News - Apple announces iPad HD for release March 16th

[aidanjt]

Surely if they named the processor the A6 it would clash with the naming of AMD's A6 llano APUs. It would at least make me confused if not tempt AMD to copyright or what not.

I don't know if 'A6' would qualify as distinctive. That's why Intel dropped ix86 branding for 'Pentium'. Then again, with today's insane USPTO, you'd never know.

[mark22]

Of course it's last gen and samsung will throw together the best parts for a real tab winner soon. Who'd of thought it. I'm still trying to work out where said samsung tablet plus windows 8 is going to get us and how much I'd pay for it. One thing I know is I can afford a iPad but won't fund anti competition but I really see something happening in the real future pc world I just don't think anyone's grasped how that's gonna look yet.

[mark22]

"Wait till you can watch Netflix in the restroom "Just read that on bbc, guess americans know where they're headed. I was thinking full desktop ability wherever we are but how's about while eating a cheeseburger on the job. iElvis.

[vicar]

I am waiting for win 8 tablets, before making my mind up. Price will be a determing factor.

[Saracen]

Another over-priced Apple tablet. Yawn.

[Myss_tree]

Good to see the article delivered as any other tech report for other manufacturers rather than the "idolisation at the alter" over at Engadget.

[crossy]

With the increase in device size and weight, with the only feature of note the Retina screen, I can't help but feel 'last gen', I'm expecting Samsung or another Android provider to offer something more appealing pretty soon, with wacom digitizers, padfones etc, I'm far more excited.

Hmm, my take too - Apple's only really just matching existing devices like Transformer Prime (or should that be Infinity Prime now?)

Of course it's last gen and samsung will throw together the best parts for a real tab winner soon. Who'd of thought it. I'm still trying to work out where said samsung tablet plus windows 8 is going to get us and how much I'd pay for it.

Actually, going to disagree here - Samsung's tablets also have been pretty "ho hum" for me too - unless umpteen different form factors counts as "innovation" these days. Don't want to come across like major league Asus fanboy, but tbh they're the most innovative of all the tablet makers imho. Really like the Galaxy Note though - and especially the SamsungMobileUSA ads for it (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgfknZidYq0)

Good to see the article delivered as any other tech report for other manufacturers rather than the "idolisation at the alter" over at Engadget.

Oh yes, Engadget does rather over do the "isn't this like ... the best thing evar!" angle. As you say, it's good to have the usual sober, sensible reporting from Hexus, and leave any rabid frothing for the comments pages.

Maybe I'm getting mellow in my old age, but if I was in the market for a tablet (which I'm not because I've got one), and I didn't find a reliance on iTunes annoying (which I do), then the 16GB iPad3 @ £399 sounds like pretty reasonable value for money for what you're getting, and as such I'd be pretty tempted. That said, the bigger models don't look good value - £499 for the 32GB also gets the Transformer Prime (which has a proper keyboard, secondary battery and a shed-load more ports) which I'd argue is more capable. Of course, there's now also the iPad2 - £329 for the 16GB model sounds suspiciously "entry level" to me.

Amongst other features, finally catching up with Android, is support for voice dictation.

Is that Siri, or something lesser? (just curious)

[d032sh]

If Apple can manage 2048x1536 on a ~10" screen, where's my 4096x3072 monitor? I would love a higher resolution but I find any more than 22" monitors a bit huge for gaming, wouldn't it be wonderful if they could scale up this pixel density... <hopes>

[Whiternoise]

I still don't see the point of it, two housemates have them and while they're very nice looking and have swishy transitions, like one big Keynote presentation, they don't do anything a teeny laptop like the Macbook Air wouldn't and are considerably less useful.

But, in terms of tablets generally what more can they add? It's a bit like the iPods - there gets to a point when the only thing you can do is add more storage and little software features. As it stands it's got a nice screen, yes the camera's a bit rubbish (but who stands there like a tit holding the pad up anyway?) and it's got a decent operating system for what it's designed to do. Short of making it slightly thinner and increasing the battery life it's hardly surprising that this upgrade is a bit meh?

Apple continue to break ground when they first release things, but historically this has always happened. When was the last time the iPhone was significantly refreshed? And not just a bit square with an aerial that you can't touch. The iPods haven't changed at all really in the last few years, neither has the iPod Touch. They haven't suddenly become rubbish products, but there's a limited amount you can do to improve them.

What bothers me more is that we're still plodding towards 4G. Weren't we one of the first to get 3G in comparison?

[TheAnimus]

http://www.ubergizmo.com/2012/03/app...not-quad-core/

Interesting analysis of what Apple have been saying, whilst hexus have clarified this article that its not a Quad Core CPU, unlike the new Transformer, he talks a bit more about the GPU, and how Apple are probably making their claims.

Personally, its thicker, heavier, do we really need a retena screen? I can't load photos on without them squishing and compressing them awfully as is, why make the screen better when the software is still the weakest link.