Ok gadgeteers, it’s official, the new iPad was announced today by Apple. And that’s exactly what they are calling it too. The “new iPad”. Not the iPad 2S, iPad 3 or the iPad HD. Just the new iPad. Oh well, it’s just a name right? It’s the features that matter…
Hardware Features:
4G LTE for Verizon and AT&T here in the US. 4G for Rogers, Bell and Telus across the pond
9.7 inch 2048 x 1536 pixel Retina display
A5X dual-core processor and a quad-core graphics chip
iSight 5mp camera capable of capturing 1080p video
10 hours of battery life
Ability to turn the device into a WiFi hotspot
iOS 5.1 and updated apps:
Voice dictation key
iPhoto for iPad with more editing features and ability to beam photos
New version of iMovie, iWork,
New version of Garage Band that features the ability to collaborate with other people/iPads
I’m most excited about the Retina display since the other features are less apparent to me. Yes 4G is a big deal, but since I don’t have 4G coverage here in Southern Indiana, I’m not crying tears of joy. Better camera, ok, that’s nice. But I am not going to use my iPad to take pictures, so I’m not turning cartwheels over that upgrade either. iPhoto for iPad interests me though. I want to try the photo beaming feature. Wow, I was all excited while I was watching the live blogs, and now that has already kind of worn off. Yes, I’ll be buying one though – because I have to. I’m The Gadgeteer after all 😉
The new iPad will be available in stores starting March 16th for $499 for the 16GB WiFi model and up to $829 for the 64GB version with 4G. It’s available today for pre-order. I think I’m going to spring for a 32GB with 4G. What about the rest of you?
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Last time I checked, there was no “pond” between USA and Canada… You are aware that Canada is not in europe, right?
@Alex That shows how much I paid attention as I thought those carriers were European… Oh well. 😉
Black 64gb Verizon 4G
The iPhoto app does look good. But this “new iPad” is more of an “upgrade” than “amazing innovation”. Comparing it to a car…I don’t care if the new 2012 cars can go faster, have extra cup holders or is greener…I’ll buy it when it hovers. It seems like technology these days has stalled. A quad core chip inside an iPad isn’t innovation. Replace Siri with IBM’s Watson then that’s innovation!
White 32GB WiFi
And Alex, the Great Lakes probably qualify as inland seas. 😉
So you like standing in line for toilet paper to see what you’ll be issued next? Break the trap and go Android. Really, step back and look at the lemming you’re becoming. And expensive ?! I thought a Gadgeteer would be innovative, not a lemming.
@kpdriscoll I actually like both platforms. But I like iOS devices a little more due to all the accessories and certain apps.
To me the big part of the announcement was the price drop of the iPad 2, starting at $399. Might even buy one 🙂
Order placed. I went crazy and went with the 64GB 4G Verizon model.
The display alone makes it a must-buy for me, since one of the reasons I have an iPad in the first place is for reading stuff that doesn’t do well on a Kindle. I’m not going to jump on it with a preorder though, I’ll just wait a couple of months until I can get it overnight from Amazon and by then there should have been plenty of app updates and the like.
To be honest I am kind of surprised they didn’t do more to upgrade it though, and I’m especially disappointed that the storage options are the same, instead of the rumored 32/64/128. Also, I predict a lot of confused fanboy spew on the Internet due to “quad core graphics” vs. what everyone else means when they say “quad core”. (I’m not convinced a quad core GPU is really an upgrade here anyway, rather than just keeping the performance in line as the display gets 4x as many pixels.)
64GB – 4G – Black – From “across the pond” – er – Canada
Wife has iPad 2 – question will be – How long til I have to upgrade hers…
Meh. For my uses, I want a tablet with an SD card reader built in, not a lame adapter that doesn’t get recognized by my iPad most of the time. I’m tired of dealing with apps that have to include their own browsers because Apple puts so many limitations on integration. I want a USB port and the ability to easily expand memory. My next tablet will likely be be an Android device.
Nothing special…. Will stick with the original iPad and the iPad 2 that I have.
@Julie, didn’t you mention you don’t have 4G coverage in your part of Indiana, yet you went all-out ? hahahha.
@anson Yes, we don’t have 4G yet. It will still work on 3G though and it will work when I travel. I probably won’t use it often, but I’ll have that option.
The problem isn’t the hardware it’s the OS. iOS (and Android) are so far below the capabilities of Windows or MacOS that it just leaves you wanting something better. The innovation has to come on the software side….remember the days when the feature sin the OS drove you to upgrade?
One thing is clear though…Apple knows what the majority of their users want…better gaming and I believe they’ve done a good job…it’ll be interesting to see how it really compares with the Sony Vita.
Since getting a Lenovo x220 as my mobile companion…the only time I use one of our tablets is for watching a TV show on Hulu/Amazon/Netflix in bed and for that I choose the Kindle Fire. Our iPad sits mostly collecting dust or for the occasional Angry Birds game by my 7 year old. I sold my Asus Transformer and the Samsung WiFi 5.0 is okay for emergency use although the battery life is a travesty.
Surprisingly, I can’t find a real reason to upgrade my TMobile G2 phone…I get tempted, but other than the Samsung Note nothing seems like much of an upgrade because Android 2.3x really isn’t much different than Android ICS.
There’s nothing really wrong with the iPad or several of the Android tablets, and they do have occasional uses (in a car especially), but they just don’t compete with a notebook for productivity, storage space for watching videos (750GB>64GB).
When it comes to reading, I’ve noticed even the NY Times is starting to report that readers like e-readers and not the distractions of tablets.
Like the PCs of the late 80s and early 90s, tablets are becoming the “must” buy item…just don’t ask people why…because it’s hard for many to answer.
Think about it this way…what could Apple realistically do to the hardware to make the iPad markedly better? It’s really only tweaks from here on out until the OS or someone comes along with a true “killer” app for the tablet.
Yeah, I bit, too. I have a 64 GB 1st generation iPad and I use it a lot. I popped for the 64 GB 4G model in black today. It will be my travel partner. With Splashtop, I can take my desktop computer with me anywhere I go now. Julie, what data plan are you going to go for?
@Mark I’m not exactly sure how the data plans work. I think you can turn them on and off at will and also switch between plans at will. The only thing I don’t know is if the plans can be turned off early and the charge prorated. Anyone know?
I’m with BJN – As a photographer, I love the display, but the limitations are greater than the worth, for my purposes.
I see a trend for folks to get the 64GB version here. That goes along with my instinct that having that nice graphics engine is for files in the cloud, not local storage. I need local storage, and more options for it.
@Julie – I believe that the cell data option is not turned on by default. Then again, the cell companies are just a bit money grabbing for my taste.
@Julie – You subscribe for a month or a certain amount of data whichever comes first. If you shut it there is no refund/credit and your account stays active until the end of the period. If you run out of data you can purchase an additional block.
@Ken S thanks for the clarification!
One suggestion…there are a couple of videos out there…one on the verge.com that compare Windows 8 tablet to iOS. It’s pretty interesting. Now, Windows 8 is an unreleased product, but it shows some promise on the OS side…whether the hardware guys can figure out how to present a decent machine is questionable. Sometimes I wonder if the people at Samsung and Toshiba especially have any clue of what users want or what the market is like. Lenovo seems to be on track a little bit and Asus is making some interesting machines for the techie.
For the record, the official name is “iPad”, not “the new iPad.” It’s simply new, hence the frequent use of the phrase to describe it. This, by the way, is the same naming convention Apple has used with most products — the iPod being the most obvious parallel.
@Julie,
The wireless service also auto renews (for your convenience). I should note that the service I used was AT&T…Verizon may differ.
Way to go Julie!
I got an ipod touch 2 Decembers ago with the plan of getting an iPad “3” this year. Ad so, I was excited about the March 7 Event!
I’m happy to hear about the improved display. But disappointed that Apple increased the iPads weight back to 1.5 LBS. I was hoping that the device’s weight would eventually move below a pound.
I read an article in ZDNet that this must be an incredible engineering feat for Apple to offer a battery that can power this “newest” iPad and yet keep the device’s battery life and weight about the same as the iPad2. When stated in this way, I have to agree.
But, even so, I was hoping for a lighter device. I gave up weight lifting years ago, and do not intend to take that up again just so I can take a picture with a tablet!
And, I am disappointed that Siri was not included. Don’t understand their reasoning.
So, now the question for me is … do I want to get an iPad or a iPad 2? I’ll look forward to the hands on reviews from this web site as well as a demo at the Apple store nearest me!
Well Jane P., the new iPad HD screen requires more power than the previous. So they had to put in a larger battery to keep the run time the same, but it’s a small increase in thickness and weight and thus not too bad of a compromise.
While the GPU enhancement may get partly negated by supporting that higher resolution and we still don’t know if they improved anything with the CPU cores. Like did they double the RAM to 1GB or not is still unknown and we probably won’t know till iFixit or someone else does a tear down.
James, YES- I AGREE WITH YOU 100%!
But, I’m commenting about my wish list which is for a lighter iPad tablet. I can wait for the technology to eventually meet me there (another 2-3 years), buy an [less expensive] iPad 2 in the interim, or (depending upon Julie’s review) just get the newest iPad later in the Spring or early Summer and learn to love my Kindle Touch!
Cake …. icing … eating …
Apple could easily shed about 1/4-pound if they swapped out the milled aluminum back for a carbon-fiber shell 😉
@Anson I like the way you think!
Anson,
I believe they would have concerns about the devices structure using carbon fiber. If its rigid enough wouldn’t it then be far more brittle than the current back?
Perhaps not…perhaps like the overly reflective screen they just believe iFans like shiny things?
I really wish tablet manufacturers would consider a matte finish to cut down the glare.
@Julie I love your excuse for purchasing one (because you’re the Gadgeteer) 🙂
Meanwhile I’m still trying to come up with something clever so I can justify the expense 😛
Like you, I find that the Retina display the most excited about. No 4G where I live either. It might be useful at times to have a camera on a tablet, but I’ve never really used mine much.
Having a few Android devices, I find that the iPad and the iPod Touch has it more together in the “it just works” department…
Be nice if the Touch came with 3G 🙂
@Bob DeLoyd,
Then it would be an iPhone!
I love my Touch! Wish Apple would upgrade its camera to match the iPhone’s and [newest] iPad!
To compensate for a lack of 3G, I would like a good MiFi card for when I am on the road. Unfortunately, I waited too long to get a Virgin MiFi – no annual contract and [if bought in a timely manner] no limitations on downloading. The only drawback with Virgin is that it it’s tied to Sprint so you don’t always get the best coverage when traveling.
Although it is a pain, I use Textfree with Voice to call friends, particularly when I find myself across the pond in Canada 🙂
BTW, if you have an iPhone, you would have an automatic WiFi hotspot for your iPad or Touch (once you pay your carrier an extra $30/mo).
Can’t wait to read reviews once the [newest] iPad begins to be shipped! Have been saving my money all year long!
@Jane P. there have been rumors going all the way back to July 2011 that the Touch 5G will have 3g much like the iPad- that’s the only reason I mentioned it.
Rumors are rumors but consider this: the Sony PS Vita allows for 3G connectivity, so why not the Touch?
Now I ain’t saying that this is true, but now that the iPhone has moved on to 4g it’d be nice if the Touch got an upgrade to 3G. I think Verizon and AT&T would love the upgrade, too 🙂
Jane, like you, I love my Touch and find it one of the most useful tools I own!
@Bob DeLoyd,
Wow! iTouch with 3g is one rumor I haven’t read about. I must pay more attention to those tech sights! Thanks for the info!
Well, your wish is a great one! Particularly if we could use it on a no contracts, one month at a time basis.