Apple, earlier today, unveiled the next generation of their tablet device - aptly called ‘The New iPad’ (seriously!). The headline feature being the Retina display with a ridiculous 2048 x 1536 pixel resolution, packing a whooping 264 pixels per inch.
Other note worthy features unveiled include the new A5X SoC (system on chip) with quad-core graphics and a 5MP iSight camera capable of capturing 1080p video. The noteworthy feature (which is, for the moment at least, redundant in the UK) is support for 4G LTE offering speeds up to 72Mbps.
Otherwise, largely things remain unchanged, with very slight increases in weight (1.4lbs) and thickness (9.4mm) with Apple promising battery life of up to 10 hours.
Several blogs, that were at the Apple event, have already posted their first impressions. Here’s a collection of a few.
There’s no doubt that this here tablet feels every bit like a $500 product, oozing quality from edge to edge and being as delightful as ever to use. Is it the second coming of the tablet? Of course not, but if we’ve learned anything from the iPhone 4S, it doesn’t need to be. Apple just put an insane amount of real estate in the hands of crafty developers, and frankly, we can’t wait to see what they cook up.
“It’s Resolutionary” Apple says of the new iPad, and we have to agree. We’ve just grabbed some hands-on time with the new Retina Display iOS 5.1 tablet, and the difference from the iPad 2 – which, remember, stays on sale alongside it – is vast. The pixels in the 2048 x 1536 display are, at regular arm’s length, completely indistinguishable: it’s only when you get up close that you can make them out. …
… Should you opt for the new iPad rather than the discounted $399 iPad 2? From our brief experience with the new Retina Display, it’s hard to imagine going back to less pixel-dense panels. When third-party developers jump on board and begin crafting Retina Display-compatible titles, the iPad 2 may start looking like a poor choice for anyone but those on the strictest of budgets. Make no mistake, the new iPad has reset the bar for the tablet segment, leaving Android and Windows 8 OEMs playing catch-up once again.
As for the high-resolution “retina” display, it certainly looked good. Just like the iPhone 4 and 4S, the third-generation iPad’s screen was very smooth and able to (quite impressively) display high-resolution photos and videos without pixelation no matter how close you look. The display has fewer pixels per inch than the iPhone 4/4S, but in our side-by-side comparisons, that wasn’t perceptible. The two screens looked basically the same in terms of sharpness, though the third-gen iPad did appear to have higher color saturation.
Physically, the device feels nearly the same in hand as the previous model. Though it does have a slight bump in thickness, the difference is nearly unnoticeable. Since the design hasn’t dramatically changed, there’s not much to note in the casing department, and though there are improved cameras present, the general seating and size of the sensors seems unchanged.
The new iPad should go on sale in several countries worldwide on March 16th 2012. Pre-orders can be placed now.
Will you be getting one?
Tags: apple, iPad, Technology
