Category Archives: Transhuman News

Researchers and sleep experts are ringing alarm bells about a nascent marketing tactic: injecting advertisements into your dreams.

A trio of researchers at Harvard, MIT and the University of Montreal published an essay on dream hacking in Aeon warning that, according to a recent survey, 77 percentof marketers plan to use dreamtech advertising in the next three years.

Multiple marketing studies are openly testing new ways to alter and drive purchasing behavior through sleep and dream hacking, the team writes. The commercial, for-profit use of dream incubation the presentation of stimuli before or during sleep to affect dream content is rapidly becoming a reality.

Two of the essays authors previously worked on an MIT device designed to communicate with sleeping subjects and even hack their dreams, lending them credibility on the topic.

Of particular concern, they wrote, was an ad campaign by Molson Coorsbefore this years Super Bowl, which promised free beer in exchange for participation in a dream incubation study involving a video with dancing beer cans and talking fish and pop star Zayn Malik. Interesting, the scientists pointed out, Coors used the phrase targeted dream incubation, a term coined by two of the three in a 2020 paper, meaning that advertisers are indeed keeping an eye on academic work on dream hacking.

All three penned an open letter earlier this year that slammed advertisers trying to hack dreams. Forty other scientists signed the document. The writers also argued that the Federal Trade Commission, which regulates advertising in the US, should update rules against subliminal messages in advertising to ban dream hacking.

Its important to act before its too late, the authors say, because while dream incubation has practical uses treating PTSD, for one its only a matter of time before tech companies that make watches, wearables, apps and other technology that monitor our sleep start to sell that data for profit, or use those tools to hack our dreams while we slumber.

Worst of all, you probably wont even remember it.The researchers referenced a study that found mixing bad smells with cigarette smoke while daily smokers slept reduced their smoking the next day but they couldnt remember smelling anything.

All told, its a provocative warning and a call to regulate the tech before it matures.

The Coors dream advertisement was not merely a gimmicky marketing campaign; it was a signal that what was once the stuff of science fiction might quickly become our reality, the researchers wrote in Aeon. We now find ourselves on a very slippery slope. Where we slide to, and at what speed, depends on what actions we choose to take in order to protect our dreams.

More on advertising: After Backlash, Pepsi Says It Never Planned a Space Billboard

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Scientists Warn That Marketers Are Trying to Inject Ads Into Dreams - Futurism

Its craters might reveal evidence of dark matter. Black Hole Holes

A team of researchers say that the Moon is peppered with craters from miniature black holes and they may reveal some breakthrough insights on dark matter.

The scientists, who published a paper of their findings in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, believe that swarms of atom-sized black holes formed shortly after the Big Bang. As these hyper-dense objects traveled throughout the cosmos, they began to spread out and likely arrived to our solar system, where they claim they probably punctured the Moon.

The studys authors add that these mini-black holes likely smashed into other celestial bodies as well, including the Earth. Due to the Moons thin atmosphere, though, it wasnt as well-guarded against collisions as our world.

In principle, theres nothing special about the Moon the only reason we invoke the Moon is because its well studied, Almog Yalinewich, a physicist at the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics and co-author of the paper, told CNET. Some of the moons of Neptune and Jupiter, or Mercury, could be good candidates.

The papers authors believe that evidence of these miniature black holes could shed light on dark matter, the elusive stuff that many physicists believe accounts for the majority of matter in the universe.

Some scientists believe that dark matter is made up of black holes formed from density fluctuations in the early universe, according to the paper. As such, if mini-black holes from the beginning of the universe did puncture the Moon, they could have left evidence of dark matter behind and altered the properties of any light matter they came into contact with.

You could look for dust of different quartz phases and silicates that you wouldnt be able to produce [otherwise], Matt Caplan, assistant professor of physics at Illinois State University and co-author of the study, told CNET. Rock smashing into rock doesnt get that hot.

The researchers believe that future manned missions to the Moon, such as NASAs upcoming Artemis program, will hopefully allow them to find and study these craters and finally shed light on the mysterious nature of dark matter.

READ MORE: Black holes slamming into the moon could end the dark matter debate [CNET]

More on black holes: New Paper Claims That Yes, You Could Climb Through a Wormhole to a Distant Galaxy

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Scientists Say Mini-Black Holes May Have Smashed Into the Moon - Futurism

"This is my final warning!"Bank Memes

Last week JPMorgan sued Tesla, arguing the company owed it $162 million.

We have provided Tesla multiple opportunities to fulfill its contractual obligations, so it is unfortunate that they have forced this issue into litigation, read a statement issued by the bank.

And now, Musk is beefing with the bank in the most Musk way imaginable.

If JPM doesnt withdraw their lawsuit, I will give them a one star review on Yelp, Musk told The Wall Street Journal. This is my final warning!

While presumably tongue-in-cheek, making enemies of banks is risky. At the same time, the electric carmaker isnt exactly struggling to find banks to cooperate with, thanks to its record-breaking value of more than $1 trillion.

In other words, Musk may be calling JPMorgans bluff.

The lawsuit is connected to Musks infamous 2018 tweets in which he promised to take Tesla private, claiming to have secured funding for at $420 a share.

JPMorgan was betting on an eventual sale of Tesla, which of course never materialized.

Given Musks remarks to the WSJ, the CEO isnt exactly quaking in his boots. Besides, $162 million is pocket change for someone in Musks position.And hell be represented by Alex Spiro, the attorney who previously helped him wriggle out of a defamation lawsuit after he called a British cave explorer a pedo in 2019.

Tesla is also in a strong position given its sky-high valuations and crushing expectations in Q3 of this year.

Musk may have been playing fast and loose with his comments back in 2018,which earned him a massive lawsuit from the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

But whether JPMorgans lawyers will be able to make a strong enough case remains to be seen.

READ MORE: JPMorgans Jamie Dimon and Teslas Elon Musk Feud Behind the Scenes [The Wall Street Journal]

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Elon Musk Threatens Bank With "One Star Review on Yelp" Unless They Drop Lawsuit - Futurism

The Museo del Novecento has beaten the Pinacoteca di Brera, its larger neighbour 15 minutes walk across Milan, to secure the worlds most important private collection of Futurist art. Valued at 143m, the Mattioli collection features 26 works by artists including Boccioni, Balla, Carr, Depero, Morandi and Modigliani. Together with the Novecentos current body of 35 Futurist pieces, it will form what experts have described as an unrivalled collection dedicated to the artistic movement.

Created by the businessman Gianni Mattioli in the decade following the Second World War, the collection includes landmark works such as a version of Ballas Mercury Passing Before the Sun (1914) and was declared indivisible and unique by the Italian state in 1973. The collection was displayed at the Peggy Guggenheim Museum in Venice from 1997 to 2015 and was recently on show at the State Russian Museum in St Petersburg. In the latest deal announced in September, it will be made available to the city-run Novecento on a free, five-year renewable loan starting next spring.

Italian media presented the news as a bitter blow to the state-run Brera gallery. Palazzo Citterioan 18th-century building acquired by the state in 1972 to house Breras 20th-century workshad long been seen as the natural home for the collection. The newspaper Corriere della Sera speculated as early as 1975 that the Mattioli collection was destined for the building. In 2017, Brera formally announced that the works would be displayed at the Citterio, then due to open the following year.

Il Cavallo Bianco (the white horse, 1919) by the Futurist painter, sculptor and designer Mario Sironi. Photo: Museo del Novecento di Milano.

However, persistent delays have ultimately undermined those plans. After a 23m renovation was completed in 2018 following numerous setbacks, James Bradburne, the Breras director, proposed a number of modifications. Alberto Bonisoli, the culture minister at the time, accepted the proposals, but he was soon replaced following a change of government. Bradburne was forced to resubmit his plans, which were finally approved in January 2021. The Citterio is now scheduled to open next year.

Meanwhile, talks between the Novecento and Giacomo Rossi, the grandson of Mattioli and current owner of the collection, began at the start of this summer, Anna Maria Montaldo, the director of the Museo del Novecento, tells The Art Newspaper. Montaldo consulted Bradburne on the plans, and conversations were cordial and conducted with utter respect, Montaldo says. [Bradburne] assessed the situation with great lucidity. He knew he could not secure the Mattioli collection by the end of his mandate, she adds.

The collection will make the Novecento undoubtedly the most important centre for Futurist art anywhere in the world, Montaldo says. Asked whether the five-year loan may be extended indefinitely, she replied: Milan is the hotbed where Futurist art was forged. Fate will decide the collections future, but the owner is very open to talks.

After a major reorganisation conducted during lockdown, the museum reopened on 1 October. Works from the Mattioli collection will be mixed with those already on display, with gallery space to be reclaimed with further reordering and by placing some works in storage. Scheduled to open in 2026, a newly renovated tower at the museums Palazzo Arengario site will allow for further expansion of the collection.

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How a Milan museum won the battle to show the world's most important private collection of Futurist art - Art Newspaper

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is extremely keen on getting humanity off this planet.

And thats more important than ever given the fact that humanity is staring down the barrelof climate change, comet strikes, and dropping birth rates not to mention, in his words, good ol nuclear Armageddon.

During an appearanceatthe National Academies joint meeting of the Space Studies Board and Board on Physics and Astronomy, Musk elaborated on his ambitious plans to get a permanent base on Mars established.

Musks concerns are about mitigating the civilizational risks we that we can potentially mitigate and making humanity multiplanetary is chief among the ways we can do that, according to the CEO.

If you wait long enough, you know, Earth will become uninhabitable, Musk mused. So in the long run we are obviously all dead, he added with a chuckle.

The first few trips to Mars may be a bumpy ride, Musk admitted, referring to how the first Atlantic crossings were terrible.

At last years Humans to Mars summit, Musk also said that building a base on Mars will be very hard and dangerous.

Not for the faint of heart, he added at the time. Good chance youll die. And its going to be tough, tough going, but itll be pretty glorious if it works out.

While rocketing off to Mars, the view in our rearview mirrors may not be pretty. In fact, it sounds like Muskis already anticipating the worst for our current planet.

Theres always a risk of a comet taking out a continent, Musk said during this weeks joint meeting, arguing that there were plenty of sort of continent-level extinction events that have occurred in the fossil record that dont get talked about much.

But bigger rockets may allow us to fend off incoming comets or space rockets and one day save billions of people,he said.

Its convenient, of course, that Musk says that the biggest dangers to humanity are ones that his precise business interests can defend against.

Still, the threats to our existence on planet Earth are real. Musk also highlighted carbon emissions in the atmosphere and the melting of the tundra, adding that he is probably less alarmist than most when it comes to the environment.

Musk also reiterated his worry about the decline of global birth rates, an underappreciated risk, with many population rates dropping with no end in sight.

Apart from comets, climate change and dropping birth rates potentially driving our species to extinction, theres always good ol nuclear Armageddon, Musk added. Thats not out of the question.

I dont know what quite that risk is but its not zero, he said.

More on the event: Elon Musk Says First Orbital Starship Launch May Explode

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Elon Musk: We Have to Get to Mars Because of "Nuclear Armageddon" on Earth - Futurism

With the news of Mark Zuckerbergs new pet project to create a fully-digital world, the metaverse is a topic thats getting more buzz than ever. Naturally, your mom or dad might have a few questions about it when it comes time for Thanksgiving. Heck, you might have a few of the same questions yourself.

Well, have no fear: Weve created a handy guide with all the essential talking points you need to get through a conversation with your friends and family about the metaverse.

The metaverse is a term used to describe a complete virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) world where people use digital avatars to interact with each other.

The term metaverse was first coined in Neal Stephensons 1992 sci-fi novel Snow Crash. However, the concept remained niche until it was broadly popularized in Ernest Clines 2011 Ready Player One. Both stories present the metaverse as a dystopian, escapist tool wielded by the powerful in order to control the masses by putting them into a perpetual state of complacency and distraction but, confusingly, both authors seemed to think that living in the metaverse would be kinda cool.

The concept is in the news once again because back in October, Facebook rebranded itself as Meta and announced sweeping plans to develop a fully-realized metaverse for totally non-evil and nondystopian reasons. In his announcement, CEO Mark Zuckerberg described the metaverse as a massive online platform thatll allow users to create digital avatars, meet and interact with friends, and create AR overlays over existing physical spaces.Oh, and for some reason, nobody has legs.

Many experts are rightfully apprehensive about the project, including Facebooks own VR expert John Carmack, who said recently thathes been actively arguing against every single metaverse effort that the company has put forth for years. While there are a few reasons for the backlash, the most substantive stem from privacy concerns as well as perceptions that the metaverse needs to be a larger, community-led effort rather than centralized by an evil mega-corp (hey, kind of like in Ready Player One!)

Explain to your parents that you want Thanksgiving and Christmas to be held via metaverse from now on, so you can roleplay as your digital fursona avatar or tell em that youd rather be able to mute dad when he goes on one of his libertarian rants again.

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How to Talk to Your Family About the Metaverse - Futurism

"We think Natrium will be a gamechanger for the energy industry."Introducing Natrium

Microsoft CEO Bill Gates has decided to fully LARP as Mr. Burns from The Simpsons by starting his own nuclear power plant and hes chosen a tiny Wyoming city to build it in.

The Natrium nuclear power plant will be built in Kemmerer, Wyoming, reports The Guardian. The facility will replace an old coal plant thats slated to shut down by 2025, and is expected to create as many as 250 jobsin the 2,600-population city,once completed and operational.

Behind the operation is TerraPower, an energy company founded by Gates and owned by Warren Buffets Berkshire Hathaway.

Our innovative technology will help ensure the continued production of reliable electricity while also transitioning our energy system and creating new, good-paying jobs in Wyoming, TerraPower CEO Chris Levesquesaid in a press release.

Natrium itself is going to be a 345-megawatt sodium-cooled reactor that would serve roughly 250,000 homes in the area around Kemmerer, according to The Guardian. This type of reactor allows the plant to quickly shut down in case of a catastrophic Chernobyl-esque emergency,the hope being that itll be safer than older and more traditional reactors.

We think Natrium will be a gamechanger for the energy industry, Gates said during the projects launch event in June.

Meanwhile, others arent so convinced of the technology. Edwin Lyman, director of nuclear power safety at the nonprofit science advocacy group Union of Concerned Scientists, told The Guardian that he believes using liquid sodium has many problems.

Honestly I dont understand the motivation, Lyman told the newspaper. There are some people who are just strong advocates for it and theyve sort of won the day here by convincing Bill Gates that this is a good technology to pursue.

Regardless, it is a bit confusing why two of the most prominent billionaires in the world have decided to team up to build a nuclear power plant in a tiny Wyoming town it could chart a new course for cleaner energy, but its fair to say that its also giving off big evil-wealthy-supervillain energy.

READ MORE: Bill Gates-backed experimental nuclear power plant heads to tiny Wyoming city [The Guardian]

More on Bill Gates: Bill Gates Was Reportedly Horrible to His Employees

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Bill Gates and Warren Buffet Are Building an Experimental Nuclear Plant in a Tiny City - Futurism

"These should be high-priority sites to target for future landed missions."Carbon Cold Traps

Researchers have discovered that the Moon might have frozen pockets of carbon dioxide and say they could be used to create lunar greenhouses.

A team of scientists identified the CO2 cold traps in a paper published in the journal Geophysical Research Letter. This is a phenomenon that occurs when gasses like carbon dioxide collect and remain in pockets due to frigid temperatures, lack of atmosphere, and lack of sunlight, according to Salon a development that could chart the course for a long term human presence, or possibly even agriculture, on Earths natural satellite.

I think when I started this, the question was, Can we confidently say there are carbon dioxide cold traps on the Moon or not?' Norbert Schrghofer, planetary scientist at the Planetary Science Institute and lead author of the study, said in a press release. My surprise was that theyre actually, definitely there.

As NASA prepares to launch the Artemis project to return humans to the Moon, the existence of carbon dioxide cold traps could present shall we say a fruitful opportunity.

For one, carbon dioxide could be used as fuel, which means less resources spent launching supplies to future lunar outposts. The gas could be converted into oxygen for astronauts to breathe, too. Carbon dioxide can also be used in greenhouses, which need the gas for plants to grow.

All this means that areas near these cold traps will likely be highly desirable targets for colonization efforts.

These should be high-priority sites to target for future landed missions, Paul Hayne, a planetary scientist at the University of Colorado who was not a part of the study, said in the release. This sort of pinpoints where you might go on the lunar surface to answer some of these big questions about volatiles on the Moon and their delivery from elsewhere in the solar system.

READ MORE: The moon has carbon dioxide traps that astronauts could use to make fuel and grow plants [Salon]

More on the Moon: NASA Reveals Moon Location for Ice Drilling Mission Next Year

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Researchers Say CO2 "Traps" On Moon Could Be Used to Grow Plants - Futurism

Facebook is really committed to getting between you and reality, and the gloves are starting to come off or, rather, on.

With its newly announced plans to build out a metaverse, the social network has now announced that its building a haptic glove, a wearable meant to enable you to touch objects in the metaverse.Oh yeah, and its changing its name to Meta.

The value of hands to solving the interaction problem in AR and VR is immense, said Facebook Reality Labs research director Sean Keller in a blog post. People could touch, feel and manipulate virtual objects just like real objects all without having to learn a new way of interacting with the world.

In short, Meta is trying to turn the novel Ready Player One into a reality. Or perhaps, its trying to rip off Nintendos ahead-of-its-time Power Glove.

The companys glove is meant to be light, soft, and also perfectly capture its wearers hand movements. Its being designed to reproduce a range of complex, nuanced sensations for the wearer such as pressure, texture, and vibration to create the effect of feeling a virtual object with your hands, according to the company.

In other words, Meta is setting the bar extremely high.

Were creating almost everything about this discipline from scratch, Keller said. Were learning how people perceive the sensations of touch and how they complete tasks. Were figuring out how to fit the whole variety of human hand shapes and sizes, while maintaining mechanical coupling to the user.

As of right now, the glove is using hundreds of tiny actuators to trick the wearer into thinking theyre touching something in the virtual world. But theyre far from ideal, creating too much heat. Theyre also too bulky, expensive, and power hungry, according to the company.

If you need thousands of tangible forces in different locations at different distances, you either need pneumatics, hydraulics, or high-density electroactive actuators, Reality Labs hardware engineering director Tristan Trutna said in the post.

The team is now looking into using electrical fields and pneumatic actuators to trick your hands into feeling something.

But that leaves one big question still looming: do we need Metas gloves to make its metaverse feel any more real? The company is betting big on virtual reality, arguing that three-dimensional, cartoonized avatars of our physical bodies will eventually replace human interaction we crave so much especially after nearly two years of COVID lockdowns.

Its a bet so big that its starting to annoy the companys own VPs.

Meta has also repeatedly made one thing clear: it cannot be trusted. Despite being used by billions of people around the world, the network has helped drive people apart, profited directly from pushing provocative content, and continuously leaked sensitive personal data.

And the company isnt inviting you to play a game for an hour, then take the VR goggles off. Metas ambitions appear to be much larger in scope than that and its haptic glove is only the latest example.

Allowing the company to take control over our physicality and sense of touch should come as a warning sign. And weshould probably think twice before committing ourselves to its metaverse.

READ MORE: Inside Reality Labs Research: Meet the team thats working to bring touch to the digital world [Facebook]

More on Facebook: Facebooks Top VR Expert Seems Pretty Annoyed by Metaverse Push

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Facebook Shows Off Gloves That Allow You to "Feel" VR Objects - Futurism

When Steve Jobs famously said We want to put an incredibly great computer in a book that you can carry around with you, its hard to believe the iPad wasnt what he had in mind. Containing the processing power of a laptop in the folio-like footprint of a small book or magazine, Apples decade-long list of iPads offers something for everyone.

The gamut of available iPads includes multiple product lines: the entry-level iPad, the iPad mini, the iPad Air, and the mighty iPad Pro. Each series offers its own set of advantages and highlights, though certain featurese.g., a great-looking display or all-day battery lifeare present regardless of the family name or model.

In this article, well help clarify what to look for when shopping for your next iPad, including which features should be prioritized or disregarded. Well also give specific examples of iPads that are better suited for certain uses and applications.

Best iPad Overall: Apple 10.2-inch iPad (9th Generation) Best iPad for Procreate: Apple 12.9-inch iPad Pro (5th Generation) Best iPad for Students: Apple 10.9-inch iPad Air (4th Generation) Best iPad for Value: Apple 8.3-inch iPad mini (6th Generation) Best iPad for Kids: Apple 7.9-inch iPad Mini (5th Generation)

When it came to choosing the best iPads of 2021, there was no one answer. After all, whats best for one user might not serve the needs of the next. So, instead of trying to find the one perfect iPad, we highlighted the best iPads for specific-use cases and scenarios.

Per our own research, we divided the audience into the common categories (e.g., kids, students, shoppers on a budget, etc.). Once we established our categories, we began collecting data from multiple sources, including verified customer reviews, colleagues, industry professionals, and so on. We used that data, along with our own criteria and considerations, to make our recommendations. Here are the factors we considered when evaluating each iPad.

Display: An iPads display tells you a lot about what it can do. Resolution, brightness, color supportthese types of traits and characteristics told us whether a particular model of iPad might be good for photo editing or whether we could use it to color grade a video or stream a Netflix show in 4K.

Size: Size matters a lot when it comes to mobile devices like tablets and iPads. Size tells you how big of a canvas youll have to work with if youre a digital designer or how big of a bag youll need to tote your iPad around. Size doesnt necessarily impact performance on a 1:1 scale, but it can impact where and how you work.

Storage: Apple tends to charge a premium for additional memory and RAM, so we made sure to keep an eye on the costs in relation to the amount of storage that was offered. In terms of storage volume: if an iPad didnt ship with at least 64GB of built-in memory, it didnt make our list.

Accessory Support: iPads are truly wondrous machines, and with the right accessories you can enhance them even furtherfrom mobile tablets to full-fledged notebooks and workstations. We paid special attention to ports, connectivity features, and wireless communications, knowing that the right accessory could dramatically elevate the performance of any compatible iPad.

Why It Made the Cut: Featuring a big, beautiful display, a blazing-fast processor, and plenty of storage, the 9th-Generation iPad is the best iPad overall.

Specs: Display: 10.2-inch Retina display Storage Capacity: Up to 256GB Processor: Apple A13 Bionic chip

Pros: 10.2-inch multi-touch Retina display with True Tone 2160 x 1620 resolution with 264 ppi Apple A13 bionic chip with Neural Engine machine learning 12MP Ultra-wide front camera with Center Stage and 8MP rear camera Up to 256GB of storage capacity

Cons: Supports only the 1st-Generation Apple Pencil, not 2nd

The latest iteration of Apples do-everything device includes several notable upgrades that makes it an all-around better tablet than its predecessor and the best overall iPad for most people.

Whats behind the 9th-Generation iPads mass appeal? For starters, it features Apples powerful new A13 Bionic chip, which not only makes the Apple 10.2-inch iPad (9th Generation) more powerful than its predecessor, it also allows the new iPad to perform tasks several times faster than even the best-selling Chromebooks and Android tablets.

Combine that extra speedy performance with a gorgeous 10.2-inch Retina display, an AI-backed camera system featuring Apples popular Center Stage experience, all the benefits of the latest iPadOSincluding a full catalog of powerful multi-tasking toolsand youre talking about a tablet thats faster, more powerful, and more capable than the majority of its peers.

Oh, and did we mention that, this time around, the iPad starts at 64GB of memory? Thats double the paltry 32GB of storage its predecessor offered. Best of all: The starting price is exactly the same, meaning you get all that extra power and performance for no additional cost.

Once you total up all the features (the new chipset and unrivaled performance, the extremely high value, the great setup and double the storage, etc.) what you get is an iPad that will work great for just about everyone, regardless of their needs or budget.

Why It Made the Cut: The 5th-Generation iPad Pro offers a big, objectively gorgeous canvas, along with the most powerful processor ever put in a mobile device, making it the best iPad for Procreate.

Specs: Display: 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR touchscreen Storage capacity: Up to 2TB Processor: Apple M1 8-Core CPU

Pros: 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR touchscreen 2732 x 2048 Resolution with 264 ppi Apple M1 8-Core CPU 12MP front camera, 10MP and 12MP rear cameras Up to 2TB of storage and 16GB of RAM

Cons: Definitely not cheap

The 12.9-inch iPad Pro (5th Generation) is probably the most powerful tablet ever made, which is why its also the best choice for users who need an iPad that can handle graphics-intensive applications, including everyones favorite digital illustration app, Procreate. The iPad Pros massive 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display uses over 10,000 LEDs to reach a peak brightness of 1600 nits (far higher than many laptops), providing digital artists and illustrators a bright and clear canvas that works better than many dedicated digital painting tablets.

Of course, it will take more than a couple robust applications to stress the iPad Pro. Thanks to its powerful M1 system on a chip (SoC), the 12.9-inch iPad Pro can handle any task or workflow that comes its way. With the M1 chipset, you are getting the power and performance of a desktop computer in a tablet. In addition to being an all-powerful patron of the arts, the iPad Pro also features the best camera setup ever put in an iPad tablet, next-generation connectivity including Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5, and Thunderbolt via USB-C (finally!), as well as so, so much more.

Although clearly one of the best iPads, the one drawback to the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is that its not within everyones budget. Turns out you to have to pay for all that power. But, if youre looking for the absolute best iPad for Procreate and any other graphics-intensive application (and the price tag is financially feasible), then there simply isnt a better option.

Why It Made the Cut: The 4th-Generation iPad Air delivers a balanced attack of speed, processing power, and portability, making it the best iPad for students.

Specs: Display: 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display Storage capacity: Up to 256GB Processor: Apple A14 Bionic chip

Pros: 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display 2360 x 1640 Resolution with 264 ppi Apple A14 Bionic Chip with Neural Engine machine learning Up to 256GB storage 7MP front camera, 12MP rear camera

Cons: No face ID

For many students, juggling the responsibilities of school life and life-life can be challenging. To meet those responsibilities head-on, students need an iPad thats powerful enough to tackle any task and portable enough to remain close at hand. Thats why we recommend the 10.9-inch iPad Air (4th Generation), which offers looks and performance thats comparable to the iPad Pro, but in a lightweight 1-pound footprint thats super easy to carry with you.

Comparable might not even be a strong enough word to describe the similarities between the iPad Air and the iPad Pro. In terms of looks, they could very well be mistaken for twins. In particular, the iPad Air features those same super-thin bezels that give the iPad Pro such a sleek aesthetic.

Checking under the hood, youll see that even though the iPad Airs A14 Bionic chipset offers lightning-fast performance, its no match for the iPad Pros revolutionary M1 SoC. In a head-to-head race, the A14 cant beat the M1, but thats OK, because it doesnt have to. Despite having less power overall, the A14 Bionic still has more than enough muscle to handle even the most demanding applications and mobile workflows, so software like Procreate still functions without a hitch.

Why It Made The Cut: The 8.3-inch iPad isnt the cheapest iPad youll find, but the amount of features you get for the price you pay returns more bang for your buck than any other iPad or tablet on the market.

Specs: Display: 8.3-inch Retina display Storage capacity: Up to 256GB Processor: Apple A15 Bionic chip

Pros: 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display 2268 x 1640 Resolution with 264 ppi Apple A14 Bionic chip with Neural Engine machine learning Up to 256GB storage

Cons: No face ID

Even though the new 8.3-inch iPad mini (6th Generation) starts at $100 more than its predecessor, its still an incredible deal thats packed with more value than any other iPad on our list. Dont believe us? Compare last generations model, the 7.3-inch iPad mini (5th Generation), to this years 6th-Generation model.

As we mentioned earlier, the 6th-Generation model does indeed cost more than the 5th-Generation version, but look at what you get for that extra cost. For starters, the 6th-Generations design has been completely overhauled and updated. Its sleeker now, with slimmer bezels and more screennamely an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display that runs almost half an inch larger than its predecessors 7.9-inch Retina (non-Liquid) display.

The new iPad mini also features an A15 Bionic chip, which is the most powerful A-series chip Apple has ever produced and, according to Apple, is 80 percent faster than the A12 chip thats inside the 5th-Generations iPad mini. The chip and screen arent isolated instances, either. Compare the specs between the two models and youll see how much more advanced every component in the current iPad mini is. Youll soon realize what a great deal the price bump is for such a dramatic improvement in power.

Why It Made The Cut: The 7.9-inch iPad mini (5th Generation) is the only iPad on our list thats hardy enough to survive our kids and has enough battery power to keep up with them all day.

Specs: Display: 7.9-inch Retina display Storage capacity: Up to 256GB Processor: Apple A12 Bionic chip

Pros: 7.9-inch Multi-touch Retina display 2048 x 1536 Resolution A12 Bionic chip 7MP Front FaceTime HD camera and 8MP rear camera Up to 256GB of memory storage Up to 10 hours of battery life

Cons: Only supports 1st-Generation Apple Pencil

The 7.9-inch iPad mini (5th Generation) isnt new. Its not even the most current generation of its own subset series, the iPad mini. It was released in 2019, and back then it was cutting-edge. Were approaching the end of 2021, and though its not quite as flashy as it once was, the 5th-Generation iPad mini is still a solid performer, and its the best iPad for kids who are just starting out with their very first iPad.

This model features an A12 Bionic chip, which, though slower than the current A-series chipsets, still performs admirably. Its True-Tone Retina display still works great for streaming cartoons or watching YouTube videos, and even runs Minecraft well at low video settings. The 5th-Generation iPad mini also supports the 1st-Generation Apple Pencil, so kids can use it as a digital art studio for digital painting and drawing.

Another great thing about the iPad mini is that, to a child, its not all that mini. Its especially great for younger children, who cant handle the extra size of even the base model iPad.

Planned Usage: Having some idea of how you plan to use your iPad can help you narrow the selection field considerably. For example, if you know that your next iPad will predominantly be used for web browsing or other basic functionality, then you probably dont need the herculean iPad Pro. For some users who are looking for seamless integration with Google apps, it can also be worth it to explore some of the best alternatives to the iPad.

Display: An iPads display is one of its most critical components. Think about it: Virtually everything you do with your iPad involves the display in some way. To that end, you want to make sure the display is big enough for your needs, whether thats drawing on a digital canvas or binging Netflix. Similarly, youll want to make sure the display has a high enough resolution and can support the color profiles youll be working with if youre an artist or creator. Last but not least, youll want to make sure the display supports your preferred accessories. Some iPads, for example, only support one generation of Apple Pencil. Take time to verify that your prospective iPad will play nice with all your favorite tools and accessories.

Storage: When shopping for your next iPad, be sure to carefully consider how much internal memory youll need, because you wont get the chance to upgrade later. Cloud-based storage services can help you out, but we think its better to find a model that has enough built-in memory to address your needs. At the bare minimum, we recommend you dont pick anything with less than 64GBnot unless youre keen on constantly deleting files and photos.

Q: Which iPad is the best for students?We think the 4th-Generation iPad Air is the best iPad model for students. Not only does it offer power and performance similar to what you see in Apples top-of-the-line iPad Pro, but the lightweight iPad Air travels easily in your backpack, bag, or purse, so taking it to and from class wont be an issue.

Q: How much does an iPad cost?iPads vary in cost, starting out around $300 and going as high as $2,500. As with most things, cost is relative to iPads specs and features. Generally speaking, from low to high, the cost of iPads goes: iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air, and the iPad Pro. Another cost to keep in mind is storage. The more storage you add on, the higher the price becomes.

Q: Is 32GB enough for an iPad?In short, no, its not. We recommend 64GB at the minimum. Why isnt 32GB enough? Well, for starters, its not 32GB. Your iPad comes with preinstalled OS and software, so right out of the box, youve probably only got around 25GBs of free space. Realistically, that is not enough space in the long run, even for those of us who are especially thrifty with our camera roll, apps, etc.

Q: What is the best inexpensive iPad?The 10.2-inch iPad (9th Generation) is the best inexpensive iPad that you can buy right now. Despite its many features, the base model still comes in at just over $300. Thats the same price as the previous generation, which barely holds a flame to this model.

Q: How to recycle your iPad?To recycle your iPad, you should first visit Apples Trade-In website. There, you will find information on how to trade in or recycle your iPad in your area of the world.

Q: Whats the difference between the iPad and iPad Pro?The biggest difference between the iPad and the iPad Pro is the chipset. Both size variants of the iPad Pro feature Apples very own M1 CPU, the fastest, most powerful processor ever put into a mobile device. The current generation of iPad features an A13 Bionic chipset, which is a fast and efficient SoC on its own, however it just cant compete with Apples new top-tier silicon. Few chips can.

Able to meet the wants and needs of almost every type of user, the 10.2-inch iPad is the best choice for most people. Bolstered by its lightning-fast A13 Bionic chipset, the 9th-Generation iPads powerful combination of speed, performance, and display quality means there are few tasks or functions it cannot handle. Add to that the fact the 64GB base model is one of the least expensive iPads you can buy, what were talking about is a device thats both capable and fairly wallet friendly. In other words, the balanced, budget-friendly 10.2-inch iPad (9th Generation) is the best iPad for most people.

Looking for something smaller? Check out our guide to the best tech gifts.

This post was created by a non-news editorial team at Recurrent Media, Futurisms owner. Futurism may receive a portion of sales on products linked within this post.

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