First look: Apple's new third-generation iPad with Retina display
With Apple's new iPad officially available, users on Friday are getting their first look at the new high-definition Retina display that is the defining feature of the third-generation tablet.
The box and packaging for the new iPad is largely the same as its predecessor. In fact, the biggest change is a silver iCloud logo on the bottom of the box, opposite the silver Apple logo displayed on the other side.
Opening the box of a new 32-gigabyte Wi-Fi model, it's all iPad, with the plastic-covered device sitting atop the included instructions, USB cable and wall charging adapter. Holding down the power button boots the device with a quick and showy flash of the Apple logo before the PC-free setup begins.
Even in the setup process, the improved clarity with the new Retina display is apparent. Text and fonts are much sharper, and this can immediately be noticed even during the iCloud restore.
Another new addition that will appear during the setup process is the "Dictation" feature. Here, users are informed of how it works, and are allowed to enable or disable the feature.
After about a 15-minute restore from iCloud, the new iPad was good to go. Apple's official magnetic Smart Cover still fits the device just fine.
The new model is said to be slightly thicker and heavier than its predecessor, but any changes are subtle at best. One would need to compare the new model with the iPad 2, side by side, in order to truly notice any differences.
Once the iPad boots to the restored home screen, the benefits of the new Retina display become even more apparent. Text is sharper, images are clearer and the whole device feels like a major step up from its predecessor.
The jump in clarity is so strong that even the tiny versions of application icons displayed in an iOS folder look razor sharp. Of course, the icons of applications that have not yet been updated to take advantage of the Retina display also stand out next to their sharper counterparts.
If this isn't your first iPad, one of the first things you might want to do with your new iPad is update the wallpaper. Whatever you were using before might have been passable, but on the new Retina display, it might just look murky.
The enhanced display is really all about the text: Something as simple as browsing the Web now takes on an entirely new life with super-crisp fonts that are much easier on the eye.
Initial tests with the new voice dictation feature were also positive. Simply tap the microphone icon on the keyboard and begin speaking. When done, tap the microphone again, and an accurate transcription of what you speak will be written on the iPad. It lacks the wow-factor of Siri on the iPhone 4S, but is still a strong addition to the new iPad.
[ View article on AppleInsider ]
Comments
Another thing I'm noticing is that for those of us who have large on-device iOS app libraries is the size of these 'new iPad' optimized apps, as it's been confirmed by several sites that they can be up to 5 times larger than their predecessors. Even the recent updates to Apple's Pages app went from 95mb to 269mb, Numbers from 109mb to 283mb, and iMovie from 70mb to a whopping 404mb?
One can only deduce that the more graphics-heavy gaming apps like EA's FIFA '12 (already more than 1.2gb as it stands), as well as Epic's Infinity Blade and Gameloft's Mortal Combat series (all at a gig or more all ready) are likely going to be absolutely huge downloads, presenting not only possible device storage issues, but also concerns for those who desire to update said apps while on-the-go via (data-cap limited) LTE equipped 'new iPads'.
We'll See...
its not siri, buts its voice to text.
so why only on the newest iPad. It would have to be part of the 5.1 release, no?
reading on the retina display is amazing!
...and iMovie from 70mb to a whopping 404mb?
If only there was some other factory involved with the size increase... for instance, it went from only being an iPhone/Touch app to also supporting the iPad.
Any insight as to whether cases from iPad 2 fit well for the new one?
I realize this is your first post, Arrclight, but you're going to get some angry replies if you continue to leave the entire story with your questions.
... and, no, I'm not sure if the iPad2 case will fit the 3rd generation iPad.
Any insight as to whether cases from iPad 2 fit well for the new one?
Seriously, dude, can you please edit your post. There is no need to include the entire article including images. Just click the edit button and get deleting
I wonder about that dictation thing more than anything.
its not siri, buts its voice to text.
so why only on the newest iPad. It would have to be part of the 5.1 release, no?
It appears to work as advertised, seemingly more accurate than my iPhone4S.
The only downfall is that it doesn't seem to process on-device, but via Apple's Siri servers, so one needs either a WiFi connection or to eat into (expensive and capped) cellular data limits to use it (on the LTE versions that is).
I wonder about that dictation thing more than anything.
its not siri, buts its voice to text.
so why only on the newest iPad. It would have to be part of the 5.1 release, no?
It probably has Audience's EarSmart tech that first arrived with the iPhone 4S's A5 chip.
So my neighbor tells me UPS came and delivered our iPads. I am stuck at work all day...I want to go HOME!
If any of you are good hackers, you can find my home address and pick up a free 64GB iPad by my side door.
Looking at the new screen, the resolution is impressive, though I'm likely to exchange mine for another one if I find the 'screen-bleed' more than I care to endure on a (near) 900.00 device (mine's a 64gb/LTE Verizon).
Another thing I'm noticing is that for those of us who have large on-device iOS app libraries is the size of these 'new iPad' optimized apps, as it's been confirmed by several sites that they can be up to 5 times larger than their predecessors. Even the recent updates to Apple's Pages app went from 95mb to 269mb, Numbers from 109mb to 283mb, and iMovie from 70mb to a whopping 404mb…
One can only deduce that the more graphics-heavy gaming apps like EA's FIFA '12 (already more than 1.2gb as it stands), as well as Epic's Infinity Blade and Gameloft's Mortal Combat series (all at a gig or more all ready) are likely going to be absolutely huge downloads, presenting not only possible device storage issues, but also concerns for those who desire to update said apps while on-the-go via (data-cap limited) LTE equipped 'new iPads'.
We'll See...
No, 2D games and apps are the ones increasing so much in size. Infinity Blade 2 and other 3D games have already been updated and they aren't that much bigger. That's because they're just bumping up the resolution. 2D apps need all new high-resolution artwork. Real Racing 2 went from 402mb to 444mb, the major factor being the additional languages they added. Even that Sky Gamblers: Air Supremacy game is only 360MB. Galaxy on Fire 2 HD says they have "Four times higher resolution textures" while supporting the retina display and that's only 519MB.
Also... download size and installation size are two completely different things. Now the downloads need to include artwork for the older iPads AND the new iPads in one file.
It appears to work as advertised, seemingly more accurate than my iPhone4S.
The only downfall is that it doesn't seem to process on-device, but via Apple's Siri servers, so one needs either a WiFi connection or to eat into (expensive and capped) cellular data limits to use it (on the LTE versions that is).
well now that is a HUGE suprise.....
if what you are saying is true, Apple assumes the device in question will always be connected. I thought that for the iPhone 4s using siri it made sense because it technically "should be" always connected. But an iPad..... it most certainly is not.
haha. I thought I was seeing double for a second. I almost replied right now including the entire post but I am not sure you all would find that funny.
So my neighbor tells me UPS came and delivered our iPads. I am stuck at work all day...I want to go HOME!
If any of you are good hackers, you can find my home address and pick up a free 64GB iPad by my side door.
yeah, mine got dropped off at noon. I however will be leaving work soon.
well now that is a HUGE suprise.....
if what you are saying is true, Apple assumes the device in question will always be connected. I thought that for the iPhone 4s using siri it made sense because it technically "should be" always connected. But an iPad..... it most certainly is not.
That was known during the demo. You can see the icon whirling around at the top indicating internet activity when dictating to the device.
Also... download size and installation size are two completely different things. Now the downloads need to include artwork for the older iPads AND the new iPads in one file.
Are you sure about this? So the extra data will be deleted on my iPad 2?
Sorry, but the silver iCloud logo was also on the box of the iPad 2. The store where I work as an Apple-Certified Macintosh Technician still has iPad 2's in stock, and I'm looking at one right now. They had the logo there as soon as iOS 5.0 first came out.
Any insight as to whether cases from iPad 2 fit well for the new one?
Welcome to Appleinsider the only board where when we call you a Douchebag it really means that we love you.
Also... download size and installation size are two completely different things. Now the downloads need to include artwork for the older iPads AND the new iPads in one file.
Which sound terribly inefficient, and could/should be rather upsetting to owners of the lower-capacity iPod Touch, iPhone 4, and iPad/iPad2, as the 8gb versions of the first two only provide about 6.5gb of free space, and 16gb version only about 13.8gb.
Hopefully Apple comes up with a way in which installations can be 'intelligent' enough to recognize the specific device in use, and forego installing all those completely unnecessary/space-hogging app assets.