When I was growing up, NASA was this unreachable entity that I wanted to know more about. Much of what they did, at least to me, was shrouded in mystery and intrigue. Astronauts performed incredible feats as I watched in awe – the exact same thing that I see happening with my son as well. When he made a rocket out of recycled materials a little while ago, he slapped a big NASA badge on the front of it. The generations roll on, but the love continues.
Recent years have seen NASA open its doors to the world in new and exciting ways. Children and adults alike are now treated to behind-the-scenes missions and adventures. Astronauts and engineers are put before audiences for podcasts, TV shows, and films. With unprecedented access, it’s an exciting time for space lovers to be alive.
All this amazing content is now available in one incredible app, which is simply called NASA. It is an absolute treasure trove of exciting and varied content, all centered around the world of NASA and it’s well worth a look.
Homescreen heroes
This is part of a regular series of articles exploring the apps that we couldn’t live without. Read them all here.
At the heart of it is a free video streaming service called NASA+ that collates all the video content from various NASA departments. There is live coverage, original on-demand series, one-offs, and videos organized by theme. Think of Netflix but where all the content is space-themed. Through all of this, it is possible to lift the lid on NASA and be treated to all its inner workings. If you’re remotely interested in space, you’ll probably find yourself drawn in and amazed at what goes on at the government agency.
It’s not just videos, though; my favorite section of the app is all devoted to images. With over 21,000 of the latest NASA images, there is no shortage of jaw-dropping photos to enjoy and it’s certainly got me hooked. It’s now possible to view images related to specific themes or see the latest ones.
(Image credit: Future)
Under each section of images, you can view all and that’s what I love to do. Swiping through images is best on a tablet, as it can be hard to appreciate the scale of these things on a phone. It’s no replacement for the real thing (being an astronaut in space or viewing the cosmos through a massive telescope) but much of this is beyond the reach of the average person.
The inclusion of captions helps to put photos into context and provides a level of education that you wouldn’t otherwise have. You can rate each photo based on how much you love it or favorite the best ones for easier viewing later. And if a photo particularly grabs your attention, sharing it is as simple as it is in any other app.
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(Image credit: Future)
The other part of the app where I find myself spending most of the time is in the ‘Missions’ section. Who doesn’t love a space mission? If Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, or Richard Branson have their way, I’ll make it into space at some point, but for now, I have to live that reality through others. It’s easy to do with content devoted to a range of missions, including Artemis, NASA’s plan to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon, as well as establish the first long-term presence there. You can also find out more about the James Webb Space Telescope and the Europa Clipper. What a collection of content!
(Image credit: Future)
One of the most engaging parts of the app, especially for younger space enthusiasts, is the augmented reality functionality. With simple controls, even the youngest of users can visualize space models in their own environment. The level of detail is impressive, helping to ignite a sense of passion and wonder. I particularly enjoyed exploring the Curiosity (MSL) model. Being able to rotate and zoom in on the model is impressive but I would have liked to have been able to interrogate the model a bit further. Maybe we’ll see that in a future release.
Whether you’re interested in space or not, the NASA app opens up a universe of never-before-seen content. It’s great for all ages and has enough about it to keep you coming back time and again.
Imagine a 13-inch iPad Pro that’s a quarter pound lighter than the last model, thinner than any gadget Apple‘s made before, and packing a completely new display technology, with Apple Silicon that is newer than brand new. Now open your eyes: That’s the Apple iPad Pro 13-inch (2024).
Apple took a huge swing with the latest Apple iPad Pro, bringing the most significant update in 7 years to both the 13-inch and 11-inch models. Much of what I’ll say about the stunning iPad Pro 13-inch applies to its smaller, 11-inch sibling, though there is one significant difference: the larger iPad Pro is even thinner than the smaller one: 5.1mm versus 5.3mm.
I didn’t get to spend much time using both iPad Pro tablets, though the iPad Pro 13-inch got the lion’s share, perhaps because I couldn’t stop marveling at its thinness and lightness.
More than just looks
(Image credit: Future)
I don’t think you can overstate the leap Apple took here with the iPad Pro line. Sure, it still has that signature recycled aluminum enclosure, but along with squeezing every last bit of air and space out of the tablet, Apple stuffed in a never-before-seen bit of Apple Silicon: M4.
To hear Apple tell it, this 9-core CPU (10 cores if you buy the 1TB or 2TB model), 10-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Processor SoC was necessary to support something I know I’ve never seen before: a Tandem OLED display. As the name implies, this is two complete OLED panels sandwiched together to make one whole. It would’ve been impossible to power that display with any other piece of Apple Silicon: Not even the relatively new M3 could do it.
(Image credit: Future)
Why two OLED displays? For the light. OLEDs are incredibly thin and efficient, but not bright enough. Two panels sandwiched together change that equation. It also means that Apple’s achieved some impressive contrast and brightness numbers. The iPad Pro boasts a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio, 1,000 nits brightness for SDR content, and 1,600 nits for HDR.
Those thin OLED panels (the previous display was mini-LED) are also how Apple was able to achieve the remarkable 5.1mm thickness on the iPad Pro 13-inch. It’s unclear if the new M4 SoC played any part in the tablet’s slim profile.
Apple is somewhat unique in the tech world in its ability to shepherd every stage of development and integration when building a new product. When the design team shows the chip team the wildly thin enclosure it has in mind, instead of heads exploding, Apple knows it has enough full-stack control to make it happen.
Pricing and availability
Apple announced its new iPad Pro 13-inch (2024) alongside an 11-inch model and two new iPad Air tablets (13-inch and 11-inch) on May 7, 2024. The iPad Pro 13-inch starts at $1,299 / £1,299 / $2,199 (the 11-inch starts at $999 / £999 / AU$1,699). It’s available in Silver and Black. Storage levels range from 256GB up to 2TB. You can order with WiFi-only or buy a more expensive Wi-Fi plus Cellular model. Preorders started on May 7. Shipping starts May 15.
Design and Display
As far as I’m concerned, it’s no longer possible to talk about the iPad Pro design without addressing what is now, in my early opinion, one of the most beautiful tablet displays on the market.
At a glance, you’d be forgiven for mistaking the new iPad Pro 13-inch (2024) for the 2022 model. It has those same flat planes, recycled aluminum body, and Apple logo on the back; but as I drew closer to the new slab, I did a double-take. This is one impossibly thin device.
At 5.1mm it looks thin enough to … er … bend. But when I picked up the 11.09in. x 8.48in. device, it felt rigid – sturdy even. And, oh my God, how is this thing so light?
I’ve held more than a few iPad Pro 12.9-inch tablets (and dropped and broke one in my time) and the 1.5 lbs always felt hefty. Not this iPad Pro, though. It’s somehow just 1.28 pounds – almost a quarter pound lighter than the last model (despite, screenwise, being slightly larger).
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(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
At this thickness and weight, the iPad is flirting with e ink tablet territory. It’s not much thicker and heavier than a Remarkable 2 (and obviously far more powerful).
On one short edge are a pair of speaker grills and the USB-C (Thunderbolt) port. There’s also a microphone along the same long edge as the volume up and down buttons. The top edge has the power/sleep button, a mic port, and the other two speakers, for four-speaker stereo output that I did not get to try out.
There are other smaller but important design changes like one less camera in the array on the back, as well as the welcome addition of a so-called Truetone flash. As I predicted (or at least hoped), the FaceTime camera shifted from the short portrait side to the landscape position – a change that necessitated reengineering the Apple Pencil magnetic charging system. Sadly, Apple did not add wireless charging to any of its new iPads.
(Image credit: Future)
The other thing that struck me as I approached the new iPad Pro was the screen. Apple told us all about the Ultra Retina XDR display (no more adjectives, Apple, please) and its innovative Tandem OLED technology. I can’t recall any other device delivering not one but two sandwiched OLED panels. Apple lines them up so that one pixel is behind the other, essentially doubling the illumination power. Still, seeing it in person I was struck by the sharpness (264ppi) and vibrancy. The colors in a field of flowers were astonishing, likely due to the Wide Color (P3) gamut, but it felt like more than that.
At one point I saw an anemone on a sea of black and noticed how there was almost zero bloom between the sea creature and the background, which made it look as if the sea creature was floating in space. I wanted to reach out and touch it. I have not seen such inky blacks since the heyday of classic plasma TVs.
(Image credit: Future)
Specular highlights, where tiny bits of light peak through the darkness, are shockingly bright. Apple claims a 1,000 nits brightest on SDR and 1,600 nits brightness on the Ultra Retina XDR display, and I have no reason yet to dispute it.
This is also the first iPad where you can specify a Nano-texture display glass option (1TB and 2TB storage options, only). For an extra $100, it adds a subtle texture that effectively beats back strong reflections. It’s a useful feature for pros working in harsh light, but I would not recommend it for someone who wants to watch movies in all their glory on the iPad Pro.
I mention the Tandem OLED display in context of the design, by the way, because Apple could not have produced such a thin tablet without it. That display is also responsible, in part, for the introduction of the new piece of Apple Silicon: the M4.
Performance: M4 inside
(Image credit: Future)
Built on the 3-nanometer architecture of the still-fresh M3, Apple’s new M4 pumps up the CPU cores to 9 cores (you can get 10 cores with the 1TB and 2TB models) and matches the 10-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine. Even so, this is not the same silicon.
Inside are processes built specifically to handle the grunt work of managing two OLED panels and making them look like one whole. It’s just another instance of Apple building its silicon to support its hardware products, and not the other way around.
Apple didn’t show us any new on-board generative AI tricks or a new LLM-powered Siri, but it is touting the M4’s 38 trillion operations per second.
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(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
What I saw through a series of demos and playing around a bit with the iPad Pro 13-inch is a powerful system that can handle everything. It can edit four 4K Pro-Res video streams at once in the new Final Cut Pro 2. It can re-render 3D objects on the fly without a pause for regeneration. It managed four video feeds at once, with real-time reflections in an action game, without breaking a sweat.
In the animation app, Procreate Dreams, we edited a 140-scene, 200-layer animation in seconds. My favorite part was using the Apple Pencil Pro to drag objects across a playing animation to create an animation for that object. This is typically difficult animation work that the iPad Pro and its M4 chip have turned into child’s play.
The M4 looks every bit as powerful, if not more so, than the M3-class chip on a MacBook Air, and it might approach the power of an M3 Max on a MacBook Pro.
Based on what I saw, the iPad Pro 13-inch running an M4 chip looks ready to rumble at work, for content consumption, for creators, and for gaming. I’m not surprised, since I’ve yet to come across a disappointing piece of Apple Silicon.
The M4 is supposedly as efficient a chip as its predecessors but Apple did do some work to manage heat dissipation, including somehow squeezing graphite sheets into the iPad and, in what might be a first, using the Apple logo as a heatsink: it now has some heat-managing copper in it.
Accessories
iPad Pro 13-inch with the new Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard (Image credit: Future)
It’s hard to talk about the new iPad Pro 13-inch (or really any of the new iPads, for that matter) without mentioning the new Apple Pencil Pro. The $129 implement looks familiar but has a host of new features, including barrel roll, squeeze-ability, and haptics. The new pencil works on all the new iPads launched today, and I did get a chance to try it on the iPad Pro.
If you’ve never drawn on an iPad of any size, I can tell you it’s a pleasure. I’ve been using various iPads and Apple Pencils with Procreate for years. It’s a tremendous drawing tool. The iPad offers palm rejection and the Pencil has long had tilt and pressure sensitivity. New features and an expansive and lightweight tablet create an even better experience.
(Image credit: Future)
First, there’s barrel roll, which essentially adds a gyroscopic sensor so that the Apple Pencil Pro can recognize when you roll it this way or that. On the new iPad Pro, I could see the virtual nub of the pencil change from a vertical to wide orientation. Imagine using a draftsman’s pencil and rolling the tip from horizontal to flat.
Second, the Pencil also added a squeeze function, which let me squeeze the pencil to access a variety of drawing features (app developers can easily customize the actions enabled through a squeeze) in apps like FreeForm. The Apple’s Pencil Pro’s new features and the M4 chip appear to make a formidable combination.
I watched a demo where the Pencil Pro was used to deform Procreate images with liquify, showing how it could be used to quickly create artistic effects that would normally take hours to accomplish.
In my own drawing attempts, I found the pen and tablet a fluid combo.
Cameras
(Image credit: Future)
Thickness and weight aren’t the only things Apple subtracted here. The iPad Pro 13-inch no longer has an ultra-wide camera. Instead, there’s now just a 12MP wide-angle camera that supports up to 4K, 60fps video (also 4K 40fps Pro-Res). The LIDAR camera is still there to assist in focusing and also helps capture 3D scans (I saw the results of one and began to realize how this iPad Pro might change the home design industry).
There’s also now a True Tone flash, a nice addition for the surprising number of people who like to use a large iPad Pro for photography.
I did not get to try this camera, so I can’t yet offer an assessment of its capabilities.
Perhaps the most significant imaging change, though is in the TrueDepth Camera module, which has shifted from the portrait edge to the wider landscape one. This is a very welcome design update since most people are conducting their iPad Pro video and FaceTime calls in landscape mode. I tried this camera out and it appeared to work fine; the 1080p video was as sharp and clear as I remember. You can also use that TrueDepth module for FaceID, but I did not have time to register my face and test that.
Connectivity and Battery
The iPad Pro 13-inch supports 5G wireless and eSim. It also supports Bluetooth 5.3 and WiFi 6e, but notably not WiFi 7, a weird omission for such a forward-leaning product.
Inside is a 38.99-watt-hour battery, which Apple claims will last 10 hours on a charge. Obviously, I could not test these claims in my limited hands on.
Early verdict
It’s been a long time since Apple delivered true iPad excitment. Even as a fan of the tablet and its Pencil accessory, I saw mostly utility and little romance in the iPad. Today, though, something shifted.
It’s not just the M4 chip, though putting Apple’s latest silicon in an iPad remained a surprising choice. It’s the combination of that chip, the incredible Tandem OLED display, and a design that is just a few millimeters away from paper thinness.
This is the kind of design, display, and performance that can, when put together, quite easily pry $1,299 from your hands.
I have yet to test the product but my early assessment is that the iPad Pro (2024) is a contender for the top of our list of best tablets.
If you’re in the market for a larger-screened iPad, you’re no longer locked to spending the extra cash and going Pro. Apple’s iPad Air 6 now comes in two sizes — 11-inch or 13-inch, both with punchy Liquid Retina displays and a speedy Apple M2 chip under the hood.
I had the chance to spend a bit of time with the smaller 11-inch iPad Air and more time with the larger 13-inch iPad Air, and while these tablets are not ultra-thin like the iPad Pro (2024) — and they got less screen time in the keynote — the new iPad Air ushers in a bevy of new features for everyone to get excited about.
Apple iPad Air (2024): Pricing and availability
Apple’s 11-inch iPad Air and 13-inch iPad Air are up for order now starting at $599 / £599 / AUS$999 and $799 / £799 / AUS$1,299 starting, respectively. Both iPad Air options start with 128GB of storage but can be configured up to 1TB with 256GB and 512GB options.
The iPad Air (2024) is available in Blue, Purple, Starlight, or Space Gray, and can be configured with just Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi and Cellular.
Apple iPad Air (2024): Design
(Image credit: Apple)
For starters, the cost of opting for a larger screen is drastically reduced. The 13-inch iPad Air is $500 cheaper than the same-sized iPad Pro, with a starting price of $799. That’s more room for myriad tasks, but it’s all housed in an iPad that has some heft but is easily maneuvered.
The new iPad Air 13 (2024) is actually pretty similar in size to the previous-generation iPad Pro 12.9, minus a Face ID sensor. It weighs in at 1.36-pounds and is 6.1-millimeters thick, with a USB-C port for charging and data transfers as well as Touch ID baked into the power button.
For colors, Apple is expanding beyond starlight and space gray this year with blue and purple. Storage now starts at 128GB for the 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air, up from 64GB in the past, but you can expand it to 1TB with 256GB and 512GB options in between.
Apple iPad Air (2024): Display
(Image credit: Jake Krol / Future)
Apple is calling this the 13-inch iPad Air, but it’s actually a 12.9-inch Liquid Retina display, so for consumers’ sake they’re rounding up. The screen performed well in a brightly lit hands-on space, with vibrant colors and the ability to craft immersive visuals, especially when viewing photos in the app Photomator. In outdoor usage conditions it can hit a peak brightness of 600-nits as well — though brightness is slightly lower at 500-nits peak for the 11-inch Air.
Where the larger iPad Air shines is with the sheer expansiveness of that 13-inch display. Using GoodNotes 6 or Freeform, you have a lot more room to write and create. Similarly, apps like iMovie, Adobe Fresco, or even Mail can let you access a bit more and go deeper. That’s the real benefit here — more room to blaze through various tasks, and now it’s considerably cheaper.
The 11-inch iPad Air, on the other hand, feels very familiar — it’s basically the same as the previous-generation with a faster processor under the hood and support for the new Apple Pencil Pro. The teams designing these iPads actually re-engineered how the Apple Pencil Pro wirelessly charges, so that’s why it only works on the new iPad Air or iPad Pro models.
Apple iPad Air (2024): Performance
(Image credit: Apple)
During my brief hands-on time, I drew in Freeform, moved blocks of handwritten material in GoodNotes 6, painted in Adobe Fresco, and even made some edits to a photo in Photomator — all of these pretty much flew on the iPad Air without hesitation.
That’s thanks to the Apple M2 chip inside; it has a very large runway for performance and will likely be harder to slow down. As we noted in our 12.9-inch iPad Pro (2022) review (also powered by the Apple M2), the chip provides a ridiculous amount of power. That’s likely still the case here and it’s a level playing field for either the 11-inch or 13-inch iPad Air.
The Apple M2 processor also supports more advanced iPadOS features like Stage Manager, and it will take full advantage of the new suite of features coming with Logic Pro 2 and Final Cut Pro 2 for iPad. Regardless of whether you work or play on the 11-inch and 13-inch, I wouldn’t be worried about performance here.
Apple iPad Air (2024): Selfie camera
(Image credit: Jake Krol / Future)
Tucked into the bezels around the 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air is a front-facing camera, but like the 10th Gen iPad, it’s oriented in a landscape fashion. For video calls on FaceTime, Zoom, or Google Meet, you won’t be sitting off to the side, and will appear more natural.
I didn’t formally test a call, but the relocation makes a ton of sense and will make it much more usable when the iPad is docked into a Magic Keyboard, a Smart Folio, or sitting in landscape mode.
This is also an “about time” update, as the 10th Gen had it and countless other tablets from Amazon, Samsung, and even Google have offered layout for quite some time.
Apple iPad Air (2024): Accessories
The other big appeal is support for the Apple Pencil Pro. The flagship Apple Pencil Pro with the iPad Air supports hover — a feature previously exclusive to the iPad Pro — to let you see a stroke or an effect without laying the stylus to the screen. Plus, it will give haptic feedback for alerts or to confirm you triggered an action. It even supports barrel role functionality, and will evolve
Similarly, you can squeeze the Apple Pencil Pro to unlock a palette of tools to easily change the thickness of a pen, the color, or even scrub to undo. This is a standout feature, and while there isn’t a physical eraser, it comes close.
Of course, the 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air also support the Magic Keyboard, which lets you effectively use the iPad as a laptop, complete with a keyboard and responsive trackpad. It’s the original Magic Keyboard with a single USB-C port for charging and data, backlight keys, but no function keys.
While Apple didn’t usher in a complete redesign or a crazy new feature set, the iPad Air still feels like the Pro model for the masses. It gets a whole new size that finally brings the cost of the largest size iPad to well under $1,000, offers plenty of power for a bevy of tasks — even future AI ones — from the M2 chip, and mixes things up with a new spot for the front camera.
That’s all out of the box at $599 or $799 starting, and it’s easier to sell if you want a larger screen iPad Air. The smaller 11-inch model is pretty similar to the previous M1-powered generation, and likely won’t be an immediate upgrade.
However, if you have an older iPad and like the 11-inch size, or want a larger 13-inch iPad for less, there is a clear case to be made for the iPad Air. It will perform faster than the 10th Gen iPad or iPad Mini, and supports the Apple Pencil Pro.
Hisense just announced its new Hisense U9N series mini-LED TVs, and as part of that announcement, the company invited reviewers, myself included, to spend quality hands-on time with a pre-production 75-inch version of the U9N at a launch event in New York.
The Hisense U9N series TVs slot between the company’s flagship ULED X series and the new U8N series (review coming soon) TVs, and incorporate technology from the ULED X lineup. Specifically, they use Hisense’s Hi-View Engine X picture processing and a mini-LED backlight with up to 5,300 local dimming zones. That’s a strikingly high number, even among the best TVs that use mini-LED – the Hisense U8K, in contrast, topped out at around 1,000 local dimming zones.
As you might expect, the premium tech packaged in the U9N series comes with a price boost over the U8N series, with the 75-inch version selling for $2,999 (around £2,400 / AU$ 4,530) and $3,999 (around £3,200 / AU$ 6,050) for the 85-inch version. (Compare that to the $1,999 pricing for the 75-inch Hisense U8N.) Hisense plans to ship both models this summer, and they will be sold at Best Buy and Amazon.
The Hisense U9N features substantial side-firing speakers, as shown here. (Image credit: Future)
The U9N series also has a premium design that aligns closely with the ULED X series TVs. That includes an aluminum bezel and side-mounted speakers, with the latter providing the left and right channels for the TV’s built-in 4.1.2 Dolby Atmos speaker system, which gets up to 82 watts of power (on the 85-inch model).
Picture-enhancing features of the U9N series include Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+ high dynamic range support, and IMAX Enhanced and Filmmaker Mode presets. An ultra-wide viewing angle feature ensures that picture quality is maintained when viewing from off-center seats and the screen also has an anti-glare coating to reduce reflections.
On the gaming front, the U9N series supports a 144Hz refresh rate, VRR with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, and Dolby Vision gaming.
The Google TV platform handles smart features and streaming and there’s an ATSC 3.0 tuner for receiving next-gen digital TV broadcasts.
The U9N’s off-axis viewing performance is excellent as demonstrated by this color test pattern shown straight on and at an extreme angle. (Image credit: Future)
Picture Performance
Along with its massive dimming zone count, Hisense has made dramatic brightness claims for its U9N series and the other new Hisense TVs announced for 2024. With the TV in its Filmmaker Mode picture preset, I measured around 3,000 nits peak brightness on a 10% white window pattern – a result that bests even the new Samsung QN900D flagship 8K TV, which measured around 2,400 nits on the same test. Dramatically high brightness confirmed!
Brightness with a fullscreen white test pattern in the same mode was 600 nits, a result that also bests Samsung’s flagship TV. On other tests, the 75-inch U9N managed a very impressive 99.3% coverage of the UHDA-P3 color gamut and 82% of the BT.2020 color gamut, and a measured input lag of 15.2ms when in Game mode. That level of input lag isn’t the best we’ve measured – some of the best gaming TVs clock in under 10ms – but it’s still considered good enough.
Along with its stellar measured performance, the QN9 has excellent off-axis uniformity. Looking at a pattern from the Spears & Munsil Ultra HD Benchmark4K Blu-ray disc designed to test off-axis performance, the TV’s ultra-wide viewing angle feature ensured that color and contrast were perfectly uniform even at a far off-center viewing position.
Although this picture exaggerates the effect, screen reflections could be seen on the U9N with overhead lights on. (Image credit: Future)
With 5,300 local dimming zones, you’d expect to see detailed reproduction of shadows in dark scenes, and the UN9 didn’t disappoint. Watching the scene in Dune: Part One where Paul Atreides is tested by the Reverend Mother (Question: “What’s in the box?” Answer: “Pain”), backgrounds in the dim environment had a high level of clarity, and the mesh covering her face was a deep, solid black tone.
While I didn’t notice anything off with movies, I did note some “black blotching’ effects on a starfield test pattern on the Spears & Munsil disc designed to test local dimming performance. Basically, with local dimming switched off, I could see plenty of stars in the pattern, and when switched to the Filmmaker Mode’s default High setting, large patches of stars disappeared. Hisense told me the issue is something they had also noted, however, and it will be fixed before the UN9 ships this summer.
Turning to No Time to Die, another demo 4K Blu-ray and one that I use to test motion handling, there was a high level of motion judder in a shot where the camera pans across a cemetery on a craggy hillside. Adjusting both the Custom Judder and Blur settings in the Motion Clarity menu to +4 remedied the issue, and it only added a very slight amount of “motion smoothing” to the image.
Although the U9N is touted as having an anti-glare screen, I could see a fair amount of screen reflections when I turned on the overhead lights in the room I tested it in. It certainly wasn’t the worst instance of this I’ve encountered, but having seen the new Samsung S95D OLED TV’s Glare-Free technology in action, which proved completely immune to room lighting, I’m starting to have higher expectations for glare-reduction tech.
Sound performance
Most high-end TVs now arrive with built-in 4.1.2 Dolby Atmos speaker systems, which use actual upfiring speaker drivers on the TV’s top edge rather than virtual processing to deliver Dolby Atmos soundtracks. Hisense’s U9N managed to play loud during the action scenes in both Dune and No Time to Die without sounding overly strained and there was good bass and dialogue clarity. Built-in TV speakers typically aren’t a match for the best soundbars, but anyone wanting spacious Dolby Atmos sound from a TV alone will not be disappointed with the U9N’s performance.
The Hisense U9N comes with a much improved new remote control with a backlit keypad. (Image credit: Future)
Mini-LED to the max
The Hisense U9N’s high brightness and impressive local dimming make it a hot prospect to land among the best TVs of 2024. And even though the 75-inch model’s $2,999 price could be considered high for a TV, it’s still quite reasonable compared to the mini-LED competition – it’s lower than the 75-inch Samsung QN90D, for example, which costs $3,299.
Does the Hisense U9N leave room for improvement? Its motion handling isn’t the best, and when I measured it in Filmmaker Mode, both gamma and white balance were less accurate than what I usually expect from a premium TV. Even so, I walked away from my encounter with the U9N impressed, and could see it making serious waves this summer once it arrives.
Streaming service Max will finally be rolling out to Europe later this Spring, replacing HBO Max on the continent. Except for the United Kingdom, that is – the situation on the British Isles is a little complicated.
This news comes straight from a keynote presentation by JB Perette, who is the CEO and President of Global Streaming and Games over at Warner Bros. Discovery. The roll out won’t happen all at once, but in two waves.
On May 21, Max will officially launch in the Nordic countries, the Iberian Peninsula, as well as Central and Eastern Europe. It’s important to mention those regions already have HBO Max available to them so the change is happening there sooner. After that, the service will soon be made available in Poland, the Netherlands, France, and Belgium.
It’s unknown exactly when the platform will go live in the last four countries, however it could happen in the summer. As Variety points out, the 2024 Olympic Games will kick off in Paris on July 26. Plus, “Max will be the only platform to stream all live coverage of the [games]”. So if they want to have most of Europe watching the Olympics, it’ll have to come out before then.
Pricing
Pricing for subscription plans, at this moment, is unknown. Prices weren’t revealed during Perette’s presentation, although there is some information out there. According to Variety, Max in Europe will offer a cheap basic plan with ads, and a premium plan that’ll allow viewers to “stream content in Full HD or 4K on up to four devices simultaneously”. They go on to claim users will be given “up to 100 downloads of content.” As the service becomes available, pricing should become more clear.
On the surface, it seems Max subscribers can download up to 100 individual movies and shows from the platform. It is possible that Variety is actually talking about users being allowed to download hundreds of movies and shows. We believe it’s the former, but again, the wording isn’t super clear.
Going back to the subscriptions, the basic plan will first launch in nine countries including Denmark, France, Norway, and Romania. Pricing for everything “will vary from country to country”. More will be revealed within the coming months.
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UK availability
Max’s presence in the United Kingdom depends on the business deal Warner Bros. Discovery has with the British telecommunications company Sky.
As Deadline explains, Sky is the “exclusive distributor of most HBO content” in the UK due to a “lucrative licensing deal”. The contract doesn’t expire until 2026, so it’s entirely possible people there will have to wait another two years before they can get something resembling Max.
Sky has special “life of series agreements” for certain content so they can continue streaming them even if the deal changes. Of course, Warner Bros. and Sky can alter their contract within the next two years, but whether or not that’ll happen remains to be seen.
The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 is a powerhouse in the world of portable gaming laptops, boasting the impressive RTX 4090 Graphics Card. This latest model, released in 2023, is a testament to the perfect blend of portability and high-end performance. With a range of advanced CPU options, including the Ryzen 7 7735 HS and Ryzen 9 7940 HS, and GPU choices from the RTX 4050 to the RTX 4090, gamers are in for an exceptional experience.
When it comes to display, the G14 doesn’t skimp on quality. The 165Hz IPS screen with 99% DCI P3 color accuracy ensures vibrant and smooth visuals, whether you’re gaming or working on color-sensitive tasks. Some models even feature a mini LED display, elevating your viewing experience further.
RTX 4090 laptop
The design and build quality of the G14 feature magnesium alloy and aluminum body that is not only stylish but also lightweight and durable, ideal for gamers on the move. For those who like to customize, there’s an optional anime Matrix LED lid to add a personal touch.
Specifications, features and benefits
CPU Options: Includes Ryzen 7 7735 HS and Ryzen 9 7940 HS processors.
GPU Options: Ranges from RTX 4050 to RTX 4090, with the G14 being the only laptop in 2023 to offer every 40 series GPU option.
Design: Sleek, portable, and available in gray or white, with an optional anime Matrix LED lid.
Display: Offers a 165Hz IPS display with 99% DCI P3 color accuracy, and a mini LED option for certain models.
Ports: Includes HDMI 2.1, USB-C with integrated graphics, USB 4/Thunderbolt, audio combo jack, USB-A ports, and a micro SD card slot.
Internals: Features one SSD slot, one replaceable RAM slot with 16 GB soldered, and a vapor chamber cooling system.
Battery Life: Provides solid battery performance, with slight reductions from previous models.
Software: Uses Armory Crate as the control center, with options for power profiles, GPU modes, and other customizations. An alternative software, GH helper, is also recommended.
Speakers: High-quality audio with minimal issues that can be fixed with additional foam padding.
Performance: The laptop handles gaming well, with the RTX 4090 model delivering impressive results even in silent mode.
Cooling: Manages heat effectively, with the ability to customize performance and fan noise levels.
The G14 excels in connectivity, offering a variety of ports such as HDMI 2.1, USB-C, USB 4/Thunderbolt, and more, making it easy to connect all your devices and external displays. The laptop is also built with the future in mind, featuring an SSD slot and a replaceable RAM slot, alongside 16 GB of onboard memory. Its vapor chamber cooling system is a standout, ensuring the laptop stays cool and performs optimally, even under heavy use.
While the battery life may not be as long as previous models, the G14 still offers a respectable duration between charges. The Armory Crate control center and GH helper software allow for detailed customization of power and GPU settings to optimize performance and battery life.
The audio system of the G14 provides an immersive soundscape, enhancing the gaming and multimedia experience. If any audio issues occur, they can typically be resolved with minor adjustments, such as adding foam padding. The RTX 4090 model, in particular, delivers stellar performance, running demanding games smoothly and quietly.
Effective cooling and noise management are essential in a gaming laptop, and the G14 meets these needs with customizable settings that keep the system cool and quiet. This ensures that gamers can enjoy long sessions without the worry of overheating or loud fan noise. Overall, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 stands out as a versatile laptop that excels in key areas such as portability, battery life, and performance. For those looki
Filed Under: Laptops, Top News
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BMW has announced that it will be bringing hands-free driving to the UK next year with its Level 3 highly autonomous driving, the feature is set to launch in Germany next spring and then in the UK later in the year.
This new feature will be available on the BMW 7 series model as an optional extra in the form of the BMW Personal Pilot L3, this optional feature will cost buys of the BMW 7 series an extra €6,000.
The introduction of Level 3 functionality in BMW 7 Series models will make the BMW Group the first carmaker to offer both an advanced Level 2 driving function in its product portfolio where the hands can be taken off the steering wheel and positioned comfortably and a Level 3 system. The BMW Highway Assistant already offers a highly innovative SAE Level 2 partially automated driving function in all new BMW 5 Series models. The package also includes a unique feature in the form of the Active Lane Change Assistant with eye confirmation. This function is primarily designed for use over long-distance journeys in the new BMW 5 Series, allowing the driver to adopt an extremely relaxed posture behind the steering wheel. When travelling at up to 130 km/h (81 mph), this additional function of the Steering and Lane Control Assistant can take control over the car’s speed, the distance to the vehicle in front and the car’s steering.
You can find out more details about the new BMW hands free driving over at the BMW website at the link below, we expect BMW to make this available for more vehicles in the future as well.
Source BMW
Filed Under: Auto News, Technology News
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