We continue to live in one of the busiest periods of Apple product announcements in recent memory. Over the last week, many people got a chance to try an iPhone Duo. Me included. Everyone seems to marvel at what an amazing job that Apple did with the device. Opinions vary on how practical the device is, but I love the enthusiasm. Bravo, Apple. A few days ago, Apple announced a new iPad mini (A20 Pro). I considered writing a full post on that device, but I can sum up my thoughts quickly. The iPad mini form factor is not great for lawyers who want to use it to get work done because documents, exhibits, etc. cannot be very large on the mini screen. That said, it is a nice device for casual use, and its small size makes it very portable. As noted by Ryan Christoffel of 9to5Mac, this latest version is faster than ever thanks to the A20 processor, has a slightly larger screen due to reduced bezels, has a better screen thanks to OLED, and even offers IP56 water and dust resistance. Here is another quick note on the key features from John Gruber of Daring Fireball. The iPad mini is no longer something that you buy because it is cheap—the price starts at $699—but for that price, you get a quality device. And it costs much less than the $1999 you would pay for another device with a small, tablet-sized screen: the iPhone Duo. So I think that a lot of people are going to love this new iPad mini. And now, the news of note from the past week:
- David Sparks of MacSparky praises the iPad mini because, for many people, it is the perfect device between an iPhone and a laptop.
- Apple also introduced a new MacBook Pro this week that features an OLED touchscreen. As noted by Michael D.J. Eisenberg of The Tech-Savvy Lawyer, many lawyers don’t really need a touchscreen on a laptop. Having said that, I suspect that this is just a first step, and that eventually, almost all Mac laptops will have a touchscreen.
- Federico Viticci of MacStories says that the new MacBook Pro with touch is a Mac for the iPad generation.
- Max Weinbach of Creative Strategies explains why he is so impressed by the iPhone Duo.
- Allison Johnson of The Verge shares lots of tips for using the iPhone Duo.
- I love that the iPhone Duo has inspired so many developments to come up with creative uses for the folding screen. For example, John Gruber of Daring Fireball describes Tiny Computers, an app that makes your iPhone Duo look like classic old computers.
- The Apple HomePod mini 2 goes on sale today. Joe Rossignol of MacRumors explains what is new, including Siri AI support.
- David Sparks of MacSparky discusses the Apple HomeView, which will be available two weeks from today.
- Why does the version of the HomeView without a base cost the same as the version with a base? John Gruber of Daring Fireball shares an interesting theory: perhaps to discourage folks from buying the model without a base unless that is really the right device for them.
- In an article for Six Colors, Philip Michaels reviews the iPhone 18 Pro.
- I recently reviewed the AirFly Drive from Twelve South ($39.99 on Amazon), and I continue to love and recommend that product. Chance Miller of 9to5Mac notes that the original AirFly, which is often used to add Bluetooth to the built-in screen on an airplane, is now available in a new version called AirFly View ($79.99 on Amazon), which is an improvement because it has a built-in screen to walk you through the setup process.
- Julie Bays of the Oklahoma Bar Association discusses using Microsoft Copilot in CarPlay. Most of what she describes now works with Siri AI as well, but if you are a big Microsoft 365 user, perhaps Copilot works better for you.
- Bruce Gil of Gizmodo reports that Rian Johnson—the director of movies like Knives Out and The Last Jedi—has released a camera app for the iPhone called Chromagraph Camera that he developed with his longtime cinematographer Steve Yedlin.
- Derricke Dennis of Military.com shares the story of David Aladejobi, an Air Force Veteran who believes that he developed sleep apnea because of his time in the service and who credits his Apple Watch with giving him the warnings that prompted him to seek critical medical attention.
- A new show starts today on Apple TV, a thriller called Nocturne. It features a great cast including Liev Schreiber, Zazie Beetz, and Stephen Graham, and as Marcus Mendes of 9to5Mac notes, it is getting some good buzz.
- And finally, here is Apple’s video showing off the new iPad mini: