Cable Forum - The Apple iPad Thread

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Re: The Apple iPad Thread

Well I have the iPlayer app now. It does seem quite nice actually.

---------- Post added at 10:17 ---------- Previous post was at 08:24 ----------

World of Goo is 59p on iPad today only ;)

Re: The Apple iPad Thread

So, further rumours and speculation regarding the upcoming iPad 2... and iPad 3.

It's a given that there will be an iPad 2 in/around April. It fits with the annual product cycle Apple loves so much (e.g. a new iPhone every summer, a new iPod Touch every September), it's needed due to there actually being some attempt at competition this year from other CE manufacturers, and of course all the tech blogs & sites are assured by their sources that it will happen and that it is already in manufacture.

As mentioned earlier in the thread, features for the iPad 2 which seem pretty much definite (as much as can be without an announcement, of course) are that it will be slimmer and lighter, feature a front-facing camera (& perhaps also one on the rear), and hopefully also more RAM and a faster CPU.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...125168876.html

Earlier rumours also mentioned a new "Apple A5" system-on-a-chip, containing a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 CPU and a PowerVR SGX543 GPU (compared to the single-core ARM Cortex-A8 CPU and PowerVR SGX535 GPU in the iPad 1 & iPhone 4's "Apple A4"). This would be comparable to the Tegra 2 (Cortex-A9 plus GeForce ULP) & similar used in various upcoming competitors of the iPad.

Some rumours also claimed that the iPad 2 would feature a "Retina display"... but others claimed otherwise... It would cost too much to do that so soon as it would need a bigger bump in CPU/GPU/RAM, etc. as well as display tech improvements.

It now seems, according to the tech blogs etc. & their sources, that there may well actually be two iPads released this year:

~April (1 year after iPad 1): iPad 2. Slimmer & lighter, camera, more RAM & hopefully a faster CPU... But still using an Apple A4, with the A5 held off until the iPhone 5 in June.

September (the rumoured "big surprise" during the annual iPod Touch reveal): iPad 3. More RAM again, plus... the Apple A5 (dual-core Cortex-A9 plus GeForce SX543) previously introduced in the iPhone 5, plus... a "Retina display", giving the iPad a massive boost in resolution.

The iPad 2 will be to the iPad 1 what the iPhone 3GS was to the 3G... bit faster, bit more RAM, minor improvements... While the iPad 3 will be the equivalent of the iPhone 4... Huge jump in power & resolution.

Releasing a third iPad, only five months after the second, could well alienate some people, but... It would help Apple stay ahead (or at least not fall behind) in the tech spec race, now there's finally going to be some serious competition, plus it would re-align the annual product cycle from what is a bit of a stupid time of year for this sort of thing to the much more lucrative run up to the "Holiday" season.

http://daringfireball.net/2011/02/the_next_six_months

http://techcrunch.com/2011/02/09/ipad-3/

http://www.padgadget.com/2011/02/09/...sed-this-fall/

http://www.padgadget.com/2011/02/16/...with-older-a4/

Re: The Apple iPad Thread

Apple confirms iPad 2 event

Quote:

Originally Posted by IGN

Today Apple issued formal press invitations to a "Special Event" next Wednesday, March 2, in San Francisco, where the iPad 2 is expected to be unveiled.

The invitation displays an iCalendar-style icon being peeled away to reveal the upper right corner of an iPad, with the words "Come see what 2011 will be the year of" written below.

The event will take place at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, near the Moscone Center where Games Developers Conference will also be taking place next week.

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/...2011/02/18.jpg

Re: The Apple iPad Thread

"AppleInsider.com: Apple may surprise with near immediate availability of iPad 2 next week"

Quote:

Originally Posted by AppleInsider.com

While media reports have shed considerable doubt on Apple's capacity to facilitate a full-scale launch of its second-generation iPad in the short term, AppleInsider has reason to believe that customers could be holding the new tablet device in their hands shortly after next Wednesday's press event.

According to people familiar with the matter, Apple is preparing several of its operating segments to perform functions during the second half of next week that are representative of nothing short of a large scale, consumer-oriented product roll out (not just an announcement). And with official invitations to next Wednesday's press briefing clearly indicating a focus on iPad, these people believe at least one version of the refreshed device will be in transit to retail outlets during that briefing.

It should be noted that while nothing is definitive till Apple issues a statement, these same people have consistently provided accurate information regarding Apple's future product plans and the timing related to those plans. At the same time, their predictions arrive in stark contrast to a variety of reports over the past few weeks that have insinuated Apple would for some reason choose preview a new iPad at the top of the month but be unable to ship it till the end of the month, the following month or sometime thereafter.

In less than a year, the iPad has rapidly grown from what was once thought to be a niche product into an asset that's on the verge of generating 20% of Apple's business on a quarter-to-quarter basis. Of the $26.74 billion in revenue the Cupertino-based company reported for its first fiscal quarter of 2011, $4.61 billion was attributed to the iPad, of which $4.4 billion was from the sale of the device itself. Therefore, teasing new iPads that wouldn't ship for 4 weeks or more would undoubtedly bring sales of existing models to a halt and possibly cost the company billions.

(snip)

The article also repeats the belief of others that the iPad 2 will feature an "Apple A5" SoC containing a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 CPU plus a PowerVR SGX543 GPU. Although 512MB of RAM is a bit low compared to the 1GB found in the Xoom etc., the A5 (if true) will certainly keep the iPad 2 on a level with the CPU/GPU of the Xoom & other upcoming tablets.. As a side note, the Sony NGP will also use the Cortex-A9 and the SGX543... albeit apparently with four cores rather than the two the iPad 2 / iPhone 5 will allegedly have.

______________________________________________

Hopefully the "iPad 3 in September" rumours are just rubbish. Some of the speculation I've seen has suggested that the "big surprise" in September may be a larger version of the iPod Touch, to fill a gap between the current Touch and the iPad.

Re: The Apple iPad Thread

I want one! But I also want to get one of those new Macbook Pros! Darn you Apple!!!

Re: The Apple iPad Thread

Barring unforeseen circumstances, I'm hoping to get one in April.

Re: The Apple iPad Thread

I was going to get this revision. Even have some Apple Giftcard to use but the new MacBook Pros look great, quad-core i7 sandy bridge processors. Much better graphic cards...etc

I hope this iPad revision is going to be better than it seems so far, apparently just thiner and spec bump..

Re: The Apple iPad Thread

I was lucky enough to win one at work.

Its the 32 gig wifi version and i have not put it down for 2 days now :)

Re: The Apple iPad Thread

Quote:

Originally Posted by Damien (Post 35182853)

I was going to get this revision. Even have some Apple Giftcard to use but the new MacBook Pros look great, quad-core i7 sandy bridge processors. Much better graphic cards...etc

Yeah, the new MBPs look lovely. Pricey though!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Damien (Post 35182853)

I hope this iPad revision is going to be better than it seems so far, apparently just thiner and spec bump..

What's wrong with that, though?

Better & faster CPU & GPU, more RAM, cameras, slimmer & lighter.

What else should Apple do?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirius (Post 35182875)

I was lucky enough to win one at work.

Its the 32 gig wifi version and i have not put it down for 2 days now :)

That is lucky! :)

Re: The Apple iPad Thread

Well, I have one in my hands right now ...

Not mine, I'm afraid, but my in laws think they've 'broken' it or something, so I've borrowed it in order to 'fix' it. :D

One quick reset and I'm underway. TBH I'm underwhelmed. The whole thing seems to have been designed to prevent you doing stuff.

Re: The Apple iPad Thread

The New iPad has been revealed

It will be out on March 25th here. Maintains the same price point and has the following features:

A5 Dual Core Processor - Twice as fast as previous iPad
9X improvement in Graphical ability apprantly
33% thinner and 15% lighter
Cameras in front and back
Same battery life
New 'magnetatic case' system

Update to the iOS as well. Best update feature? It's actually for the iPhone, and it will turn your iPhone into a personal wi-fi hotspot, which you can then connect up to 5 devices too. Including your iPad. Thus if you already have an iPhone you can use it's 3g connection for your mobile internet!

That feature alone means I can get a wi-fi only iPad! :D

Re: The Apple iPad Thread

the original iPad is going to be flogged a-la iPhone 3Gs for 100 quid cheaper than it was before... so Â£329 for a 16gb Wi-Fi model.

I too was looking at the new MBPs...Pricey doesn't quite describe the steepness of said prices.

Just under Â£2k for a nicely specc'd 15" quad core i7 :( plus... I'm not due an upgrade for 3 years... I set myself a 5year replacement limit due to the Â£1300 I paid for my current MBP a couple of years ago.

Re: The Apple iPad Thread

Engadget - The iPad 2

Engadget - iPad 2 first hands on!

Engadget - iPad 2 versus iPad 1

Engadget - iPad 2 versus Xoom versus TouchPad versus Playbook

Quote:

Originally Posted by Damien (Post 35185490)

Maintains the same price point

Yup :)

I believe I just heard execs from Motorola etc. weeping softly...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Damien (Post 35185490)

Although: Personal Hotspot will in all likelihood be an extra charge, much as the current tethering function is. Certainly will be for O2, from what I have heard.

If so, then my plan is to keep my iPhone 4 Jailbroken & use MyWi...

There's certainly no way I'd pay an extra Â£100 for a 3G iPad when the vast majority of my use will be in places I have WiFi available.

-------------------------------------------

I'm aiming to get an iPad 2 at the end of April.

Re: The Apple iPad Thread

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt D (Post 35185543)

Although: Personal Hotspot will in all likelihood be an extra charge, much as the current tethering function is. Certainly will be for O2, from what I have heard..

Vodafone have 500mb tethering with my contract. Will probably use that.

Re: The Apple iPad Thread

Apart from not getting the point of an iPad, I do think they are great if you have a need for one but I'm still trying to figure what use I would have for one. I can't see a point in swapping or upgrading my iTouch for one, as the iTouch has much more everyday practical use.

Personally, I wouldn't buy something at that price knowing that in a a few months it's going to be outdated by a newer version. Not only that I'd rather see what competition crops up, still early days yet.