iPad: The Third Generation
March 8, 2012
Perhaps the biggest surprise about the iPad 3 is it’s name, which isn’t actually iPad 3. It’s just “iPad.” So what gives? This past Wednesday, Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed all there is to know about the new device.
The latest in the iPad line, Apple’s third-generation tablet will shirk the simple, iterative naming scheme that has worked so well for the iPhone and iPad until now, leaving the curiously named iPad 2 as the odd device out. While most of us tech-speculators had a majority of the details about the new iPad pinned down before it was officially announced, the world’s most valuable company couldn’t let another event go by without throwing at least one curve-ball our way.
But it actually makes plenty of sense, when you think about it. Simplicity has always been a pillar of Apple’s business philosophy, and with their latest release they’ve stuck to their guns. When it comes to the the new iPad’s design, you’ll have trouble picking it from among its older siblings. It has an almost identical fit and finish as past products, and that’s fine with us because the iPad has always been a gorgeous piece of hardware. By slashing the price of the iPad 2 (each model is now $100 cheaper), the lone numbered edition of the iPad will be shortly sold out for good, bringing Apple’s offerings down to a nice clean selection of one. Thinking about picking up a new Apple tablet? Easy decision: get the iPad.
So what makes the new iPad new?
For starters, the display has made a major leap forward. Apple has finally delivered a full sized 9.7-inch Retina Display at a resolution of 2048×1536, putting the number of pixels on screen over the 3 million mark. This screen will also feature improved saturation levels, allowing for more accurate representation of colors and super-sharp text. Apple claims that from only 10 inches away, the human eye will be unable to tell it’s even looking at a screen. If you’ve looked in shock at the front of an iPhone 4S and attempted to reach through the phone to touch the photos inside, you know how important that high level of clarity can be. Now imagine it huge.
For populating that beautiful new screen, you’re finally going to want to take advantage of the iPad’s included iSight camera, even if it’s still a bit awkward to hold up while snapping photos. Again the tablet borrows a play from the iPhone’s book by including a similar-quality sensor that will pull in 5 megapixels and record 1080p high-def video.
If sharing really is caring, you’re going to want to get online to pass around all of those HD photos and videos, and that’s where the next big improvement comes in. Should you choose to take your iPad onto AT&T or Verizon’s network, you’ll be doing it at 4G speeds. As in the past, this is an optional upgrade that’ll cost you $130, but you’ll be capable of downloading files at up to 73 Mbps, assuming you live within the range of your chosen carrier’s LTE network.
And the last big step up this time around may never be seen by consumer eyes, but will definitely be felt by touchy fingertips. Powering the new iPad is a substantially more speedy A5X dual-core CPU and a quad-core GPU which will function in tandem to deliver all that additional data with the same snappy iOS responsiveness we’ve come to expect. For those of us who don’t get all weak in the knees over a SoC’s processing power, you might still consider sitting down before you play any of the console-quality video games that this thing is going to be running in 2012. With speed to spare, iPad gaming is going to take a big leap forward in the coming months.
As of now the new iPad is on sale at Apple’s website for delivery on March 16th. And while you’re waiting for it to arrive, you can catch a recording of Wednesday’s announcement online.
Alexei Bochenek is a lifelong tech nerd & film buff based in Los Angeles. When he’s not playing with his phone, it’s because the movie has started. Shhhhh!
