Why the new iPad Pro gets 5/5 stars

November 05, 2022

Cult of Mac writer Ed Hardy is an iPad superfan. He's one of those rare souls who uses an iPad Pro as his main machine and has done for years.

He got his hands on the brand-new iPad Pro and tested it for our review below.

His conclusion? It thoroughly deserves five-out-of-five stars.

But he cautions that the new iPad Pro isn't right for everyone. Some people would be happier with a different tablet. Hit the review to see why.

— Leander Kahney, EIC.

PS: The cameras in the new iPhone 14 Pro are a 'huge leap,' according to one leading camera nerd; get a great deal on leading VNC software; and find out how to easily track online orders right in the Wallet app.

News and opinion

The launch of the 2022 iPad Pro in 12.9- and 11-inch versions means current tablet users have new upgrade options. Their M2 processor makes these the most powerful iPads ever made, but they are not right for everyone. I’ve used an M2-powered iPad Pro for a week now, and that’s given me insight into who should and shouldn't upgrade.

It’s taken a while to fully unpack and understand the technical improvements to the cameras in the iPhone 14 Pro. Camera nerd Sebastiaan de With, co-founder and designer of the highly-respected Halide camera app, has written a detailed review of the improvements to the camera system. His professional opinion? These are not just great iPhone cameras, they’re great cameras, period.

Apple shipped a record number of MacBooks during the September quarter, a whopping 26% increase over the same period of 2021, according to a market-analysis firm. That’s more than the company has ever shipped in a single quarter.

The Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) showcased companies and products using the newly available Matter home-automation standard at a launch event in Amsterdam. The group, which includes Apple, Google and many other companies, emphasized the standard’s building momentum and drew a rough road map of what’s to come.

Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me premiers Friday on Apple TV+, and to be sure her fans can watch it, Apple is offering a free two-month trial of its streaming video service. That’s much longer than the usual 7-day trial.

How-tos

With iOS 16, Apple hopes to end tracking number madness with order tracking right in the Wallet app. It works completely automatically.

Sometimes, you need your iPhone and your Mac to be very different tools throughout the day — Focus modes are all about customizing them for everything you do. Apple’s Focus modes are a powerful way to change how your iPhone, iPad and Mac look and feel whether you’re driving, sleeping, relaxing or working.

After a weekend getaway or vacation, my wife and I inevitably take half an hour when we get home to share our pictures back and forth. With iOS 16, that is no more. You can finally enable a shared iCloud Photo Library — and it’s really straightforward.

Deals

You don’t need to be tied to your desk anymore, especially if you can remotely access your Mac. Screens 4 allows you to access your Mac from another device from anywhere in the world, and it’s on sale today for just $19.99 (Reg. $29) -- the best price on the Web.

A lifetime license to Microsoft Office on Mac or Windows is currently available at a reduced price. Usually sold for $349, you can get the entire suite on either platform for just $39.99.

If you want to create the best smart home system for you, then take a look at these eight deals.

Reviews

Gallium nitride (GaN) chargers are super-small, super-fast chargers are worth getting excited about. I recently had the pleasure of taking Ugreen’s Nexode 200W desktop GaN charger for a spin, and let me tell you: this really is the puck-sized charger you want on your desk.

AirFly 2 from Twelve South can wirelessly connect your AirPods to any 3.5mm audio jack. It’s great for airline entertainment systems and gym machines. The new version has a longer battery life, adds new volume controls, and costs less than its predecessor.

If you’re looking for quality audio at an affordable price, you can certainly do much worse than Edifier products. The Chinese company consistently comes across with great value, and that’s the case with the Edifier MS50A powered wireless smart speaker. It looks and sounds great for the price.

Setups

This workstation is rife with devices used for streaming. But the software engineer who occupies the well-appointed workstation finds perfectly productive things to do with all that streaming gear, other than streaming.

There are many ways of making a setup minimalistic without simply leaving out the crucial gear. In this case, it has a lot to do with a very cool desk with some interesting features.

This MacBook Pro setup makes interesting usage of a portable display and a highly unusual mechanical keyboard. But it also has a beautiful gaming monitor, a rarely seen vertical mouse and some other details.

Apple TV+ Reviews and Recaps

This week on Apple TV+ drama/thriller Shantaram, it’s all about escapes. Lin knows a story about his medical work will bring his flight from justice to the attention of the authorities, so it’s time to leave Bombay.

Apple TV+ show Mosquito Coast returns Friday with more under-the-radar thrills. Based on the book by Paul Theroux and starring his nephew Justin as wanted criminal and escape artist Allie Fox, Mosquito Coast is about the many little compromises we make on our way to what we hope is a better life.

In new Apple TV+ documentary Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me, we take a trip into the center of the pop star’s world to discover her journey has been nothing but hardship surrounded by impossible highs, which makes coping with her fame something like a near-impossibility.