It’s become a familiar pattern: Apple holds a big product launch event in September, then follows it up with another press event in October, which they did again on Thursday. And while they may not have made a huge splash like they did with the iPhone 6 and Apple Watch, they did give us a nice counting lesson with the iPad Air 2, iPad mini 3, and iMac 5K, plus the final release of OS X Yosemite. As we always do, we break down Apple’s announcements and try to distinguish the differences between the FIVE models of iPads now available.

Our other tech headlines this week:

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• Intel powers new Chromebooks from Dell, Samsung; Google Exec Change Suggests future Convergence of Android and Chrome OS
  
• Fed-backed Twitter study draws fire
  
• 49ers Quarterback Fined $10,000 for Violating NFL Ban on Beats Headphones
  
• GamerGate
  

With Apple’s iOS 8.1 update rolling out to phones this week, iPhone 6 and 6 Plus users will begin getting to use Apple Pay, which will also be coming to the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3, plus next year’s Apple Watch. Douglas offers an in-depth overview of the Apple Pay service, how it works, why it actually is secure, and why certain Apple devices only offer certain Apple Pay features but not others.

Josh returns with a fresh array of FLUNKS, in which he chides Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella for disparaging comments on the gender pay-gap, questions Macy’s for starting Black Friday at 6 pm on Thanksgiving this year, and utterly screams at Hatred, a senseless, ultra-violent video game. He also offers an EPIC WOW to Google’s response to Stephen Colbert, and an OKAY THEN, UMM to recent comments by Apple’s design chief, Jony Ive.

Episode Duration: 1:35:56

On This Episode: Douglas Bell and Josh Feldman

Download: Tech tAUk Reloaded #43 (46 MB MP3)