It’s hard to be a new parent, we know. And it’s even harder to take care of yourself while trying to keep a new human alive. Thankfully, there’s a lot of tech out there that helps ease the burden for moms and dads — from tablets and earbuds to a rattle that could help avoid an infant meltdown. Tech won’t help with the mountains of dirty diapers – at least, not until robotic diaper nannies are a thing – but it can at least help new parents stay sane.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-gifts-for-new-dads-110049541.html?src=rss
Finding the best iPad accessories can seriously upgrade your tablet experience, whether you're using it to sketch, binge your favorite shows or stay productive on the go. With the right gear, you can customize your iPad setup to match your needs — from a slim folio for iPad that protects your screen to a magic keyboard case that turns it into a full-blown laptop alternative. And if you’re rocking the new iPad Air 11-inch, there are even more tailored options to get the most out of your device.
Accessories aren't just about looks, either. Swapping out worn pencil tips, grabbing a longer Lightning cable or finding the right stand can make a big difference in how smoothly you move through your favorite apps. Whether you're upgrading for work, creativity or just everyday convenience, there's no shortage of smart picks out there to make your iPad even more powerful (and fun).
Before you splurge on a bunch of accessories, you should double check which iPad generation you own. There are a couple of ways to do this: first, you can check the back of your tablet for its model number, which will start with an “A” and end with a series of numbers. You can also go into Settings on your iPad, then General and look up the model number in the top section. If you see a series of letters and numbers with a slash (“/“) in it, just tap that to reveal the iPad’s true model number.
The most important iPad details to consider before buying accessories are the charging port, screen size and Apple Pencil compatibility. Most iPads now have USB-C charging, save for the now discontinued 9th-gen iPad that still requires a Lightning cable. Make sure to double check your iPad’s screen size before buying a folio for iPad or a screen protector — especially if you have the new iPad Air 11-inch. As for the Apple Pencil, check out this guide to how to choose the right Apple Pencil (and even replacement pencil tips) to make sure you're getting the right one for the tablet you have.
Best iPad accessories for 2025
iPad cases
iPad stands and docks
iPad keyboards and mice
iPad stylus
iPad chargers
iPad screen protectors
If you’re a heavy user of the Apple Pencil or some other stylus, you should consider getting a screen protector for your new iPad. They pull double-duty: Not only do they act as a first line of defense if your iPad goes careening onto concrete, but they can also enhance the digital drawing and writing experience. Using a stylus on an iPad is strange at first because gliding the stylus nib over a glass surface feels nothing like “normal” writing. Matte screen protectors can get closer to replicating the pen-on-paper experience, and they also prevent the stylus nib from wearing down as quickly.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-ipad-accessories-130018595.html?src=rss
By the time Apple releases M5-powered iPads, using iPadOS may feel closer to working on a Mac, according to Bloombergâs Mark Gurman in todayâs Power On newsletter. It wonât be macOS running on a tablet, but he writes that the changes will be significant enough to make people who want such a thing happy.
Updates to iPadOS coming this year will be focused âon productivity, multitasking and app window management â with an eye on the device operating more like a Mac,â according to Gurman. He says these changes are due âabout a yearâ after the release of the M4 iPad Pro, a fantastic tablet with far more power than its software demands.
Gurmanâs report doesnât give any indication of what Appleâs updated multitasking will look like, and itâs best to reserve any excitement until we see more. Back in 2022, Apple added Stage Manager to iPadOS 16, a feature that enables windowing and also groups app windows together in a dock-like collection on the side of the display. It might have seemed like an exciting change if you wanted to be able to ditch your MacBook, but what shipped felt too half-hearted to be a useful step in the direction of a proper desktop operating …
Apple’s latest iPad Mini isn’t nearly as capable as other models, but its diminished form factor remains delightful. | Photo: Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
While the best iPad deals usually land during major sale events like Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day, many great iPad deals are attainable outside those times. The day-to-day discounts may come and go like changing winds, but there’s often something to be saved, particularly on the more affordable iPads. The most recent iPad Pro and iPad Mini are also regularly discounted, and you can even save a bit on Apple’s latest iPad Air.
It’s difficult to know where exactly you can find the most notable iPad deals unless you’re scouring the major retailers on a daily basis. But that’s often what our deal hunters at The Verge are doing each and every day, so let us help you out. Below, we’ve listed the best deals you can get on each iPad model that is currently available, from the 10th-gen iPad of 2022 to the latest models equipped with Apple’s powerful M3 and M4 chips.
Apple’s 10th-gen iPad came out in late 2022. It’s still a great tablet overall; however, it’s recently been supplanted by Apple’s latest entry-level model, which features an upgraded A16 chip and twice as much base storage. That said, the last-gen iPad still benefits from a modern design and Apple’s long-in-the-making switch to USB-C. The 10.9-inch tablet is also outfitted with a side power button with a fingerprint sensor and uniform bezels, though, unlike its predecessor, it lacks a home button and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
In the past, you could often buy Apple’s latest entry-level iPad for $349 ($100 off its initial launch price) — which is now the MSRP. Right now, however, the base model with 64GB of storage is on sale at Walmart in select colors starting around $269 ($80 off), which is $20 more than its best price to date. Amazon and Walmart are also selling the 256GB model with Wi-Fi for just shy of $400 ($100 off), which essentially matches its all-time low.
As noted above, Apple’s 11th-gen iPad just recently landed on the scene. The new base-model tablet is a fairly iterative update of the prior model with 128GB of base storage (as opposed to 64GB) and an A16 Bionic chip, which is supposedly nearly 30 percent faster than the A14 chip found in the 10th-gen iPad. The newer chip is not Apple’s proprietary silicon, though, and as such, it doesn’t support the various Apple Intelligence features introduced in iPadOS 18.1. For that, you’ll want to opt for a more recent iPad Air, iPad Mini, or iPad Pro model.
Pricing-wise, the new iPad starts at $349 with Wi-Fi and 128GB of storage. You can also upgrade to 256GB or 512GB of storage for an additional $100 or $200, respectively, or purchase an LTE model starting at $499. We don’t expect those prices to drop significantly in the coming months, though, if you choose to be an early adopter, the entry-level configuration with 128GB of storage is currently on sale at Amazon and Walmart starting at $327 ($22 off). You can also grab the 256GB model at Amazon and B&H Photo starting at $419 ($30 off), or the 512GB variant at Amazon, Walmart, and B&H Photo starting at $599 ($50 off).
The new seventh-gen iPad Mini is similar to the outgoing model but comes with faster Wi-Fi and USB-C speeds, support for the Apple Pencil Pro, and a newer A17 Pro processor with 8GB of RAM to support Apple Intelligence. Otherwise, it boasts nearly identical specs and features as the last-gen model, meaning it has an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display, a USB-C port, and options for 5G. It may not be worth upgrading if you already own a sixth-gen Mini, but newcomers to the category will appreciate the upgrades.
The 2024 iPad Mini starts at $499 with 128GB of storage, which was the price for the previous generation’s 64GB model. Electing for 256GB of storage brings the price up to $599, and the cellular models start at $649. These are some big numbers for a small iPad, and the larger iPad Air might be worth considering if you prefer your dollar to go further with more screen real estate. But if you want an Apple tablet in the smallest possible form factor, this is where the action is.
Right now, you can get the 128GB base model with Wi-Fi at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy starting at $399 ($100 off), which matches its best price to date. You can also get the 256GB variant at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy for $499 ($100 off) or the 512GB model at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy for $699 (also $100 off), which matches the lowest price we’ve seen on either configuration.
Although the 2024 iPad Air isn’t vastly different from the new M3 model, it was the first Air available in a 13-inch configuration in addition to an 11-inch base model. Apple also introduced Wi-Fi 6E radios and upgraded the chipset to M2, enabling the hover feature when using Apple’s latest styluses. You can use the last-gen Air with the Apple Pencil Pro and latest Magic Keyboard, too, and while it’s no longer officially a part of Apple’s tablet slate, both the 11- and 13-inch Air are still readily available starting at $599 and $799, respectively.
In terms of discounts, you can currently pick up the 11-inch base model at Amazon with 128GB of storage and Wi-Fi starting at $549 ($50 off) — which is $50 more than its all-time low. As for the 13-inch iPad Air with Wi-Fi and 128GB of storage, Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart are all selling it in select colors starting at around $698 ($101 off), which is $5 more than its lowest price to date.
The 2025 iPad Air is little more than a spec bump over the previous model, with a few technical upgrades that should allow it to last longer than both the entry-level iPad and the last-gen Air. It features an M3 chip with support for Apple Intelligence and compatibility with Apple’s latest Magic Keyboard, which has a larger trackpad and an extra row of function keys that make the Air a more credible laptop replacement.
The 11-inch model starts at $599 and the 13-inch variant $799 — the same price as the previous models — but we’re already starting to see discounts from third-party retailers. Right now, for instance, the 11-inch Air is on sale at Amazon, Walmart, and B&H Photo in its base configuration with Wi-Fi and 128GB of storage starting at $549 ($50 off). Amazon also has the 256GB model for $644 ($55 off) and the 512GB model starting at $832 ($67 off), which is the lowest price we’ve seen on both configurations.
The larger 13-inch model, meanwhile, is currently on sale at Amazon and Walmart with 128GB of storage starting at $738.08 (about $61 off). You can also pick up the Wi-Fi / 256GB model at Amazon and B&H Photo for $849 ($100 off), or the 512GB variant at Amazon and Walmart for an all-time low of $1,049.
Compared to the latest iPad Air, the 2024 iPad Pro is a far more impressive upgrade. The 11- and 13-inch models start at $999 and $1,299, respectively, and they are the first Apple devices to feature the company’s latest M4 chip, which brings moderate performance gains and dedicated hardware for on-device Apple Intelligence processing. The new Pro models can claim other firsts, too, such as being the first iPad models with OLED displays and the lightest Pros yet, which is true of both sizes. They also feature repositioned front-facing cameras that sit along the horizontal edge, which prevent you from looking as though you’re staring off into space on a video call.
As for deals, the 11-inch iPad Pro with Wi-Fi / 256GB of storage is currently on sale at Amazon and Walmart starting at around $919 ($90 off) — which is about $10 more than its typical sale price. The sleek and super-thin 13-inch model, meanwhile, is on sale in its 256GB base configuration at Amazon and Walmart starting at $1,192 ($107 off), which isn’t a particularly noteworthy discount.
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