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Updated Apple iPad 2 Offers Up to 30% Better Battery Life

Michael Kwan — Mon, 07 May 2012 18:21:11 +0000

When Apple revealed the new iPad to the world earlier this year, we assumed that the iPad 2 would remain the same iPad 2 that we’ve already had for a year. It turns out that we’re wrong and the newer batch of iPad 2 tablets is actually an improvement over the original iPad 2.

The outside packaging, exterior shell, and just about every other component has gone untouched, but there is one very important difference. The original iPad 2 made use of a 45nm A5 processor, whereas the newer version is equipped with a 32nm A5 processor. It’s just as powerful, but it happens to be smaller and more power efficient.

Apparently, this reduction in power draw allows the “new” iPad 2 to enjoy up to 16% bettery battery life while web browsing and up to 30% better battery life when playing games. That’s pretty substantial. The trouble is that you have no way of checking which iPad 2 you’re getting unless you either crack open the shell or start running some benchmarks.

[Source]

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New Apple TV Supports 1080p and iCloud Streaming

Michael Kwan — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 21:41:11 +0000

We all know about that big Apple event earlier today and how it was the place where the new iPad was unveiled to the world, but there was at least one other major product reveal: the new Apple TV. While the set-top box itself is still the same inconspicuous rounded black square, its guts have been upgraded and the UI has completely changed.

The first big change with the refreshed Apple TV is the bump from 720p to 1080p full HD video support. That’s pretty significant on its own, but it’s also been updated to support video streaming from iCloud, taking in all of those movie purchases that you’ve already made. The processor inside is a single-core version of the A5.

As you can see, the interface has been updated too, taking on a little more of an iOS kind of look and feel. You can navigate through to see top movies and genres, as well as make use of that Genius functionality to find something to suit your tastes. As with the new iPad, the new Apple TV will also launch on March 16. As expected, pricing has stayed put at the usual $99.

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First Look at the A5X Processor for Apple iPad 3?

Michael Kwan — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:40:05 +0000

As we get closer and closer to the unveiling of the Apple iPad 3, we’re also starting to see more leaks of the components that will make up the next-generation tablet. And today, we’re getting our first look at the supposed A5X processor that will power the upcoming iTablet.

The leaked photo shown here depicts what is believed to be the logic board for the iPad 3. And the chip there is clearly labeled as A5X, rather than the A6 model name that we had expected to follow the A5 chip in the iPad 2.

From here, we can venture a pretty good guess that this new processor is likely just an upgraded version of the A5, rather than an entirely new architecture like how the A5 improved on the A4 before it. This kind of scheme is the same as what they did with the iPhone when it went from the 3G to the 3GS and later when it went from the iPhone 4 to the iPhone 4S.

But why didn’t they add “S” like how they did with the iPhone models? Think about that for a moment. It would end up being called the A5S, which is almost a 1337 (“leet”) spelling of ASS. Yeah, that wouldn’t go over so well, now would it?

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Pod2g Focuses Energies On A5 iDevice Jailbreak For iOS 5

Michael Kwan — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 23:46:03 +0000

So close. So very close. Last week, we saw a brief update on the status of an iOS 5 untethered jailbreak. Then, we saw a video, but when is it actually going to get released to the masses? While we still don’t have a timeline, we have to realize that pod2g is just one man and he only has so many hours in the day. So, he’s decided to focus his efforts on developing an Apple A5 jailbreak for the iPhone 4s and iPad 2.

This sentiment was expressed on his blog, where he says: “I need to focus on A5 and hope I can find a path quick, and I have the feeling that chronic-dev could help me.” It’s not that he wants the Chronic Dev Team to help him develop the jailbreak for Apple A5 iDevices; it’s that he wants them to take a load off his shoulders by working on the other project.

Pod2g has sent all the details to the Chronic Dev Team “so that they can finish, test, integrate and release the A4 jb ASAP.” That helps to free up his time and mental space to “put all my energy from now on on the A5.” If you have an iPhone 4S or iPad 2, that’s good news for you, or not, because you are still eagerly awaiting the fix. He might even have a treat for you before the end of the year. He’s hoping.

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Leaked photo confirms A5 processor for iPhone 5?

Michael Kwan — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 13:30:36 +0000

When a random photo appears on the Internet from some random person, you can’t really give it all that much weight. And as such, we need to take this supposedly leaked photo with more than a few grains of salt. Even so, it does appear to confirm the inclusion of the A5 processor in the next iPhone.

This leaked photo comes by way of Weibo in China. From what we can see, the mainboard is distinctly different from the current iPhone 4 and iPad 2, so it’s very well possible that we are looking at the guts of an iPhone 5 (or possibly an iPhone 4S).

It has almost become a foregone conclusion that the next iPhone would be borrowing the A5 processor from the iPad 2, but it’s good to see some visual confirmation, even if it’s not really a reliable or legitimate source. Also in the photo, we notice a 1,430mAh battery pack, which is a minute 10mAh bigger than the battery that currently powers the iPhone 4.

October is right around the corner and all the rumors are pointing toward a new iPhone that month. Then, we can finally lay all these rumors to rest until it comes time to discuss the iPhone 6.

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