iPad (2012) Review by Robert Mohns (March 20, 2011)
Introduction Features Under the Hood Conclusions Introduction Apple's new iPad, the third generation of the company's tablet, is an evolutionary improvement over its predecessor, the iPad 2. Apple chose several attributes - screen, camera, 4G networking and processors - then did what was needed to improve them but otherwise changed as little as possible of the iPad's winning formula. The new iPad's much-anticipated "Retina display" has twice the pixel density of its predecessor and a wider color gamut for an effect like looking at a glossy photo print. Apple's custom CPU has been upgraded to manage the 3 million plus pixels - 85% as many as the 27" iMac has! The new iPad has twice as much graphics power as the iPad 2 to keep operations fast and responsive under the heavier load. And the mediocre camera of the iPad 2 has been replaced now by a far better one that combines the proven iPhone 4 sensor with an improved five-element lens and infrared filter from the iPhone 4S. Video recording is improved too: advancing from 720p to 1080p HD, with stabilization also adopted from the iPhone 4S. The final major change is support for 4G LTE cellular data networks in the United States and Canada. Separate AT&T and Verizon iPad models are available in the US; Bell, Rogers and Telus are supported in Canada. We tested a Verizon model, and LTE on the new iPad is every bit as fast as advertised. We measured 38 Mbit/sec downloads and 14 Mbit/sec uploads, which leave both Verizon FIOS and Comcast Business Cable in the dust. (Apple still makes WiFi-only models, too.) This new iPad is slightly thicker than its predecessor, making space for a much larger battery to support the power-hungry new display and LTE networking option. This extra depth also allowed Apple to fit in that improved camera. The new iPad may be an iterative improvement on its predecessor, but it remains a technological tour de force, raising the bar for the market it created. Competitors will have a hard time matching the new display, in particular, especially while trying to meet Apple's $499 starting price for the WiFi-only model ($729 for a mid-range model with 3G/4G cellular networking). ... http://www.macintouch.com/reviews/ipad3/ _______________________________________________ Medianews mailing list [email protected] http://lists.etskywarn.net/mailman/listinfo/medianews
