Apple launches education-focused iPad with Pencil support

Apple's unveiled a new iPad focused on the education market that can now work with the Apple Pencil. This new iPad features the Apple-designed A10 Fusion chip with 64‑bit desktop-class architecture, delivering 40 percent faster CPU and 50 percent faster graphics. Pricing in Canada will be $429 and the Apple Pencil will cost $129 and is an optional accessory.

Apple is trying to sweeten the deal for schools by giving them an educational price of $399 for the entry-level 32GB iPad and the Apple Pencil has been discounted to $115. The tablet is available for preorder today and availability begins next week.

Apple is also giving 200GB free iCloud storage for every Managed ID Account. The company also revealed a new ClassKit educational framework  that allows integration with educational apps.

Foxconn buys Belkin, Linksys and Wemo for $866 million

Foxconn, who is known for manufacturing Apple products in Taiwan, has bought consumer electronics brands Belkin, Linksys and Wemo fo US $866 million.

A subsidiary of Belkin FIT Hong Ten will acquire Belkin by way of a merger. The acquisition of Belkin includes Linksys, Phyn and Wemo. With the merger, FIT will own all 700 of Belkin’s patents, which will come in handy in developing new smart home and networking businesses.

Belkin has built a reputation for creating quality accessories for Apple products and is well-represented in Apple Retail Stores.

Source: 9to5Mac

The importance of the Education market to the future of technology companies

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

The education market has always been an important segment for makers of technology hardware and software.

Demonstrating how technology can improve learning, enable innovation and ideas as well as shatter barriers to learning is more than a great slide during a tech demo. It shows the desire to inspire new generations of technologists, or at the very least, loyal users.

The notion that students and schools use technology that they will be familiar with and will stick with in the future. If your high school had iMacs at the computer lab and used Apple software, then you will likely look to get a Mac when you go to university and beyond.

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Microsoft's Edge browser comes to iPad and Android tablets

Microsoft has made Microsoft Edge available for Apple's iPad and for Android tablets, bringing the same experience, look and feel of their browser to competing platforms. Microsoft previously launched Edge on iPhones and Android phones so this is a continuation of that rollout.

Who benefits from this? Microsoft ecosystem users who want to sync between their PCs or Surface devices and their iPads or tablets. I've used Edge extensively on my Surface Laptop and while it is generally ok, I find it isn't as robust with working on certain CMS (Content Management Systems) and it also isn't widely adopted for multimedia (some Canadian content providers like CTV or Global TV refuse to run video on Edge). If you're enamoured with Edge, then you can now have it on your tablet.