Info Tech
Apple reveals iPad Air with new Macs and new OS
SAN FRANCISCO – Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks during an Apple announcement at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts on October 22,
After a lengthy tribute to the glory of the iPads sold to date — over 170 million and counting — Apple’s SVP of worldwide marketing, Phil Schiller, showed off the iPad Air, 20 percent thinner overall, and a bezel that’s 43 percent thinner.
It’s styled much like the iPad Mini, but with a 9.7-inch screen. It’s got the same 10-hour battery life, 5 megapixel camera and 1080p video. But it has improved backside illumination (so better visibility outside?) and dual microphones, for FaceTime but also Siri voice-recognition. At its core is the new A7 64-bit chip, which can run next-generation software, and the M7 motion co-processor, which allows for more motion activity without draining the battery.
The 7.9-inch iPad Mini, which now costs $399, gets a Retina display that’s the same resolution as the larger 9.7-inch iPad Air — 2048 x 1536 — so you can expect very invisible pixels and very smooth text. It also gets the A7 chip and most of the under-the-hood improvements of its big brother. Because it’s priced higher than the original, Apple is keeping the original iPad Mini, and reducing its price from $329 to $299.
Both new iPads are available in silver and white or space-gray and black, and there will be new leather and polyurethane covers for the new iPads, matching the color scheme of the new iPhones. The new iPad Air ships Nov. 1, while the iPad Mini with Retina display will appear later in the month.
Early on, Craig Federighi, Apple’s SVP of software, got on stage to discuss the new OS X, dubbed “Mavericks,” which is a free update for Mac owners available today, and will work as a one-step upgrade even if you’re back on Snow Leopard. Compatible systems go back as far as the 2007 iMac and MacBook Pro, the 2008 MacBook Air, MacBook and Mac Pro and the 2009 Mini (and any more recent systems in those families).
He first talked about battery life savings, memory management and graphics improvements. In some cases, a new MacBook Air can get an extra hour of battery life, just by updating to the latest OS version. Other Mavericks perks including responding inside notifications, tabbed windows inside the Finder, and adding a dock to a secondary display. Lots of stuff packed in there, though a lot of the detail is pretty wonky.
Apple is bringing iBooks and Maps to the Mac, too. While that’s an understandable attempt to grow these ailing services, it’s been hard for anyone to use them on iOS, given the better alternatives from Amazon and Google.
iCloud Keychain in Mavericks lets you securely pre-store your credit card info and other data, and then add it to shopping sites etc. without retyping it all.
Calendars is location aware, and synced to Maps, so if you say you’re going to walk to a meeting, it adds travel time ahead of the meeting, and shows you the route to take. (Hopefully, the database on Maps is good enough now that you won’t get lost.)
During the event, Schiller was also on stage to introduce new MacBook Pro with Retina screen models, a 15-inch MacBook Pro with 2GHz chip now reduced $200 to a starting price of $1999, and a 13-inch MacBook Pro that’s a bit thinner and lighter than it had been, now reduced in price $100 to 1299.
Then Schiller talked about the crazy new Mac Pro, a professional computer with every single crazy bell and whistle you can imagine (and many you can’t). You’re probably not in the market for this thing, but just look at it — it’s over the top in every way. (OK, I’m sure PC gamer nerds have built better, but nothing this sleek looking.) Schiller reminds us that it’s going to be assembled in the U.S.
It’s going to cost $2999, and it’s available in December.
Internet services head Eddie Cue got on stage to talk about the refresh of iLife for both iOS 7 and OS X Mavericks. There’s a whole new iPhoto, iMovie and Garageband for iOS 7, streamlined to look like the new interface, and with new, more share-friendly options. iMovie lets you send video without creating a laborious project; meanwhile iPhoto lets you create photo books you could previously only make on a Mac.
Cue also talked about iWork. New Pages is faster on the iPad, and is has content sensitive tools on the Mac. In both cases, the screen isn’t cluttered with unnecessary controls. In Numbers, reports can be interactive, so that from quarter to quarter, the same report can reflect the new information. There are also new features in the new Keynote.
iWork is also getting more cloud friendly, with collaborative interaction now available via iCloud. “You can even collaborate with a friend who’s stuck on a PC,” says Cue.
The big news is that iWork is now free. iLife is already free with purchase of Mac or iOS device.
Earlier…
When Cook first took the stage, at the beginning of the keynote, he went through the obligatory discussion of how current Apple products are doing. The iPhone sold 9 million units in its opening weekend in September, and 64 percent of iOS devices are now upgraded to iOS 7, a speed record, said Cook. He is also proud of iTunes Radio, which Justin Timberlake debuted an album on, and the App Store, which has done 60 billion downloads and earned developers $13 billion.
– NBC NEWS
Info Tech
ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue Partners EPRON, EL-AS Tech, WEE-Eco
In efforts at spicing up the 2023 ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue, the management of ITREALMS Media has partnered with E-waste Producer Responsibility Organization of Nigeria (EPRON) membership organisations for a day-long collection scheme of small electronic waste on Friday, December 15, 2023.
The EPRON members aligning their partnership with 2023 ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue are EL-AS Tech Enterprises Limited and WEEE Eco-Friendly.
ITREALMS’ day-long collection scheme is part of the commemoration of 2023 international E-Waste Day (IEWD) within the ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue with the theme “You Can Recycle Anything with a plug, battery or cable” at Welcome Centre Hotels, International Airport Road, Lagos.
Revealing this collaboration, the Group Executive Editor, ITREALMS Media, the organisers of the 2023 ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue, Sir. Remmy Nweke, urged mobile device enthusiasts to come along with their devices that have reached their end-of-life to the venue for proper disposition by professionals who would also be on grounds to address some topical issues.
The collection of small electronic wastes especially mobile phones and like-devices, would be carried out by EPRON member organisation, EL-AS Tech Enterprises Limited as facilitated by ITREALMS Media group as part of this year’s ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue on Friday, December 15, he added.
He disclosed that the exercise would commence at Welcome Centre Hotel by 9am till close of work hours the same day.
Nweke pointed out that the collection of small e-waste items would include mobile phones, pointers mouse, earpieces, rechargeable torches, phone chargers, to name a few.
Further, he said, that this initiative has become time-serving because some people may have missed any other opportunity before now for the year-long campaign, hence this awareness on e-Waste has to be continuous, “ITREALMS came up with this scheme.”
Nweke beckoned on Nigerians, especially mobile phone users, to leverage the opportunity in disposing of their mobile devices they no longer use, of course in exchange for a voucher or gift item.
In her reaction to this year’s day-long small waste collection, EPRON Executive Secretary, Mrs. Ibukun Faluyi, described the initiative as commendable, expressing confidence it would intensify the collection of end-of-life devices for proper disposition.
Mrs. Faluyi, also urged Nigerians to take advantage of this day-long collection of small wastes courtesy of ITREALMS Media.
Recalling for instance that in October 2022, EPRON had partnered SLOT alongside some UN agencies for collection of small e-waste items in Lagos, including the United Nations Information Centres (UNIC), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), International Labour Organisation (ILO), Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).
This is even as the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Dr. Aminu Maida and Director-General, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Prof. Aliyu Jauro, would both lead speakers at the 2023 ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue slated for this Friday, December 15, in Lagos.
Info Tech
iPhone 15: Things To Know About Apple’s Newest Model
Today, September 12, the tech corporation Apple will introduce the iPhone 15, their newest iPhone model.
According to a Forbes story, this model, which will be introduced at the company’s “Wanderlust” event in Cupertino, California, will be available in four variations: the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Here are five things you should know about the new iPhone 15 model.
1. The new model is made of titaniu, not stainless steel as some other Apple smartphone models, Senior research analyst at DIGITIMES, Luke Lin reports.
2. The Pro Max model will feature double the optical zoom on the iPhone 14 as it comes with a newly-introduced ‘periscope lens upgrade, performing 5-6x optical zoom.’
3. The Pro models will carry an A17 bionic chip expected to make it perform faster.
4. The iPhone 15 model will feature a USB-C charging port, the same port featured on some Android phone models.
5. Due to its titanium shell, the new model is anticipated to be more expensive to purchase. The following is the speculated price list, as reported by Forbes:
The iPhone 15 starts at $799, the iPhone 15 Plus at $899, the iPhone 15 Pro at $1,099 ($100 increase), and the iPhone 15 Pro Max at $1,299 ($200 increase).
Info Tech
FG Partner With Firm, Set To Introduce 500 Autogas-Powered Buses
In an effort to reduce the exorbitant cost of Premium Motor Spirit, better known as petrol, the Infrastructure Bank Plc announced its collaboration with FEMADEC Group on Monday to offer 500 buses powered by autogas (Compressed Natural Gas).
Partners in the agreement claimed that the project was created to provide citizens with dependable, affordable, and environmentally friendly travel options, taking into account the negative effects of the nationwide increase in PMS costs.
Under Decree No. 51 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s 1992 Constitution, the Infrastructure Bank, originally known as the Urban Development Bank of Nigeria Plc, was founded in 1992 to promote the quick development of infrastructure throughout the nation.
In a statement issued in Abuja on its partnership with FEMADEC, the bank said, “The preliminary offer extended by TIB lays a solid foundation for the expansion of FEMADEC Group’s CNG bus fleet.
“With plans to introduce 500 CNG buses within the next five years, commencing with an initial batch of 50 buses in the forthcoming year, this proposal stands poised to instigate significant change.
“The acceptance of this proposition by FEMADEC Group, notably championed by Fola Akinnola, the Group Chief Executive Officer, is a testament to their zeal and dedication to this alliance.”
The bank described the partnership as a “pivotal endeavour that is primed to redefine Nigeria’s public transportation landscape, offering dependable, cost-effective, and ecologically conscious travel alternatives for citizens, while harmonising with the nation’s broader sustainability ambitions.”
“This partnership represents a remarkable stride towards a more ecologically aware future for Nigeria’s transportation sector, highlighting the shared commitment of both TIB and FEMADEC Group to sustainable advancement and progress.”
It said FEMADEC Group’s strides in operating Compressed Natural Gas buses, including the existing fleet of 20 CNG buses under LAMATA, underscored their unwavering dedication to ecologically sound solutions, a commitment predating the fuel subsidy removal.
“Their leadership within the CNG value chain is undeniable, and the new alliance with TIB underscores their foresight.
“This partnership seamlessly aligns with TIB’s sustainability objectives, echoing their resolute endorsement of the government’s net-zero and climate change agenda.
“The bank’s aspiration to champion Nigeria’s infrastructure progress is evident in its endorsement of pivotal initiatives like this, yielding expansive positive impacts on both the environment and society,” the bank stated.
The bank added that it would continue to make a significant contribution to the country’s growth as a leading financial institution committed to advancing effective and long-lasting infrastructure projects.