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New iPad unveiled at Apple event
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The Right Click
In a highly-anticipated event, Apple has announced the new iPad, its latest tablet device. And in a little over a week, Canadians can get their hands on one of their own.
On March 16, the new iPad will be released in Canada, with capabilities to connect to the 4G LTE networks on Rogers, Bell and Telus.
At 9.4 mm and 1.4 lbs, it is slightly heavier and thicker than the current generation of iPad (at least the Wi-Fi model), although it certainly looks thinner. It still boasts the same battery life at 10 hours (9 hours on 4G).
The two key things that the new iPad showcases are its graphics and its connectivity speed. Its new Retina Display is high-definition at 1080p, with a resolution of up to 2048 by 1536 pixels, making the resolution a whopping 3.1 million pixels. That’s 264 pixels per inch of screen. The display also has 44% better colour saturation than the previous iPad, and boasts quad-core graphics thanks to its A5X processor.
To capitalize on the improved display, Apple has also upgraded the rear-facing iSight camera on the new iPad to 5-megapixels, with an illuminated sensor, 5-element lens and IR filter. It also has auto-exposure, auto-focus, white balance and face detection. If still photos aren’t enough for you, the iPad will now let you take videos in 1080p, boosted by software that stabilizes the footage and reduces temporal noise.
As for speed, the new iPad will be available in a 4G model than can connect to LTE networks at 73 Mbps, which leaves the iPad 2’s fastest connection over 3G HSPA at 7.2Mbps in the dust. The new iPad will also ship 3G world ready, and can now be turned into a personal hotspot if supported by the wireless provider.
Another feature of the new iPad will be its voice dictation capabilities. When you open the keyboard on the iPad’s screen, a new microphone button (which greatly resembles the Siri button on the iPhone) is now available. Click on it, and the iPad will take dictation in U.S. English, British English, Australian English, French, German and Japanese.
As the word “app” is now synonymous with the iPad, Apple sought to improve the overall app experience, as well. All stock apps on the iPad have been updated, and third-party apps will be automatically updated for the new display, although Apple says that developers who build for the new iPad will be able to fully capitalize on its new capabilities. Apple’s iLife suite is now available on the iPad in its entire, including iPhoto. Much of the Apple event was spent detailing the improvements that have been made in Garage Band, iMovie and iPhoto to fully capitalize on the new iPad’s features.
Third-party developers have also had their hands on the new iPad, coming out with games and applications that make full use of the new iPad’s HD capabilities. Epic Games has developed Infinity Blade: Dungeons as the new installment of the popular iOS series, and Namco will be releasing Sky Gamblers, a highly-detailed flight simulator. Autodesk has catered to tablet artists, unveiling Sketchbook Ink for sketching and Sketchbook Pro for virtual painting.
The Apple event also put an end to two of the most pervasive rumours that had been surrounding the event up to today: Yes, there is a home button. No, the dock connecter will not be changing.
The new iPad will be available in a Wi-Fi only model in 16GB for $499, 32GB for $599, and 64GB for $699. It is also available in the 4G model at $629, $729, and $829 (all prices in USD). The new iPad can be pre-ordered as of today.
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