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New iPad Air boasts a much better camera
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IF I’ve seen you taking photos with a tablet computer, I’ve probably made fun of you (though maybe not to your face, depending on how big you are). I’m old school: I much prefer looking through the viewfinder of my full-bodied, single-lens reflex camera, even though it has a large LCD screen.
But as I tested out Apple’s new iPad Air 2, I see why people like to shoot pictures with a tablet. Images look great on the large screen, and there’s less guesswork about whether or not small details, such as lettering on a sign, will be in focus.
And what you see — and get — with the iPad Air 2 is a better camera. The rear one now matches the iPhone’s 8 megapixels, up from 5 megapixels, and incorporates features such as slow-motion video. Packed with a faster processor, the 9.7-inch tablet is also 18 percent thinner and 7 percent lighter than the previous model, at about a quarter of an inch and just under a pound.
Apple is also updating its 7.9-inch iPad Mini, though the cameras, processor and dimensions haven’t changed.
Improved camera
The tablets go on sale this week, starting at US$499 for the iPad Air 2 and US$399 for the iPad Mini 3. Both now have fingerprint ID technology to expedite online purchases through Apple Pay. Gold joins silver and grey as color choices, and pricier models have twice as much storage as before.
The iPad Air 2 takes sharper images. I can tell even before snapping the shot because I see all that detail on the screen. I’m able to read the small name tag on a baby bottle. Lettering on a van across the street looks clearer.
Last month’s iOS 8 software update brought panorama and time-lapse features to the iPad. With the iPad Air 2, you can snap 10 shots per second in a burst mode — great for restless kids, as you can choose the best shots later.
You also get slow-motion video, though only at 120 frames per second. The new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus offer 240 frames per second as well, so motion looks even slower.
An anti-reflective coating reduces glare on the iPad Air 2. It’s a first for Apple and possibly a first for any consumer mobile device. It’s a nice feature.
I’m glad to see the fingerprint ID sensor for unlocking both new tablets. Passcodes seem so last century, not to mention inconvenient.
That fingerprint can now be used to authorize Apple Pay purchases in apps. Unlike the new iPhones, the iPad doesn’t have a wireless chip needed for in-store transactions.
For the iPad Air 2 only, there’s a faster Wi-Fi technology called 802.11ac, though you need new home-networking equipment to take advantage of it. The Air also gets a barometer sensor to track elevation in fitness apps.
Last year’s iPad Air was a huge improvement over the 2012 iPad, so this year’s update seems small by comparison. There’s enough there first-time tablet buyers.
The update in the iPad Mini is less pronounced. That makes it less tempting to save US$100 by going for the Mini. For the same price as an iPad Mini 3, you can get last year’s full-size iPad with similar technical specifications.
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