Know It All Nev

On Demand Reviews – 2021

Category: Mobile

What generation are the latest iPads? We break it down

Nifty Nev
Apple, Apple Pencil, Buying Guides, iPad Air 4, iPad Buying, iPad Pro, Mobile |

If you’ve recently decided to get yourself a new iPad, you may be left a bit overwhelmed by all of the available models. You’d be forgiven for not even being sure which model is the newest. To the untrained eye, they often look nearly identical. Recently, however, there have been some major changes. We break down all the newest devices in Apple’s iPad lineup, explain what generation is the latest iPad, and expand on what makes each one stand apart from the others. To see which one’s for you, see our iPad buying guide.
Latest generation for each iPad category
Before we dive in, here’s a quick summary of what generation the latest iPads are in each category.

iPad Mini: Fifth generation
iPad: Eighth generation
iPad Air: Fourth generation
iPad Pro: Fifth generation

iPad 10.2-inch (2020)

The new iPad looks pretty similar to the 2019 iPad, with its 10.2-inch screen and chunky bezels. Packing either 32GB or 128GB of storage, there’s support for the first-generation Apple Pencil, although buying one will set you back an extra $99 — as well as Apple’s Magic Keyboard. This iPad ships with iPadOS 14, which adds Scribble, a handwriting-to-text recognition feature that lets you use the Apple Pencil to take notes, sketches, and more.
The latest iPad has an A12 bionic processor and 32-watt-hour cell battery, with Apple promising up to 10 hours of battery life. It is heavier than the iPad Pro and the iPad Air, weighing in at 1.08 pounds, but you can still hold it in one hand for video calls or web browsing. With it coming in at just $329 for the 32GB model, you might think it’s a foregone conclusion that this is the best choice for you, but read on to be sure.

iPad Mini (2019)
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends
If you’re looking for a smaller-than-average Apple iPad, then the fifth generation of the iPad Mini is the tablet you want. At first glance, the iPad Mini 5 appears aesthetically identical to the iPad Mini 4 — and that’s because it is. It packs the same 7.9-inch display with the same resolution, and though it’s a great display, it’s hard not to feel disappointed when you see the edge-to-edge designs other tablets are adopting.
While those waiting for an iPad Pro-style redesign of the Mini range may be disappointed, anyone looking for a powerful tablet won’t be. The iPad Mini packs the same powerful A12 Bionic processor as the iPhone XS and XR series, and there’s 64GB of storage in the base model. That’s plenty of space for movies and loads of processing power for smooth performance in the latest 3D games, and paired with iPadOS 14, your day-to-day experience on the device will be silky smooth. Keep in mind that with the iPad Mini you’ll be limited to the bottom speakers, so use headphones if you’re an audio-lover.
When it comes to power, the battery life was pretty good during our testing, but the charging speed really disappointed. On the plus side, it comes with eSIM support, and it’s also the smallest iPad that offers Apple Pencil support — though you’ll need a first-generation Apple Pencil. Still, if you’re looking for a powerful pint-sized tablet, then the $399 iPad Mini is absolutely what you want. Of course, you might want to wait until the fall to see if the rumors about the iPad Mini 6 launching turn out to be true.

iPad Air 4 (2020)
Andrew Martonik/Digital Trends

The iPad Air 4has plenty in common with the iPad Pro when it comes to looks, thanks to its flat-edge design and slim bezels. It packs a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina screen, and under the hood, you’ll find Apple’s latest A14 Bionic processor, which Apple claims provides a 40% improvement in CPU performance and a 30% increase in graphics performance. It was the first device to get this chip as Apple begin broad upgrades, although the iPad Air has yet to get an M1 chip upgrade for 2021.
If the standard iPad is for casual use and the iPad Pro is meant for serious enterprise, then the iPad Air 4 sits somewhere between the two. It boasts USB-C charging rather than Lightning, for up to 10 times faster data transfer speeds, comes with 64GB or 256GB of storage, and is slimmer and lighter than the iPad, weighing just one pound. With support for Apple’s Smart Keyboard and the second-generation Apple Pencil — which is easier to hold, charge, and keep track of, and docks magnetically to the side of the tablet for charging — you can pick up the iPad Air 4 for $599 from Apple. If you’re looking for a step up from the standard iPad but not quite ready for an iPad Pro, the iPad Air 4 is an excellent choice.

iPad Pro 11-inch and 12.9-inch (2021)

We’ve finally made it to Apple’s most powerful iPads to date, and these are strikingly different from the others. With one glance you’ll notice the fifth-generation iPad Pro follows the same design as Apple’s flagship phones, so it’s certainly attractive. Aside from simply being the largest in the iPad lineup, the newest iPad Pro continues the tradition of being a powerhouse all-in-one tablet, bordering on the usability of a laptop. Apple has made sure this comparison is on your mind by offering a Magic Keyboard with a full trackpad.
The latest version of the iPad Pro received a significant upgrade with Apple’s new in-house M1 processor chip, which our tests found to be an improvement when it comes to performance. The model also got a better, smarter camera with Center Stage technology, which can pan and zoom to keep a subject in the center, ideal for voice chats and video conferences. If you’re interested in the larger version, it comes with a significantly upgrades Liquid Retina XDR display for better visuals, too
We want to note; this choice is still the most expensive iPad by far, starting at $749 for the 128GB Wi-Fi 11-inch and skyrocketing to $2,299 for the 2TB (yes, it can really have that much storage) cellular 12.9-inch model. It’s the price customers have to pay for a premium product.
Price aside, this latest iPad Pro is by far the best choice for consumers if what you’re after is the biggest and most powerful tablet on the market. It’s so powerful and so capable, you may even be able to finally leave the laptop at home.

Conclusion
The newest iPads are on display right now on the Apple website’s seasonal roster. That said, you don’t have to buy the latest and greatest product if you don’t want it. Most in-person stores and third-party sellers online still have former iPad models available. iPads have been relevant since they were first introduced a decade ago. It’s up to you to decide which features are most important to you, to determine which table may be best. Our list hopes to assist you with a helpful, detailed, and practical approach to finding the best tablet you can buy.

Editors’ Recommendations

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The theifs to supply one of the best trade-in worth to help a Samsung Galaxy Z Tuck 3

Nifty Nev
Mobile, News, Samsung, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 |

If you can’t wait to get a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3, you’re in luck: Samsung is eager to put one in your hands as long as you’re willing to part with your old phone.
Samsung is offering up to $800 credit toward the Galaxy Z Fold 3 which we’ve already gone hands-on with and are currently testing (fair warning, we’re very impressed). They’ll take up to four devices, allowing you to offload your old phones, tablets, and watches to reap the maximum trade-in benefit. They’ll even take cracked devices, albeit for a lower price, so you may be able to mix-and-match your junk drawer for $800 in credit.
Ajay Kumar/Digital Trends
Last year’s Galaxy Z Fold 2 is the only device that will fetch the full $800 credit, but phones released in the past couple of years will get you almost as much. The Galaxy Note 20 5G Ultra is worth $750, and you can get $650 for the Galaxy S21 Ultra, the iPhone 11 Pro Max, or the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
T-Mobile is offering up to $1,000 in credit for a long list of devices, but there are more conditions. You’ll need to open a new line on Magenta MAX, Magenta Plus, or T-Mobile One PLUS plan, and the credit is applied toward your bill on a 36-month contract. The trade-in list has several tiers and price points. You’ll want to look at this offer if you have a Samsung Note or Galaxy device released in the past few years, like the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 (released in 2018). Apple iPhone 12 users can’t take advantage of this offer, but T-Mobile is offering $1,000 for many other Apple devices, including the Apple iPhone 8 (released in 2017).
If you have an old device, then Verizon is willing to take it off your hands. All you have to do is open a new Unlimited line. The iPhone 6 (released in 2014) and the Google Pixel 2 (released in 2017) are both worth $400 in trade-in credit toward a Galaxy Z Fold3. Unlike with T-Mobile, you can take advantage of this offer even if you buy the device outright. It will accept a long list of devices, but your trade-in needs to be in good condition, without a cracked screen or battery damage.

Editors’ Recommendations

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T cellular says 48 million individuals counting current cyberattack

Nifty Nev
data breach, Mobile, News, T-Mobile |

T-Mobile has released more details regarding what it’s describing as a “highly sophisticated cyberattack” on its computer systems that it learned of last week.
In a statement sent to Digital Trends late Tuesday evening, the company said its initial investigations confirmed that 7.8 million current T-Mobile postpaid customers are affected, as well as just over 40 million former or prospective customers who had previously applied for credit with T-Mobile.
The company said that there’s currently no indication that the data contained in the accessed files included any customer credit or debit card information. Nor does it believe hackers accessed any phone numbers, account numbers, PINs, or passwords.
However, it said that some of the data accessed by the hackers did include customers’ first and last names, date of birth, Social Security number, and drivers license/ID information.
It also said that around 850,000 active T-Mobile prepaid customer names, phone numbers, and account PINs were also exposed in the breach. “We have already proactively reset all of the PINs on these accounts to help protect these customers, and we will be notifying accordingly right away,” the company said, adding, “No Metro by T-Mobile, former Sprint prepaid, or Boost customers had their names or PINs exposed.”
The Washington-based mobile giant said that as a result of its initial findings, it is taking “immediate steps to help protect all of the individuals who may be at risk from this cyberattack.”
Those affected will be contacted “shortly” with advice on what action to take. For example, some T-Mobile postpaid customers will be told to change their PIN, though it said this particular precaution was being taken “despite the fact that we have no knowledge that any postpaid account PINs were compromised.”
Those impacted will also be offered two years of free identity protection services with McAfee’s ID Theft Protection Service, along with other safeguards to help reduce the chances of succumbing to a crime perpetrated by those who attempt to use the stolen data for nefarious purposes.
The hack is a major blow to T-Mobile, which has suffered several other similar attacks affecting its customers in the last three years alone. The most recent breach came to light earlier this week when a hacker was spotted spotted trying to sell stolen T-Mobile data on an underground forum. The seller claimed to be in possession of data belonging to 100 million T-Mobile customers, though the company’s initial findings suggest fewer current customers have been impacted.
“We take our customers’ protection very seriously and we will continue to work around the clock on this forensic investigation to ensure we are taking care of our customers in light of this malicious attack,” T-Mobile said on Tuesday, adding that its investigation is ongoing.

Editors’ Recommendations

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Mint Cell vs. Seen Wi-fi Cell Telephone Plans Assessment

Nifty Nev
Mobile, VS - Service |

Still confused about data speeds with Mint and Visible?We’ll sum it up as simply as we can here.
Visible customers will always have their data throttled at 5–12 Mbps. That means your data speeds should almost never be below 5 Mbps or above 12 Mbps (unless you’re connected to the 5G network), no matter how much data you use.
Mint customers will have a data cap of 4–35 GB, depending on which plan they purchase. Data speeds can still be reduced before reaching that cap because of deprioritization, but, in general, they shouldn’t get too slow (and may be faster than Visible’s speeds). Once customers reach the data cap, however, speeds can plummet to way below Visible’s floor of 5 Mbps, to the point where it may be impossible to stream music and videos or even load some basic apps.

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Mint Cell vs. US Cell Cell Plans Overview

Nifty Nev
Mobile, VS - Service |

Mint Mobile vs. US Mobile plans and pricing

Mint’s unlimited data plan is a great deal, but US Mobile has some unbeatable prices

Mint and US Mobile are both mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), which is just a fancy way of saying that they don’t own their own cellular networks. Instead, they lease bandwidth from larger companies to bring service to their customers.
This means that both companies are able to offer plans that are much cheaper than those offered by traditional carriers, like Verizon and AT&T. But it also means both carriers have relatively slow data speeds.
The big differences between Mint and US Mobile’s plans are the prices, data allotment, and perks. Here’s everything you need to know, beginning with Mint.

Mint Mobile has four plans on the market right now. Every plan from Mint comes with these features:

Unlimited talk and text
5G network access
Mobile hotspot data
T-Mobile coverage

Each plan also comes with a certain amount of 4G LTE data, from 4–35 GB. Take a look at the prices in this chart.

With Mint’s 4–15 GB plans you can, technically, still use data after you reach your cap. But that data will be at 128 Kbps speeds, which is not enough to do really anything (like stream your favorite song on Spotify or watch a YouTube video).
Then there’s the unlimited data plan, which is actually more like a 35 GB plan. Once you use more than that, your speeds will be reduced. While 35 GB is plenty of data for most people, it’s certainly not unlimited.
All of Mint’s plans come with a risk of data deprioritization, which means that your data speeds can be slowed down when the network is busy.
In short, Mint’s plans are a great deal for those who want a cheap plan with a decent amount of data. But those who need truly unlimited data or super-fast data speeds will probably want something different.

A note about Mint’s prices

Mint definitely makes our list of the best cheap plans. But there is a drawback to these prices that you should know about before signing up. Mint’s prices will increase after the first month, unless you sign up for multiple months in advance.
Take Mint’s 15 GB plan. It goes from $25 to $45 after the first month! You have to sign up for 12 months of service to keep that low $25 price. Here’s a screenshot of the fine print on Mint’s website.

US Mobile’s plan structure is different from Mint’s. Rather than offering just a few data plans, US Mobile has a plan for pretty much every kind of user, whether you just want a few minutes or you want unlimited everything. There are literally too many plans to list out here, but this chart shows some of the company’s most popular offerings.

In general, US Mobile’s plans offer more bang for your buck than Mint’s. For example, the unlimited talk and text plan with 5 GB of data costs just $10. With Mint you’ll pay $15 and get just 4 GB of data.
Plus, US Mobile offers plans with less data or no data at all, including a free 75-minute plan (yes, it’s truly free after you apply a discount from WhistleOut and pay the $3.99 start-up fee).
So what’s the catch? Why are US Mobile’s prices so low? One explanation is that the company’s data speeds are lower than Mint Mobile’s. While it’s impossible to get firm data on this (carriers don’t usually release information about their specific data speeds), many online reviews from customers talk about how US Mobile deprioritizes data more than some other MVNOs.
This theory is backed up by the fact that Mint Mobile uses T-Mobile’s network, which has baseline speeds that are higher than US Mobile’s parent network, Verizon.

Comparing Mint Mobile and US Mobile’s unlimited plans

As you can see, Mint’s plan is $10 cheaper than US Mobile’s and doesn’t require a $3.99 start-up fee. It seems like the obvious choice. But there are a few details you should consider.
First of all, Mint’s unlimited plan actually has a data cap of 35 GB per month. Meanwhile, US Mobile’s unlimited plan is truly unlimited. You won’t have your data cut off or throttled because you use too much.
On the other hand, Mint Mobile lets customers use their phone as a mobile hotspot for free. With US Mobile you have to pay an extra $10 a month for hotspot data.
All in all, Mint’s unlimited data plan is probably the better deal for most casual users. But if you need truly unlimited data, then you should go with US Mobile.

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Should Swap to Mint Android os?

Nifty Nev
FAQ, Mobile |

Mint has four plans from $15 to $30 a month

Many major companies, like AT&T and Verizon, charge $70+ for their plans. Some folks (myself included) just don’t want to spend that much. Luckily, with Mint (and other MVNO carriers) you can often get a decent plan for way less.
This chart will show you all of Mint’s plans and prices.

Each of these plans come with unlimited talk and text, access to 5G, and mobile hotspot data.
If you just need a simple cell phone plan with enough data for apps like Google Maps and Facebook, then the 4 GB option is an incredible deal. Meanwhile, the 10–15 GB plans are great options for those who want enough for some TikTok scrolling and casual gaming. All of these limited data plans are perfect for kids, who need some data but shouldn’t be on their phones all day.
If you want an unlimited data plan, then Mint has one of the cheapest plans on the market. A clean $30 a month gets you everything—unlimited talk, text, and data. Though you will have a 35 GB data cap, which means your data can be slowed after using that much.

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Should Change to Seen Mobile phone?

Nifty Nev
FAQ, Mobile |

Do you use your phone as a mobile hotspot?

Big companies, like Verizon and AT&T, will give you mobile hotspot data on their premium plans. But it’s rare to find this perk on discount plans. But, lo and behold, Visible’s Unlimited Data Plan lets you use unlimited hotspot data. Nice.
That means you can use your phone as a mobile internet connection anywhere you have sufficient service. Yep, that could be you streaming an episode of Bridgerton on your laptop during your layover.
There is one catch: your hotspot data speed will be capped at 5 Mbps. That should still be enough speed for basic streaming, but it may not be enough for super-fast gaming or HD video.

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