iPad Air vs. iPad Air 2 Is it Upgrade-Worthy

As we have learned initially from Apple, as it was announced less than a month ago, the iPad Air 2 is claimed to be not just the best, but the thinnest tablet in the market today. Measuring just 6.1 mm, the iPad Air 2 also features other upgrades such as the CPU, the iSight camera, the Wi-Fi speed, and now the TouchID starting at $499. However, there is also the cheaper iPad Air for only $399. Both tablets will come with iOS 8.1, which means both will have the Apple Pay functionality for online purchases.

To give you a better picture when comparing the two tablet models, below is a chart that will give you a spec-by-spec face-off between the two. Check them out:

	iPad Air	iPad Air 2
Starting Price	$399	$499
CPU	A7 and M7 coprocessors	A8X with M8 motion coprocessor
Display	9.7 inches / 2048 x 1536 pixels	9.7 inches / 2048 x 1536 pixels
OS	iOS 8	iOS 8
Battery	11 hour 51 minutes of continuous Web browsing	Up to 10 hours of continuous Internet browsing
Connectivity	802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi or LTE	802.11ac Wi-Fi or LTE
Size	9.4 x 6.6 x 0.29 inches	9.4 x 6.6 x 0.24 inches
Weight	1.05 pounds	0.96 pounds
Storage	16GB, 32GB, 64GB, 128GB	16GB, 64GB, 128GB
Front/Rear Camera	1.2-MP (720p HD) / 5-MP	1.2-MP (720p HD) / 8-MP
Ports	Lightning, headphone	Lightning, headphone

Display

With Apple claiming that the iPad Air 2 as the least reflective tablet there is, the company was able to achieve the striking thinness of the Air 2 by laminating the layers of the display together, which effectively eliminates the air gap between the glass and touch components. Combining it with some anti-reflective coating, the new panel design should improve viewability.

As for other stuff about the display, pretty much it's just the same with the iPad Air's original display. Both tablets offer a 9.7-inch LED-backlit multitouch screen with IPS technology. Both also offer a resolution of 2048 x 1536, resulting to 264 pixels per inch.

Design

Honestly, it would be quite a challenge to distinguish the two tablets from one another at a glance because of them having very similar designs. However, try turning them on their side, however, and the problem is solved right away. Why? That's because the iPad Air 2 is about 18% thinner than the original iPad Air -- that's specifically 6.1 mm vs. 7.5 mm. So don't be surprised if the entire world claims the Air 2 as the thinnest tablet in the planet today.

Aside from the space gray and silver color in which the iPad Air is available in, you can also get the gold version of the iPad Air 2. Another difference of the Air 2 is the gold ring around the home button, famously known as the TouchID. This fingerprint scanner keeps a log of your prints on your iOS device, which enables you to sign in to Facebook or use Apple Pay with a swipe.

Specifications & Features

Its internal specs are possibly the biggest difference between the first and generation of iPad Air. Apple upgraded the Air 2's CPU to the A8X, the new version of the A8 found in the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus but is just for iPad. The iPad Air will still only run with the last-generation A7 and M7 chips.

Another upgrade is the iPad Air 2's rear camera. Instead of the 5-MP iSight on the Air, the Air 2 gets 8MP. It can also shoot in Burst mode for photos and slow-mo for video, which the Air doesn't have. Both offer a 1.2 MP FaceTime camera on the front with face detection and 720p HD video.

Obviously, the iPad Air 2 is an improvement over the iPad Air. Along with it is TouchID, a faster processor, faster Wi-Fi connection, and a new camera. You need to pay an extra $100 though, as the iPad Air 2 costs $499, compared to the original Air which costs just $399. For those who are budget-conscious but still want to have a full-sized, best-in-class tablet, the iPad Air is still a great choice.

Revamp Google Chrome's New Tab Page with These Useful Extensions

Some may find the New Tab page of Google Chrome very minimal with only just a search bar and a few quick links to the frequently accessed sites. This default appearance may be considered boring and uninspiring, and its lack of options to customize somehow makes it less lovable to some. The good news is that Google released some useful extensions, which can give your default New Tab page a complete makeover. Here they are:

1. Dream Afar

This extension is visually appealing that contains useful features like weather forecast and simple speed dial. After installing the Dream Afar extension, you'll be welcomes with a Google search bar along with the local time and weather reports. In addition, you can quickly access all your apps, history, and bookmarks via the links displayed on the upper-right corner of the browser.

Although the customization options are limited, you can still do so by going to the options panel, which appears on the menu icon. A great feature of Dream Afar is that you can either remove the enter search widget or you can choose from other search engines like Bing and Baidu. Simply select the radio button of your preference and that's it.

2. Lightning Speed Dial

Lightning Speed Dial is a rather simple dashboard with a beautiful wallpaper, search bar, and quick links to your favorite websites and Chrome apps. This new tab extension is perfect for someone who prefers a minimalist look and feel. Like with Dream Afar wherein the customization options are only few, you can easily design your own start page by enabling you to change its wallpapers (you can even add your own wallpapers from your PC), link categorization, and others.

You can easily access the extension's settings page by clicking on the Setting link at the bottom-right corner of the page. Although you may find very few options, it's good for users who prefer a lightweight and no-nonsense New Tab page for Chrome.

3. Spots

The Spots extension is highly-customizable with a dashboard rich in features for all your online activities like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, etc. Once you've installed this extension, you'll be greeted with colorful spots that correspond to links to your most viewed websites, along with an awesome wallpaper. One advantage of using this extension is that you can easily sync it between different computers by simply logging in to your Google or Facebook account.

As for its settings, you can access them anytime from the drop-down menu found on the upper-left corner. From here, you can configure anything from colors, backgrounds, presets, content discovery, notifications, tab behavior, icons, and many others. These options will let you fully customize your New Tab page to match your style and personality, as well as your online needs.

If you are a frequent Chrome user, using any of these extensions will greatly improve your productivity and browsing experience with the New Tab page. Give one of these new extensions a shot and find out which one of them will perfectly suit your style and needs. You'll definitely enjoy a better start page for your everyday browsing activities.