A First Look at Apple’s Latest Apple AirPods 3
Cue the AirPods 3, the third generation of Apple’s wireless earbuds. Highly anticipated due to a rumoured external redesign, the AirPods 3 were overhauled to have shorter stems on each module similar to the AirPods Pro launched just one year before. However the design similarities end there, as the AirPods 3 trades out the silicon-based tips that the Pros have for better comfort and form. This was to the joy of many who wanted the same functionality of the AirPods Pro without having to suffer through the poor fit and feel of in-ear tips. Speaking of similar functions, the latest AirPods also carry on the legacy of haptic force touch control like the Pro.
Features of The AirPods 3
Of course, the perks of the AirPods 3 don’t just end there. In fact, Apple has introduced a whole suite of technical upgrades and quality of life (QoL) improvements to ensure that the 2021 AirPods stays competitive in the market.
First off, the AirPods 3 has a built in dynamic driver designed by Apple. Powered by a custom amplifier, it renders music in exceptionally detailed quality with a better bass to accompany its already impressive treble. Building onto the notion of sound quality, Apple understood that it had to find a way to finetune how sound waves were delivered in the AirPods 3 without the in-ear plastic tips. Adaptive EQ is Apple’s solution to that – by utilising internally-facing microphones to pick up on audio cues, the AirPods 3 then adjusts low and mid-range frequencies to deliver the best combination of details in every song, adjusted in real time.
Apart from these hardware upgrades, Apple also made some huge QoL changes. Understanding that the AirPods were meant to be an everyday tool, Apple upgraded the voice quality of the 2021 AirPods with new AAC-ELD speech codecs for Facetime and calls. These chime in at HD and make for a very comfortable end-to-end experience. In addition, the haptic controls on the force sensors give users even more control over the earbuds. The AirPods 3 can now be pressed to play, pause, and skip through songs and even answer or end calls. This is a huge boon compared to the older AirPods which required a very harsh tap to use, often causing inadvertent spikes on the listener’s eardrums. Lastly, the AirPods 3 sport MagSafe charging cases which give up to 30 hours of total listening time when fully juiced up. Apple also says that the AirPods last up to 6 hours per charge, which is an outstanding improvement of around 40-50%.
Why Get The AirPods 3?
With Christmas just around the corner, many might be tempted to upgrade to the AirPods 3. This begs the question, is it a worthwhile buy? Just comparing via price alone, it is already one-third cheaper than its previous iteration, the 2019 AirPods Pro. Although it does cost a little more than the 2nd generation AirPods, the difference in build quality and sound quality does justify the increase in price. Given all the spec bumps it has got, the AirPods 3 may be considered a steal when coupled with some holiday discounts at your local tech outlet. All in all, it appears to be a buy that’s 100% worth the money.
Posted : January 13, 2022
A large part of what makes the iPad Mini so popular is its tiny frame combined with insane processing power. Apple knew their target demographic well when tweaking the specs for this recent release, and it really shows. Catered towards people working on the go, and creatives who spend a lot of time drawing and sketching for work, this 6th generation iPad Mini checks all the boxes for a powerful and portable tablet suited for work and play.
Apart from the changes to case material, the new design language of the iPad Mini 6 features a larger edge-to-edge screen, along with narrow borders and minimum bezel space. Although we’ve seen bezel-less devices from Apple for the better half of a decade, this is the first time the iPad Mini has gotten such an upgrade. In addition to looking much sleeker, this change is felt even more coupled with the new 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone, P3 wide colour, and ultra-low reflectivity.
The end result is a gorgeous dynamic screen that makes the iPad Mini 6 a practical choice indoors and outdoors. Not to mention the support of Apple Pencil 2, which feels amazing on the low latency screen. All these facets add up to make a difference larger than the sum of each individual part, resulting in the new iPad Mini feeling like the perfect device for anyone wanting a portable and adaptable workhorse tablet.
Apart from the changes to case material, the new design language of the iPad Mini 6 features a larger edge-to-edge screen, along with narrow borders and minimum bezel space. Although we’ve seen bezel-less devices from Apple for the better half of a decade, this is the first time the iPad Mini has gotten such an upgrade. In addition to looking much sleeker, this change is felt even more coupled with the new 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone, P3 wide colour, and ultra-low reflectivity.
The end result is a gorgeous dynamic screen that makes the iPad Mini 6 a practical choice indoors and outdoors. Not to mention the support of Apple Pencil 2, which feels amazing on the low latency screen. All these facets add up to make a difference larger than the sum of each individual part, resulting in the new iPad Mini feeling like the perfect device for anyone wanting a portable and adaptable workhorse tablet.
It wouldn’t be an Apple upgrade if they didn’t improve the camera capabilities on the device. If anything, that’s the least we expect from the tech giant’s annual keynote events. This time, the iPad Mini has received blessings in both the front and back cameras on the device. Boasting a 12MP camera on both the front and back of the 6th-Gen iPad Mini, this is a massive boon compared to the relatively sub-par 7 and 8-megapixel cameras on the respective front and back of the 5th-Gen iPad Mini. The newer Mini also has the ability to record in 4k and capture higher-quality images, courtesy of the new Smart HDR 3 function in the A15 Bionic chip.
Knowing that video calls are also more popular now than even in the time of COVID-19, Apple’s implementation of CentreStage for a more natural video call experience also feels like a natural feature to have as well.
A ton of well-deserved updates to the iPad Mini makes it feel right at home alongside Apple’s latest generation of tablets. If you’re still wondering if you should still get the new iPad, the make or break factor here really is the size and portability of the iPad Mini 6.
Historically, the Mini was always viewed as the cheaper and lower-spec cousin of the flagship iPad. Not this time – the iPad Mini 6 proves a worthy contender for the individual who’s constantly on the move, looking for an all in one device that fits comfortably in the palm of their hand.
