Preorder Apple’s 2024 iPad Pro And iPad Air – How To Get The Best Deal
For anyone looking to get a new iPad Pro–or iPad Air–and have been waiting to see what Apple’s new models will bring to the table, the wait has been worthwhile. The flagship tablets for 2024 come with some of Apple’s best technology packed inside of an incredibly slim form factor, as well as an OLED screen to make every activity and task on them pop with vivid detail. Apple’s 2024 iPads and the upgraded Apple Pencil Pro are available to preorder now ahead of their May 15 release. as is the new Apple Pencil Pro that is compatible with both the iPad Air and iPad Pro.
While the iPad Pro does have a premium price, you can save $50 on your order by becoming a My Best Buy Plus member. Best Buy’s rewards program costs $50 a year, but you’re getting some great perks like exclusive discounts, free two-day shipping, and early access to sales. And if you’re getting the new iPad Pro, you’re getting the membership for free as a result of the discount–so there’s no reason not to sign up. If you trade in your old iPad to Best Buy, you can get the new iPad Pro for as little as $399.
The iPad Pro is a workhorse device, one that allows for high-power performance and is ideal for creative people on the move. Ever since the line was first introduced several years ago, they’ve been popular with artists, video editors, and other creative professionals, and their potential for productivity is increased when paired with an Apple Pencil Pro. Admittedly, the new iPad Pro is pure overkill if you’re looking for an entertainment device for when you want to sit back at night and chill with some Netflix or a few rounds of Marvel Snap, but the other draw of an iPad Pro is that it can realistically replace a laptop or PC for many people.
With its M4 chipset, the iPad Pro can also serve you well as a mobile gaming console. Apple has made some moves recently to attract big names in the gaming scene, and with titles like Resident Evil Village, Death Stranding, and Assassin’s Creed Mirage available on supported hardware, the idea of a very portable and sleek game console is tempting. These tablets also have GPU upgrades, hardware-accelerated ray tracing, and mesh shading, so AAA games should look great on the new tandem OLED displays. The same goes for cloud gaming and remote play with your PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam libraries
Combine a 2024 iPad Pro with a nice stand, connect a wireless controller via Bluetooth, and you’ll have a solid gaming setup when you’re not creating art or editing videos. Some of these models also have a “nano texture” on their display, Apple’s solution for reducing screen glare while avoiding washed out colors on its iPads. This is essentially a matte texture applied to the screen, but with some clever engineering, there’s no frosting on the surface that you’d typically find with this textured layer. This is the same tech you can find in Apple’s high-end Studio Displays (very fancy monitors).
Of course, if you don’t require that much power, you can also look at the iPad Air as a more affordable alternative. While they don’t have the M4 chipset of the iPad Pro–the new iPad Pro has around 50% better performance in comparison–the M2 chip inside of them is nothing to sneeze at. That’s still an impressive amount of power, and while this model doesn’t have an OLED screen, the LED display still packs a visual punch.
For entertainment, the iPad Air has two stereo speakers and mics, while the iPad Pro has a quad-speaker system and four mics. The more expensive iPad Pro will naturally sound better with its robust setup, but the iPad Air should still be pretty decent when you’re relaxing in bed and streaming an episode of Shogun. If you’re into photography, both models have decent 12-megapixel cameras with an f2.4 aperture mounted on the rear, and the front-facing cameras are now placed in a landscape position.
One of the other neat design choices this year is storage capacity, as at the very minimum, you’ll be getting 256GB of space to install apps, save content, and store pictures on your iPad Pro. If you need as much space as possible, the line maxes out at 2TB. The iPad Air, meanwhile, starts at 128GB and goes up to 1TB.
We’ve gathered up all the available purchase options for you, including base models and the fancier versions equipped with a SIM card slot for cellular coverage.
Preorder 2024 iPad Pro and iPad Air at Best Buy
All of the iPad Pro models are available in Silver and Space Gray color variants.
Preorder iPad Pro 11-inch – Starting at $999
Preorder iPad Pro 11-inch (Wi-Fi and cellular) – Starting at $1,199
Preorder iPad Pro 13-inch (Wi-Fi) – Starting at $1,299
Preorder iPad Pro 13-inch (Wi-Fi and cellular) – Starting at $1,499
All of the new iPad Air tablets are available in Starlight, Blue, Space Gray, and Purple color variants.
Preorder iPad Air 11-inch (Wi-Fi) — Starting at $599
Preorder iPad Air 13-inch (Wi-Fi) — Starting at $799
Preorder Apple Pencil Pro — $129
Access-Ability Announces June 2024 Summer Showcase
Access-Ability has announced that the Access-Ability Summer Showcase will return on June 7 at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET. As the name suggests, the showcase will highlight various accessibility options to help inform disabled gamers about upcoming games designed with accessibility features.
Thanks to Access-Ability, we also know that the showcase will feature release dates, exclusive trailers, and details on new gameplay features. Although little is known about what’ll be shown, Access-Ability has confirmed that games from the following studios will be featured: Whitethorn Games, PlayTonic, and Fiction Factory Games. In addition, viewers can win a copy of Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan by watching the stream.
The showcase will be livestreamed on Twitch and will then be published on YouTube. It will also feature ASL (American Sign Language) and BSL (British Sign Language). Audio Described versions will play simultaneously for those who are hard of hearing.
The presentation will be hosted by Laura Kate Dale, a disabled gamer and accessibility consultant. The showcase will also feature various guests from the disabled gamer community, some of whom include Arevya and SightlessKombat.
Be sure to check out our story detailing all of the summer game showcases scheduled to take place soon.
MultiVersus Adds The Joker To Its Rogues Gallery Of Playable Characters
The return of MultiVersus is mere weeks away, and the team at Player First Games has begun teasing what’s new and improved in the platform fighter. Following a pair of blog posts detailing netcode improvements and combat adjustments, the first roster addition of the new era has been announced: The Joker is coming to MultiVersus, with Mark Hamill once again providing his voice.
The Clown Prince of Crime was revealed in a brief teaser posted to the official MultiVersus Twitter account, which shows Batman approaching his archnemesis while passing Bugs Bunny, Shaggy, and Arya Stark, who had all been defeated. Joker emerges from a cloud of billowing smoke, taunts Batman, and the teaser ends.
A few snippets of gameplay for The Joker were then shared to the official MultiVersus Discord server, which show off the character’s standard emote and a flashy air combo. His info card was also unveiled, which lists a few of the moves in his repertoire:
- Crowbarred is a vertical crowbar swing that can be charged before the attack.
- Dirty Dealer is a projectile with one of three effects. Each effect cycles as the move is used.
- Blastoff is a rocket-launcher projectile that can be charged before firing.
Mark Hamill returning to the role of The Joker is notable, as at a FanExpo event in San Francisco last November, the actor said he would never assume the role of The Joker again, as he refused to reprise the role without Kevin Conroy as Batman. Conroy, who passed away in November 2022, does provide the voice for Batman in MultiVersus.
MultiVersus will launch as a free-to-play title on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC on May 28.
Max Price Hike Coming, Along With Potential Layoffs At WBD – Report
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav is reportedly looking for even more ways to cut costs and make more money, and this could include a price hike for Max and additional layoffs. Bloomberg reported these details and more ahead of WBD’s earnings briefing on May 9.
WBD has already cut more than 2,000 jobs in the past year, though the scale and timing of any future cuts is unknown. The report also said WBD might look to slash “hundreds of millions of dollars” from the company’s streaming division, mostly in marketing and technology.
In terms of a price hike for Max, the report said a price increase is coming, but it’s not clear when this could take place or what the new rate might be. Currently, Max costs $10/month with ads or $16/month without ads.
A spokesperson for WBD declined to comment on a potential price increase for Max or about the reported cost-cutting moves, but said the company is “focused on the long-term growth of the business overall.”
In terms of what WBD does plan to spend money on in the future, Zaslav has said the company will focus on franchises and tentpoles that have the best shot at making a profit. To that end, WBD has announced a Harry Potter TV show and an additional Game of Thrones spin-off.
Additionally, Zaslav has said he believes the company’s big money-makers, including DC and The Lord of the Rings, are currently “underused.” This could be a signal that WBD plans to invest further in these franchises in the future.
In other news, Conan O’Brien, who just launched a new TV show on Max, recently poked fun at the decision to change the name of HBO Max to Max on an appearance on Hot Ones. He said, “Is it HBO Max or just Max? I can’t get used to it. It’s not a better name.” He added: “They used to call it HBO, but people found that too popular. So now it’s Max because that really rolls off the tongue.”
Amid WBD’s layoffs, cuts, and the high-profile cancellation of Batgirl, Zaslav recently saw his pay rise in 2023 to $49.7 million, up from $39.3 million in 2022.
WBD will release its next earnings report and answer questions on May 9, so keep checking back for more.
Prime Video’s Ads Will Soon Be Harder To Avoid And More Intrusive
Amazon has announced that Prime Video’s ads are getting more intrusive. In a blog post (via The Verge), Amazon announced an “expanded suite” of ad formats with the aim of pushing you to buy stuff and to help Amazon make more money.
Amazon said Prime Video will soon have “shoppable carousel ads” on TV shows and movies. This will display a sliding lineup of products that viewers can quickly add to their Amazon cart. Upon interacting with it, this ad will pause to allow users to browse through it. Whenever the viewer stops interacting with the ad, the programming will continue.
The next type of ad is what’s called an “interactive pause ad.” This means when you pause a TV show, movie, or live sport on Prime Video, an ad may pop up, along with options for “Add to Cart” and “Learn More.” Viewers can resume their TV show or movie whenever they want.
The third new type of ad for Prime Video is what’s called an “interactive brand trivia” ad. This will show “factoids” about a specific brand and then encourage them to shop or learn more about the product or brand in question.
Amazon is announcing these new ad types ahead of the company’s upfronts presentation on May 14.
For context, Hulu has had ads on paused videos since 2019. YouTube is now testing ads when you pause.
Amazon upset people earlier this year when it introduced ads to Prime Video’s premium tier. Users can bypass the ads by paying an extra $3 per month. Amazon is now facing a potential class-action lawsuit that alleges the company deceived subscribers with this new plan.
One of the next big releases for Prime Video is The Boys Season 4, which releases on June 13. Check out the newest trailer above.
Anya Taylor-Joy Explains How Her Dune: Part Two Cameo Happened
One of the big surprises in Dune: Part Two was the reveal that Anya Taylor-Joy had a small cameo role in the film as a future version of Alia Atreides, the unborn younger sister of Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides. But getting that small scene together and keeping it a secret was no easy feat for Taylor-Joy. During a profile with Variety, Taylor-Joy revealed that the biggest obstacle that almost kept her out of the movie was her leading role in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.
Taylor-Joy also told Variety that she’s a big fan of Dune director Denis Villeneuve, but she was dismayed to learn that his sequel was filming at the same time as Furiosa.
“I skipped all the stages of grief and went straight to begging,” recalls Taylor-Joy. “I was like, ‘I can do this. I can be in Australia and Abu Dhabi at the same time.’ He wanted me to be part of the universe. We kept in touch. I just had this feeling that it wasn’t over.”
Although she attempted to keep tabs on Dune: Part Two’s production while shooting Furiosa, Taylor-Joy was told by her agents that the film had started shooting without her. It wasn’t until she was finished with Furiosa that Taylor-Joy discovered that Villeneuve had made special arrangements for her.
“[Villeneuve] said, ‘I made a deal with the studio: If I was on budget and on time, I could do this.'” That allowed Taylor-Joy to shoot her scene with Villeneuve and a small crew in Namibia. Villeneuve and Taylor-Joy also went to great lengths to keep her role a surprise.
“No one at the studio knew,” recalls Taylor-Joy. “My face had been blurred out [in early cuts of the film].”
Dune: Messiah was announced shortly after Dune: Part Two was a hit at the box office. And Villeneuve made it clear to Variety that he wants Taylor-Joy back for that movie as well.
“Shooting with Anya in Africa was nothing short of magical,” said Villeneuve. “Her generosity, candor and passion truly moved me. I can’t wait to go back on Arrakis with her.”
Furiosa Trailer Provides Best Look Yet At The New Mad Max Movie
Furiosa, a prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road, has a new trailer out now–and it’s absolutely epic. Not only that, but tickets to the George Miller-directed movie are on sale now.
Furiosa stars Anya Taylor-Joy as the title character, Furiosa, who was played by Oscar-winner Charlize Theron in Fury Road. Chris Hemsworth plays the main antagonist, Dementus. Furiosa is a standalone Mad Max movie that digs into the origins of Furiosa, and as this newest trailer shows, there is a lot to know about who Furiosa is and where she came from.
“As the world fell, young Furiosa is snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers and falls into the hands of a great Biker Horde led by the Warlord Dementus,” reads a line from the movie’s description. “Sweeping through the Wasteland, they come across the Citadel presided over by The Immortan Joe. While the two Tyrants war for dominance, Furiosa must survive many trials as she puts together the means to find her way home.”
Alyla Browne and Tom Burke also star in Furiosa. Miller also co-wrote the script with Fury Road’s Nico Lathouris. Behind the camera, Furiosa brings back a number of people in the costume department who won Oscars for Fury Road.
Furiosa releases in theaters on May 24, just in time for the Memorial Day long weekend in the US. International markets get the movie first, however, starting on May 22.
The film had its debut in Sydney, Australia on May 2. It is the biggest movie ever filmed in Australia, and it received tax breaks for shooting down under.
The Office Follow-Up Series Is Going Straight To Peacock
Earlier this year, Greg Daniels, the man who developed the American version of The Office, revealed that he was planning a new follow-up series for the hit comedy. Now, Peacock has officially ordered The Office follow-up series, and set production to begin this summer.
Daniels co-created the new show with Michael Koman, who previously co-created Nathan For You. The duo cast Domhnall Gleeson and Sabrina Impacciatore in the leading roles in April. While details about their characters have yet to be revealed, the connecting thread between this show and the original series will be the documentary crew that followed Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton employees for over a decade. The crew will reunite to chronicle the story of “a dying historic Midwestern newspaper and the publisher trying to revive it with volunteer reporters.”
“It’s been more than ten years since the final episode of The Office aired on NBC, and the acclaimed comedy series continues to gain popularity and build new generations of fans on Peacock,” NBCUniversal Entertainment President Lisa Katz in a statement. “In partnership with Universal Television and led by the creative team of Greg Daniels and Michael Koman, this new series set in the universe of Dunder Mifflin introduces a new cast of characters in a fresh setting ripe for comedic storytelling: a daily newspaper.”
The new series doesn’t have an official name yet, and the rest of the ensemble cast will presumably be in place when the show begins filming in July.
Elden Ring Fans Can Win A Huge Statue If They Make A Cool Trailer
Ever thought of yourself as a top-notch video editor? Now is your chance to put hundreds of hours honed by creating anime music videos to the test in Bandai Namco’s Elden Ring contest. The publisher of 2022’s hit game has challenged players to create their own Elden Ring trailer, and the first-place winner of the Return to Grace contest will win a 10-foot statue of Messmer the Impaler as a prize.
Tarnished, can you feel the anticipation for ELDEN RING Shadow of the Erdtree?
Begin the celebration by entering the Return to Grace Video Contest.To enter: Submit a video under 5 minutes to the website below that commemorates your experience in #ELDENRING. pic.twitter.com/zKqYedMPuZ
— Bandai Namco US (@BandaiNamcoUS) May 6, 2024
The runner-up winners of the best narrative, best action, and best direction awards won’t be walking away empty-handed either, because Bandai Namco will reward them with a life-sized replica of Malenia’s prosthetic arm. Or maybe that means they are walking away empty-handed.
Finally, the winners of the best comedy, best use of sound, best armor design, and the most original use of the Elden Ring IP will win a replica of Messemer the Impaler’s helmet. This contest is only open to US residents, trailers must not be longer than five minutes, and they must be uploaded to YouTube to be eligible. You’re probably going to want to see if you have enough space for the grand prize in case you win, because that is a big collectible.
For the rest of the Elden Ring fandom, it’s not long to go before the game’s highly anticipated expansion Shadow of the Erdtree launches on June 21 for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation. This will be the only DLC expansion for Elden Ring, as game director Hidetaka Miyazaki confirmed that no other new content will be added to the game after it arrives.
Bandai Namco stated that Elden Ring would be made “in a variety of other areas” besides gaming, and so far, that strategy has seen the rollout of several terrific action figures and a hilarious Elden Ring manga series.
New Twisters Trailer Has A Fire Tornado, Fireworks, And Glen Powell In A Wet T-Shirt
Twisters will apparently explore what happens when you shoot fireworks into a tornado. The act is courtesy of Glen Powell’s character Tyler Owens, who confidently says at one point in the sequel’s new trailer: “We don’t need PhDs and fancy tech. Sometimes the old ways are better than the new.” Not to be outdone, Kate Cooper (portrayed by Daisy Edgar-Jones) responds: “Well, you can always trust a guy who puts his face on a T-shirt.”
This banter and more are part of the action-packed new trailer for Twisters, which can be seen below. The video also features a fire tornado and Owens walking in the rain with a cowboy hat and wet white T-shirt. There’s also a truck getting pulled into the air by a tornado and a water tower collapsing, among other destruction.
The twin tornadoes from the first Twisters trailer also make an appearance, combining to create a super whirlwind. We also, once again, see how Cooper is roped back in to chasing storms and comes across the boisterous Owens, who’s known as the Tornado Wrangler. While there don’t appear to be any connections to the original Twister, there is a chance Cooper, for example, could be the daughter of Helen Hunt’s Jo Harding and Bill Paxton’s Bill–especially since his last name is never given.
This sequel to Twister was given the green light back in 2022, with Powell coming on board roughly a year ago. Twisters takes place in central Oklahoma and will also feature Anthony Ramos (Transformers: Rise of the Beasts), Brandon Perea (Nope), Sasha Lane (Loki), and Maura Tierney (Liar Liar, The Iron Claw). The movie is directed by Lee Isaac Chung, who previously worked on Minari and Mandalorian.
Twisters is set to premiere in theaters on July 19.