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This iPad goes to 11

This iPad goes to 11

Apple's entry-level tablet is about to get even more amazing.

Leander Kahney
February 17, 2025

Apple’s best iPad right now in terms of bang for buck is the humble iPad 10, Cupertino’s relatively inexpensive, entry-level tablet.

In my opinion, the basic iPad had long been underwhelming until Apple redesigned it two years ago. The tablet finally got a bunch of modern features that elevated it from meh to awesome.

The updates included ditching the Home button and getting a modern, all-screen design (no more thick, ugly bezels). Apple also upgraded and enlarged the tablet’s screen, while making the body sleeker and more attractive with a hard-edged design. And, of course, it ditched Lightning in favor of a USB-C charging port.

Only three things keep it from being the perfect iPad: The base storage is an almost-criminal-these-days 64GB; it runs on an A14 Bionic chip (circa 2020 — several eons in chip years); and it comes with only 4GB of RAM. All those limitations mean the iPad 10 can’t run Apple Intelligence.

The good news is that Apple is about to fix all these problems with the iPad 11, which is due any day now. And, while the price might go up (you can snag an iPad 10 for about $279 right now), the iPad 11 should still be a very good deal for a very capable tablet. Especially considering the iPad originally launched for $499.

Also in today’s newsletter:

Oh no — the new, smarter Siri we’ve all been waiting for (for decades; my god) might not launch as soon as we thought.
Here’s your chance to pick up the latest M4 iMac at its lowest-ever price.
Some people swear by Dvorak keyboards, which use an alternative layout to (supposedly) achieve faster typing speeds. Here’s how to use one on iPhone.
Every single message of congrats I send uses some kind of animated effect — every single one!

— Leander Kahney, EIC.

What rumors reveal about speedy new iPad 11

Get ready for the iPad 11! Rumors point to internal upgrades and AI features coming to this much-anticipated budget tablet from Apple.

Vision Pro's next big update will bring Apple Intelligence support

Apple's $3,500 mixed-reality headset reportedly will gain Apple Intelligence support with the upcoming visionOS 2.4 update.

Siri's AI revamp faces possible delay

Apple may be forced to postpone the launch of the much-anticipated AI-enhanced Siri due to development problems.

^{A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team}

Get Apple's sleek and stunning M4 iMac with a big $149 discount

A new sale drops the stylish all-in-one computer to a lifetime low price of $1,150.

‘Severance’ becomes the most popular show on streaming again

Excellent “Severance” season two ratings make the Apple TV+ series the most-watched on streaming. “Silo” still does well, too.

Apple Studio Display's big refresh could land in 2026

Apple plans to update its $1,599 monitor with a mini-LED panel for increased brightness and better picture quality.

^{A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team}

Project your favorite movies anywhere with this portable gadget

Upgrade movie night with the Xgody Gimbal 5 mini projector, which streams your favorite shows and movies from Netflix, Apple TV+ and more.

Our predictions for Apple's 'newest member of the family' [The CultCast]

This week on Cult of Mac's podcast: Tim Cook's tease about "the newest member of the family" fuels speculation (and a predictions game)!

How to use the Dvorak keyboard on iPhone

The Dvorak layout offers a different way of arranging the 26 letters on the keyboard, with all the most commonly used ones in the center row.

Make your texting snazzier with iMessage effects

iMessage effects can add much more meaning, emotion and fun to your texting. You can add bold, italics, underline and many animated effects.

Today in Apple history: Apple introduces 'world's fastest' PowerBook

On February 17, 1997, Apple introduced the PowerBook 3400, a laptop the company labeled the most powerful portable computer on the market.

Tweets of the day

Apple Silicon Inside Stickers
From the M1 to the M4 Max & everything in between!
basicappleguy.com/basicappleblog…
— Basic Apple Guy (@BasicAppleGuy)
5:08 PM • Feb 15, 2025

Love how the Beats Android app adopts the color of your headphones
— Parker Ortolani (@ParkerOrtolani)
5:45 PM • Feb 14, 2025

February is Heart Month and Apple Watch can help you take care of your ❤️! Get alerts on Apple Watch if your heart rate is unusually high or low, so you can take action.
— Greg Joswiak (@gregjoz)
5:55 PM • Feb 14, 2025

Wallpaper of the day

A perfect minimal wallpaper for your iPhone lockscreen with stunning depth effect 📲
— Raj Arya (@RajjAryaa)
9:07 PM • Feb 13, 2025

One more thing ...

❝

In most people's vocabularies, design means veneer. It's interior decorating. It's the fabric of the curtains and the sofa. But to me, nothing could be further from the meaning of design. Design is the fundamental soul of a man-made creation that ends up expressing itself in successive outer layers of the product or service.

— Steve Jobs, 2000.

Today’s poll

What is the best iPad right now?

Results from yesterday’s poll: How happy are you TikTok is back?

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