Apple's third-generation iPad
Apple’s third generation iPad, as Apple products these days are wont to do, arrived on the market with a bang. It received almost universally positive reviews when it was unveiled in early March, and then arrived in stores March 16, breaking single-day sales records.
Named not with a number but rather simply “The New iPad,” the third-generation device sports enough improvements that it can easily be declared the best tablet now available on the market. If you’re still on the first edition, are using an inferior Android tablet or have never had a tablet before, this is the one you want to buy. But is the new device enough of an improvement to necessitate an upgrade for iPad 2 owners? Not necessarily.
(Note: This review is based on a 16GB, 4G LTE-capable iPad, borrowed for an afternoon from a family member of the author.)
The form factor is essentially the same- the new tablet is slightly thicker and heavier than the iPad 2, but not to a significant degree. The screen remains 9.7 inches and the bezel is the same size; battery life remains at about 10 hours.
The headline improvements on the new iPad are three: it is the first iPad to offer Apple’s Retina Display; its camera is significantly improved, featuring 1080p video recording capability for the first time; and the device offers 4G LTE-capable editions from AT&T and Verizon.
Of those improvements, the speed is the most notable. It’s just plain really, really fast, and will likely make a significant different to those who like to stream or download large files on trains or other places without dependable Wi-Fi. The camera is also much better. Cumbersome as it can be to record using such a large device- and no, holding the iPad up over your head, Lloyd Dobler-style, to record at a concert is still not recommended. But the camera is certainly an improvement, especially if you have a new baby at home like I do.
But the headline improvement of the new iPad, the one most emphasized by Apple at the launch, was the screen. And ironically, it’s the one of the three that is least impressive.
The Retina Display on the new iPad’s screen is an improvement, no question. But it’s not a huge improvement. The screen is slightly better, but not to a mind-blowing degree.
I grabbed an iPad 2 and did a side-by-side comparison for several tasks- watching video, using apps, and just plain using the home screen- and the different wasn’t even readily apparent. At times, the iPad 2 screen even looked better. The difference is likely only apparent, for video, when watching in 1080p, but not all or even most video online is in that resolution.
Screenwise, the improvement from the second iPad to the third has a lot more in common with the iPhone 4 to 4S, as opposed to the 3GS to the 4, even though that was the iPhone that introduced Retina Display.
So therefore, it becomes a question of whether the improvement is good enough to justify upgrading, especially if you already shelled out $500 (or more) a year ago for the iPad 2. Perhaps the biggest game-changer of all from Apple has nothing to do with the new device: It’s that the price of the iPad 2 dropped by $100, in a move that could kill off the iPad’s competition once and for all.
Other improvements include the simultaneous arrival of the iOS 5.1 software, the inclusion of the new Apple A5X processor, and improved versions of numerous apps, including Apple’s in-house iMovie, iPhoto and GarageBand applications.
The new iPad sells for $499, $599 and $699 for 16, 32 and 64GB Wi-Fi-only versions, and $629, $729 and $829 for LTE. All versions are available in both black and white, with the LTE versions available from both AT&T and Verizon Wireless.
Ever wonder why your Android phone’s battery runs out so quickly? According to research done by Abhinav Pathak and his colleagues at Purdue University, up to 75 percent of the energy used by free Android apps is spent either serving up ads or monitoring user data. When Pathak and his crew delved into some of the more popular apps like Angry Birds, Free Chess, and NYTimes, they found that only 10-30 percent of the energy was being used to power the app’s intended function.
In Angry Birds, only 20 percent of the energy is used to run the game, while 45 percent is used to locate the user and download ads based on their location via 3G. In addition, the 3G connection remains open for 10 seconds — even if data transmission has completed. This “tail energy” takes up another 28 percent of the app’s energy. No wonder some of us have to charge our devices twice a day…
Pathak will present his findings at the Eurosys conference next month in Bern, Switzerland.
Via [New Scientist]
Digiboo is approaching the movie rental business a bit differently. Instead of popping out discs, Digiboo downloads movies onto a customer’s USB drive. Digiboo recently launched at three airports in Minneapolis, Portland and Seattle. Travelers are more likely to realize they forgot to bring something to entertain them before and during flying, so airports are a good place to find some impulse buyers.
Digiboo has over 700 movies to choose from. A customer just needs to select the movie they want, insert their USB drive into the kiosk, pay with a credit card and begin the registration process to view the movie. Digiboo requires a PC (not Mac support at this time) to be registered online before the movie will play. Digiboo will have a pre-registration form available on its website soon.
Up to five devices can play purchased movies, but only one device will play a rented movie. It costs $3.99 to rent a movie in standard definition for 48 hours and $14.99 to buy the movie.
As of now, Digiboo only works on PCs. Support for Android is coming in June.
Site [Digiboo] Read [Pocket-lint]
Apple has amassed an incredible amount of cash thanks to its line of ultra desirable electronics. The company is currently sitting on nearly $1 billion cash and the world wants to know what Apple plans on doing with it. We’re going to get our answer this morning at 9am Eastern.
During this time, Apple will hold a conference call starring CEO Tim Cook and CFO Peter Oppenheimer. The announcement(s) will be streamed live on the internet for anyone to listen in. Alternatively, listeners will be able to pick up the phone call dial in to the conference as well.
Apple stated that it will only talk about its cash. Don’t expect to hear anything too specific about the new iPad or the fabled Apple television.
Overall, anything that’s announced today has the potential to be really huge, or just plain boring.
Via [Apple]
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