Breaking News: Apple Announces the iPad 3 March 7, 2012

[stevew]

hxxp://www.i4u.com/article30346.html

pple unveiled the long rumored and highly anticipated Apple Tablet called Apple iPad today.
The Apple iPad is a universal Tablet computer that runs the iPhone OS and uses the first Apple CPU - The Apple A4.
Apple made the iPad to be used for almost anything including web surfing, iBook reading, movie watching, content creation with iWorks, gaming and any iPhone app will work on the iPad.
The iPad is just 0.5 inches thick and weighs just 1.5 pounds-- thinner and lighter than any laptop or netbook. iPad includes 12 new innovative apps designed especially for the iPad, and will run almost all of the over 140,000 apps in the App Store. iPad will be available in late March starting at the breakthrough price of just $499.
iPad's brilliant 9.7-inch, LED-backlit display features IPS technology to deliver crisp, clear images and consistent color with an ultra-wide 178 degree viewing angle. The highly precise, capacitive Multi-Touch display is amazingly accurate and responsive whether scrolling web pages or playing games. The intelligent soft keyboard pioneered on iPhone takes advantage of iPad's larger display to offer an almost full-size soft keyboard. iPad also connects to the new iPad Keyboard Dock with a full-size traditional keyboard.

iPad is powered by A4, Apple's next-generation system-on-a-chip. Designed by Apple, the new A4 chip provides exceptional processor and graphics performance along with long battery life of up to 10 hours. Apple's advanced chemistry and Adaptive Charging technology deliver up to 1,000 charge cycles without a significant decrease in battery capacity over a typical five year lifespan.

iPad comes in two versions--one with Wi-Fi and the other with both Wi-Fi and 3G. iPad includes the latest 802.11n Wi-Fi, and the 3G versions support speeds up to 7.2 Mbps on HSDPA networks. Apple and AT&T announced breakthrough 3G pre-paid data plans for iPad with easy, on-device activation and management.

The Apple iPad is the interface to a whole bunch of new Apple services and software. Apple iBooks will offer ebooks and iWorks got a new touch interface that is really extensive and allows you to create content on the iPad including presentations and spreedsheets. With Pages, Keynote and Numbers you can create beautifully formatted documents, stunning presentations with animations and transitions, and spreadsheets with charts, functions and formulas. The three apps will be available separately through the App Store for $9.99 each.

You can choose to use 3G on the iPad with extremely low priced prepaid data plans from AT&T starting at $14.99.

"iPad is our most advanced technology in a magical and revolutionary device at an unbelievable price," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "iPad creates and defines an entirely new category of devices that will connect users with their apps and content in a much more intimate, intuitive and fun way than ever before."

The Appel iPad will be available in late March worldwide for a suggested retail price of $499 (US) for the 16GB model, $599 (US) for the 32GB model, $699 (US) for the 64GB model.
The Wi-Fi + 3G models of iPad will be available in April in the US and selected countries for a suggested retail price of $629 (US) for the 16GB model, $729 (US) for the 32GB model and $829 (US) for the 64GB model. iPad will be sold in the US through the Apple Store, Apple's retail stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers. International pricing and worldwide availability will be announced at a later date. iBookstore will be available in the US at launch.

Seems reasonably priced. I wonder how much a data plan will be, though.

[stevew]

Also wondering if the Verizon iPhone will come out. I'll get one of those as quickly as possible.

[miked]

This sounds like just a bigger iPhone. Can it do anything you'd actually want a laptop to do? With 16GB of space, I don't know.

[Ronnie Dobbs2]

How absorbent is it?

[DaddyTorgo]

$500 for a "big iphone/tiny netbook" type device? unfortunately for apple spreadsheets+presentations are pretty well locked-up by microsoft office...not sure how some $500 gadget will help them bust into that space. and i'm not sure i'd want to read an ebook on it unless it's got a kindle-type screen (which it doesn't since it says it's lcd-backlit). is it just supposta be cool cuz it can run all of your appstore applications on a bigger screen?

meh.

i expect the fanboys to drool though.

[wade moore]

I was excited for this and I'm completely underwhelmed.

For 64GB you have to spend over $800? Really? You want this to compete with laptops?

Even when I heard it was basically a giant iPod Touch, I was on board. Even when I heard the price range, I was on board.

But the tiny hard drive is just a HUGE mis-step imo. Many people won't even be able to fit all of their music on this, let alone whatever else. There is an ipod classic with over twice as much HD space as the largest one of these.

[RedKingGold]

Looking foward to the influx of menstruation jokes.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by wade moore

I was excited for this and I'm completely underwhelmed.

For 64GB you have to spend over $800? Really? You want this to compete with laptops?

Even when I heard it was basically a giant iPod Touch, I was on board. Even when I heard the price range, I was on board.

But the tiny hard drive is just a HUGE mis-step imo. Many people won't even be able to fit all of their music on this, let alone whatever else. There is an ipod classic with over twice as much HD space as the largest one of these.

yeah...no kidding wade.

[stevew]

The fact that the major upgrades are increased flash memory is a bit silly. I'd guess they locked out the ability to add an SD card for storage.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by stevew

The fact that the major upgrades are increased flash memory is a bit silly. I'd guess they locked out the ability to add an SD card for storage.

that seems like a typically-apple-douchey thing that they would do.

[jeff061]

It's the 499 everyone will buy. Which is a good price point for the Apple throngs.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by jeff061

It's the 499 everyone will buy. Which is a good price point for the Apple throngs.

for $499 you can get a netbook these days that would be able to do more. sure it'd be a lil heavier, but it'd also have more HD space, be more than a "big ipod touch" as far as being able to run software, etc.

FFS...it's not like Apple doesn't make computers. they could have made this thing better.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Wonder if the Google Office applications that run on web browsers would run on this machine?

[stevew]

Looks like the Verizon iPhone didn't materialize. Oh well.

Supposedly 30 dollars/month for unlimited 3G for the iPad, but no contract needed.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by stevew

Looks like the Verizon iPhone didn't materialize. Oh well.

Supposedly 30 dollars/month for unlimited 3G for the iPad, but no contract needed.

$130 to get the 3G card included though - don't forget that!

nickel and dime your motherfucking customers to death!!

[MJ4H]

lol at this

seriously

sorry I don't have more constructive criticisms. I don't think any are really needed.

[Cringer]

I have been following this thing today and all the hype leading up to it. I have never bought an Apple product because I hate the company policy off a locked up ecosystem, and I think they are overpriced (computers), still I have no problem admitting they make quality products and do things very well overall. This I thought could be interesting though. To me it is a big fail.

It is an iPod Touch blown up.....right now. It runs all the iStore apps, but at the exact size as on the iPhone/Touch. You can blow it up to full screen size but some of those looked pretty funny that I saw pictures of. Of course new apps just for this will be made and that will improve the device in that way. They have a version of iWorks on it, which for all four parts of their productivity suite will cost you another $40 (should be included IMO). It only has a 1ghz processor and I am listening to the TWiT fools gush over the speed and how smooth it was. Of course, it was the iPhone OS with a faster processor, it wasn't Mac OS X.

Pricing. $499 is for 16GB with wifi only. If you want it with 3G it will cost you $629. Too much for what it is IMO. The 3G plans seem reasonable to me on the other hand. $15 for 256mb a month, or $30 for unlimited, both prepaid with AT&T so no contracts.

Oh, and I love how Jobs kept saying how it was the best emailing and web experience you will ever have. Really Steve? I like several websites with Flash, which your own demo showed it clearly does not support. Flash my be crap and hopefully dies some day, but it is around a good chunk right now. And emailing with a physical keyboard will always be better then on that things.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by MJ4H

lol at this

seriously

sorry I don't have more constructive criticisms. I don't think any are really needed.

hehe

sentiment from folks online (from what i can tell in a quick 2 minute look) seems to be running the same way.

"Why not just include a little steve jobs doll and call it the iPenis? Vain and useless! When bigger isn't better!" etc.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Cringer

I have been following this thing today and all the hype leading up to it. I have never bought an Apple product because I hate the company policy off a locked up ecosystem, and I think they are overpriced (computers), still I have no problem admitting they make quality products and do things very well overall. This I thought could be interesting though. To me it is a big fail.

It is an iPod Touch blown up.....right now. It runs all the iStore apps, but at the exact size as on the iPhone/Touch. You can blow it up to full screen size but some of those looked pretty funny that I saw pictures of. Of course new apps just for this will be made and that will improve the device in that way. They have a version of iWorks on it, which for all four parts of their productivity suite will cost you another $40 (should be included IMO). It only has a 1ghz processor and I am listening to the TWiT fools gush over the speed and how smooth it was. Of course, it was the iPhone OS with a faster processor, it wasn't Mac OS X.

Pricing. $499 is for 16GB with wifi only. If you want it with 3G it will cost you $629. Too much for what it is IMO. The 3G plans seem reasonable to me on the other hand. $15 for 256mb a month, or $30 for unlimited, both prepaid with AT&T so no contracts.

Oh, and I love how Jobs kept saying how it was the best emailing and web experience you will ever have. Really Steve? I like several websites with Flash, which your own demo showed it clearly does not support. Flash my be crap and hopefully dies some day, but it is around a good chunk right now. And emailing with a physical keyboard will always be better then on that things.

very much agree with you on the bolded part

629 - you can get a netbook from at&t with 3g for like $350. and that's small enough to throw in a messenger bag - like this thing.

[Cringer]

Ok, so I will throw out one positive to me since almost everything to me is a negative. I do think this thing would be very nice to watch a movie on, on the go. It's thin, light, no keyboard attached to it. So it would be better then a laptop for that I think.

[Cringer]

Oh and just like an iPhone. No multi-tasking. How do you even act like you are better then a netbook or tablet PC when you can't multi-task?

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Cringer

Oh and just like an iPhone. No multi-tasking. How do you even act like you are better then a netbook or tablet PC when you can't multi-task?

shit - my windows mobile phone can multi-task.

apparently Jobs doesn't think that people multitask.

rediculous

[MJ4H]

Originally Posted by Cringer

No multi-tasking.

facepalm.jpg

[jeff061]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

for $499 you can get a netbook these days that would be able to do more. sure it'd be a lil heavier, but it'd also have more HD space, be more than a "big ipod touch" as far as being able to run software, etc.

FFS...it's not like Apple doesn't make computers. they could have made this thing better.

I didn't say it was logical. But for Apple, this is "only 499". I'd never buy it for the reasons you've stated. But people have paid far more for far less when it comes to Apple-mania.

[Fidatelo]

I want to use one before I pass judgement, but I must say the thing looks freakin' sweet.

[MikeVic]

Ok, so I've used an iPhone briefly and it seemed cool, so I had a favourable opinion of it... but seriously, it doesn't multi-task? And the iPad doesn't either? Can someone explain to me how the iPhone would handle something like: I have a browser open to a page, while playing music, then want to call someone with the music paused, and then want to launch a recipe app or something...?

It can't do that? I'd have to close the browser to play music, browse pics, etc... then close that to call someone, then get off the call to launch the recipe app?

[kingfc22]

It looks amazing, but other than that I can't think of a useful day-to-day application that would make me want to get this.

I already have an iPhone so why would I want an iPad? Hmmmm, not sold.

[Daimyo]

I'm pretty sure the people critical in this thread aren't the target audience. Seriously, if you think Windows Mobile is better than iPhone because it has multitasking, you probably won't ever "get it". (and I was a Windows Mobile user/supporter for over 4 years before switching to iPhone)

Personally, I haven't seen the value of a netbook since I've had an iPhone, but I see a ton of value in the iPad. I used an IBM x61 tablet for two years and was underwelmed, but this looks to address a lot of the issues I had with that.

[gstelmack]

I love the talk about books on it. I've used eBooks on an LCD display, and on an eInk display, and will take my Kindle with its eInk (or whatever) any day. Much easier to read, I can't read books with the typical contrast issues on an LCD display. But the publishers are fawning over this????

[Pyser]

Originally Posted by MikeVic

Ok, so I've used an iPhone briefly and it seemed cool, so I had a favourable opinion of it... but seriously, it doesn't multi-task? And the iPad doesn't either? Can someone explain to me how the iPhone would handle something like: I have a browser open to a page, while playing music, then want to call someone with the music paused, and then want to launch a recipe app or something...?

It can't do that? I'd have to close the browser to play music, browse pics, etc... then close that to call someone, then get off the call to launch the recipe app?

yes. but its not as bad as it sounds. you leave safari to make your call (music automatically pauses), when your call is done the music restarts. then go to your app. then close that, and when you go back into safari its still on the same page you left it (and you can have multiple safari pages open at once)

[Pyser]

dola, music multitasks. you can do anything on the phone and the music will keep playing. if a call comes in, or you make one, it pauses til the call is over, then automatically resumes playing.

[Groundhog]

You have got to be kidding me. 64GB is the largest HD in the initial release? Wow. Well, I was pretty interested in this devide, now, not so much.

[DanGarion]

No camera, no multitasking, no flash, no way.

[MJ4H]

Philosoraptor: If there is no camera, why would you need flash?

[stevew]

This thing could theoretically be valuable in a classroom I suppose. Instead of providing books for every class, the ability to get e-versions of texts might actually work.

Granted, there are numerous other things that already do the same thing at a cheaper price.

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by MJ4H

Philosoraptor: If there is no camera, why would you need flash?

Flash. Not a flash.

[Cringer]

Originally Posted by Daimyo

I'm pretty sure the people critical in this thread aren't the target audience. Seriously, if you think Windows Mobile is better than iPhone because it has multitasking, you probably won't ever "get it". (and I was a Windows Mobile user/supporter for over 4 years before switching to iPhone)

Personally, I haven't seen the value of a netbook since I've had an iPhone, but I see a ton of value in the iPad. I used an IBM x61 tablet for two years and was underwelmed, but this looks to address a lot of the issues I had with that.

Windows Mobile stinks, maybe 7 changes that but I won't hold my breath that will be great. I use webOS for a phone, the Palm Pre. And no I don't need a netbook because I have a laptop and my Palm Pre.

As for you, what issues does the iPad solve for you? I am curious what someone who would actually want one of these to do with it that you can't already do on your iPhone or Touch?

[k0ruptr]

I think once this thing gets Jail Broken, it will be pretty damn awesome. I'll wait for that to pick one up.

[Cringer]

Engadget tidbits on this after a hands-on. Though they are in love with Apple a little bit so you may or may not take it with a grain of salt.

• It's not light. It feels pretty weighty in your hand.
• The screen is stunning, and it's 1024 x 768. Feels just like a huge iPhone in your hands.
• The speed of the CPU is something to be marveled at. It is blazingly fast from what we can tell. Webpages loaded up super fast, and scrolling was without a hiccup. Moving into and out of apps was a breeze. Everything flew.
• There's no multitasking at all. It's a real disappointment. All this power and very little you can do with it at once. No multitasking means no streaming Pandora when you're working in Pages... you can figure it out. It's a real setback for this device.
• The ebook implementation is about as close as you can get to reading without a stack of bound paper in your hand. The visual stuff really helps flesh out the experience. It may be just for show, but it counts here.
• No camera. None, nada. Zip. No video conferencing here folks. Hell, it doesn't have an SMS app!
• It's running iPhone OS 3.2.
• The keyboard is good, not great. Not quite as responsive as it looked in the demos.
• No Flash confirmed. So Hulu is out for you, folks!

[Cringer]

Originally Posted by k0ruptr

I think once this thing gets Jail Broken, it will be pretty damn awesome. I'll wait for that to pick one up.

I am sure that would help a good chunk. That wouldn't give me a USB port though.

And as negative as I sound on this, I say it probably sells somewhat decent and by the 2nd or 3rd version of this it could probably be a pretty kick-ass little device.

[Mac Howard]

Pity about the hype that produced expectations that could never had been met because it's a very reasonable machine in the end. I would personally prefer a Windows 7 touchscreen laptop or netbook but I suspect that far more software will be created for the Ipad than is currently being produced for Win 7 touchscreen.

It's a good price. Battery life looks good. Portability is good. It just isn't the great breakthrough that we were led to expect.

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by DanGarion

No camera, no multitasking, no flash, no way.

not a gadget guy, but when I first saw it this afternoon, I needed to have one. Then I started to find out all the quirks (such as these). Do not want.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

shit - my windows mobile phone can multi-task.

apparently Jobs doesn't think that people multitask.

rediculous

But you can surf the web while talking on the phone!!! VERIZON CAN'T!!!!

[MJ4H]

What the hell is everyone's sudden fascination with effing touch screens anyway? Do not want.

[rowech]

This thing is going to be a product that people buy just because and they're are going to be a lot of disappointed people. This thing is nothing but an oversized iphone with some added features. Hardly worth the money people are going to pay.

Of course, people will buy it, and then my taxdollars will help to bail them out when they can't pay for it or make their house payment because they bought one of these things to have the next big gadget.

[ISiddiqui]

LOL. This is one of the most useless products I've seen.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Daimyo

I'm pretty sure the people critical in this thread aren't the target audience. Seriously, if you think Windows Mobile is better than iPhone because it has multitasking, you probably won't ever "get it". (and I was a Windows Mobile user/supporter for over 4 years before switching to iPhone)

Personally, I haven't seen the value of a netbook since I've had an iPhone, but I see a ton of value in the iPad. I used an IBM x61 tablet for two years and was underwelmed, but this looks to address a lot of the issues I had with that.

i never said windows mobile was better than iphone, i simply stated that my windows mobile phone can multitask and the iphone can't.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by RedKingGold

Looking foward to the influx of menstruation jokes.

Yeah, maybe this is evidence of why you have women execs in your firm. So you don't name a product the iPad.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Logan

But you can surf the web while talking on the phone!!! VERIZON CAN'T!!!!

yep...if i've got my bluetooth headset hooked up (which to be honest most of the time i don't). but it's real handy for say...having a conversation in my IM program while typing an email or looking up directions

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by stevew

This thing could theoretically be valuable in a classroom I suppose. Instead of providing books for every class, the ability to get e-versions of texts might actually work.

Amazon Kindle DX.