FALL-ING FOR SOME NEW TECH
’Tis the season for new product releases
Consumers have lots of highoctane devices to choose from this fall, and this week’s launch of the new iPhone 6s is just the beginning.
On Oct. 6, Microsoft is expected to take the wraps off a slew of Windows 10-powered devices including the Surface Pro 4 tablet, two new Lumia smartphones and a new Microsoft Band.
Each Surface Pro has been better than the last, but this version is powered by the increasingly popular Windows 10. In addition, the new Surface is rumored to have serious 3-D gaming chops thanks to a new Intel Skylake processor.
For consumers who prefer Mac, the iPad Pro may provide a worthy rival to the Surface. Scheduled to become available in November, the iPad Pro looks like a serious productivity device. The just-released iOS 9 contains many iPadspe- cific improvements, such as a full-size virtual keyboard that allows easy typing without a keyboard accessory. Even better, the virtual keyboard doubles as a new virtual trackpad, making it much easier to highlight text and do block editing, which is huge for those of us who rely on the (questionable until now) word processing power of Apple’s Pages. Splitview is finally here and allows two apps to be used at once. The speed of the upcoming iPad Pro is expected to rival Intel laptops with a new PC-class processor.
Also coming down the pike is the $99 Apple Pencil, the iPad Pro’s stylus accessory. This is a smart move, especially given Microsoft’s recent purchase of N-Trig, a company that specializes in pressure-sensitive stylus technology. That promises to improve handwriting functionality of the Surface as well.
Apple and Microsoft are also making television shows more accessible. October will feature the release of a fourth-generation Apple TV, complete with a new operating system. Meanwhile, Microsoft is expected to push out new DVR capability for over-the-air TV programming launches, making it easier to cut the cable cord.
The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus hit shelves Friday, but Samsung’s Galaxy S6 Edge and Edge Plus may keep some folks in the Android camp, especially if price cuts for the Samsung phones continue to roll in.
Google is jumping into the fray with a product unveiling scheduled for Sept. 29. It’s likely that the two new versions of the Nexus smartphone will be revealed, the first to run Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
Speaking of Android, solid smartwatch offerings are finally here. Topping the list for quality and affordability is the Asus ZenWatch 2, available in silver, gunmetal and rose-gold. Expected to be released this fall, the ZenWatch offers 50 different watch faces and an app that lets you create your own.