Hands on: Apple’s new 64-bit iPad Air makes the full-sized tablet a one-handed device (with video)

“The most important thing about Apple’s iPad Air is the fact that it is now a one-handed device,” Matthew Panzarino reports for TechCrunch.

“Previous generations of the full-size 9.7″ iPad could not be held in a single hand for long periods of extended periodical reading or web browsing,” Panzarino reports. “This new version fixes that by making it much, much lighter. It weighs in at just 1lb, .4lbs lighter than the iPad 4.”

“In our hands-on tests this difference in weight was marked, and made for a hugely different experience,” Panzarino reports. “Users who may have wanted a lighter tablet, but didn’t want to sacrifice screen real-estate to move to an iPad mini will probably be pleased.”

Read more in the full article here.

Related article:
Apple unveils 64-bit iPad Air and 64-bit iPad mini with Retina display – October 22, 2013

21 Comments

  1. Lightness was the key differentiator for the iPad mini. That’s what made it popular and more useful. And now, the “big” iPad is also light, and even has a new name to highlight it.

    It also makes the 12-inch iPad possible, because I think Apple can soon produce a 12-inch iPad that weighs the same as (or even less than) the old 10-inch Retina iPad. And THAT iPad will be called simply “iPad.”

  2. I originally planned to get a mini because I thought the iPad was too heavy to wield for extended periods of time due to the weight. I will now be getting an iPad Air. Nice move Apple. I’m sure a lot of people will be doing the same. That is one sweet piece of technology. Great show today, Apple did not disappoint.

  3. Does anyone have any lingering doubts that Apple is moving toward convergence of the iPad and Macbook Air? Remember the rumors of a 12 or 13 inch tablet? I clearly see the merger of the Macbook Air and the new iPad Air into Something Air. Remove the screen iOS. Dock the screen OSX. Renaming the iPad the iPad Air plus the 64bit architecture should leave little doubt that a special type of Apple magic is on the way.

  4. The one thing I was hoping for was that Apple would provide a premium camera with the new iPad. Much more than the iPhone, because of its larger screen, the iPad is suited to be a fantastic photo/video shooting device. It’s so easy to just point and shoot, and the 10-inch screen is so much more useful in framing shots and actually seeing what the result will be. Mount a high-quality camera on it – together with some decent lighting – and you could shoot an entire HD movie of respectable quality just using this device.

    1. I have Touch ID on my iPhone 5S and while it’s great to have, it’s not necessary for me to pull the trigger on BITH fully tricked out 128GB ATT Space Grey iPads. $2k including Applecare+ for both seems like a steal if a deal to me. I’m a conspicuous consumer of all things iOS. Getting Mac Pro with 55″ 4k Sony XBR in December. 😜

      1. Spelling Corrections: I have Touch ID on my iPhone 5S and while it’s great to have, it’s not necessary for me to pull the trigger on BOTH fully tricked out 128GB ATT Space Grey iPads. $2k including Applecare+ for both seems like a steal of a deal to me. I’m a conspicuous consumer of all things iOS. Getting Mac Pro with 55″ 4k Sony XBR in December. 😜

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