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Pick up an iPad Air? Here’s how to get the most out of iPadOS 14 and Apple Pencil

How to get the most out of your iPad Air, Apple Pencil, and iPadOS 14

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Whether you’ve recently picked up the 2020 iPad Air or will be getting one soon, there are a number of great new capabilities and features to enhance your experience between the new hardware, iPadOS 14, and Apple Pencil. And even if you’re keeping your existing iPad, follow along for how to get the most out of iPadOS 14 and Apple Pencil.

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Apple patent for the iPad Magic Keyboard shows slot in hinge for Apple Pencil

Apple patent for the iPad Magic Keyboard

An Apple patent for the iPad Magic Keyboard shows a slot in the main hinge for an Apple Pencil. This would, in principle, address the concern some have expressed that there is no convenient place to store the Pencil while carrying the accessory.

However, while it has been suggested this might be for a later version of the keyboard, I’m guessing otherwise …


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Marshall Ramsey on digital sketching with iPad Pro and Apple Pencil

This week NASA Social invited me to attend the State of NASA 2020 address delivered by Administrator Jim Bridenstine at Stennis Space Center in South Mississippi.

Stennis is home to decades of engine testing including those used in Apollo missions to the moon in the late 60s and early 70s. Now the testing facility is being used to test the core stage of Space Launch System, NASA’s giant rocket being built for upcoming Artemis missions to the moon.

Marshall Ramsey, a writer and cartoonist also based in Mississippi, attended the same event with his iPad Pro and Apple Pencil. With the help of Pip the dog and photography, Ramsey used the iPad and Apple Pencil to add context to what we were seeing.


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Comment: Apple seemingly trying hard to justify rumored iPhone 11 Pro name

iPhone 11 Pro name

I wrote recently that while I tend to believe reports that Apple is planning to launch this year’s flagship iPhones as the iPhone 11 Pro (and Pro Max), I did so reluctantly.

Just the idea of a ‘Pro’ iPhone is a little annoying.

Don’t misunderstand me. Modern iPhones are amazing devices. There was a time when such a powerful and flexible pocket computer would have stretched the credibility of science fiction stories, yet we now take them totally for granted.

And they are sometimes used for professional purposes. There are, for example, all those ‘Shot on iPhone’ movies and ads. But let’s not kid ourselves about those. The reasons for shooting on iPhone have little to do with it being a ‘pro’ device.

However, if the latest reports are to be believed, Apple does seem to be working hard to justify the label…


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PencilKit lets devs easily implement Apple’s low latency & new dynamic Pencil tools

Apple introduced PencilKit at WWDC 2019 this week for much easier implementation of Apple Pencil experiences in third-party apps. The new framework will allow devs to tap into the same low latency and the new Apple Pencil tool palette and “markup anywhere” features that Apple itself uses for drawing and annotating in its own apps.


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iPad Pro adding Logitech Crayon digital stylus support in iOS 12.2 

[Update: Tested! Crayon works on iPad Pro in iOS 12.2 beta 6. Jason Snell first shared this detail in a Macworld piece earlier this week too.]

According to Nilay Patel at The Verge, Logitech Crayon support is coming soon to the iPad Pro. Nilay says Apple tells him support will be added through software in the next update to iOS 12, presumably iOS 12.2 which is likely due out on Monday.


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Apple’s new iPad mini and iPad Air both support the Logitech Crayon

iPad Logitech Crayon

Apple announced two new iPads this morning, finally updating the iPad mini and bridging the gap between its entry-level and high-end models with a new iPad Air. For the first time, both new product lines gain Apple Pencil support, while also being the first new models since the sixth-generation 2018 iPad to feature Logitech Crayon support.


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Apple announces new 10.5-inch iPad Air and iPad mini with Apple Pencil support

New iPad Air 2019

Apple today announced updates to its iPad line. There’s a new iPad mini and a new iPad Air, with a 10.5-inch screen. The iPad Air features a thinner design with a 10.5-inch display and the Apple A12 Bionic chip.

The iPad mini keeps the same 7.9-inch screen, but gets the same A12 spec bump. Both the Air and the Mini are compatible with the first-generation Apple Pencil. The iPad mini starts at $399 for the 64 GB model, and the Air starts at $499. You can order them today from Apple.com.


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iPad Pro Diary: I finally found a reason to have an Apple Pencil

Apple Pencil iPad Pro Diary

There are two Apple products I was pretty sure weren’t for me. The first was the Apple Watch.

To be fair to myself, I didn’t state outright that I would never buy one, only that I was a skeptic.

Although I can’t see an actual problem I need the watch to solve, that’s not the same as considering it a useless device. I can see potential applications for it, I’m just not sure they amount to a sufficient reason to own one.

I now wear one everyday. But there seemed no doubt at all that I had no possible reason to want an Apple Pencil


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Linea Sketch updated for iPad Pro with Apple Pencil gestures, new fill and blending tools, more

The Iconfactory has updated its excellent iPad Pro drawing app Linea Sketch with support for the new models, gesture control on the new Apple Pencil, and new fill and blending tools that enhance the app for all users. The latest update also lets you set what action is assigned to your finger when drawing with the Apple Pencil.


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