Reading List for April 2021

    As I have done the last three months, it is that time again for me to provide a monthly recap of what I have read. You can review the lists from January, February, or March. As is the case for most of my books and podcasts, I listened to most of these at 2x or possibly even slightly faster. This month I have listened to more audiobooks than in March, but still fewer than in January and February.

    I managed to listen to 31 books total, more than one a day on average. Of these 7 were ones that I listened to for the first time. I am not sure how many audiobooks that I will end up listening to in May, but time will tell.

    Title Author First Listen
    Bourne Supremacy (Bourne Book 2) Robert Ludlum No
    Bourne Ultimatum (Bourne Series 3) Robert Ludlum No
    Lock In (Lock In Book 1) John Scalzi No
    Head On: A Novel of the Near Future (Lock In Book 2) John Scalzi No
    Tunnel in the Sky Robert A. Heinlein No
    Snow Crash: A Novel Neal Stephenson No
    You’re Going to Mars Rob Dircks No
    Calico Joe: A Novel John Grisham No
    Old Man's War (Old Man's War Book 1) John Scalzi No
    The Ghost Brigades (Old Man's War Book 2) John Scalzi No
    The Sagan Diary (Old Man's War Book 2.5) John Scalzi No
    The Last Colony (Old Man's War Book 3) John Scalzi No
    Zoe’s Tale (Old Man's War Book 4) John Scalzi No
    The Human Division (Old Man's War Book 5) John Scalzi No
    The End of All Things (Old Man's War Book 6) John Scalzi No
    What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions Randall Munroe No
    How To: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems Randall Munroe No
    Vicarious Rhett C. Bruno Yes
    Collapsing Empire (Interdependency Book 1) John Scalzi No
    Consuming Fire (Interdependency Book 2) John Scalzi No
    Last Emperox (Interdependency Book 3) John Scalzi No
    Redshirts: A Novel with Three Codas John Scalzi No
    The Rolling Stones Robert A. Heinlein No
    Gateway Frederick Pohl No
    Orphans of the Sky Robert A. Heinlein No
    Robots and Roommates (Star Kingdom Book 0) Lindsay Buroker Yes
    Rumors of War (Green Zone War Book 1) Jake Elwood Yes
    Star Peregrine (Green Zone War Book 2) Jake Elwood Yes
    Prison Planet (Green Zone War Book 3) Jake Elwood Yes
    Rogue Navy (Green Zone War Book 4) Jake Elwood Yes
    Rogue Battleship (Green Zone War Book 5) Jake Elwood Yes
    Total   31

    Previous Reading Lists:

    Tags:

    iPad Pro Availability for May 1st, 2021 (Early Morning)

    iPad Pro 11-inch 5th Generation Wi-Fi + Cellular Silver (2021)

    3rd Generation 11-inch iPad Pro and 5th Generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro orders have been live for approximately 23 hours, and there have been some major changes from the last post. The 12.9-inch iPad Pro is quite popular.

    All models of the the 12.9-inch iPad Pro have a delivery range of June 25th to July 9th, which is 7 to 9 weeks. The 1TB and 2TB 11-inch iPad Pro Wi-Fi + Cellular models have a 4 to 5 week delivery range. The White Magic Keyboard for both models still have a late may delivery range and the Black Magic Keyboard for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is in stock.

    It is merely a guess on my part, but I suspect that there are one of two reasons for the long delivery range for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. The first is demand, it could just be really popular. The second possible reason is that the new mini-LED screen is difficult to get, and therefore demand is outstripping supply. But this is merely conjecture.

    Changes for Apple

    • Wi-Fi Only - 128GB Silver iPad 11-inch has changed from May 21 - May 27 to May 24 - May 28
    • Wi-Fi Only - 256GB Silver iPad 11-inch has changed from May 21 - May 27 to May 24 - May 28
    • Wi-Fi Only - 512GB Silver iPad 11-inch has changed from May 21 - May 27 to May 24 - May 28
    • Wi-Fi Only - 1TB Silver iPad 11-inch has changed from May 21 - May 27 to May 24 - May 28
    • Wi-Fi Only - 2TB Silver iPad 11-inch has changed from May 21 - May 27 to May 24 - May 28
    • Wi-Fi Only - 128GB Space Gray iPad 11-inch has changed from May 21 - May 27 to May 24 - May 28
    • Wi-Fi Only - 256GB Space Gray iPad 11-inch has changed from May 21 - May 27 to May 24 - May 28
    • Wi-Fi Only - 512GB Space Gray iPad 11-inch has changed from May 21 - May 27 to May 24 - May 28
    • Wi-Fi Only - 1TB Space Gray iPad 11-inch has changed from May 21 - May 27 to May 24 - May 28
    • Wi-Fi Only - 2TB Space Gray iPad 11-inch has changed from May 21 - May 27 to May 24 - May 28
    • Wi-Fi + Cellular - 128GB Silver iPad 11-inch has changed from May 21 - May 27 to May 24 - May 28
    • Wi-Fi + Cellular - 256GB Silver iPad 11-inch has changed from May 21 - May 27 to May 24 - May 28
    • Wi-Fi + Cellular - 512GB Silver iPad 11-inch has changed from May 21 - May 27 to May 24 - May 28
    • Wi-Fi + Cellular - 1TB Silver iPad 11-inch has changed from May 21 - May 27 to Jun 2 - Jun 16
    • Wi-Fi + Cellular - 2TB Silver iPad 11-inch has changed from May 21 - May 27 to Jun 2 - Jun 16
    • Wi-Fi + Cellular - 128GB Space Gray iPad 11-inch has changed from May 21 - May 27 to May 24 - May 28
    • Wi-Fi + Cellular - 256GB Space Gray iPad 11-inch has changed from May 21 - May 27 to May 24 - May 28
    • Wi-Fi + Cellular - 512GB Space Gray iPad 11-inch has changed from May 21 - May 27 to May 24 - May 28
    • Wi-Fi + Cellular - 1TB Space Gray iPad 11-inch has changed from May 21 - May 27 to Jun 2 - Jun 16
    • Wi-Fi + Cellular - 2TB Space Gray iPad 11-inch has changed from May 21 - May 27 to Jun 2 - Jun 16
    • Wi-Fi Only - 128GB Silver iPad 12.9-inch has changed from Jun 9 - Jun 23 to Jun 25 - Jul 9
    • Wi-Fi Only - 256GB Silver iPad 12.9-inch has changed from Jun 9 - Jun 23 to Jun 25 - Jul 9
    • Wi-Fi Only - 512GB Silver iPad 12.9-inch has changed from Jun 2 - Jun 9 to Jun 25 - Jul 9
    • Wi-Fi Only - 1TB Silver iPad 12.9-inch has changed from Jun 9 - Jun 23 to Jun 25 - Jul 9
    • Wi-Fi Only - 2TB Silver iPad 12.9-inch has changed from May 21 - May 28 to Jun 25 - Jul 9
    • Wi-Fi Only - 128GB Space Gray iPad 12.9-inch has changed from May 21 - May 28 to Jun 25 - Jul 9
    • Wi-Fi Only - 256GB Space Gray iPad 12.9-inch has changed from Jun 9 - Jun 23 to Jun 25 - Jul 9
    • Wi-Fi Only - 512GB Space Gray iPad 12.9-inch has changed from Jun 9 - Jun 23 to Jun 25 - Jul 9
    • Wi-Fi Only - 1TB Space Gray iPad 12.9-inch has changed from Jun 9 - Jun 23 to Jun 25 - Jul 9
    • Wi-Fi Only - 2TB Space Gray iPad 12.9-inch has changed from Jun 9 - Jun 23 to Jun 25 - Jul 9
    • Wi-Fi + Cellular - 128GB Silver iPad 12.9-inch has changed from Jun 9 - Jun 23 to Jun 25 - Jul 9
    • Wi-Fi + Cellular - 256GB Silver iPad 12.9-inch has changed from Jun 9 - Jun 23 to Jun 25 - Jul 9
    • Wi-Fi + Cellular - 512GB Silver iPad 12.9-inch has changed from Jun 2 - Jun 9 to Jun 25 - Jul 9
    • Wi-Fi + Cellular - 1TB Silver iPad 12.9-inch has changed from Jun 9 - Jun 23 to Jun 25 - Jul 9
    • Wi-Fi + Cellular - 2TB Silver iPad 12.9-inch has changed from May 21 - May 28 to Jun 25 - Jul 9
    • Wi-Fi + Cellular - 128GB Space Gray iPad 12.9-inch has changed from Jun 2 - Jun 9 to Jun 25 - Jul 9
    • Wi-Fi + Cellular - 256GB Space Gray iPad 12.9-inch has changed from Jun 9 - Jun 23 to Jun 25 - Jul 9
    • Wi-Fi + Cellular - 512GB Space Gray iPad 12.9-inch has changed from Jun 9 - Jun 23 to Jun 25 - Jul 9
    • Wi-Fi + Cellular - 1TB Space Gray iPad 12.9-inch has changed from Jun 9 - Jun 23 to Jun 25 - Jul 9
    • Wi-Fi + Cellular - 2TB Space Gray iPad 12.9-inch has changed from Jun 9 - Jun 23 to Jun 25 - Jul 9
    • 11-inch Magic Keyboard - White has changed from May 21 - May 27 to May 24 - May 28
    • 12.9-inch Magic Keyboard - White has changed from May 21 - May 27 to May 24 - May 28
    • 12.9-inch Magic Keyboard - Space Gray has changed from Tue, May 4 to Wed, May 5

    iPad 11-inch

    Wi-Fi Only 128GB 256GB 512GB 1TB 2TB
    Silver May 24 - May 28 May 24 - May 28 May 24 - May 28 May 24 - May 28 May 24 - May 28
    Space Gray May 24 - May 28 May 24 - May 28 May 24 - May 28 May 24 - May 28 May 24 - May 28
    Wi-Fi + Cellular 128GB 256GB 512GB 1TB 2TB
    Silver May 24 - May 28 May 24 - May 28 May 24 - May 28 Jun 2 - Jun 16 Jun 2 - Jun 16
    Space Gray May 24 - May 28 May 24 - May 28 May 24 - May 28 Jun 2 - Jun 16 Jun 2 - Jun 16

    iPad 12.9-inch

    Wi-Fi Only 128GB 256GB 512GB 1TB 2TB
    Silver Jun 25 - Jul 9 Jun 25 - Jul 9 Jun 25 - Jul 9 Jun 25 - Jul 9 Jun 25 - Jul 9
    Space Gray Jun 25 - Jul 9 Jun 25 - Jul 9 Jun 25 - Jul 9 Jun 25 - Jul 9 Jun 25 - Jul 9
    Wi-Fi + Cellular 128GB 256GB 512GB 1TB 2TB
    Silver Jun 25 - Jul 9 Jun 25 - Jul 9 Jun 25 - Jul 9 Jun 25 - Jul 9 Jun 25 - Jul 9
    Space Gray Jun 25 - Jul 9 Jun 25 - Jul 9 Jun 25 - Jul 9 Jun 25 - Jul 9 Jun 25 - Jul 9
    iPad Pro Accessories
    AccessoryShips By
    11-inch Magic Keyboard - White May 24 - May 28
    12.9-inch Magic Keyboard - White May 24 - May 28
    12.9-inch Magic Keyboard - Space Gray Wed, May 5
    Tags:

    iPad Pro Availability for April 30th, 2021 (Morning)

    iPad Pro 12.9-inch 5th Generation (2021)

    The pre-orders for the 5th generation 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models have begun. Here is the iPad Pro availability for about an hour and a half after pre-orders began.

    All 11-inch iPad Pro models have a 2 to 3 week availability, which is what they started with. There are only a few 12.9-inch iPad Pro models still available for delivery between May 21st and May 28th. These are:

    • 12.9-inch 128GB Space Gray Wi-Fi only
    • 12.9-inch 2TB Silver Wi-Fi only
    • 12.9-inch 2TB Silver Wi-Fi + Cellular

    iPad 11-inch

    Wi-Fi Only 128GB 256GB 512GB 1TB 2TB
    Silver May 21 - May 27 May 21 - May 27 May 21 - May 27 May 21 - May 27 May 21 - May 27
    Space Gray May 21 - May 27 May 21 - May 27 May 21 - May 27 May 21 - May 27 May 21 - May 27
    Wi-Fi + Cellular 128GB 256GB 512GB 1TB 2TB
    Silver May 21 - May 27 May 21 - May 27 May 21 - May 27 May 21 - May 27 May 21 - May 27
    Space Gray May 21 - May 27 May 21 - May 27 May 21 - May 27 May 21 - May 27 May 21 - May 27

    iPad 12.9-inch

    Wi-Fi Only 128GB 256GB 512GB 1TB 2TB
    Silver Jun 9 - Jun 23 Jun 9 - Jun 23 Jun 2 - Jun 9 Jun 9 - Jun 23 May 21 - May 28
    Space Gray May 21 - May 28 Jun 2 - Jun 9 Jun 2 - Jun 9 Jun 9 - Jun 23 Jun 9 - Jun 23
    Wi-Fi + Cellular 128GB 256GB 512GB 1TB 2TB
    Silver Jun 9 - Jun 23 Jun 9 - Jun 23 Jun 2 - Jun 9 Jun 9 - Jun 23 May 21 - May 28
    Space Gray Jun 2 - Jun 9 Jun 2 - Jun 9 Jun 9 - Jun 23 Jun 9 - Jun 23 Jun 9 - Jun 23
    iPad Pro Accessories
    AccessoryShips By
    11-inch Magic Keyboard - White May 21 - May 27
    12.9-inch Magic Keyboard - White May 21 - May 27
    12.9-inch Magic Keyboard - Space Gray Tue, May 4
    Tags:

    AirTag Availability for April 30th, 2021 (Early Morning)

    AirTag Leather Loop in Saddle Brown color

    Happy AirTag and Purple iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 delivery day, as well 5th Generation iPad Pro and iMac M1 pre-order day. Here is the AirTag availability for the early morning of Friday, April 30th, 2021. This is approximately one week after AirTag and the related accessories were made available for pre-order.

    The single AirTag as well as Apple's Non-Hermès accessories are 5 to 7 business days. The 4-pack of AirTags has a delivery range of mid-June. There are two Hermès AirTag accessories that have a 5 to 6 weeks delivery, but most Hermès are currently unavailable. Belkin's AirTag accessories in White are late May to early June, and the remainder are mid-June.

    Changes for the Accessories

    • AirTag - Single has changed from May 6 - May 10 to May 10 - May 12
    • AirTag - 4 Pack has changed from Jun 4 - Jun 11 to Jun 8 - Jun 15
    • AirTag Leather Key Ring - Baltic Blue has changed from May 6 - May 10 to May 10 - May 12
    • AirTag Leather Key Ring - Saddle Brown has changed from May 6 - May 10 to May 10 - May 12
    • AirTag Leather Key Ring - PRODUCT(RED) has changed from May 6 - May 10 to May 10 - May 12
    • AirTag Leather Loop - Saddle Brown has changed from May 6 - May 10 to May 10 - May 12
    • AirTag Leather Loop - PRODUCT(RED) has changed from May 6 - May 10 to May 10 - May 12
    • AirTag Loop - Electric Orange has changed from May 6 - May 10 to May 10 - May 12
    • AirTag Loop - Sunflower has changed from May 6 - May 10 to May 10 - May 12
    • AirTag Loop - Deep Navy has changed from May 6 - May 10 to May 10 - May 12
    • AirTag Loop - White has changed from May 6 - May 10 to May 10 - May 12
    • AirTag Hermès Bag Charm - Bleu Indigo has changed from Jun 7 - Jun 14 to Jun 9 - Jun 16
    • AirTag Hermès Bag Charm - Fauve has changed from Jun 7 - Jun 14 to Jun 9 - Jun 16
    • AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - White has changed from May 20 - May 27 to May 24 - Jun 1
    • AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - Black has changed from Jun 4 - Jun 11 to Jun 8 - Jun 15
    • AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - Blue has changed from Jun 14 - Jun 25 to Currently Unavailable
    • AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - Pink has changed from Jun 4 - Jun 11 to Jun 8 - Jun 15
    • AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - White has changed from May 20 - May 27 to May 24 - Jun 1
    • AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - Black has changed from Jun 4 - Jun 11 to Jun 8 - Jun 15
    • AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - Blue has changed from Jun 14 - Jun 25 to Currently Unavailable
    • AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - Pink has changed from Jun 4 - Jun 11 to Jun 8 - Jun 15

    AirTag - Apple

    AirTag and Accessories
    AccessoryShips By
    AirTag - Single May 10 - May 12
    AirTag - 4 Pack Jun 8 - Jun 15
    AirTag Leather Key Ring - Baltic Blue May 10 - May 12
    AirTag Leather Key Ring - Saddle Brown May 10 - May 12
    AirTag Leather Key Ring - PRODUCT(RED) May 10 - May 12
    AirTag Leather Loop - Saddle Brown May 10 - May 12
    AirTag Leather Loop - PRODUCT(RED) May 10 - May 12
    AirTag Loop - Electric Orange May 10 - May 12
    AirTag Loop - Sunflower May 10 - May 12
    AirTag Loop - Deep Navy May 10 - May 12
    AirTag Loop - White May 10 - May 12
    AirTag Hermès Key Ring - Orange Currently Unavailable
    AirTag Hermès Key Ring - Bleu Indigo Currently Unavailable
    AirTag Hermès Key Ring - Fauve Currently Unavailable
    AirTag Hermès Luggage Tag Currently Unavailable
    AirTag Hermès Bag Charm - Orange Currently Unavailable
    AirTag Hermès Bag Charm - Bleu Indigo Jun 9 - Jun 16
    AirTag Hermès Bag Charm - Fauve Jun 9 - Jun 16
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - White May 24 - Jun 1
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - Black Jun 8 - Jun 15
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - Blue Currently Unavailable
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - Pink Jun 8 - Jun 15
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - White May 24 - Jun 1
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - Black Jun 8 - Jun 15
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - Blue Currently Unavailable
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - Pink Jun 8 - Jun 15
    Tags:

    AirTag Availability for April 28th, 2021 (Mid-Afternoon)

    AirTag Loop in Electric Orange color

    Here is the AirTag availability for the mid-afternoon of Wednesday, April 28th, 2021.

    The 4-pack of AirTag has significantly slipped from May 6th to June 4th. This is a 4 week delay. Some of the Hermès AirTag accessories seem to be going between being unavailable and having some availability.

    Changes for the Accessories

    • AirTag - Single has changed from May 4 - May 6 to May 6 - May 10
    • AirTag - 4 Pack has changed from May 6 - May 11 to Jun 4 - Jun 11
    • AirTag Leather Key Ring - Baltic Blue has changed from May 4 - May 6 to May 6 - May 10
    • AirTag Leather Key Ring - Saddle Brown has changed from May 4 - May 6 to May 6 - May 10
    • AirTag Leather Key Ring - PRODUCT(RED) has changed from May 4 - May 6 to May 6 - May 10
    • AirTag Leather Loop - Saddle Brown has changed from May 4 - May 6 to May 6 - May 10
    • AirTag Leather Loop - PRODUCT(RED) has changed from May 4 - May 6 to May 6 - May 10
    • AirTag Loop - Electric Orange has changed from May 4 - May 6 to May 6 - May 10
    • AirTag Loop - Sunflower has changed from May 4 - May 6 to May 6 - May 10
    • AirTag Loop - Deep Navy has changed from May 4 - May 6 to May 6 - May 10
    • AirTag Loop - White has changed from May 4 - May 6 to May 6 - May 10
    • AirTag Hermès Luggage Tag has changed from Jun 3 - Jun 10 to Currently Unavailable
    • AirTag Hermès Bag Charm - Bleu Indigo has changed from Currently Unavailable to Jun 7 - Jun 14
    • AirTag Hermès Bag Charm - Fauve has changed from Jun 3 - Jun 10 to Jun 7 - Jun 14
    • AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - White has changed from May 4 - May 6 to May 20 - May 27
    • AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - Black has changed from May 18 - May 25 to Jun 4 - Jun 11
    • AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - Blue has changed from Jun 2 - Jun 9 to Jun 14 - Jun 25
    • AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - Pink has changed from May 18 - May 25 to Jun 4 - Jun 11
    • AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - White has changed from May 4 - May 6 to May 20 - May 27
    • AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - Black has changed from May 25 - Jun 2 to Jun 4 - Jun 11
    • AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - Blue has changed from Jun 2 - Jun 9 to Jun 14 - Jun 25
    • AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - Pink has changed from May 25 - Jun 2 to Jun 4 - Jun 11
    iPhone Accessories
    AccessoryShips By
    AirTag - Single May 6 - May 10
    AirTag - 4 Pack Jun 4 - Jun 11
    AirTag Leather Key Ring - Baltic Blue May 6 - May 10
    AirTag Leather Key Ring - Saddle Brown May 6 - May 10
    AirTag Leather Key Ring - PRODUCT(RED) May 6 - May 10
    AirTag Leather Loop - Saddle Brown May 6 - May 10
    AirTag Leather Loop - PRODUCT(RED) May 6 - May 10
    AirTag Loop - Electric Orange May 6 - May 10
    AirTag Loop - Sunflower May 6 - May 10
    AirTag Loop - Deep Navy May 6 - May 10
    AirTag Loop - White May 6 - May 10
    AirTag Hermès Key Ring - Orange Currently Unavailable
    AirTag Hermès Key Ring - Bleu Indigo Currently Unavailable
    AirTag Hermès Key Ring - Fauve Currently Unavailable
    AirTag Hermès Luggage Tag Currently Unavailable
    AirTag Hermès Bag Charm - Orange Currently Unavailable
    AirTag Hermès Bag Charm - Bleu Indigo Jun 7 - Jun 14
    AirTag Hermès Bag Charm - Fauve Jun 7 - Jun 14
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - White May 20 - May 27
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - Black Jun 4 - Jun 11
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - Blue Jun 14 - Jun 25
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - Pink Jun 4 - Jun 11
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - White May 20 - May 27
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - Black Jun 4 - Jun 11
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - Blue Jun 14 - Jun 25
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - Pink Jun 4 - Jun 11
    Tags:

    Additional info from Apple's "Spring Loaded" Event

    I thought I would add a few additional tidbits that have been made known after the Spring Loaded event. The topics will include some new information about iOS 14.5, AirTag, Apple TV, and Macs.

    iOS 14.5

    One tidbit that was made known is that iOS 14.5 is out today. iOS 14.5 supports AirTag, additional Siri voices, and the Xbox Series X|S and Playstation 5 controllers.

    The second thing with iOS 14.5 is that there is a new feature, that may be very helpful for developers. If there are multiple beta versions available, both versions will be shown to the user, so they can decide which beta version they want to install. This will be a nice feature for developers.

    The question that remains is whether or not you can downgrade a device to a previous version or not. I would suspect the answer is no.

    Apple TV

    While there is a lot of information about the new Apple TV 4K, one thing that was not mentioned before is that you can now get AppleCare+ on the Apple TV. You could purchase AppleCare previously, but this only covered two years of support.

    Now with AppleCare+, you get up to 3 years of coverage for $29. This includes accidental damage coverage as well.

    Macs

    Similar to the change in AppleCare on the Apple TV, there are some AppleCare+ changes on the Mac now as well. You can now get AppleCare+ on a monthly basis. This means that you can get support beyond three years, which makes a lot of sense given that many people keep their Macs far beyond the previous two years of AppleCare support.

    iMac 24-inch Tidbits

    There is another tidbit specifically with the new 24-inch iMac. The power cord that goes into the iMac is a magnetic one. The magnets are quite strong because you do not want the power cord to accidentally come out of a running iMac, even if it has solid-state storage.

    M1 Mac mini

    Another update that Apple made is the additional option on the M1 Mac mini. now you can optionally choose a 10 gigabit Ethernet connection. This will cost an additional $100, but if you need the extra speed, it is an option. This was an option that was available on the previous generation Mac mini and it is good to see it make its way back to the current M1 Mac mini.

    Magic Keyboard with Touch ID

    One of the new features of 24-inch iMac is the option for a Magic Keyboard with Touch ID. While these will be available for the 24-inch iMac, the keyboards will actually work with other M1 Macs. This is most particularly useful with the M1 Mac mini.

    As of now the keyboards are not available for purchase separately from the 24-inch iMac, but it is quite likely that they will be available for purchase separately at some point in the future. As an owner of an M1 Mac mini, I know I would like to use Touch ID with that Mac, so I cannot wait until these are available.

    AirTag

    When Apple announced the AirTag it was not known how the they would be powered. It turns out that the battery in each AirTag is replaceable. These batteries are not proprietary in anyway, in fact, they are ones that you can buy almost anywhere. The specific battery is a CR2032 batteries, so you can get them just about anywhere.

    The next question is how long with the battery last. Apple says the batteries should last "over a year".

    iPad Accessories

    Apple added a whole new accessory for the iPad, the Magic Keyboard. The Magic Keyboard allows you to have a full keyboard with a trackpad. The new 5th Generation 11-inch iPad Pro does not have any change in its dimensions. However, that is not the case with the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

    The 5th Generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro is a bit thicker than the 3rd and 4th generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro. What this means is that the original Magic Keyboard will not work on the 5th generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Therefore, if you are upgrading to a 5th generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro and you want to use the Magic Keyboard, you will need to purchase a new one, which is not cheap at $349.

    Closing Thoughts

    There are just a few of the other tidbits from Apple's "Spring Loaded" event that could not be fit into the event itself. Well, they could have, if Apple wanted to have the event go longer than an hour.

    Tags:

    AirTag Availability for April 25th, 2021 (Evening)

    AirTag Loop in Deep Navy color

    Here is the AirTag and AirTag accessory availability for the evening of April 25th, 2021. There are some items that have changed. The Hermès Key Rings are all now unavailable. There is only one Hermès Bag Charm available, the Fauvre.

    The 4-Pack of AirTags has also slipped a week to May 6th to May 11th for delivery.

    Changes for the Accessories

    • AirTag - Single has changed from May 3 - May 5 to May 4 - May 6
    • AirTag - 4 Pack has changed from May 3 - May 5 to May 6 - May 11
    • AirTag Leather Key Ring - Baltic Blue has changed from May 3 - May 5 to May 4 - May 6
    • AirTag Leather Key Ring - Saddle Brown has changed from May 3 - May 5 to May 4 - May 6
    • AirTag Leather Key Ring - PRODUCT(RED) has changed from May 3 - May 5 to May 4 - May 6
    • AirTag Leather Loop - Saddle Brown has changed from May 3 - May 5 to May 4 - May 6
    • AirTag Leather Loop - PRODUCT(RED) has changed from May 3 - May 5 to May 4 - May 6
    • AirTag Loop - Electric Orange has changed from May 3 - May 5 to May 4 - May 6
    • AirTag Loop - Sunflower has changed from May 3 - May 5 to May 4 - May 6
    • AirTag Loop - Deep Navy has changed from May 3 - May 5 to May 4 - May 6
    • AirTag Loop - White has changed from May 3 - May 5 to May 4 - May 6
    • AirTag Hermès Key Ring - Bleu Indigo has changed from Jun 2 - Jun 9 to Currently Unavailable
    • AirTag Hermès Key Ring - Fauve has changed from Jun 2 - Jun 9 to Currently Unavailable
    • AirTag Hermès Luggage Tag has changed from Jun 2 - Jun 9 to Jun 3 - Jun 10
    • AirTag Hermès Bag Charm - Orange has changed from Jun 2 - Jun 9 to Currently Unavailable
    • AirTag Hermès Bag Charm - Fauve has changed from Jun 2 - Jun 9 to Jun 3 - Jun 10
    • AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - White has changed from May 3 - May 5 to May 4 - May 6
    • AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - Black has changed from May 17 - May 24 to May 18 - May 25
    • AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - Blue has changed from May 24 - Jun 1 to Jun 2 - Jun 9
    • AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - Pink has changed from May 10 - May 17 to May 18 - May 25
    • AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - White has changed from May 3 - May 5 to May 4 - May 6
    • AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - Black has changed from May 17 - May 24 to May 25 - Jun 2
    • AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - Blue has changed from May 24 - Jun 1 to Jun 2 - Jun 9
    • AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - Pink has changed from May 10 - May 17 to May 25 - Jun 2
    iPhone Accessories
    AccessoryShips By
    AirTag - Single May 4 - May 6
    AirTag - 4 Pack May 6 - May 11
    AirTag Leather Key Ring - Baltic Blue May 4 - May 6
    AirTag Leather Key Ring - Saddle Brown May 4 - May 6
    AirTag Leather Key Ring - PRODUCT(RED) May 4 - May 6
    AirTag Leather Loop - Saddle Brown May 4 - May 6
    AirTag Leather Loop - PRODUCT(RED) May 4 - May 6
    AirTag Loop - Electric Orange May 4 - May 6
    AirTag Loop - Sunflower May 4 - May 6
    AirTag Loop - Deep Navy May 4 - May 6
    AirTag Loop - White May 4 - May 6
    AirTag Hermès Key Ring - Orange Currently Unavailable
    AirTag Hermès Key Ring - Bleu Indigo Currently Unavailable
    AirTag Hermès Key Ring - Fauve Currently Unavailable
    AirTag Hermès Luggage Tag Jun 3 - Jun 10
    AirTag Hermès Bag Charm - Orange Currently Unavailable
    AirTag Hermès Bag Charm - Bleu Indigo Currently Unavailable
    AirTag Hermès Bag Charm - Fauve Jun 3 - Jun 10
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - White May 4 - May 6
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - Black May 18 - May 25
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - Blue Jun 2 - Jun 9
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - Pink May 18 - May 25
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - White May 4 - May 6
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - Black May 25 - Jun 2
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - Blue Jun 2 - Jun 9
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - Pink May 25 - Jun 2
    Tags:

    AirTag Availability for April 23rd, 2021 (Evening)

    Bottom view of a single AirTag

    Here is the availability for the AirTag and AirTag Accessories for the evening of April 23rd, 2021. This is data retrieved approximately 10 hours after the AirTag and its accessories went on sale.

    The AirTag 4 pack has slipped, as have all of the Belkin accessories.

    Changes for the Accessories

    • AirTag - 4 Pack has changed from Fri, Apr 30 to May 3 - May 5
    • AirTag Hermès Key Ring - Orange has changed from Jun 2 - Jun 9 to Currently Unavailable
    • AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - Black has changed from May 3 - May 5 to May 17 - May 24
    • AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - Blue has changed from May 3 - May 5 to May 24 - Jun 1
    • AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - Pink has changed from May 3 - May 5 to May 10 - May 17
    • AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - Black has changed from May 3 - May 5 to May 17 - May 24
    • AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - Blue has changed from May 3 - May 5 to May 24 - Jun 1
    • AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - Pink has changed from May 3 - May 5 to May 10 - May 17
    iPhone Accessories
    AccessoryShips By
    AirTag - Single May 3 - May 5
    AirTag - 4 Pack May 3 - May 5
    AirTag Leather Key Ring - Baltic Blue May 3 - May 5
    AirTag Leather Key Ring - Saddle Brown May 3 - May 5
    AirTag Leather Key Ring - PRODUCT(RED) May 3 - May 5
    AirTag Leather Loop - Saddle Brown May 3 - May 5
    AirTag Leather Loop - PRODUCT(RED) May 3 - May 5
    AirTag Loop - Electric Orange May 3 - May 5
    AirTag Loop - Sunflower May 3 - May 5
    AirTag Loop - Deep Navy May 3 - May 5
    AirTag Loop - White May 3 - May 5
    AirTag Hermès Key Ring - Orange Currently Unavailable
    AirTag Hermès Key Ring - Bleu Indigo Jun 2 - Jun 9
    AirTag Hermès Key Ring - Fauve Jun 2 - Jun 9
    AirTag Hermès Luggage Tag Jun 2 - Jun 9
    AirTag Hermès Bag Charm - Orange Jun 2 - Jun 9
    AirTag Hermès Bag Charm - Bleu Indigo Currently Unavailable
    AirTag Hermès Bag Charm - Fauve Jun 2 - Jun 9
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - White May 3 - May 5
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - Black May 17 - May 24
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - Blue May 24 - Jun 1
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - Pink May 10 - May 17
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - White May 3 - May 5
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - Black May 17 - May 24
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - Blue May 24 - Jun 1
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - Pink May 10 - May 17
    Tags:

    AirTag Availability for April 23rd, 2021 (Early Morning)

    4 pack of AirTag

    With Apple releasing a whole new device used for tracking, called the AirTag, I thought I would do some availability posts for the device and its accessories. Here is the availability at approximately 35 minutes after pre-orders for AirTag and its accessories started.

    The single AirTag has slipped from April 30th, to May 3rd to 5th. All of Apple's and Belkin's AirTag accessories also have an availability between May 3rd to May 5th. The Hermes accessories have a delivery range of June 2nd to June 9th. The only item available for April 30th delivery is the 4-pack of AirTags.

    iPhone Accessories
    AccessoryShips By
    AirTag - Single May 3 - May 5
    AirTag - 4 Pack Fri, Apr 30
    AirTag Leather Key Ring - Baltic Blue May 3 - May 5
    AirTag Leather Key Ring - Saddle Brown May 3 - May 5
    AirTag Leather Key Ring - PRODUCT(RED) May 3 - May 5
    AirTag Leather Loop - Saddle Brown May 3 - May 5
    AirTag Leather Loop - PRODUCT(RED) May 3 - May 5
    AirTag Loop - Electric Orange May 3 - May 5
    AirTag Loop - Sunflower May 3 - May 5
    AirTag Loop - Deep Navy May 3 - May 5
    AirTag Loop - White May 3 - May 5
    AirTag Hermès Key Ring - Orange Jun 2 - Jun 9
    AirTag Hermès Key Ring - Bleu Indigo Jun 2 - Jun 9
    AirTag Hermès Key Ring - Fauve Jun 2 - Jun 9
    AirTag Hermès Luggage Tag Jun 2 - Jun 9
    AirTag Hermès Bag Charm - Orange Jun 2 - Jun 9
    AirTag Hermès Bag Charm - Bleu Indigo Currently Unavailable
    AirTag Hermès Bag Charm - Fauve Jun 2 - Jun 9
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - White May 3 - May 5
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - Black May 3 - May 5
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - Blue May 3 - May 5
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Strap - Pink May 3 - May 5
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - White May 3 - May 5
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - Black May 3 - May 5
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - Blue May 3 - May 5
    AirTag Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring - Pink May 3 - May 5
    Tags:

    "Spring Loaded" Event Prediction Results

    image

    Yesterday I posted a recap of what Apple announced at their "Spring Loaded" event, and the event was aptly named. I posted my predictions for what I thought we would see at the event. Now that the event is over, let us look at how well I did with my predictions.

    New Watch Bands - 90% Chance

    Variety of Apple Watch Bands available in Spring 2021.

    While they were not announced at the event, there were new Apple Watch Bands. In fact, there were a few new colors including:

    • Tomales Blue Solo Loop
    • Pistachio Braided Solo Loop
    • Pistachio Solo Loop
    • Cantaloupe Sport Band
    • Cantaloupe Solo Loop
    • Pink Punch Braided Solo Loop
    • Deep Navy Solo Loop
    • Black Solo Loop
    • White Solo Loop
    • Electric Orange Braided Solo Loop
    • Inverness Green Braided Solo Loop
    • Atlantic Blue Braided Solo Loop
    • Charcoal Braided Solo Loop
    • Mallard Green Sport Band
    • Capri Blue Sport Band
    • Sea Salt Sport Loop
    • SunflowerSport Loop
    • Abyss Sport Loop
    • Olive Sport Loop
    • (PRODUCT)RED Braided Solo Loop
    • (PRODUCT)RED Solo Loop
    • Blue/Green Glow Nike Sport Band
    • Hasta/Light Silver Nike Sport Band
    • Ironstone/Black Nike Sport Band
    • Chalk Leather Link
    • Rouge de Cœur/Rouge H Jumping Single Tour (Hermes)
    • Kraft/Rouge de Cœur Jumping Single Tour (Hermes)
    • Orange/Rose Mexico Jumping Single Tour (Hermes)
    • Bleu Saphir/Orange Jumping Single Tour (Hermes)
    • Rose Mexico Swift Leather Attelage Double Tour (Hermes)
    • Bleu Saphir Swift Leather Attelage Double Tour (Hermes)
    • Blanc Swift Leather Attelage Double Tour (Hermes)
    • Noir Swift Leather Attelage Double Tour (Hermes)

    The exact color is dependent on the type of band and not all bands will work with all watches. Since there were new bands, I got this one correct.

    New iPad Pros - 90%

    12.9-inch iPad Pro (2021) with the Magic Keyboard

    There were definitely new iPad Pros. A new 11-inch and a 12.9-inch iPad Pro. The new iPad Pros have an M1, 5G, and comes in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB models.

    With new iPad Pro models, that means I got this one correct too.

    New Apple TV Box - 75%

    Apple TV 4K (2021) with a Siri Remote.

    There is a new Apple TV Box. It is an updated Apple TV 4K with an A12 Bionic. This comes in 32GB or 64GB models. Along with this, there is a new Siri Remote.

    This one I also got correct.

    New Screen Type on 12.9-inch iPad Pro - 60%

    Along with the new internals, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro did get a new screen type, specifically Mini LED. This should allow for brighter screens when needed. So, I got this one correct too.

    AirTags Announced - 50%

    Air Tag back and front view

    Apple did announce AirTags at the event. These small tags will allow you to find missing items using the "Find My" network. These are $29 each or you can get a 4-pack for $99.

    Since AirTags were announced, I got this correct too.

    New 21.5-inch iMac - 50%

    There is a new 21.5-inch iMac that comes with an M1, a flat screen, a redesigned power supply, thunderbolt 4 and USB-C. There are two overall models with the iMac, an 8-Core CPU/7-Core GPU iMac and an 8-Core CPU/8-Core GPU model. You can configure either of these with 8GB or 16GB of memory, and you can customize it up to 2TB of storage.

    I got this one correct as well.

    New Colors for the iMac - 10%

    24-inch Blue iMac from the back.

    I honestly did not expect Apple to announce new colors for the iMac, but guess what, they actually did. There are seven possible colors:

    • Blue
    • Green
    • Pink
    • Silver
    • Yellow
    • Orange
    • Purple

    The first four colors listed are available on all iMac models, while the last three are only available on the 8-Core CPU/8-Core GPU version.

    New colors on the iMac means I got this one right.

    Closing Thoughts

    Surprisingly, I actually got 100% of the predictions that I made, correct. This is the first, and likely the last, time that I will get all of my predictions correct. Time will tell, but I am pretty sure on this last statement.

    You can read all about everything Apple announced by going to the recap post.

    Tags: