Apple has just announced the company’s latest (and best, of course) tablet offering, the new iPad, just a few hours ago in Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, California.
Just like what countless rumors say, the new iPad tablet comes with a 9.7 inch high definition Retina touch screen display that has a whopping 2048 x 1536 resolution. That’s one million pixels more than an HDTV! For a screen as big as 10 inches, that’s too much, just the way we like it.
“Today we’re launching the new iPad, and it’s amazing. We’re taking it to a new level and it makes amazing improvements over the most fundamental features of the device, while retaining everything that millions have grown to love about it,” said Apple chief executive officer Tim Cook during the Apple media event before turning the stage over to Phil Schiller, the company’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing.
A5X Processor
The new iPad, which was not christened with a new name like the ‘iPad 3’ or the ‘iPad HD’, is powered by the new A5X dual-core processor. The A5X processor is the latest in Apple’s line of system-on-a-chips (SoCs) used in its mobile devices and it packs quad-core graphics for gaming. Schiller even exclaimed that “other competitors use 1X!”
This more powerful graphics processor of the iPad will make gaming more fun as it can now run grahics-heavy games easily. This will surely please gamers out there as it is really a “graphics powerhouse.”
iSight Camera and voice dictate
One of the most interesting additions to the new iPad is its new camera, the 5-megapixel iSight camera. The new iSight Camera was specifically designed by Apple to give users better photo quality. It has a five-element lens with ƒ/2.4 aperture that “captures light efficiently to produce a sharper overall image.” The iSight Camera also has the capability to record videos in full 1080p.
Sadly, the new iPad does not have Siri, which made the iPhone 4S stand out from other competitors. The new Apple tablet has a voice dictation feature though, which allows users to dictate text documents, messages and emails.
More networks
Lastly, the new iPad is the first tablet offering from Apple that has the ability to connect to the latest and fastest mobile network: LTE. LTE, or Long-Term Evolution, has data transfer speeds roughly 10 times as fast as 3G networks. Schiller said that the device can be used as a 4G personal hotspot for connecting up to five Apple devices over Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or USB.
The new iPad will be launched in the United Kingdom, United States and other major countries on Friday next week, March 16th, the same day the company opens new stores in Houston, Texas and Harrods, the iconic department store in London. Users can now pre-order the latest device via the official Apple online store.
Fortunately, with all the massive upgrades in specs, the new iPad will still retain the old iPad price structure, with prices starting £399 for the 16 GB Wi-Fi only model. The 32 GB and 64 GB versions will cost £479 or £559 respectively. The Wi-Fi + 3G iPads (16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB models) will be priced at £499, £579 and £659.
What do you think of the new iPad?
