Plenty to digest after Apple’s iPad event. Highlights include an improved Apple TV, the iPad 2 getting a $100 price reduction and of course some big spec bumps for what Apple seem to be calling the “New iPad”.

Here’s a round up of what we know so far, more exact details will follow:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apple TV has gotten some improvements which will now allow 1080P full HD video. The UI has also been slightly redesigned. Services such as Netflix will now support 1080P video, where available, and can be paid for through iTunes. Prices will remain the same.

 

 

Most of the specs that had been rumoured before today’s event regarding the New iPad proved to be accurate.
The most impressive of these being the new Retina Display. Coming in at a whopping 2048 x 1536 pixels it means that you now have 1 million more pixels on the screen than you would on a 1080P TV which is sure to make for a pretty crisp viewing experience.
Next up is an improved “A5X” processor. Apple is making some bold claims about this processor. The “X” is added to indicate that the GPU is now Quad Core and while the CPU remains dual core it is “improved” over the previous A5. Apple showed off a nice bar graph claiming that the new chip is 4 times more powerful than the Tegra 3 platform. Tests will need to be done to back up this claim but if it’s true it will make it a powerhouse considering the Asus Transformer Prime has a Tegra 3, 12 Core GPU/ 4 Core CPU set up.
The camera was a weak point on previous iPad’s and has been addressed with this update. 1080P video capture is now available through a 5MP camera which uses the same tech that is in the iPhone 4S camera. Features such as face detection, auto focus, white balacne and image stabilisation while shooting video are all included.
Another featured we waited to see included was Siri. Apple hasn’t gone all the way here but the have added voice dictation. There is now a speaker icon on the keyboard allowing to choose this method for input.
The next new feature is the inclusion of a 4G LTE and HSPA+ capable radio. Apple is stating theoretical speeds of between 21 and 73Mbps. Naturally these are headline grabbing speeds but are also mythical under normal network conditions. With that said speeds will be increased greatly over previous version. the personal hotspot feature is now available if Network supported. Apple is claiming battery life will not be effected by the inclusion of these new radios, something other OEM’s have really struggled to deliver on. To support that claim there is obviously a serious battery now fitted to the new model and some size and weight has been added to the overall unit to accommodate.
Interestingly on Apple’s Irish website it is listing O2, Vodafone and Three as suppliers of 4G services in Ireland. Maybe Apple know something we don’t or they have used all those billions to roll out an LTE network here over night but the last time I checked none of the Irish Networks are offering LTE as an option. We can only dream!
Prices for the new iPad will remain the same as previous models with the iPad 2 getting a welcome price reduction, no doubt aimed at competing with some of the other cheaper tablets that have hit the market.

Pre orders were available in the US but have sold out now. The unit won’t ship in Ireland until at least March 23, but no word on Irish pre orders yet.

Both Itunes and iOS have been updated in line with the new device.

Let us know what you think below. Will you be treating yourself to a “New iPad”?

 

 

 

More about Irish Tech News

Irish Tech News are Ireland’s No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland’s No.1 Tech Podcast too.

You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news

If you’d like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at [email protected] now to discuss.

Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at [email protected] now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience.

You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

Irish Tech News

Pin It on Pinterest