News

Montblanc Combines Luxury With A Twist In Latest Wearable

Montblanc’s new Summit 3 Smartwatch is an exercise in classic watchmaking, but comes loaded with the latest wearable technology.

Published

2 years ago

September 6, 2022

Nour Nasir

Montblanc

As a purveyor of fine timepieces, luxury pens and luggage, Montblanc is no stranger to high-end design. The German brand created its first smartwatch back in 2017 and has just released its latest timepiece, the Summit 3, a high-end wearable aimed at a well-heeled “business lifestyle” audience.

Featuring a hand-crafted titanium case with optional calf leather straps, the watch sits at the high end of the wearable genre and manages to make an Apple Watch look positively ordinary by comparison. Here’s what Montblanc’s CEO had to say about the latest release:

“The Montblanc Summit 3 smartwatch takes luxury smart watchmaking to new heights, pairing premium materials with all the functionalities our clients need as they navigate their day more seamlessly and effectively. The personalization options are also extensive to reflect different style identities,” says Nicolas Baretzki, CEO of Montblanc.

montblanc summit 3 smartwatch

The smartwatch runs Google’s Wear OS and includes three different versions under the same Summit 3 line:

Titanium Gray with black calf and blue rubber straps.
Titanium Black with black calf and black rubber straps.
Titanium Bicolor with Montblanc Extreme 3.0 British green calf strap and black rubber straps.

Personalization options are enormous and include variations in the watch face, such as the 1858, Geosphere or Bohème — though all Summit 3 variants feature a raft of modern tech, generating daily progress, health insights and workout goals for the wearer.

Also Read: Fitbit Unveils 3 New Fitness Trackers — Without Wear OS 3

As well as looking and feeling beautiful, the Montblanc Summit 3 features a personal health suite that includes step tracking, sleep monitoring, and blood oxygen measurement. Of course, with OS Wear, it’s also possible to add apps such as Google Maps and Google Pay, whilst Montblanc’s improvements mean that the battery life of the Summit 3 easily beats the outgoing model.

So what will all of this high-tech titanium-wrapped goodness set you back? Expect to pay $1,290 for the base models before adding any extras.

News

Apple Announces New iPad Pro With M4 Chip And Updated iPad Air

“This is the biggest day for iPad since its introduction,” said CEO Tim Cook in a video posted to Apple’s website.

Published

6 hours ago

May 8, 2024

Nour Nasir

Apple

Apple’s latest updates to its popular iPad Air and Pro models were announced on Tuesday, May 7. These are the first changes since 2022, the longest stretch between new models since the iconic device was revealed in 2011.

Both the 11-inch and 12.9-inch versions of the iPad Pro have received a huge design overhaul. The most noteworthy change is the move to OLED screens, with the 12.9-inch version receiving a small bump in size to 13 inches. Apple claims the new tablets are brighter and more vibrant than outgoing models, thanks to a technology it calls “tandem OLED” or “Ultra Retina XDR”.

The 13-inch model now measures an astonishing 5.1 mm in thickness, which Apple says is its slimmest device ever. (The 11-inch version is 5.3 mm thick.) For those who prefer the look of a matte display, a nano-texture coating will also be available for the first time on the Pro models.

Finally, the new iPad Pros have received a processor bump to the latest M4 chip, which Apple says is an “outrageously powerful chip for AI”, offering an example of its ability to quickly and efficiently isolate subjects from backgrounds in videos.

The iPad Pro 11-inch starts at $999, and the larger 13-inch version starts at $1,299 with 256GB of storage.

Updated iPad Air In Two Sizes

The sixth-generation iPad Air didn’t receive as many upgrades as the iPad Pro but significantly does now come in two sizes. As with the Pro models, buyers now have the choice between an 11-inch and 13-inch screen, meaning they don’t need to invest in a Pro version just to get a 30% bump in display size.

Apple kept the same design for the iPad Air that it first revealed in 2020, complete with a USB-C port and Touch ID in the top button. The only difference is the front camera placement, which has been moved to the center of the iPad when in landscape orientation.

The 11-inch iPad Air is priced at $599 for the entry-level model, while the 13-inch version starts at $799.

Also Read: How To Clean Your Apple Watch Like A Pro

New Magic Keyboard Case

Apple also announced an updated (thinner, lighter) Magic Keyboard for its Pro iPads. The refreshed version now includes a function row (with controls for screen brightness). An aluminum palm rest and large trackpad with haptic feedback also help the premium case feel more like a Macbook.

The new Magic Keyboard is available for both the 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pros and will be priced at $299 or $349, respectively.

Apple Pencil Pro

Apple also announced a new Apple Pencil, named Pro, at its event. The new model looks exactly the same but adds a “squeeze” function that opens a new tool palette. Meanwhile, a built-in gyroscope sensor lets you alter the orientation of the tools you’re using as you twist the device, offering finer control. Finally, the new pencil gets support for Apple’s Find My network, which should keep minds at rest at the prospect of losing the $129 device.

Finally, to round off Apple’s series of announcements, the entry-level iPad was reduced to $349 — a $100 price cut.