iPad Pro 2018 Benchmarks

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We all know now that the benchmarks are more than impressive in respects to Apple’s A12X but we also know that the new 2018 iPad Pro in the 1TB configuration has an extra 2GB of RAM. For multitasking purposes, this is going to be the jam but the price sets it around the realm of MacBook Pro pricing. So, if you’re comfortable with iOS as the sole computer, this maybe just be the thing.

If you’re asking me, I’ve been contemplating it for over two years but still find myself on the MacBook Air from time to time. I’m also waiting to see what the pricing structure will be for the new MacBook Pro’s with the Radeon Vega GPU Chipset set to debut sometime this week. 60% faster than the Radeon 560 which is currently in the latest highest spec’d MacBook Pro is a tremendous update.

Geekbench scores for iPad Pro (top), MacBook Pro (bottom)

Geekbench scores for iPad Pro (top), MacBook Pro (bottom)

The biggest takeaways are:

That means the highest-spec iPad Pro's single-core performance is 92.8 percent that of the top end MacBook Pro.

Geekbench's scores for multi-core operations are not quite as close, though. For multi-core performance, the benchmark rates the iPad Pro as 17995 and the MacBook Pro as 21251. That puts the iOS device at 85.68 percent of the laptop.

Of course, John Gruber also summarizes it quickly in reference to the 13” MacBook Pro:

It’s not clear at all who the MacBook Pro without Touch Bar is for today, though. In principle, it’s for people who want higher performance than the MacBook Air provides. In practice, it’s not much faster — about the same in single-core, and about 15 percent faster in multi-core. It weighs more, costs more, and yet doesn’t have Touch ID.

Ideally, maybe a the new 2018 MacBook Air with the BlackMagic eGPU Vega 56 would be the key especially if the performance of that box for $1,199 is much better than the built in Vega in the upcoming MacBook Pro. I just want to start editing the videos of my kids faster and while on the road and carry the least possible.

Vega 16 or Vega 20 built in 

Vega 16 or Vega 20 built in 

Hydrow Campaign Has Started! →

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Don't get me wrong, I've always wanted a Peloton bike and enjoy their services when I'm at various hotels but rowing has always been up there as my go to if an ergometer is available. I rowed for a year at UCSD but it was some of the funnest times and the most awesome competitive sport that I have been a part of. Hydrow looks to grow the company with their Indiegogo campaign and seems to me an easy acquisition target for Peloton.

update: They are almost up to $1M in funds raised! Let’s get them over that hump!

Apple’s New MacBook Pro i9 is Cleared to Go FAST! →

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After the initial hoopla concerning thermal related throttling in Apple’s new MacBook Pro, after working with popular laptop YouTube review Dave Lee, Apple has issued a statement and software update that addresses this issue. Looks like I’m getting a new computer and finally putting down this 2010 MacBook Air Core2Duo!

Following extensive performance testing under numerous workloads, we've identified that there is a missing digital key in the firmware that impacts the thermal management system and could drive clock speeds down under heavy thermal loads on the new MacBook Pro. A bug fix is included in today's macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 Supplemental Update and is recommended. We apologize to any customer who has experienced less than optimal performance on their new systems. Customers can expect the new 15-inch MacBook Pro to be up to 70% faster, and the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar to be up to 2X faster, as shown in the performance results on our website.

Tesla’s Rainbow Farting Space Ship — Model 3P →

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I’m no financial analyst, but I do know cars. If you were hoping Tesla would fail on account of the Model 3 I’ve got bad news: This thing is magnificent, a little rainbow-farting space ship, so obviously representative of the next step in the history of autos.

So many great anecdotes in WSJ’s review but this one was the best.

Tesloop Raking in the Miles →

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Since the Model S was launched Tesloop has incurred a combined maintenance cost of roughly $19,000 or about $0.05/mile. This cost breaks down to $6,700 for general vehicle repairs and $12,200 for regularly scheduled maintenance. The Model S’ full service record is available here. The record includes comparable estimated costs of running the service with a Lincoln Town Car instead of a Model S or Mercedes GLS class instead of a Model X. Tesloop estimates that a Lincoln Town Car or Mercedes GLS class’ combined maintenance cost to be around $88,500 ($0.22/mile) and $98,900 ($0.25/mile) respectively over 400,000 miles.

Some pretty impressive numbers!!! I still have yet to use any of my 6 passes that I bought a while ago but I’ve heard plenty of positive reviews!

Back in June 2018 one of Tesloop’s Model X 90Ds, dubbed Rex, achieved 300,000 miles on its original battery and drive units in 1.75 years. Battery degradation over the 300,000 miles was ~10%. Tesloop has also included the Model X’s full service record, see here. Since achieving the milestone the Model X’s rear drive unit has been replaced.

Looks like we may be keeping the X for MANY years to come! We have personally driven around 19,000 since acquiring her on Dec 2017. Needless to say, it’s been VERY enjoyable.

2018 MacBook Pro Real Life Tests

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Wait, what? The new MacBook Pro is outperforming its predecessor by over 4x and the fully-spec’d 2013 by 85x? I ran this test a bunch of times and got pretty much the exact same results. In fact, the 2013 model clocked 38 minutes on one test.

I wonder what the speed differenc would be compared to my 2010 MacBook Air Core 2 Duo!

You know that feeling when you put your hands on a keyboard and you feel like you can just fly on it? This is one of those. It’s quiet, yet still maintains a solid tactile response and the size feels right.

One of the first positives that I’ve heard about this 3rd generation butterfly keyboard.

Surface Go Identity Crisis

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Microsoft isn’t targeting its Surface Go at any particular customer from what I can tell. It’s not an iPad killer, it’s not going directly after Chromebooks, and it’s not really challenging $400 Windows laptops. While the Surface Laptop launched at an education event alongside Windows 10 S, the Surface Go appears to be targeted far more broadly across education, regular consumers, and even commercial usage. It’s clearly designed to be a cheaper and more portable Surface that lowers the barrier of entry for those put off by the price of a Surface Pro and its more capable specifications. It’s also aiming to be more than an iPad or a Chromebook.

Once again, instead of hitting a Home Run, Microsoft goes for a base single. A sub-par experience won’t bode well into converting or convincing future users to stay in the Windows platform but instead show them that it’s awful. I was hoping it would have been better.

Current Tesla Owners Still Get Over the Air FSD for $4k →

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Current owners of Model S and Model X with Autopilot 2.0 have reported to Electrek that they are now also seeing the price of the upgrade increase.

We contacted Tesla to get an explanation about the situation and the company confirmed that it is a mistake and they will honor the original $4,000 price. The new $5,000 price is for new orders.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently said that the first new features under the ‘Full Self-Driving Capability’ package should be released with Tesla’s version 9 software update, which is expected to be released this summer.

Here’s to honor! Thanks Elon. (As always, emphasis is my own.)

What Battery Degradation? →

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The data clearly shows that for the first 50,000 miles (100,000 km), most Tesla battery packs will lose about 5% of their capacity, but after the 50,000-mile mark, the capacity levels off and it looks like it could be difficult to make a pack degrade by another 5%.

The trend line currently suggests that the average battery pack could cycle through over 300,000 km (186,000) before coming close to 90% capacity.

And apparently 80% nearing the half million mile mark. Hopefully the car lasts as long. :) Cheers to the future!

Tim Cook on Privacy →

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“The ability of anyone to know what you’ve been browsing about for years, who your contacts are, who their contacts are, things you like and dislike and every intimate detail of your life -- from my own point of view it shouldn’t exist.”

Agree.

“We’ve worried for a number of years that people in many countries were giving up data probably without knowing fully what they were doing and that these detailed profiles that were being built of them, that one day something would occur and people would be incredibly offended by what had been done without them being aware of it,” he said. “Unfortunately that prediction has come true more than once.”

It’s truly a sham and shameful.

Final Case Against Android →

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This past week, a New Zealand man was looking through the data Facebook had collected from him in an archive he had pulled down from the social networking site. While scanning the information Facebook had stored about his contacts, Dylan McKay discovered something distressing: Facebook also had about two years' worth of phone call metadata from his Android phone, including names, phone numbers, and the length of each call made or received.

Android is open. Apparently completely open. Google, what say you? I think there’s even more of a falling out to come especially with Apple’s Tim Cook doubling the down on Apple as well as Walt Mossberg mentioning how he secured his tech life in retirement.