, we even ran an AnTuTu benchmark on it once, it scored about 58000.
The iPad Mini 3 is a very snappy performing tablet. The operating system is fast and smooth, which speaks both to the hardware and to the rather simplistic approach to iOS on the home screens. Although only equipped with ‘last year’s’ A7 chipset, it is a well performing 64-bit SoC itself. Most applications load in a snap, while you may notice a slow down with some of the larger and more strenuous of applications and processes.
Recently updated to iOS 8.3, the iPad Mini 3 also performs very well. It has been possible to notice a speed difference between it and the larger, faster iPad Air 2, but you really have to go looking for the differences to notice.
The same goes when opening similar apps on the Nexus 9 and iPad Mini 3 side-by-side, overall performance is fairly similar.
Hardware
In terms of your user experience, the major differences between the iPad Mini 3 and the Nexus 9, aside from the 1-inch of screen size, is that the iPad has a fingerprint sensor and the Nexus 9 has big, loud speakers powered by HTC’s BoomSound.
Certainly, having a physical Home button, as the iPad Mini 3 does, to many is a huge advantage, as the Nexus 9 sacrifices a touch of the display for navigation buttons. That said, there are some, myself included, that now prefer the on-screen controls to a physical button, but that is a personal preference.
The ability to double tap the screen to wake the Nexus 9 is extremely handy, as is the dedicated instant mute switch above the volume rocker on the iPad Mini 3.
Up on top of the Nexus 9 is a standard headphone jack, and out the bottom is that micro USB port. On the inside you’ll find that 64-bit Nvidia Tegra K1 processor with 2GB of RAM and a 192-core Kepler GPU. Sensors on board include an accellerometer, gyro, proximity sensor, compass and ambient light sensor. In addition, this tablet is NFC capable.
Measuring 8.99-inches tall and 6.05-inches across, the Nexus 9 is a fair thickness at 7.95mm (0.31-inches) in depth. Despite having a plastic back cover, with a bit of a loose spot that bothers many users, the Nexus 9 is also a very solid feeling tablet. Once again, it feels very sturdy and shows no signs of compromise when applying a real world use twist or bending pressure.
Battery life is advertised at 9.5 hours of basic web browsing, music or video playback out of the 6700mAh battery. As most advertised tests go, our results differed, providing roughly half the advertised life. Exact numbers are coming soon, stay tuned.
The iPad Mini 3 houses a standard headphone jack and Apple’s Lightning connector port. Hidden under the Home button is a fingerprint scanner that allows for biometric authenticated access into your tablet. Audio output is by the bottom facing speakers, sound is crisp and more than loud enough for most situations.
The iPad Mini 3 measures 7.87-inches tall, 5.3-inches across and is 7.2mm (0.28-inch) thick. The full metal shell of the iPad provides the utmost in strength. It takes a fair amount of pressure to make it bend, but forgive us for not pushing it too far.
Looking inside, we see other sensors, including a gyro, accelerometer, and ambient light sensor. Keeping everything running on the Mini 3 is a 6350mAh battery. Apple says it will provide upwards of 10 hours of web surfing, music or video playback. In our time with the device, it did not last quite as long as advertised, but you’ll have to stay tuned for our full battery life test to see the results.
Camera
While tablet photography is a taboo subject for many, you’ll still be able to capture fairly nice photos with these devices. The Nexus 9 houses the larger sensor of the two, clocking in at 8MP.
The iPad Mini 3 has a smaller 5MP sensor, but they are both f/2.4 with auto-focus. Video recording is at full HD and the Nexus 9 has an LED flash. Both tablets offer a panoramic capture, with the Nexus 9 also offering Google’s Photosphere.
The front side of these tablets offer up 1.2mp camera sensors, for all of your FaceTime, Skype or Hangouts needs. 720p video capture is not a premium these days, but is more than adequate for a little video conference.
As I’ve said before, there really is no better way to explain the value of the cameras than to simply put them to work. Here are a few camera samples with the Nexus 9 going first and the iPad Mini 3 following in varying good and low light situations.
Software
Android is one of the most common operating systems found on many devices around the globe today. The latest iteration is Android 5+ Lollipop, which is found on the Nexus 9 as we have it. In fact, the Nexus line is Google’s flagship device approach at showing their vision of Android and Android devices, making the Nexus 9 more than just another tablet offering.
Overall, the software performance is solid, smooth and fast. One might complain about battery life before they complain about a poor experience otherwise. There is a good selection of apps installed by default, with many more apps ready to install from the Google Play Store.
The versatility of Android is well represented on the Nexus 9, allowing you to install third party Launchers, add tweaks as might be found in our Android customization series and so much more. The general approach is to keep the device wireless in all operations, allowing you to perform almost any task without wires. Until you need to charge the battery of course.
iOS on the iPad Mini 3 is a solid and very fluid experience. The tablet benefits wholly from the vast number of apps available that are dedicated to the iPad screen sizes. Straight out of the box, one can enjoy basic web surfing and navigation with just the default apps pre-installed on the device. As you might expect, you’ll need to have an Apple ID if you want to download and install more apps from the App Store.
As with your other iOS powered devices, there is no pressing need to connect your iPad to your PC and sync data through iTunes. Although, that connection may prove the best when it comes to transferring files, such as your pictures or music.
Pricing and final thoughts
Although there are more powerful tablets on the market today, the Nexus 9 and the iPad Mini 3 represent two of the most versatile tablets you’ll find, especially if you are looking for something that is easy to hold and take with you on the go.
| Google Nexus 9, by HTC | Apple iPad Mini 3 |
|
|
It is always important to mention that the better choice of these two tablets, for you and your needs, is possibly the one that is most compatible with your other computing devices and accessories. If you have a large iTunes library and have purchased many iOS apps, then the iPad Mini 3 certainly has an advantage for you. Just as a large Google Play library and Android app inventory make the Nexus 9 a strong consideration for your needs.
Also, be sure to watch out for deals on the Nexus 9, you can often save a couple dollars during common deals at your favorite electronics retailers.
There is no question that the larger display of the Nexus 9 lends itself to media consumption, but the pocketability of the iPad Mini 3 makes it a treat to slip into a back pocket and head out the door.
If you have had the pleasure of laying hands on both the Google Nexus 9 and the Apple iPad Mini 3, please tell us which tablet you prefer?
AIVAnet 