Apple replaces iPad 2 with all-new 9.7-inch iPad for $449

The iPad 2 has been one of the most long-standing products for Apple. A study in longevity and endurance, the iPad 2 was launched in March 2011 and continues to be a popular base model iPad for many users. The new tablet, simply called iPad.

Available from CAD $449, iPad is 9.7-inches and features a Retina Display, it has an Apple A9 processor, 10-hour battery life, 1.2 megapixel Facetime and 8MP HD cameras, Touch ID and Wi-Fi and LTE enabled variants. iPad will come in Silver, Gold and Space Grey and has 32GB and 128GB variants.

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Google Play Music now offers options for playback quality of songs

Google updates its Play Music streaming app with new playback quality options over Wi-Fi and for downloaded tracks. You can now choose between low, normal, high, and always high. Before you could only adjust playback quality for streaming when you were using mobile data. It doesn’t say, though, what bitrate these options correspond to. But if you seek the highest quality the app offers, then you at least have the choice to do so now. The update comes to both iOS and Android versions of the app.

Source: Engadget

Microsoft revamps Cortana for iOS

Following the revamp of Cortana on Android in December 2016, Microsoft is trying to connect with iOS users with the app’s update. The refreshed app is said to load faster and defaults into listening for your voice commands or questions. At the same time, there is a new Quick Actions feature that lets you tap a couple of buttons and have Cortana do things like create an alarm, tell a joke, or set a reminder. You don’t have to talk to Cortana now to do the simple things and, at the same time, it teaches users some of the things the app can do.

When you ask it questions now, it’ll provide you with a full page of answers. There is also a Google Now-like cards that display information such as news, weather, traffic, etc. Even the call and texting functions have been refreshed. When you want to call or text through Cortana, it’ll redirect you to iPhone’s dialer and the built-in messaging app.

Source: Apple Insider + PC World

Shout is like Pocket with a few extra perks

A new Chrome and iOS app ups the ante on what read-it-later app Pocket can do. Called Shout, the app lets you gather online content—and it isn’t limited to news articles either. You can include everything from lectures, videos, to PDFs. The stuff you gather will be arranged into coherent lists and can be kept private or be shared publicly on Shout. The app even has its own discovery feature if you want to look for new content. Shout even allows for collaboration so others can include items into your lists and help you create email digests. While not customizable, these can then be forwarded to anyone following the newsletter.

Source: The Next Web