Tag Archives: tablet

Apple’s New iPad

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Apple’s much-anticipated media announcement surrounding the iPad, iPad 3, iPad HD, etc. went down this morning, and I will attempt to sum up the details. First and foremost, it’s just called “the new iPad,” which I think is a welcome move from Apple, a company all about simplicity and delivering a concise message to consumers. I wonder if they’ll follow suit with the next iPhone by dropping any potential numbers or letters from its name. Now, let’s get to the gems of what makes this iPad the next big thing.

The new Retina Display will make text, photos, and pretty much everything look mega-fantastic when compared to your old iPad, your Samsung tablet, reality, and more. It packs more pixels than your fancy-pants flatscreen TV in your living room. I’ll hold off on further hyperbole until I actually see one in the wild and get a chance to use it.

Without getting too deep into tech specs, the new iPad is faster, so even non-tech savvy users would notice a speed bump from the revamped innards. The iPad’s new rear camera matches that of the iPhone 4′s 5 megapixel sensor. Those grainy photos you shot using your iPad 2 will now look MUCH better thanks to the new sensor, IR filter, autofocus and white balance, and face detection. You can also record video in 1080p with stabilization and noise reduction, but you will still look silly holding up a giant shiny piece of glass during your child’s school function or recital. Hey, Apple can’t fix everything…

One of the most intriguing moments of the announcement was the iPad’s new Voice Dictation feature, which will be wonderful for people like doctors, reporters, and teachers. Strangely enough they are not calling this feature Siri, but I can guarantee they’ve implemented the same amazing voice recognition technology they’ve got. I use this all the time with my iPhone 4S and think that it will continue to spoil me for years to come. The new iPad now supports 4G LTE. What does this mean to average users? Fast data connection (where supported). Okay. So you want me to get a bit technical? As Phil Schiller stated in the keynote “Now the new iPad supports HSPA+ for up to 21Mbps, and if you havenít heard about dual-carrier HSDPA for up to 42Mbps.” You got that? Good. Moving on.

Pricing starts at $499, which is refreshing to note that some of the rumors last week were speculating that it could be as much as $80 higher than the standard $499 introductory price. Get yours as wi-fi only, or compatible with AT&T and Verizon’s 3G and 4G LTE networks. Pre-orders begin today, with availability beginning on March 16. It’s interesting to note that along with all of these amazing improvements, Apple is still advertising the same 10 hours of battery life for wi-fi models. 4G only knocks your battery life down one hour.

Finally, I believe the real magic today, much like last year’s announcement, was in Apple’s software announcements. The real show stealer for me is iPhoto, one of my favorite apps for the Mac, is now available on the iPad for just $4.99. Coincidentally, right before today’s announcement, I ran into an old friend who tells me, “I can’t stand Apple. They make things too easy for everybody.” It’s quite the contrary, and this is why Apple is continuing to rack up win after win after win. Technology and its creative applications must be accessible to all. But more on that later…

Why I Want an Apple Tablet

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The Apple tablet does not exist, at least not until it receives a proper unveiling by Lord Jobs. Here is a list of reasons why I want the fabled Apple tablet and how it would fit into my life, assuming it does any of the following:

  • An Apple tablet with storefront for digital comics will have me eating up X-Men at a ravenous pace!

    Rendering by Jesus Diaz of Gizmodo.com

    Comic books: I was an avid collector and fan of a number of comics in the mid to late 90′s, but for some reason stopped indulging in comics. Mac software company BitCartel makes a piece of software called ComicBookLover, which looks fantastic, but I’m holding off until I know if Apple does anything in this space. Rumors are heavy with info that Apple has been in talks with magazine publishers to save their dying industry, but I want them to be talking to the likes of Marvel and DC to reinvigorate my love for comics. I must credit Andy Ihnatko for making me near-giddy with speculation that LongBox digital comic distribution may be involved with Apple.

  • Games: iPhone developers have proven to be creative in bringing a massive gaming audience to an Apple platform for the first time ever. I can only imagine what developers like ngmoco (makers of Eliminate, Rolondo, and Topple) or Gameloft can do with a larger feature set, let alone more screen real estate. The thought of playing Fieldrunners on a larger device will excite me and probably make my son wig out! I can also imagine a larger multi-touch screen giving unlimited creative uses for multiplayer gaming. Only time will tell, but Apple is a serious contender in the gaming market and it will be interesting to see if they aim to expand their offerings with games on a tablet device.
  • Sofa surfing: I often times leave the laptop in my office and rely on my iPod touch while sitting in the couch. A larger device would be great for comfort as well as sharing the experience with others. I initially didn’t like the notion of a tablet, but Michael Arrington’s CrunchPad sold me on the idea of a large screened web browser, and unlike the doomed and limboed CrunchPad, the Apple tablet will do this and so much more.
  • Books: This past Thanksgiving, I had the opportunity to use an Amazon Kindle for the first time. I hated it. I think an ebook reader is just what I need to become passionate about non-fiction once again, but if it’s not as intuitive as a real book, then count me out. I hope Apple can deliver a device that can handle text and long hours of reading as well as it will handle other forms of multimedia. If so, they’ll have a real winner on their hands.

Aside from the items mentioned above, I hope there are a few surprises in store for us as well. We will have to wait in see. I know I will be on the edge of my seat at the end of January. 2010 is going to be an exciting year for gear heads.