IPad 3

[Tobin]

I am not paying all that money to apple to get the new one.

I got the old style kindle and PC quite happy with that.

 

[Baines' left foot]

The iPad 4 is out already? WTF? 7 months after the iPad 3, bit of a joke that.

 

[Mrk]

The iPad 4 is out already? WTF? 7 months after the iPad 3, bit of a joke that.

It's unusual for Apple to update a product within such a short time, but in the industry it's not unusual in the slightest for products to be updated every 6-8 months.

 

[maddison]

The iPad 4 is out already? WTF? 7 months after the iPad 3, bit of a joke that.

Not really if you know the background to it. Initially they were going to release IGZO panels, which would ahve meant a retina display and a thinner iPad. Sharp couldn't get the tech right, or produce the quantities needed. So Apple had to release a bulkier product.

When the iPad 3 was announced, there was a rumour that this was a stop gap and there would be an incremental update later on in the year, which came to be true. They updated the processor to give it some extra beef over the iPad 3, and gave it the new connector as well as making it 4G compatible for more countries.

Next year you'll see the iPad they wanted to introduce this year, namely the IGZO display version. It will be thinner, and either retain the same battery life as the previous generations of iPad's (10 hours), or possibly have an extended battery life.

I'd also envisage that the iPhone and iPad mini will both get IGZO displays next year too, provided Sharp can produce enough quantities. Battery life will be the main beneficiary for both devices. Again depending on yields, there could also be a MacBook Air with a retina display and thinner form factor thanks to the implementation of IGZO and Hazwell, as well as extended battery life for the MacBook Pro line. Goodbye Samsung, Hello! Sharp

As a side note, Samsung would have probably released three or four devices with that time frame of 7 months, so it's not that bad really.

 

[evilwebby]

Had me an IPad3 for a couple of months now. I'm a bit old fashioned, so it's my first Apple product of any kind.

I have to say it is an impressive piece of kit. Well worth the money, even if you can get a Android tablets for less, the "Apple" way of having everything seemlessly in one place is just an easier experience for 9 out of 10 users.

 

[Baines' left foot]

Not really if you know the background to it. Initially they were going to release IGZO panels, which would ahve meant a retina display and a thinner iPad. Sharp couldn't get the tech right, or produce the quantities needed. So Apple had to release a bulkier product.

When the iPad 3 was announced, there was a rumour that this was a stop gap and there would be an incremental update later on in the year, which came to be true. They updated the processor to give it some extra beef over the iPad 3, and gave it the new connector as well as making it 4G compatible for more countries.

Next year you'll see the iPad they wanted to introduce this year, namely the IGZO display version. It will be thinner, and either retain the same battery life as the previous generations of iPad's (10 hours), or possibly have an extended battery life.

I'd also envisage that the iPhone and iPad mini will both get IGZO displays next year too, provided Sharp can produce enough quantities. Battery life will be the main beneficiary for both devices. Again depending on yields, there could also be a MacBook Air with a retina display and thinner form factor thanks to the implementation of IGZO and Hazwell, as well as extended battery life for the MacBook Pro line. Goodbye Samsung, Hello! Sharp

As a side note, Samsung would have probably released three or four devices with that time frame of 7 months, so it's not that bad really.

Admittedly I don't know very much about all this kind of stuff. I'm actually considering buying either an older iPad or a reconditioned unit, I've seen some very good prices for the iPad 2 but with this new one coming out soon I don't want to spend £300 on one when it will be outdated by 2 generations already. I've looked at Android equivalents but it seems the iPad is streets ahead at the moment, and the Android devices aren't even that much cheaper.

 

[maddison]

Admittedly I don't know very much about all this kind of stuff. I'm actually considering buying either an older iPad or a reconditioned unit, I've seen some very good prices for the iPad 2 but with this new one coming out soon I don't want to spend £300 on one when it will be outdated by 2 generations already. I've looked at Android equivalents but it seems the iPad is streets ahead at the moment, and the Android devices aren't even that much cheaper.

It's not that the Android devices are bad, because they're not. They just lack the app support, that's the main problem on the platform. For phones it's pretty good, for tablets not such a great experience.

I still have an iPad 2, I wouldn't worry about the age of it though. The iPad 2 is still a great buy, the only thing that it lacks is Siri, which I never bother using anyway. The main reason for this is a licencing issue where Apple aren't allowed to put Siri on a device that preceeds their licencing agreement.

The iPad 3 runs at exactly the same speed as the iPad 2, all of the extra horsepower goes on running the display, which is why there was a need to beef up the processor to the A6X.

If it were me, I'd either get the iPad mini at the moment or an iPad 2. You'd be suprised at how well the devices hold their value. I'd wait for the iPad 5 to come out and skip the 3 and 4 because they dont actually do anything the 2 can't do. Mind you if you are hooked by that screen, and it is pretty amazing, then I could see why someone would go for the iPad 4. The only time the screen botheres me though is when I'm sat next to someone with an iPad 3, thankfully I've escaped from the witch and seldom sit next to anyone who's got a three now

 

[Deleted member 28206]

Still enjoy the iPad 2 I've got. Even I can see apple are taking the piss now, a smaller iPad despite promising never to release one and a bigger phone.

 

[MartSlinger]

Thing is though, because its got an apple logo on it the usual people will buy it, no matter how similar it is to the previous model. The Apple 'fanboys' are weird creatures.

 

[Dylan]

All about the profit margins for Apple. Google and Amazon are making practically no money from the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire, Apple are insistent that they will always make sensible product margins on their products.

Still wouldn't get either though, never seen the need for a tablet.

Amazon, for one are taking the Nintendo approach. Losing money on the hardware and trying to make it up on content. Although if you look at their quarterly earnings they are in the red, but that apparently was due to them buying a company or something.

Either way, Google and Amazon really make no money on the hardware.

As for the iPad Mini. It will be a brilliant bit of kit, and will sell bucketloads. It has an Apple on it.

Although, I do remember Jobbssiah mention that NO ONE would want a 7" tablet and something about having to sharpen their fingertips so they would be able to operate said 7" tablets.