O'Grady's PowerPage

Category: iPad mini

  • Apple adds final Intel-based 13-inch MacBook Air, Apple Watch Series 5, and other devices to its vintage products list

    Apple adds final Intel-based 13-inch MacBook Air, Apple Watch Series 5, and other devices to its vintage products list

    You may love a certain Apple product or model, but there comes a time when Apple classifies it as vintage or obsolete and you have to let it go.

    Apple on Thursday added the final Intel-based 13-inch MacBook Air, the Apple Watch Series 5, and additional products to its vintage products list. The iPhone 11 Pro was also added to the list after the iPhone 11 Pro Max was added back in September.

    The full list of products added to Apple’s vintage and obsolete list today:

    • MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)
    • iPhone 8 Plus 128GB – other capacities were already vintage
    • iPhone 11 Pro
    • iPad Air 3, Wi-Fi + Cellular – Wi-Fi-only models not yet vintage
    • Apple Watch Series 5, Aluminum, 40mm
    • Apple Watch Series 5, Aluminum, 44mm
    • Apple Watch Series 5, Ceramic, 40mm
    • Apple Watch Series 5, Ceramic, 44mm
    • Apple Watch Series 5 Hermes, 40mm
    • Apple Watch Series 5 Hermes, 44mm
    • Apple Watch Series 5 Nike, 40mm
    • Apple Watch Series 5 Nike, 44mm
    • Apple Watch Series 5, Stainless Steel, 40mm
    • Apple Watch Series 5, Stainless Steel, 44mm
    • Apple Watch Series 5, Titanium, 40mm
    • Apple Watch Series 5, Titanium, 44mm

    Apple classifies a product as vintage after more than five years have passed since the company stopped distributing it for sale. Apple and Apple Authorized Service Providers may offer repairs for vintage devices, but only if parts remain available. Apple, like every other company, is only required to manufacture replacement parts for the product for five to seven years after the product is last sold.

    The company considers a product to be obsolete once more than seven years have passed since it was last available for sale, and hardware service is generally unavailable for those devices. Mac notebooks, however, remain eligible for an extended battery-only repair period of up to 10 years from the date of discontinuation. This, in turn, is subject to the availability of replacement parts.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors and support.apple.com

  • Happy New Year from O’Grady’s PowerPage!

    Happy New Year from O’Grady’s PowerPage!

    Once again, it’s New Year’s Day in the Mac universe, and with 2026 officially underway, the staff at O’Grady’s PowerPage would like to wish you a safe and happy new year.

    Enjoy the day, relax, see your friends and family, eat some great food, stay warm, enjoy some incredible basketball and football games, and we’ll be back tomorrow with all the Mac, mobile, and iPhone news, rumors, features, and tidbits we can get our hands on.

    Take care, stay safe, and we’ll be back tomorrow.

  • Ford offers public backing for CarPlay, insists on continued support for the system

    Ford offers public backing for CarPlay, insists on continued support for the system

    In the midst of the ongoing kerfuffle as to which car manufacturers will support Apple’s CarPlay, Ford has announced that the company remains committed to Apple’s in-car software and won’t be shifting away anytime soon.

    Speaking at the 2025 Barclays Global Auto and Mobility Tech Conference, Ford CFO Sherry House voiced her company’s support for CarPlay. Ford Authority reports the CFO said it was important to give consumers choice and access to technology, which will be a key feature of Ford’s future plans.

    “We think that it is a product that our customers really enjoy, so we’re going to continue to allow them to have access to that,” said House, specifically referencing CarPlay.

    Despite the public support and mention, Ford seems to be on the fence as to CarPlay Ultra. As of September, CEO Jim Farley said the company will stick to the standard CarPlay, but wasn’t keen on the initial execution of CarPlay Ultra.

    In spite of some car manufacturers backing away from CarPlay or keeping their options open, as of November, there were reports that Tesla was working on supporting CarPlay, following years of consumer demand to add it.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via AppleInsider and Ford Authority

  • Some iPad models receive hefty end-of-year discount

    Some iPad models receive hefty end-of-year discount

    It may be the very end of the calendar year, but there are still some good deals to be had.

    Over at Amazon, some iPad model prices have dropped to as low as $299, with discounts of up to $200 off. The deals include a return of the $299 iPad 11-inch, reflecting a $50 discount off retail on the 128GB Wi-Fi model.

    The iPad is available in blue, silver, and pink colors as of this writing, and the 256GB model is $50 off as well.

    The current deals are as follows:

    • iPad A16 2025 (128GB, Wi-Fi): $299 ($50 off)
    • M3 iPad Air 11-inch (128GB, Wi-Fi): $499 ($100 off)
    • M3 iPad Air 13-inch (128GB, Wi-Fi): $699 ($100 off)
    • M5 iPad Pro 11-inch (256GB, Wi-Fi, Standard Glass): $949 ($50 off)
    • M5 iPad Pro 11-inch (2TB, Wi-Fi, Nano-texture Glass): $1,999 ($100 off)
    • M5 iPad Pro 13-inch (256GB, Wi-Fi, Standard Glass): $1,199 ($100 off)
    • M4 iPad Pro 13-inch (2TB, Wi-Fi, Standard Glass): $2,099 ($200 off)

    Apple Pencil models are also up to 26 percent off, as follows:

    • Apple Pencil USB-C: $68.95 ($10 off)
    • Apple Pencil Pro: $94.97 ($35 off)

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via AppleInsider and Amazon

  • iRobot adds Matter support for several additional Roomba models, allows for HomeKit device integration

    iRobot adds Matter support for several additional Roomba models, allows for HomeKit device integration

    This could come in handy where your home and your robotic vacuum cleaner of choice are concerned.

    OVer the last few weeks, Roomba maker iRobot has added Matter support to a number of its Roomba robot vacuums, allowing them to be integrated with the Home app and used with Siri voice commands.

    The feature has been available for the Roomba Combo 10 Max since earlier this year. Now, existing Roomba Plus 500 Combo, Roomba Max 700 Vac, and Roomba Max 700 Combo vacuums can get Matter support through a firmware update. Matter has not yet been re-added for the Roomba Combo J7 and J9 models.

    Once supported, Matter-enabled Roomba models can be added and controlled via the Home app on devices running iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4 or higher, as long as a Home hub is available (Apple TV or HomePod). While the Home app doesn’t offer the full suite of features available with robot vacuums, basic commands are available. The units can be set to vacuum and mop an entire home, or a specific room or area, with ‌Siri‌ voice commands.

    Once added to the home app, the device can integrate with other HomeKit devices. The Roomba, for example, could be set to vacuum whenever you leave the house, or at a certain time. Automations can be triggered by presence, time, sensors, or when an accessory like a light is activated.

    Apple added support for Matter-connected robot vacuums in iOS 18.4 earlier this year. Several companies have since come out with Matter options, including Roborock, Ecovacs, Switchbot, and Roomba.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors and iRobot