Just as we were all eagerly awaiting the new iPad 3 amidst all the hot rumors and news flying around, finally Apple has turned all our dreams and hot gossip into reality. Having just launched the new iPad on March 7, it is now available for preorder, and will be available from March 16 onwards.
Interestingly, the “new iPad” is just named as such and not as the “iPad 3” that we were all anticipating. Whatever it is, what matters more now is what’s new and what’s in store for us all. It sure seems that there weren’t many surprises, as most of the rumors and anticipations building up to date were proven true. With that in mind, let’s proceed with this new iPad review.
The most outstanding feature of the new iPad is the upgraded Retina Display which is somewhat similar to the upgrade from the iPhone 3GS to iPhone 4. Now proudly sporting a brand new 2048 x 1536 resolution that is double that of the previous 1024 x 768 resolution of the iPad 2, be prepared to be amazed by this new brilliant screen that yields four times as many pixels on the same screen size of 9.7 inches, and an upgraded image quality of 264 ppi. This image quality has also doubled up over the previous image quality of 132 ppi on the iPad 2, and with that many pixels, it is in fact sporting a better resolution than the Full HD 1920 X 1080 found on your HDTV.
With this new iPad-sized Retina Display, we can all expect everything on its screen from web pages, games, and applications to look much sharper and more brilliant in higher definition, which is essentially a larger, tablet-sized version of the iPhone 4 experience that we had back in 2010.
Next up in the brand new iPad is the new A5X processor, which we can expect to be a boosted-up version of the A5 processor in the iPad 2. Though still being a dual-core processor in terms of speed, it supports quad-core graphics, so expect to see some improvements in fluid graphics, movements, and games.
As if this speed boost wasn’t enough, we are getting the new 4G LTE network speeds on the new iPad as well. So instead of the WiFi+3G model of the iPad 2, there is a WiFi+4G new iPad model, in addition to the WiFi-only model. With 4G LTE speeds, practically everything online can be done so much faster, from web browsing, video streaming, and large file downloads and uploads. Currently supported by AT&T and Verizon in the US, their data plans are flexible without contract so that users aren’t bound unnecessarily.
Consistent with the sharper Retina Display, the new iPad also includes a new 5-megapixel iSight camera that has more advanced optics, and the capability to capture Full HD 1080p video. This is a significant improvement over the camera in the iPad 2, which was estimated to be only about 1-megapixel, and with HD 720p video. Taking their optics a step further, Apple has developed this new camera with a larger f/2.4 aperture that allows more light in for brighter photos, while the hybrid infrared filter blocks out harmful infrared light for better color uniformity and accuracy.
Alongside the release of the new iPad, Apple has also introduced a new app, iPhoto and new versions of Garage Band and iMovie, with all 3 apps priced at $4.99 on the App Store. The new iOS 5.1 release seems to coincide with the new iPad launch, and which is rightfully expected considering the need for existing apps to evolve to take full advantage of the latest specs in the new iPad. Even the iWork suite of Pages, Numbers, and Keynote gets an upgrade to version 1.6 to make full use of the Retina Display of the new iPad. While it’s a pity that the voice assistant Siri of the iPhone 4S did not make it to the new iPad, at least a dictation feature was added in that would come in handy.
With the same battery life of 10 hours and weighing about 50 grams heavier than the iPad 2, the new iPad also sports an upgraded Bluetooth 4.0, and comes in the same color choices of black and white and storage sizes of 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB. Priced at the exact same pricing range as the iPad 2, the new iPad is retailing at $499 (16GB), $599 (32GB), and $699 (64GB) for the Wi-Fi only models, and $629, $729, and $829 for the Wi-Fi+4G models respectively. Apple has decided to retain the iPad 2 16GB at a discounted price of $399 (Wi-Fi only) and $529 (Wi-Fi+3G).
To sum up the release of this brand new iPad 3, we are glad that Apple has dispelled the earlier rumor of higher prices, sticking true to its tradition of maintaining the same price as the earlier model, the iPad 2. With enhancements in graphics, processor speed, and essentially what can be seen and shared on the new iPad, Apple has just raised the ante in taking its flagship tablet leader another step further for the competition to follow suit. So do enjoy the new iPad soon when it arrives come March 16, while awaiting the response from competitors to see what more could be in store for all of us.
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