Apple has officially acknowledged an issue reported by multiple iPad Pro owners on Reddit and Apple’s own support forum, in which some units become unresponsive after charging. We’ve even happened upon a few dead iPad Pros at the Apple Store for which an Apple employee shyly asked us to avert our eyes while he did a hard restart.

Some users report that the device won’t wake after charging, while others who left it switched on say that the Pro fails to respond to either the touchscreen or the home button. The problem can be resolved by a force restart, and this is the action Apple recommends while it investigates … 

Apple has posted an extremely brief support document.

To get back to using your iPad Pro, force restart it by pressing and holding both the Sleep/Wake and Home buttons for at least ten seconds, until you see the Apple logo.

Apple is aware of this issue and is investigating.

Some are suggesting that iOS 9.1 is the culprit, with the issue resolved by the beta of iOS 9.2. If this indeed proves to be the case, then affected owners shouldn’t have long to wait for a fix.

Photo: dailynewsgeek.com

Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: iPad, iPad Pro, iPad Pro charging issue, iPad Pro charging problem

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Apple executive Jimmy Iovine and popular recording artist Mary J. Blige sat down with the hosts of CBS This Morning earlier today to discuss Apple Music. A couple of months back, Apple debuted a new TV ad for its music streaming service starring Blige along with actresses Kerry Washington and Taraji P. Henson. In the ad, the three stars described Apple music as the “Instant boyfriend mixtape service” and touted that the For You feature is the equivalent of having a boyfriend inside your computer.

In today’s interview with CBS, Iovine discussed the inspiration behind the ad, explaining that he believes women have trouble finding music to listen to (a quote some have found to be controversial). “Women find it very difficult at times – some women – to find music, …and Apple Music helps makes it easier with playlists curated by real people,” Iovine said. Jimmy touted that Apple Music playlists are created by humans, not by an “algorithm.”

For her part, Blige explained that being in the Apple Music ad meant a lot to her because Apple Music is the platform that she wishes she had built. When Iovine first presented it to her, Blige explained that she immediately wished she had done it herself.

Iovine went on to elaborate that he had a specific scenario in mind when thinking up the advertisement and Apple’s For You service. Iovine also noted that he originally wanted Oprah in the ad, but was unable to convince her.

I thought of a problem, you know: girls are sitting around, you know, talking about boys. Or complaining about boys when they’re hearts are broken or whatever. And they need music for that, right? So it’s hard to find the right music, you know. Not everybody has the right lists, or knows a DJ or something.”

Iovine also commented that Apple Music has “well over” 6.5 million paying subscribers, a number that Tim Cook initially revealed last month. Blige and Iovine then went on to talk about how streaming is the future of music. While Iovine noted that he initially wanted to work with Apple when he realized how ahead of the curve the company was in terms of digital offerings. Iovine has previously told this story.

You can watch the full CBS This Morning interview below:

Filed under: Apple Music Tagged: Apple Music, Beats, interview, Jimmy Iovine, Mary J Blige, Music, streaming

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If you haven’t mastered iOS 9 and all its new tricks introduced in September, then it’s easy to find yourself using the iPad Pro as just a jumbo iPad Air or iPad mini. But new multitasking features like Picture in Picture, Split View, and Slide Over transform the iPad Pro experience and shine on the larger display if you know how to use them and which apps work. And while the iPad Pro doesn’t have 3D Touch like new iPhones, there’s a similar keyboard cursor gesture to now about. All that plus much more on unlocking the full potential of the iPad Pro below:

Before we dive in, many of these tips will apply to all iPads with iOS 9 while other features are limited to iPad mini 4 (7.9″), iPad Air 2 (9.7″), and iPad Pro (12.9″). If you’re comfortable with the bigger display of the Pro, however, it is able to present the most amount of content at once when multitasking.

Newly available in iOS 9, iPads support three multitasking features: Split View, Slide Over, and Picture in Picture. Not all features are available on all iPads however, and each works best on iPad Pro unless the display size is a deal breaker for you.

None of the new multitasking features are obvious, but Picture in Picture is the easiest to stumble upon. Play a video in a supported app, then press the Home button to leave the app and your video shrinks into a mini player and doesn’t stop. There’s also a new “two boxes and an arrow” icon on video players that support PIP. Tap it to continue watching your video within that app, or leave the app and take your video with you.

The Picture in Picture window follows you from app to app until you disable it, only going out of focus when you double click the Home button or swipe up with four fingers to switch apps. You can move the PIP around the iPad’s display, although it’s limited to the four corners for now. Activating the on-screen keyboard will push the PIP up so you can type, and you can even tuck the PIP out of view temporarily by pushing it off screen.

Tap the PIP at any point to view playback progress along the bottom, switch back to full screen, play/pause the video, or close it. You can also pinch to shrink or expand the size of the PIP, and the iPad Pro supports the largest version of any iPads.

Picture in Picture works on iPad Pro, iPad Air or later, and iPad mini 2 or later. The only hitch here is that video apps have to opt-in to support it. Built-in apps like Safari, Videos for iTunes movies and TV shows, FaceTime, and Podcasts just work, but your own videos in Photos and music videos from Apple Music won’t. Third-party apps like HBO NOW and Hulu are my favorites to use for Picture in Picture. Netflix and YouTube haven’t added support yet, but YouPlayer and Go Picture in Picture enable YouTube PIP on iPads with different approaches.

Split View is where iPad Pro really shines, and Picture in Picture works on top here too. This feature lets you run two apps side by side, and some apps actually look better as columns rather than full width apps on the big screen (like Twitter for example). You likely won’t activate Split View by accident though because the mode is hidden behind a screen gesture.

To activate it, swipe left from just right of edge of the display. A scrolling list of app icon tiles lets you pick which app you want to access. Tap the one you want to enter a mode called Slide Over. This presents supported apps over any other app and allows you to quickly use the secondary app then dismiss it.

If you want to use two apps side by side and both apps support Split View, you’ll notice a divider that you can pull a little to make both apps active. Use the secondary app in a 1/5th column view, pull it to the center to split the screen in half, pull it all the way to the right to dismiss it, or all the way to the right to let the secondary app take over the whole display. This works in portrait mode with 2/3rd and 1/3rd apps as well.

There’s also a grab bar at the top of the secondary app on the right that lets you switch to other Split View apps. If you click the Home button and open another app that supports Split View, you’ll notice the app one the right remains.

Alternatively, you can use iOS’s four-finger gesture to swipe between apps to change the left app without losing focus of the right app. Apps that don’t support Split View like Settings and Music will take over the whole display, but swipe on to Safari or other supported apps and Split View will return. It’s a pretty quick transition with the swipe gesture.

Slide Over works with the same iPads as Picture in Picture: iPad Pro, iPad Air or later, and iPad mini 2 or later. Split View requires iPad mini 4, iPad Air 2, or iPad Pro.

Several readers have asked about the lack of 3D Touch or Force Touch on the iPad Pro, especially one shortcut on the iPhone 6s in particular. Using the latest iPhones, you can press firmly over the keyboard to enter a trackpad-like mode for text selection and moving the cursor. This actually came to all iPads with iOS 9 in September and works extremely well on the iPad Pro, but it’s not super obvious until you learn it. Apple offers this set of instructions:

Turn your keyboard into a trackpad. Touch and hold the keyboard with two fingers until it turns light gray. Drag around the keyboard to position the insertion point. Lift, then touch and hold with two fingers to reveal the drag points. Move your fingers to select text. Tap with two fingers to select a word. Double-tap with two fingers to select a sentence. Tap three times with two fingers to select a paragraph.

While using the new iPad Pro on-screen keyboard, you may also encounter an annoying shift bug when trying to access the symbols above the new half-height num row. Basically holding the shift key and tapping a number key to access the above characters only works in search fields and mid-sentence where auto-capitalization isn’t activated. There’s a workaround for now, and using it has made me much more efficient at typing on the iPad Pro.

Using a Bluetooth or Smart Connector keyboard instead? Here’s a tip: hold the Command (⌘) key for a few seconds in each of your favorite apps to see what keyboard shortcuts are supported. Not everything from the Mac is supported on iOS, but iOS 9 adds a lot of functionality here and developers of App Store apps are doing the same. I’ve enjoyed testing a Magic Keyboard with the iPad Pro. Both charge with Lightning and the function keys including screen brightness, volume, and media playback all work great.

The same thing works from the Home screen when using a physical keyboard. My most frequently used shortcuts? Command Shift H to return to the Home screen and Command Tab which activates an app switcher just like the Mac’s. You still need to touch the screen to complete a lot of tasks that could be tied to a keyboard shortcut, but these make using the iPad Pro and all iPads with a connected keyboard much faster.

And if you’re using your iPad Pro or any iPad with a Bluetooth keyboard and a setup more like a laptop, you may want to change the display’s auto-lock time to something longer. By default, iPad displays will turn off after 2 minutes without interaction, which helps preserve battery life and increase security if you use a passcode. When using iPad Pro with a keyboard, however, I’ve noticed that I’m finding that 2 minutes is too aggressive. I’m currently trying out 5 minutes, which should be pretty reasonable, but you may consider 10 or 15 minutes better options if you’re reading a lot of content on the larger display without interacting with it. Only choose Never if you want to manually turn off the display with the on/off switch or by closing a Smart Cover or similar magnetic case.

The iPad Pro’s 12.9-inch display makes it ideal for using as a sketchpad, and Apple Pencil’s reliable palm rejection and minimal latency take the frustration out of using a digital stylus. So once you get your hands on an Apple Pencil, what next? Apple Notes is a great start. It’s built-in, syncs with iCloud to your iPhone and Mac and the web, and its pencil and pen tools are very realistic. Try the pressure sensitivity with the pen tool, then try shading with the pencil tool like a real pencil. While you can use Apple Pencil to draw anywhere sketching is supported on iOS, a number of apps have updated specifically for Apple Pencil including Adobe Sketch, Paper by 53, Pixelmator, and Procreate to name a few. Evernote and Notability have also updated for Apple Pencil if Apple Notes isn’t for you. Each app has a different set of tools within, so I recommend collecting a few. Apple Mail also supports sketching with its attachment markup feature, though I wish it was more widely available.

Gaming on the big screen with real gaming controllers is one of the many appeals of the new Apple TV, but the iPad Pro definitely holds its own in this space too. The same MFi gaming controllers that you buy for Apple TV, like the SteelSeries Nimbus (hands-on here) and others, will work with iPad Pro so you can buy one and use it on both screens. Throw on a pair of Bluetooth headphones and you’ve got a very immersive and portable experience without all the wires. Asphalt 8, a racing title, has been my favorite to play so far, and your progress is saved from iPhone to iPad to Apple TV. Even better, the iPad can do Picture in Picture over many games including Asphalt 8, so you can catch up on The Daily Show while racing around a track at 200 mph like a real iPad pro.

The iPad Pro doesn’t change the overall layout of the larger Home screen — instead keeping the same 5×4 grid as the iPad mini and iPad Air and revealing more wallpaper. If you’re like me and using the iPad Pro primarily in landscape orientation for the first time, you may want to throw one or two extra apps or folders on your dock. Smaller iPads can also add up to 6 icons to the dock, but I’ve always keep just 4 to match the portrait layout. Portrait is secondary to me on iPad Pro, however, so I’m using 5 apps in the dock now to match the landscape layout.

And if you’re planning on replacing a laptop with the iPad Pro, knowing about Safari’s ability to upload various types of files will likely be very useful. Apps tend to be able to do more than websites on iPhones and iPads, but if you prefer to use Facebook’s website until they update their iPad Pro app to support the full screen resolution, you can still upload photos directly from your iPad just like from a MacBook. This actually works better than through the app in my experience as it uses the updated Photos picker.

Uploading isn’t limited to just photos and certainly not limited to Facebook. The same process works with more complicated websites like Dropbox using text files and PDFs, although other file types like Pages documents and Pixelmator projects weren’t supported. You can actually upload files from Dropbox through the iOS app to Dropbox on the web with Safari using this process, or access your photo library, iCloud Drive, or other supported services.

Have any other iPad Pro user tips to fully unlock the potential of the larger tablet? Please let us know in the comments below!

Filed under:
How-To, iOS, iOS Devices Tagged: iOS 9, iPad Pro

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If you’re like me, you have a bunch of old Apple devices sitting around that hardly get used. Whether it’s because they’re broken or they’ve just been supplanted by newer, better tech, they lose a lot of value EVERY DAY just sitting on your desk or in a drawer doing nothing. With the holidays coming up and lots of presents to buy, that’s a lot of potential cash left sitting on the table.

To get value out of your old or broken Apple devices, we’ve partnered with two companies we’ve long used ourselves and have a great relationship with to get value out of your unused devices.

For repairs, ifixyouri has long been our go-to for broken screens, dents, and other damage to our iPhones and iPads. Their site is easy to navigate, and they will immediately generate a UPS shipping label by email which you can print out and attach to your device and send it on its way. Repair turnaround is generally just a few days and cost is always significantly below what Apple charges. We’ve created a secure portal at 9to5mac.ifixyouri.com for our readers.

For cash trade-ins, we’re partnering with Myphones Unlimited who we’ve found to give the most (or very close to it) amount of cash back on iPhone, iPad, iPod and even Mac trade-ins. You’ll get an estimate on the site based on a few parameters and as long as your device matches your description, you’ll get a check back in a week. You don’t have to do much. They send you the box. You put your device in it and give it to UPS. If for some reason, the device doesn’t match the spec, you have the option of accepting less money or getting it sent back for free. Very little risk involved here.

We’ve put a CASH/FIX link in our header for easy access when you get those new devices or break your current ones.  We hope you can take advantage of these services. Even better, if you are satisfied with and move forward with your cash trade-in or repair the service, we may receive a small commission — which supports 9to5mac.

Filed under: AAPL Company

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Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) is out with a new report today claiming Apple is now at over 100 million iPhones in use in the US. That means Apple has crossed 100 million active iPhone units since CIRP reported 97 million iPhones in use back in August, according to the research firm’s data.

CIRP uses its data to estimate that, of the 101 million iPhone in use during the quarter, around 58 million were iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, 4 million were iPhone 6s or 6s Plus, and the rest previous generation models (as pictured above).

The report’s data accounts for up to the end of the September quarter and notes that 101 million iPhones were in use according to CIRP’s data. The company gets its numbers “by analyzing data on iPhone buyers, their new model selection, and their prior phones, and overlaying Apple iPhone sales data adjusted to the US market…” A survey of 500 Apple customers to be specific. 

CIRP also offered some insight on growth of the iPhone’s installed base, which it notes shows “Apple has fewer first time smartphone buyers to add to their base, and faces the challenge of attracting loyal Android users”:

This installed base grew on average 8% per quarter for the past eight quarters. In the September 2015 quarter, the installed base grew 4%, compared to 6% in the September 2014 quarter… “The data again shows that growth in the installed base of iPhones in the US has slowed,” said Josh Lowitz, Partner and Co-Founder of CIRP. “In previous quarters, we saw the installed base grow by as much as 17%, in the December 2013 quarter after the launch of the iPhone 5S and 5C. As the US market matures, Apple has fewer first time smartphone buyers to add to their base, and faces the challenge of attracting loyal Android users.”

It was back in 2011 that Apple first announced it had reached the 100 million iPhones sold milestone, while in January it confirmed it had officially crossed its one billionth iOS device sold. Apple doesn’t, however, offer numbers on active iPhones in use.

Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: 100 million, active, CIRP, installed base, iPhones, iphones in use, sales

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Facebook announced today that a new feature rolling out soon across its mobile apps will allow you to hide posts from ex automatically (or hide your posts from them) when you change your relationship status back to single. You can also hide all traces of your past relationship from the public.

Now when you decide that you are never, ever, ever getting back together, the Facebook app will suggest that maybe it’s time to “take a break” and present several new options.

Among those other options are the ability to go back and edit any posts in which you’ve tagged your ex, either on an individual basis, or en masse. You can adjust your privacy settings to block your ex from seeing any of your posts, or set it so that they can only see posts they’re tagged in, or which are shared publicly or on a mutual friend’s page.

Finally, you’ll also have the option of automatically applying a new filter to your news feed that removes posts from your ex. This will also remove automatic prompts to tag your message them.

None of these settings will be announced publicly, and your ex won’t be told you’ve made any changes.

Facebook says these options are now in testing in the United States. They’re accepting feedback from users who try the function out and will be rolling it out to additional users soon.

Filed under: Apps Tagged: Facebook

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Adele’s people have already tried to get her new blockbuster album, 25, into Apple Store retail shelves as physical CD volumes with no success, but she isn’t so keen on Apple Music streaming. According to the New York Times, Adele’s management has informed digital music distributors that 25 will not be offered for streaming, at least at launch. You can of course buy the album on the iTunes Store; preorders are up now.

Taylor Swift famously keeps her music away from most streaming services except for Apple Music, over an argument of artist revenues. Part of an independent label, XL Recordings, Adele has apparently personally decided that streaming is off the table. Other artists represented by the label appear in Apple Music so it’s not their typical policy to shun streaming music services.

It is likely that ’25’ will reach streaming services eventually but not being available on Apple Music at launch is a bit of a blow. Many had expected it to be a done deal with Apple heavily promoting Adele’s album online and on Beats 1 — host Zane Lowe aired a long interview with Adele on his Beats 1 show yesterday.

The new album is expected to beat recent industry records with estimated sales of 2.5 million copies in the opening week. The last album to achieve comparable figures dates back to 2004 when CD music sales were in their prime. The album’s leading track, Hello, is currently #2 in the iTunes Store singles chart.

Filed under: Apple Music, iOS, iOS Devices Tagged: Adele, Album, Streaming Music

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With the iPad Pro now available and shipping around the world, the artisanal Apple accessory makers at Pad & Quill have introduced three new high-end cases to hold and protect the larger tablet. Whether you’re looking for a book-style carrying case that holds Apple Pencil or a nice leather bag that adds room for a keyboard, Pad & Quill’s three new accessories are worth checking out for iPad Pro owners.

All three iPad Pro cases from Pad & Quill are offered in multiple colors with rich materials and available to pre-order or order now.

Contega Linen will satisfy anyone looking for Pad & Quill’s wooden book style case made for iPad Pro. Available in charcoal, cranberry, and linen gray, Contega sets your iPad Pro in a wood case that stands up at multiple angles. When shut, Contega disguises your $800-$1080 tablet in what looks like an ordinary sketchbook. There’s even room at the top to tuck your Apple Pencil if you’re using the iPad Pro as one. Cutouts around the wood accommodate the iPad Pro’s four speakers, Lightning port, and headphone jack.

Oxford Leather offers a similar exterior look to Contega, choosing leather over linen to create a folio style case for your iPad Pro. Choose between chestnut or whiskey tones for your leather, which comes with Pad & Quill’s usual 25 year warranty. Oxford features a pocket within the cover where you can stow away paperwork or your Apple Pencil. Oxford doesn’t cover the iPad Pro edges either so you can still use Smart Connector compatible accessories like Apple’s Smart Keyboard with it, P&Q notes. iPad Pro is held inside with “clean release adhesive” so Oxford is likely more ideal for iPad Pro owners more concerned with propping the tablet up than protecting it beyond from drops.

Valet Leather looks to satisfy iPad Pro owners that don’t exactly want a case but still want to address toting around the 12.9-inch tablet and any accessories. Smaller than a full-sized briefcase or backpack but big enough to tote an iPad Pro, Apple Pencil, and Magic Keyboard, Valet should be as portable as the iPad Pro on its own, but accommodate charging accessories and other important carry-alongs. Keeping the iPad Pro out of sight and having tough leather between the display and rest of the world is another added benefit. Hopefully we can get our hands on these accessories soon and share our impressions.

Contega Linen, Valet Leather, and Oxford Leather each ship for $119.95 and can be ordered online from Pad & Quill now. For comparison, Apple’s Smart Cover ($59) plus Silicone Case ($79) costs $140 if you want to cover the iPad Pro’s front and back. Valet Leather is in stock now, and Contega and Oxford ship in mid-December if you pre-order.

For more iPad Pro cases, check out 9to5Mac’s iPad Pro cases, covers, keyboards, and accessories roundup.

Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: iPad Pro, iPad Pro cases, Pad & Quill

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Heads up! During Black Friday/Cyber Monday you’re going to have to follow us on Twitter to get the best deals since many sell out too quickly to post.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Tech Components and Accessories up to 60% off: LG Ultra Slim Portable DVD Rewriter $20, much more

Verizon launches its Thanksgetting freebies promotion: 1GB of data, $5 iTunes credit, more

Ultimate Ears (UE) BOOM Smart Portable Bluetooth Speaker: $100 shipped (Orig. $200)

The Black Friday Mac Bundle offers 10 productivity-boosting apps including Drive Genius 4 for $34.99 (Orig. $533)

Amazon’s Black Friday deals go live later this week w/ mobile shoppers getting extra perks

Top 5 ways to score the year’s best online Black Friday deals

10 can’t-miss deals for the holiday season: HDTVs, iPad Air 2, iPhone 6s, more

Apple Watch sale at Best Buy, $50 off across the board, starting at $299 shipped (Open box $278)

20% off iTunes Gift Cards: $100 for $80, $50 for $40, $25 for $20

Giveaway: mophie juice pack reserve battery case for iPhone 6/s (multiple winners)

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Sony MDRX950BT Extra Bass Bluetooth Headphones: $98 shipped (Reg. $150+)

• ShopRunner’s 2-day shipping service may be your best friend this Black Friday
• Games/Apps: Madden NFL 16 & FIFA 16 from $28 each, Guitar Hero Live $70, more
• Daily Deals: M-Audio Active 2-Way Monitor Speakers $80, Bluetooth 4.0 Headphones $14
• GoPro HERO4: Silver w/ LCD display $300 (Reg. $400), Session $239 (Reg. $300)
• Home Recording: ATH-M50x + Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 audio interface $185 ($300+ value)
• Expansys pre-Black Friday deals: Nexus 5 $200 (Reg. $350), Chromebooks $120, more

Friends: The Complete Series on Blu-ray or DVD from $50 shipped (Orig. up to $280) wp.me/p1xTlR-K3z https://t.co/qe4KlK2lrM

—
9to5Toys (@9to5toys) November 19, 2015

BLACK FRIDAY AD LEAKS & NEWS:

Best of Black Friday – Streaming Media Players: Apple TV 64GB $180, Roku SE $20, 2-Pack Chromecast (2nd gen) $50, more

Best of Black Friday – Smart Home: Nest Thermostat $250 + $50 GC, Philips Hue kit $130

Best of Black Friday – HDTVs: 40-inch from $149, Samsung 55-inch Smart $580 (Reg. $1,200), more

Best of Black Friday – iPads, Tablets and e-readers: iPad Air 2 from $360, Amazon Fire $35 (Reg. $50), more

Best of Black Friday – Games: Xbox One/PS4 console bundles, deep discounts on games, more

Best of Black Friday – wearables: Fitbit Flex $59/Charge $90/more, $100 off Apple Watch, Android smartwatches, more

Best Buy’s Black Friday ad brings deals on Apple Watch, Macs, HDTVs, games & more!

• Walmart’s Black Friday ad leak hits with 4K UHDTV deals, iPad Air 2 $100 off, more
• Target previews its top Black Friday deals, launches surprise one-day sale
• Staples Black Friday Ad Revealed: iPad Air 2 from $374, mini 4 $300, more
• Amazon plans dramatic Black Friday discounts for its Kindle, Fire TV Stick & Fire tablet
• Amazon’s Black Friday Deals store is now open for business
• eBay’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday will deliver deals on MacBooks, iPhone, iPad Air 2
• GameStop Black Friday ad leak: PS4/Xbox One bundles $300, new Nintendo 3DS XL $180
• Costco’s Black Friday ad includes deals on Chromecast (2nd gen), Fitbit Flex, more
• Toys R Us Black Friday ad leak: Xbox One/PS4 bundles $300, more
• Sam’s Club Black Friday ad leak: iPad Air 2 Cellular $175 off, Google Play $100 GC $80
• Kohl’s Black Friday ad leak: more PS4/Xbox One $300 bundles, home goods, clothing
• Sam’s Club One-Day Sale: iPhone 6s/Plus $100 off, iPad Air 2 64GB/128GB $150 off
• HHGregg Black Friday: Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless Headphones $100, more
• Sports Authority Black Friday Ad: Free gift cards w/ footwear, FitBit Charge HR $120
• eBay calls on Black Friday shoppers to decide which products will get discounted this year
• BJ’s Warehouse Black Friday ad hits with Samsung 4K UHDTV deals, fitness trackers
• Sears Black Friday Ad: deals on Samsung 4K UHDTV’s, more
• Black Friday ad leaks drop for Lowe’s, Menards, Cabela’s, and more
• Grab 2 free ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ tickets during Black Friday at Kohl’s
• The Office Depot & OfficeMax Black Friday ad doesn’t bring much to the table

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

Choice of JBL Clip or Micro Bluetooth Speakers in multiple colors for $25 shipped (Reg. $40)

SanDisk Connect 32GB Wi-Fi Flash Drive for iOS/Android: $30 Prime shipped (Reg. $40)

• On-ear Headphones: SOL REPUBLIC Tracks Air $70 shipped (Reg. $100), more
• MacBook felt portfolio style sleeve: $12 Prime shipped (Reg. $17)
• Get your wings and a free can of Red Bull today at 7-Eleven stores
• Monitors: Dell 24-inch $240 (Reg. $275+), LG 34-inch UltraWide $400 (Reg. $460)
• 2-Pack SONOS PLAY:1 Starter Set for $349 shipped ($400 value)
• Media: Holiday classics on Blu-ray/DVD from $4, more
• Black Friday Magazine Deals from under $4/yr: Wired, Rolling Stone, GQ, ESPN
• Decorative Holiday Solar lights: 17-Meter White LED Lights $17 (Orig. $36), more
• Hitman Sniper for iOS hits its lowest price yet: $2 (Reg. $5)
• Implosion – Never Lose Hope for iOS goes free for the first time ($10 value)
• Apple MFi Certified 3.1A 4ft Coiled Lightning Car Charger $12 (Reg. $20)
• LG 43-inch HDTVs: Smart 4K + $150 Dell Gift Card $600 (Reg. $800+), more
• Jabra MOVE Wireless Bluetooth Headphones: $60 shipped (Reg. $100)
• Adobe Elements 14 w/ download: Photoshop as low as $40, Premiere $60
• Sony 7.2-ch. 4K AV Receiver w/ AirPlay and Bluetooth: $298 shipped (Reg. $400)
• Mackie CR4 4-inch Multimedia Monitor Speakers (Pair) $120 shipped (Reg. $150)
• Bluetooth: Venstart 10W Speaker $20 (Reg. $33), SoundPEATS In-ears $25 (Reg. $50)
• Shoe-up with with casual shoes and Boots 85%+ off at Amazon’s MyHabit
• iPhone 6/s 3100mAh MFi Apple-certified battery case: $21 Prime shipped (Reg. $43)
• Apple MagSafe 2 Power Adapters from $34 shipped (Reg. $79)
• 12-month EA Access subscription: $25 (Reg. $30)
• LEGO locations to offer free build sets in-store with registration

T-Mobile is discounting iPhone 6s/Plus by $100 when bought on an installment plan or outright

Huge savings on pre-owned Apple Watches, deals from as low as $261 shipped

Apple iPod Touch 5th gen 16-64GB sizes, multiple colors: $149-$199 shipped

Apple Magic Mouse 2 (open-box): $68 shipped (Reg. $80)

Apple iPad Mini 2, space gray or silver: $199 shipped ($70 off)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

GENII’s CAST streaming box skirts copyright rules to beam your content to friends

Pryme Vessyl skips the 8-cup rule for a user specific iPhone-connected recommendation

• Mass Fidelity tries to solve virtual stereo sound with its new Core wireless speaker
• What Watch uses Bluetooth connectivity to tab the memorable moments of your life
• Pulse brings Bluetooth LE + iOS connectivity to a slew of Canon and Nikon DSLRs
• Roku surprises with a new “special edition” streaming media player
• Nintendo announces Zelda Twilight Princess HD remaster, more

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Tim Cook has consistently spoken out against the possibility of converging iOS and OS X devices, most famously saying that “you can converge a toaster and refrigerator, but these things are probably not going to be pleasing to the user.”

He repeated this line earlier this week, stating that Apple wants to make “the best tablet in the world and the best Mac in the world – and putting those two together would not achieve either.”

However, some of your comments suggest that not all of you agree, so we’ve adopted the suggestion of one commentator and posed the question … 

One suggestion that has been voiced by a number of people here and elsewhere is a single device that operates as a MacBook when it is used in clamshell mode, but with a detachable screen that switches to iOS to become an iPad.

One third-party company even goes so far as to offer a MacBook Pro tablet conversion, the Modbook Pro.

Assuming that Apple continued to make both MacBooks and iPads as well, should it add a converged device into the mix? Take the poll, and share your thoughts in the comments.

Filed under: iOS Devices, Mac Tagged: converged device, iOS, iPad MacBook, MacBook iPad, Modbook, OS X, poll

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