The 1st iPad was revolutionary. The 2nd one was awesome. The New iPad is Resolutionary [or something that has purpose and attitude leading to positive and fair outcomes]. Apple didn’t invent that word. And yesterday, during the official launch of the 3rd iteration of the iPad, put deeper meaning to it being a resolutionary device.
Last March 2, I fearlessly predicted how it would look like, perform and be called. I had fun writing that article and even thought that maybe, 60-70% of what I wrote would come true once its finally launched. Just this morning (2:30 A.M here in the Philippines), Apple proved most of my predictions wrong. I got an average batting ratio of 40%.
Surprisingly, the new iPad is called ‘The New iPad’; not iPad 3, iPad 2s or iPad HD as many had predicted. Many thought that the reason for not putting a ‘3’ on the new iPad is to position the device similar to Macbook Air and Macbook Pro. Post-PC Era, hello! You haven’t seen Apple market the 2nd Generation Macbook Air as Macbook Air 2, right?
When Phil Schiller, senior vice president of worldwide marketing at Apple Inc., was questioned about the lack of dedicated name and the reasons why at the end of the presentation, he simply replied “because we don’t want to be predictable”.
Now, let’s have a full round up.
The New iPad’s LOOK
The New iPad looks similar to the iPad2. This reminds me of the iPhone 4s compared the iPhone 4. If you look closer though, the new iPad has more depth (by .6mm) and it’s heavier (by 51g). I personally did not expect this but when I realized that the extra thickness and weight mean that this baby is packed with more power. In this case, with more power comes greater weight. This confirms the leaked video by M.I.C. Gadget, the next iPad 3 appears to be slightly thicker. Contrary to rumors, the physical home button (sorry, no capacitive home button yet) still reside on its usual location.
[stextbox id=”alert”]Compared to my iPad 3 Forecast: I said, “The next iPad though would be far superior to the iPad 2; superior not in terms of thinness but in terms of lightness. It will be lighter by 35 grams compared to the iPad 2. This means that the next iPad is just 566 grams, thanks to its lighter and more slender battery. It is just lighter by 150 grams than your Sony Bravia TV Remote.” I sucked at predicting.[/stextbox]
[stextbox id=”info”]I, however, aced my prediction that the size of the next iPad will be similar to that of the iPad 2’s. Height and width will still be 241.2mm by 185.7mm. As pointed out earlier, depth (or kapal) will still be 8.8mm. It will still have a 9.7-inch display.[/stextbox]
The New iPad still uses an IPS display, just like the iPad 2. Not IGZO display, EBOY or WAKOWAKO. But, this time, the display is twice the pixel resolution and pixels per inch of the iPad 2 at 2048-by-1536 at 264 ppi. Yes, the new iPad has the High Resolution Retina Display. Text look clearer and pictures look more vivid. Play your favorite games at higher resolution to your heart’s content.
[stextbox id=”alert”]Bummer. The Senseg E-Sense Technology that, According to The Guardian, “appears to give texture to a touchscreen” is absent on this device. I’m not disappointed though.[/stextbox]
The New iPad’s PERFORMANCE
Contrary to my wild forecast 6 days ago, the new iPad doesn’t have the A6 processor but the A5x processor. The A5x is a dual core processor (clocked at 800 MHz to 1 GHz ) with low-power system-on-a-chip with quad-core graphics. Graphics performance wise, the A5x outsmarts Nvidia Tegra 3 (in Asus Transformer Prime) by 4x. It’s definitely an upgrade from its cuz (A5 processor) since the A5x is 2x faster. This all boils down to one fact: the New iPad is SUPER fast!
As for the RAM, there is no confirmed report that the new iPad indeed has 1GB. However, as I pointed out in my last article, the RAM upgrade from 512mb to 1Gb is a significant upgrade especially now that site loading, applications and games are getting more demanding. It is important to note that RAM is relevant when reloading web pages, switching from one tab to another and multi-tasking application and games (continue using an application from a dumped-stated or paused-state).
The iSight, Facetime Camera and Voice Dictation
With the new iPad, the Front and Back camera are renamed iSight and Facetime Camera. Don’t get me wrong though as Apple didn’t just simply rename them – they also improved them.
- 5-megapixel iSight camera
- Autofocus
- Tap to focus
- Face detection in still images
- Video recording, HD (1080p) up to 30 frames per second with audio
- Video stabilization
- FaceTime camera with VGA-quality photos and video at up to 30 frames per second
- Photo and video geotagging
You won’t find Siri in this iPad. Instead, you’ll find a microphone beside the spacebar, which basically opens voice dictation once tapped. The voice dictation is an awesome feature but it would have been more awesome had they integrated Siri.
Will You Buy One?
Of course, the New iPad is a wonderful device; a device that made the words ‘Tablet’ and ‘Pad’ relevant again. Still, the great question remains? Is it time to replace your iPad 1 or iPad 2?
With all the great features that the guys from Apple put and improved on this new device, I believe that this is the best time for you to sell your iPad 1 for a bargain and buy this one. If you own an iPad 2, however, replacing it with the new iPad shouldn’t be a priority. If the Retina Display, faster processor, better camera and the enjoyment of owning yet another Apple device matter to you you, then, by all means, buy this.
iPad will be sold in the US through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores, and select Apple Authorized Resellers. iPad will also be available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Switzerland, UK and the US Virgin Islands on Friday, March 16. Customers can begin pre-ordering their new iPad today, and the incredible iPad 2 is now offered at a more affordable price of $399 (US) for the 16GB Wi-Fi model and just $529 (US) for the 16GB Wi-Fi + 3G model.
Click to Magnify
Watch out for our exclusive review of the new iPad in the 1st week of April 2012.
Giancarlo Viterbo is a Filipino Technology Journalist, blogger and Editor of gadgetpilipinas.net, He is also a Geek, Dad and a Husband. He knows a lot about washing the dishes, doing some errands and following instructions from his boss on his day job. Follow him on twitter: @gianviterbo and @gadgetpilipinas.
