Spot the Apple Watch: Cupertino's wearable is out and about

The Apple Watch won't ship until April, but Cupertino is making every effort to ensure it's fully prepared for launch day.

For one thing, MacRumors reports that Apple has asked some "high profile" app developers to have their Apple Watch applications ready for mid-February.

In particular, Tim Cook and co have asked one of Apple's biggest Apple Pay partners to have its software ready to go live on the App Store by February 12, so says the report.

It also appears that Apple is now letting its employees wear the smartwatch in public. Over on the MacRumors forum, users have posted a series of Apple Watch pap shots, showing - we assume - the wrists of various employees.

Goldmember

But there's more. We're also hearing from 9to5Mac that Apple is making special preparations for the more upmarket versions of its wearable.

The gold Apple Watch Edition, expected to be priced in the thousands, will be securely stored in special safe's at the company's retail stores.

Apple has allegedly already placed these safes in many of its stores in anticipation of the Watch's arrival, ensuring that one of its most prized possessions is untouchable in the event of a break-in.

• We wrapped the Apple Watch around our wrist - this is what we thought of it.

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Netflix vs Presto vs Stan vs Quickflix

Intro, Price and Devices

Netflix is the leading internet TV service in the US, but as three other big companies enter the battle arena for 2015 there is some stiff competition shaping up down under.



Information about the exact launch dates of Netflix and the content that it will be able to get the rights for in Australia, is still to be confirmed. with the official launch of Stan on Australia Day and the release of the Presto entertainment package only a week or so before that, most of the active players are still polishing their products and making changes.

We will update the comparison as more device connectivity is rolled out and new content deals are signed across all four companies. In the meantime, this is TechRadar's best guess at how each of these subscription streaming services stack up on important points and which one you should keep an eye on on 2015.

Price

Stan $10 per month - 30 day free trial.

Presto $14.99 per month - 30 day free trial - Option to only pay $9.99 for either the Movie only pack or TV only pack.

Netflix has not officially confirmed its price tag though there are rumours that it will be $9.99. In the US users who signed up before May 9th 2014 pay US$7.99 per month, anyone subscribing after pays US$8.99. They also have an option for 4k subscribers at US $9.99.

Quickflix $9.99 - 14 day free trial - This streaming service can be complemented by a standalone DVD delivery service at $12.99, which is $19.99 when combined with the streaming. Quickflix also has a premium service where you can purchase new release titles individually as a pay per view show.

Devices

The StreamCo protege, Stan, supports applications on tablets and phones for both iOS and Android. Stan can also can cast from a range of devices to the TV using a Chromecast dongle. Launching with Apple AirPlay enabled, you can even stream from your iPad or iPhone directly through the Stan application to your Apple TV. For Mac and PCs, the service is simply accessed through the Safari or Firefox browsers though unfortunately it is not compatible with Google Chrome. You can sign up to six devices on any one account and once this is full, swap over one device each month. There are no applications available on TVs or consoles just yet, though there are plans to develop these in the future.

Presto unfortunately, does not support an app for smartphone devices, so you can only stream to your TV from iPads, selected android tablets and your computer using Chromecast. It is also possible to use your computer's AirPlay externally, to cast from your Mac to an Apple TV but this option is not optimised for Presto. There is a Presto Anytime app for your iPad, however you cannot use that to Airplay content to your Apple TV. There is a limit of four devices on any one account, after that you can again only change one device per month, though you can use 2 devices on each account to stream different programs simultaneously. So unless you plan on only using your computer to watch films, Presto is likely to be the most restricting in terms of useability. A new bundle that Foxtel released will see them offer internet and phone contracts through Telstra which has the bonus of free downloads for Presto content. This will likely be the first step in an entertainment ecosystem that somewhat explains the limited connectivity but doesn't excuse it.

Quickflix is available directly through Samsung, Panasonic, LG and Sony smart TVs. It is also compatible with PS3, PS4, Xbox360 and also XboxOne. It's also available on a range of phones and tablets including iOS, both Google and Samsung Androids, Kindle Fire and Windows phone. On top of Chromecast, Quickflix can also be connected through media devices including TiVo, HUMAX, Kobo and Oppo. As it has been available in Australia for some time now, it is not surprising that this service has the most comprehensive device accessibility.

Netflix has not released information on exactly which devices will be compatible in Australia at launch, but the US streaming service has stated that this list would include smart TVs, tablets and smartphones, computers and a range of internet-capable game consoles and set-top boxes from launch. With over 1000 compatible internet-connected devices in the US Netflix is likely to be more comprehensive than any of the Australian services.

Kid's Programs and TV Content

Kid's Programs

Stan's core children's programing comes from deals with Viacom, which has the rights to the Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. channels, and the ABC. Some of Viacom's kids programs include the hit shows Avatar: The Last Airbender; Octonauts, Ni Hao, Kai-Lan and Bubble Guppies and popular live-action shows like iCarly, VICTORiOUS, and Drake & Josh. There is also a decent collection of ABC favourites like The Wiggles, Dorothy the Dinosaur, Guess How Much I Love You and Justine Clarke and overseas titles that the ABC has the rights to like Octonauts, Angelina Ballerina, Bob the Builder, Thomas and Friends, Fireman Sam, Sesame Street and Mister Maker. The BBC also gives Stan access to the show Charlie and Lola and documentaries from David Attenborough. Stan is great for the kids in the TV section but it doesn't have the Disney movie titles that will be offered on Netflix and Presto.

Presto - the Seven and Foxtel venture also has a content deal with Viacom so they share recognisable children's titles including SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Deals with other big children's program distributors Saban, DHX Media and Hasbro Studios add an extensive range of shows that are suitable for the whole family. It isn't just TV though, with a comprehensive selection of classic Disney films like Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, Toy Story and Tarzan complementing the newer family hits like Frozen, Ice age 2, UP, and A Night At the Museum. Overall Presto has hours of entertainment for the whole family.

Quickflix has a decent collection of children's films, though most of them are older titles. There are also a few contemporary children's programs from the ABC and the BBC thrown in, but in terms of TV, it isn't thorough. Paddington Bear, Sesame St and 90s Australian young adult program Around The Twist are the type of programs that define what is available for kids on Quickflix. There are some great movies in there but on the whole there is less new content for kids to engage with than the other services we compared.

Netflix had the movie premiere of DreamWorks Animation's The Adventures of Puss in Boots in January for their more established streaming regions around the world. The US streaming service is hinting that it intends to maintain its reputation for a solid level of kids content in Australia when it launches sometime in March. Netflix announced that it has deals with Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm for the distribution of children's titles in Australia.The US store even has specific settings so children can browse content by themselves without accidentally bumping into something inappropriate.

Shows

Stan has deals with Sony Pictures Television, CBS (includes SHOWTIME), MGM, BBC, ABC, Viacom and SBS and World Movies making its TV offering one of the most robust of the three live services. Mozart in the Jungle, Transparent and Better Call Saul are new and acclaimed TV titles that will be exclusive to Stan for the entire life of each series. There is also a good mix of popular and up-and-coming shows available on this service.

Presto brokered a deal with HBO for its launch in 2015 which includes access to 13 popular premium shows. The latest seasons of Boardwalk Empire (currently only pay-per-view on Quickflix) will be exclusive to the Presto service. Presto has also confirmed a deal with Showtime giving subscribers access to shows like, Dexter, Californication, Deadwood and Ray Donovan. This content is complemented by selected shows from Seven West Media and Foxtel making Presto's selection decent, but still comparatively slim on its range of TV shows with notably less exclusive titles.

Quickflix currently has back catalogues of HBO shows like True Blood, Entourage, The Sopranos and The Wire available on its subscription service. There are also BBC titles like Sherlock, Little Britain, Faulty Towers, The Office and Torchwood, SBS titles including The Killing and Wilfred and a huge range of films available on the $9.99 per month plan.

Netflix has a large catalogue in the US but the rights to show those programs in Australia will have to be renegotiated. So far Netflix has announced shows including Marco Polo, Bloodline, BoJack Horseman, Virunga, Mission Blue and Uganda Be Kidding Me.

Movies, Quality and Verdict

Movies

Stan's recent Roadshow Entertainment deal secured some desirable titles that are available immediately including The LEGO Movie and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, The Wolf of Wall Street, Edge of Tomorrow, The Inbetweeners 2, A Walk Among the Tombstones, John Wick, The Judge, and Australian films Wolf Creek 2 and Felony. The Imitation Game, the comedy St. Vincent and Golden Globe winning biopic Big Eyes will also be available later in the year. Stan already had a competitive lineup of titles from its MGM deal, that will see titles like The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, 21 Jump Street and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo appear on Stan. MGM will also contribute a number of classic films like When Harry Met Sally, The Silence of the Lambs, West Side Story and Four Weddings and a Funeral. Stan also has content from SBS World Movies including films from over 45 countries in more than 70 languages and big Australian titles like Animal Kingdom.

Presto's movie service precedes the new Entertainment package and has already accumulated a decent collection of movies. Since the start of 2015, Presto has given its customers access to new titles such as Captain America: Winter Soldier, Thor the Dark World, American Gangster, Philomena and Layer Cake. The movie selection is decent and when you consider that it is the same price as the other services combined, it should be.

Quickflix offers a somewhat eclectic mix of films under its streaming subscription service. Because there is a pay-per-view movie streaming option on Quickflix, the newest home rental titles are placed there first, meaning what ends up in the subscription movie basket is either good but old or seems as though it is really scraping the barrel in terms of quality. Because there's a tonne of films on there, this service is more suited to movie buffs looking for a comprehensive back catalogue of films rather than access to a few new release titles.

Netflix has only hinted at a couple of titles that it will have on release in Australia, but from this selection it seems like it will be striving to secure films that subscribers will actually want to watch. So far the titles avalible in Australia in March include Marvel''s Thor: The Dark World and Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Saving Mr. Banks and Guardians of the Galaxy.

Quality

Stan has the option of using their automated bit-rate adaption technology which will peg the display quality to the speed of your internet connection. Alternatively you can choose to watch titles in HD, and SD if you're watching on portable devices.

Presto only offers SD streaming making it lowest out of the four in the image quality section.

Quickflix offers standard definition videos with HD options on selected titles.

Netflix has said that it will offer HD options across the board and even 4K where available. Netflix will also have an automatic setting that will optimise picture quality according to internet speed.

Verdict

If you are already subscribed to the Apple ecosystem and have an Apple TV and an iPhone, iPad or Mac, then it would be hard not to give the highest recommendation to Stan. Its compatibility with Apple products makes it easy to use and the service offers a good selection of titles from new releases to classics in both film and TV. Stan's design is focused on providing a solid movie and TV subscription streaming service that can be complemented by Apple TV's pay-per-view online movie store. This may change when Netflix releases in March but the service overall is in line with what we expect from streaming services overseas and makes for the most desirable new product in Australia.

Presto has a great movie collection but it is hard to really experience the prestige of the titles on your television, not only because of the limited number of compatible device types but also because you can only watch in SD. Though Presto has a number of really great TV shows it is also slightly less extensive and has fewer exclusive TV shows than Stan. Combine this with a more expensive price tag and it is obvious that there are a couple of areas where Presto is not the leading streaming service.

If you are not an Apple subscriber then Quickflix is probably not a bad option. It has a decent selection of TV shows available and there are apps for a heap of devices. The premium service means that if you really wanted to watch a particular show you have the option. Furthermore if you are an organised individual and don't mind the effort, forward planning and extra monthly cost required to have DVDs mailed to you, then you can actually save a decent amount of money on highly desirable shows like the Game of Thrones series. Purely in terms of its subscription streaming, Quickflix's TV selection is only slightly outweighed by Presto's but it is less far less impressive on the movie front. The fact that it is cheaper than Presto's combined option means that it is an option for a different type of user. If you have access to online movie purchases through another client, it's probably worth paying the extra five bucks for Presto's better movie and slightly better TV selection.

Netflix will be the dark horse in this equation and the impending release in March means there should be a number of exciting announcements over the next month. If the US service is any indication, we are expecting it to be aiming for the top of the pile, trumping Stan with original content, 4K streaming and a bigger overall catalogue, though his is by no means a given. Stan has been working on original locally-produced content for some time and it has said that it is keeping an eye on the feasibility of 4K in Australia. It will also be interesting to see how Netflix goes securing content, considering there are now three active streaming services here. The fact that Netflix has sold the rights to its flagship titles House of Cards and Orange is the New Black to Foxtel means that it will have to scoop some decent titles to head up its launch if it is to resemble the US service.

That said, it is worth some personal investigation into the content of each service as personal preference of shows is likely to be the determining factor. Stay tuned for updates on Netflix as they happen.

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Netflix announces deal with Disney in Australia and New Zealand

Netflix has come out swinging today, announcing a deal with The Walt Disney Company that will bring a selection of Disney's most popular content to the streaming service when it launches in Australia and New Zealand in March.

Under the deal, Aussie and Kiwi Netflix members will have access to film and television content from Disney, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm.

Confirmed movie content includes Pixar favourites such as Cars, Monsters Inc. and UP, Marvel Studios blockbusters such as Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy, Walt Disney Animation Studio classics Frozen, Tangled and Big Hero 6 and other Disney staples like Planes, Saving Mr. Banks, Maleficent and Muppets Most Wanted.

On the television side of things, Netflix will be streaming Lucasfilm's Star Wars: The Clone Wars, ABC Studios' hit series Lost, Jake and the Never Land Pirates from Disney Junior and the Disney Channel's Good Luck Charlie.

Streamboat Willie

While rival streaming service Presto already has a large range of Disney shows and movies on offer, Netflix undoubtedly has the advantage as the service has exclusive streaming rights to Guardians of the Galaxy, Big Hero 6 and Maleficent in the months after launch, and its content will be available to stream in full HD where available.

Netflix's announcement only confirms a select number of titles, so it's hard to know if the service's full catalogue will be as extensive as Presto's, which currently includes animated classics like Aladdin and Toy Story 3.

Netflix also mentioned in its Disney announcement that all of this content would be included in its "low monthly price", which is rumoured to start at $9.99, though is still unconfirmed by the service.

Stan, Australia's most recent addition to the streaming media fold, has not added or announced any Disney content since its recent Australia Day launch, which is somewhat of a gaping hole in its content line-up.

• We've got the rumoured details surrounding Netflix rumoured launch date and price

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Review: Toshiba Satellite Pro R50-B-12U

Introduction and features

Introduction

Toshiba has become one of the biggest names in business laptops thanks to its wide range of effective, no-nonsense office systems, and its latest attempt to nail the ideal corporate portable comes from the Satellite Pro R50-B-12U.

This system includes a Core i5 processor inside a slim body for just $832 (about £532, AU$987) – a keen price that brings the R50 into line with some tempting competition. HP's Envy 15 x360 costs $1,015 (about £649, AU$1,175) and can function as a laptop and a tablet, and the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 is a little more expensive – it'll set you back $1,149 (about £672, AU$1,223) – but it's a high-quality notebook with a 1080p screen and a Core i7 processor.

Design

The R50 is cheaper than both rivals, and its 0.94-inch (24mm) body still competes: that's the same thickness as HP's hybrid, and not far off the 0.8-inch (20mm) frame of the Dell laptop. The Toshiba's 5.07 pound (2.3kg) weight is reasonable, too; a mite less than the HP, and lighter than the 5.73 pound (2.6kg) Inspiron. These are important factors when using this machine on the road, as it won't take up too much room in a bag – and it won't weigh it down unnecessarily, either.

Build quality hasn't suffered despite those dimensions. The underside and wrist-rest barely budged despite presses and prods, and the screen didn't twist much. It's a better bet than the inconsistent HP, and it's as sturdy as the Dell. The strong chassis is enhanced by good connectivity, with two USB 3 ports, an SD card reader and a DVD writer around its edges – with the latter a feature not found on either of the R50's rivals.

It's good ergonomically, too. The keyboard is sensibly laid out with large keys and a numberpad, and the typing action is comfortable thanks to a consistent, light action and a solid base – we were quickly up to speed and using the Toshiba to type out long reports. The trackpad offers similar quality, with a smooth surface and a pair of snappy buttons.

Toshiba has spent money making the R50 slim and sturdy, but it's not spent much cash on design. The black plastic is decorated with barely-visible straight lines across the wrist-rest and lid, the keyboard is black, and the only bit of gleaming metal comes from a small Toshiba logo on the lid.

The Satellite Pro comes with two operating systems: Windows 7 Professional 64-bit is installed out of the box, and Windows 8.1 Pro 64-bit is included on a DVD. It's a generous extra, but the rest of the software is a mixed bag. McAfee's security suite produced numerous irritating pop-ups, and Internet Explorer is hampered by bookmarking tool Symbaloo. Elsewhere, Evernote, Spotify and Winzip could prove more useful.

It's worth bearing in mind that removing these added applications could improve performance: with the bloatware uninstalled, the R50's boot time improved from 47s to 27s.

On the Inside

The mid-range R50 doesn't have the most exciting specification. Its Core i5-4210U processor is clocked to 1.7GHz, and it's the same chip used inside HP's hybrid. It's one step behind the Dell, which deploys a Core i7-4500U chip.

Elsewhere, you'll have to rely on Intel's middling integrated graphics, and the chip is paired with 4GB of single-channel RAM and a sluggish 500GB, 5,400rpm hard disk.

Connectivity includes Gigabit Ethernet, dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 – the standard selection we now expect on notebooks.

Performance

Benchmarks

• PCMark 8 Home: 2,167


• PCMark 8 Home battery life balanced 50% screen: 3hr 43mins


• PCMark 8 Home battery life power saver 25% screen: 4hrs 46mins


• PC Mark 8 Home High Performance 100% screen battery life: 3hrs 2mins


• 3DMark: Ice Storm: 33,030; Cloud Gate: 3,943; Fire Strike: 489


• Cinebench R11.5: CPU: 2.55; Graphics: 14.84fps


• Cinebench R15: CPU: 231cb; Graphics: 18.76fps

The unfussy specification returned a middling set of benchmark results. In PC Mark 8's Home test the R50 scored 2,167 points – a little behind the HP Envy 15 x360, which scored 2,322 points with the same processor – a lead that's likely caused by the HP's 8GB of RAM. The Dell Inspiron 15 7000, with its Core i7 silicon, outpaced both systems with a result of 2,493.

The Toshiba settled into third place in the Cinebench R15 CPU test, too. It scored 231cb, which was six points behind the HP but further behind the Inspiron, which scored 255cb.

This is no gaming laptop, either. Intel's integrated graphics core stumbled to a result of 33,030 in the 3D Mark Ice Storm test – more than 4,000 points behind the HP laptop, and almost 15,000 points behind the Dell and its discrete Nvidia graphics core.

The 5,400rpm hard disk didn't help matters in any of our benchmarks. Its sequential read and write speeds of 95MB/s and 82MB/s are slow, even for platter-based hardware.

The middling specification had one upside: no thermal problems. The R50 stayed cool and quiet in every benchmark, and none of its added heat was transferred to the chassis during stress-tests.

Battery life wasn't bad, either. In PC Mark 8's Home battery benchmark the R50 lasted for 3hrs 43mins, which was ten minutes longer than the Dell but ten minutes less than the HP.

Screen

The R50 has a non-touch screen with a resolution of 1,366 x 768. That's standard for this class of machine, but it's restrictive for both work and play. The lack of pixels mean that it's tricky to work with multiple windows or large applications, and the sub-HD resolution means 1080p movies can't play at their full fidelity.

The 233cd/m2 brightness is good, but the R50 faltered elsewhere. Colour accuracy is no good thanks to a wayward Delta E of 8.18 and a cold colour temperature of 6,931. The latter figure means that colours lack vibrancy, while the former result means this panel is no good for colour-dependant work.

The 1.01cd/m2 measured black level is far too high, and it contributes to a poor contrast ratio of 231:1. The high black level means that the darkest shades appear as underwhelming greys rather than anything deeper, and the poor contrast hinders depth and distinction of colours across the entire range.

The low resolution and poor quality mean this screen is only suitable for web browsing, word processing and other less intensive tasks. The HP's screen suffers from similar problems – a low resolution and a lack of quality – while the Dell streaks ahead with a Full HD resolution, touch control and better quality.

Verdict

Toshiba's system concentrates on good ergonomic design, which is why it's got a good keyboard and trackpad built inside a sturdy frame. That will help this system excel as a work laptop, and the Core i5 processor will help with general office software, too, even if it lacks the grunt to take on more demanding applications.

In other departments, though, this system disappoints. The screen quality is poor, battery life is middling, and its all-black chassis doesn't exactly set the pulse racing.

We liked

Toshiba knows the business market, so it's no surprise that it's concentrated on the practical aspects of the R50's design. Build quality is consistently good, and the keyboard and trackpad both have the quality required to get serious work done.

The R50 is slim and light, too, although it's design isn't much cop – this isn't a laptop for turning heads, and both of its rivals are better-looking.

Performance isn't anything to shout about, either, but the Core i5 processor provides enough grunt to get modest jobs done.

We disliked

The R50's modest budget means this is a dull-looking laptop, but that's not the only area that's suffered.

The screen lacks the colour accuracy, contrast and resolution for any sort of serious work, which means that the Dell is the easy winner in this category. Battery life is fine but no outstanding, and the Core i5 processor is only capable of handling mid-range work tasks – for anything more demanding the Dell Inspiron 15 7000's Core i7 would be a better bet.

Final verdict

The Toshiba's good ergonomics, reasonable build quality and Core i5 processor make it a solid business notebook, but the R50 does little to stand out. The display is poor, battery life is average, and that Core i5 chip won't handle applications in the same way as the Dell's Core i7. That Dell is a better option if you've got more cash to spend, and the HP Envy 15 x360 is better-looking. Only buy the R50 if you need a mid-range machine and you're content without it turning heads.

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iPad Pro and MacBook Stealth: are they one and the same device?

Apple as a company has always been about the elegancy and simplicity of its products. In Walter Isaacson's biography of Steve Jobs he describes in detail just how intense Jobs' focus on beautiful products was, right down to the circuit board within Apple PCs which would never be seen by the majority of customers.

This obsession with beauty and excellence has become a culture in Cupertino, spawning the iPod, iPhone, MacBook range, iMac, Mac Mini, Mac Pro and iPad, and it seems set to continue with the Apple Watch, a product that stresses elegance and sophistication.

Beautifully simple

Underlying all of this was the desire for Apple products to be simple: the iPhone's interface can be used by a child or a computer programmer, and the use of a GUI in the 1984 Macintosh set a precedent for ease of use of a computer. Indeed, the Mac Pro, Apple's most complex computer, is reduced to a simple – and objectively beautiful – cylinder.

Alongside this micro-trend is the macro-trend that the world is moving on from PCs to mobile devices ("post-PC" as Steve Jobs referred to it), which makes the reports of the new MacBook Air and iPad Pro even more intriguing.

A recent leak from 9to5Mac has shown that Apple's next MacBook Air is going to be a radical transformation from the current line of Airs (codenamed the MacBook "Stealth"). Currently, Apple sells 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Airs, but the new one sits at 12-inches and is likely to be smaller and lighter than even the current 11-inch Air in terms of its chassis. Alongside the screen size change, the report indicates that Apple is also radically rethinking the ports on the Air, right down to the MagSafe connector.

Obvious similarities

When reading 9to5Mac's report it is hard not to draw similarities to the current iPad and, more specifically, the rumoured iPad Pro. Early reports suggest that the iPad Pro is likely to have a 12-inch screen (rumours fluctuate between 12-inch and 12.9-inch) while only having one port, as all iPads currently do, creating a strong correlation between the MacBook Stealth and the iPad Pro.

It is important to note at this point that no one knows for sure what Apple is going to do – except Apple itself, and all that follows is conjecture about the company's plans. Mark Gurman, the author of the 9to5Mac report, has been largely correct in the past when it comes to Apple product and software leaks so it is more than likely that Apple is testing the MacBook Stealth in its later stages – backed up by reports from other well connected sources – but nothing is certain. Similarly, the iPad Pro has been leaked by various outlets and makes business sense for Apple, but until Tim Cook announces it on stage nothing is for sure.

The correlation between the specifications of the MacBook Stealth and the iPad Pro strikes me as odd, especially as Apple is a company that likes to have a level of significant differentiation between its products, selling only a small range, each with its own niche and ability to solve certain problems.

Many saw the iPad as just a "bigger iPod Touch" until the product matured and new use cases grew out of the bigger-screened tablet. Many also questioned the iPhone when it was first released, asking why anyone would want a phone without a physical keyboard and limited battery life – all of Apple's PC lines have significant differentiation focusing on different areas of the market.

Releasing two products that are so closely linked makes no sense when compared to Apple's historical preference to product releases, and so it seems feasible that the MacBook Stealth and iPad Pro are one and the same.

Commercially sound

The iPad Pro, as I've previously written, makes commercial sense for Apple and for the iPad range which isn't seeing as stellar growth as the iPhone, because consumers hold onto them forever. The iPad was primarily designed by Apple as a "coffee table device" that could easily be picked up and used in one hand while reading a book or a magazine.

• Will the iPad Pro be the next blockbuster enterprise device?

Over the years, more and more apps have become available on the App Store leveraging the larger screen, while the physical form factor of the iPad has diminished in depth and weight making it ideal as a travel companion where a MacBook Pro, or even the Air, would not be.

Conversely, the MacBook Air has grown more powerful and more of a laptop than the original version which featured one USB port, a smaller battery and a last generation processor (and, shockingly in 2008, no DVD drive). It wasn't until 2010 that the MacBook Air got a refresh, taking on the body it has today and receiving the stellar battery life that makes it so popular.

In some ways, the 11-inch MacBook Air is like an iPad just with a keyboard. OS X has progressed so far into the territory of iOS that the two operating systems often feel interconnected – both literally, with Continuity, and metaphorically, with Launchpad and Mission Control – and this is by design. Apple's 2010 presentation was entitled "Back to Mac," and made the point of just how involved iOS and OS X were going to become over the following years, sharing features, applications and even software engineers in Cupertino.

Stealth OS

There has been no word about what kind of operating system the MacBook Stealth would be running, as OS X could be too bulky, carrying features that someone on a lightweight machine just doesn't need. Full-screen apps become even more useful on smaller screens, as the iPhone and iPad have proven: people don't want to run multiple apps side-by-side on a screen that is under 13-inches, as Microsoft and Samsung have been touting, choosing instead to make the sacrifice and run one app and focus their attention on that.

And these iOS apps are now focused very much on business users with many niche applications being adapted for the iPad – from Microsoft's Office to the Apple/IBM partnership – needing only the addition of a keyboard to bring them up to the level of OS X.

It would seem, then, that the MacBook Stealth and iPad Pro potentially have a lot in common and that they could, in fact, be one device. Many users of the iPad now add keyboards to their devices, either via Bluetooth or a case, and this is what the MacBook Stealth does: adds a built-in keyboard to an iPad-esque form factor. Only time will tell if the two devices end up being one but Apple's focus on unification between products would suggest this could be the case.

Image Credit: MacRumors

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Opinion: Why a uni-port MacBook makes sense in a wire-free world

If you're one of the people who threw their arms up in protest when Apple removed the optical drive from the MacBook Pro, guess what: a Retina MacBook Air with a single USB is incoming, and it's going to blow your tiny, progress-fearing mind.

Confused? To recap: Apple is reportedly taking the seemingly drastic step of replacing all of the MacBook Air's current ports with a single reversible USB Type C connection in order to make the machine as slim as possible. And just like banishing the long-unless optical drive from its laptop range, Apple's latest stroke of genius is going to see it once again launch one of the most portable and desirable laptops in the world.

But will it be practical? Until recently, I wasn't so sure. I take my 11-inch MacBook Air everywhere and connect it to multiple DisplayPort and DVI-equipped monitors. If I'm near a power outlet I'll clip in the MagSafe 2 connector to save battery cycles, and for any serious work I can't be without a wired USB mouse.

Moving to a single USB Type C port would require an adapter to connect all of those at once, which would prove a compromise too far -- right?

Wireless is more

For a portically-challenged MacBook to work, wireless technology must come into play. It's just as well, then, that Intel -- which is proving the driving force behind the no-wire computing movement -- has begun to take it seriously.

Intel unveiled its fifth-generation vPro Broadwell CPU earlier this week, which natively supports two technologies key to wire-free computing: WiDi (for connecting devices wirelessly to displays) and WiGig (for connecting peripherals such as monitors, mice and printers). WiDi has been finicky in the past, but Intel has refined the tech to the point where connecting a WiDi-enabled laptop wirelessly to a display or dock is as simple as walking up to it. Simply put: it's awesome.

Historically, WiDi has only been compatible with Windows (Apple TV provides similar screen mirroring functionality for Apple users), but it is highly likely that the Retina MacBook Air will use Intel's Core M Broadwell CPU, which can stream wirelessly to displays and docks using WiDi v.5.1 and WiGig.

Power play

Integrating WiDi into the upcoming machine would open up the opportunity for Apple to bake WiDi functionality into a new range of Cinema Displays (WiDi can stream video wirelessly in 4K) -- or even extend functionality to non-Apple displays through an adapter.

With the ability to dock wireless displays and peripherals, charging and power management becomes the final challenge in banishing wires for good --- and Intel is already working on it. According to a blog post by Intel Project Manager Colleen Cuthbertson, Intel has successfully demonstrated charging a laptop sitting on a two-inch thick table using a magnetic resonance pad underneath -- a method she writes could be deployed in coffee shops and other commonly used mobile locations.

If any company is going to take a calculated risk by scrapping ports -- including its much-championed Thunderbolt 2 specification -- it's Apple. Should it drop a few ports and succesfully integrate wireless tech into the Retina MacBook Air to make it give it industry-leading, catwalk-thin dimensions picking up a new adapter or monitor will be a small price to pay.

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