Quiet, mid-cycle component upgrades are a thing with Apple, and they're sometimes worth watching out for. The iPad 2 got a chip update last year, for example, which significantly extended its battery life by using a 32nm A5 SoC instead of a 45nm one. Well, much as expected, a very similar processor update has just come to the Apple TV. MacRumors popped open the latest version, known as "AppleTV3,2", and found good evidence of a further die shrink: the central block of silicon is just 6 mm x 6 mm, which is even smaller than the 8 mm x 8 mm chip in the newest iPad 2. This inevitably leads to speculation that Apple has shifted to a 28nm fabrication process, possibly snubbing Samsung's 32nm foundries, but we'd need a proper silicon-level analysis to be certain. In the meantime, though, we'd guess that this update may not be worth hunting down to the degree that the new iPad 2 was -- the level of shrinkage here doesn't seem enough to have a huge impact on power draw, and in any case that's less of an issue for a device that's fed from the wall.
[Image credit: MacRumors]
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Apple
Via: iMore
Source: MacRumors
When it comes to Apple-focused audio wares, Bowers & Wilkins makes some of the of the ritiziest options available. Expanding on its its existing speaker range, the company has introduced a duo of new AirPlay speakers dubbed as the A5 ($500) and A7 ($800). Both HiFi boxes are nearly identical from the outside (aside from the size difference), and feature the same black and silver aesthetic as the MM-1 media speakers. The A7 nets you a duo of 25-watt 1-inch Nautilus "tube-loaded" tweeters" (just like the MM-1s), two 25-watt 3-inch drivers for the mid-range and a 50-watt 6-inch woofer, while the A5 shrinks things by forgoing a woofer and using a smaller speaker array of two 20-watt tweeters and two 20-watt mid-range drivers. The speakers on both units are independently driven, and both systems feature an "audiophile-grade" DAC that'll upscale music streams to a maximum 24-bit / 96kHz sample rate. As you'd expect, the units feature WiFi and Ethernet connectivity and 3.5mm inputs for hooking in sans wireless, but it's worth noting these audio boxes lack 30-pin docks -- at least you still get a remote. Check out the video after the break for a detailed look at both, and the source link below for all the juicy details.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Portable Audio/Video
Bowers & Wilkins intros classy A7 and A5 AirPlay speakers, leaves out the 30-pin dock originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 23 Sep 2012 08:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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