iPad 3 with More Tapered Edge and an 8 Megapixel Back Camera?

[DotCom2]

Longer taper to give the illusion that iPad 3 is not thicker than iPad 2. I bet they will mention nothing about the thickness of the iPad 3 on their event (rumors say 1 mm thicker than iPad 2).

I really don't care about the thickness especially if it's only 1mm. but I do care about the weight. If it's slightly thicker but lighter, that would be kewl. I also don't care for the tapered edge. I much preferred the straight edge of the iPad 1 but I guess I am in the minority, but oh well.

 

[KingJosh]

Thanks for the commercial there bud,

But all that stuff is available on Android too.

I'm talking about "What (Other than a crisp screen) makes this special ?"

-iOS makes it special
-the design of the iPad makes it special (you can't argue against that one since all the android devices try to imitate the look of the ipad)
-Also the fact that everyone knows deep down that Apple revolutionised the touch screen while others came out of the woods afterwards trying to chase the market Apple created. That makes people think higher of Apple automatically.

----------

I really want an iPad 3. The new specs sounds awesome. And that retina display will be amazing when reading books and surfing the net.

But, what I want even more is a new redesigned MacBook Pro, a new 1080p enabled Apple TV and Mountain Lion.

2012 is going to be expensive, indeed.

Remember when the MBP rumor was going about being carbon fibre with a more brownish look. so sexy imo

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Thanks for the commercial there bud,

But all that stuff is available on Android too.

I'm talking about "What (Other than a crisp screen) makes this special ?"

I find it humorous that people are still asking this. It's true many tablets using all sorts of OSes, not just Android, have duplicated, and even one-uped, the iPad 2's raw specs. But when it comes to usability consumers still gravitate to the iPad 2... for a reason. None of the competing tablets can compete w/ the iPad 2 when it comes to the #1 fuction: usability.

Android has proven to be a worthy competitor of the iPhone, but, as of yet, it hasn't found a way to convert the OS to be a decent tablet OS like Apple has done with iOS. That is what makes the iPad special and able to command 57% tablet marketshare... it's usable. (The #1 Android table BTW is the Kindle Fire which is "special" because it's low cost, not full featured like an iPad).

 

[jlc1978]

Yes. But to build a good camera you need SPACE.

I never understood why people think that a device so thin could be as good as a real camera with real optics.

Sure, you're not going to get the kind of photo you get from a real camera - but then again a real camera's lens would cost as nearly much or more as an iPad.

However, with a decent lens and sensor you can certainly get point and shot quality that is good enough for small prints. Apple seems willing to invest in quality components that make a difference in picture quality, so the iPhone literally replaces the P&S for most people. Sure, you don't get an optical zoom, ISO and shutter speed control, but then again most people don't every go off of Auto anyway.

You need a good camera? Buy one

But the best camera is the one you have with you - and the iPhone is the one that is there when you need it. Add in the ability to email photos immediately to friends and family and it's easy to see why camera phones such as the iPhone are having an impact on the P&S market. As video capabilities mature I see phones starting to replace video cameras as well. While they won't up plant them the certainly will make them less of a "must carry" to a "will take for special occasions but not for casual use" devices.

Would I give up my Canon / Magic Drainpipe combo - no, but then again I generally don't carry that around with me.

 

[applesith]

March 7th can't come soon enough!!

 

[Gasu E.]

Seems like Apple is going all out on this iPad.
Retina display,
8mp camera
Quad core
and LTE?
Either the price will increase or I don't think we'll see ALL these upgrades in 1 generation.
Time will tell though

Obviously, LTE will be optional. Of the other items, I don't see the camera or the processor causing the cost basis to go much above the iPad 2 when that model came out. I am concerned the retina display might add to the cost significantly.

Given that, here's my guess on pricing, based on knowing absolutely nothing:

iPad 2 drops by $100 in the base model, dropping up to $150-200 at the high end.

iPad 3 priced about $100 more than the current iPad 2 pricing ($200 more than the new iPad pricing), with an extra $100 over 3G for LTE.

 

[50548]

I'd like to see an official Apple stylus.

Something I can sketch with on a small scale.

Huh...NO, thanks.

In fact, the MOST important thing in the new iPad has to be RAM - 1GB is the absolute minimum.

 

[borgqueenx]

i really hope the GPU will be a big upgrade as well. would love to see more stuff like infinity blade 2 or better. and i think the infinity blade update will be shown at the announcement anyway.
Also im hoping for 128gb of storage as well....64 is just on the edge of
acceptable on my ipad2, but with double resolution...na il need the extra 64gig.

 

[devilstrider]

This is looking more and more like a solid upgrade. These rumors are motivating me to get in shape. I told my wife a month ago that she can't let me get an iPad 3 until I get back to 180lbs. The more I see these rumors, the more I'm reminded to hit the gym. It's been working out really well so far. But I think I might have to wait until April or May. I'm hoping that playing with the final product will motivate me even more. It's going to be hard to put down that beautiful retina display. I can't wait. Going to the gym now…crap it's 11:30pm. Oh late night weekend rumors!

lol It's more about the diet than the work out.

 

[Rogifan]

If I see you taking a picture with a tablet, I will take that tablet and smash it. Taking pictures with tablets is the STUPIDEST thing in the world. "Hey look at that flower, let me pull out my tablet and take a picture!". Just wow....

Front cameras are a different story, but rear cameras.....just wow.

EDIT: Let the downvotes pour in.

I agree. I don't get why anyone would take a picture with their iPad.

 

[Ayemerica]

i really hope the GPU will be a big upgrade as well. would love to see more stuff like infinity blade 2 or better. and i think the infinity blade update will be shown at the announcement anyway.
Also im hoping for 128gb of storage as well....64 is just on the edge of
acceptable on my ipad2, but with double resolution...na il need the extra 64gig.

Same. 32GB should be the minimum for base storage going up to 128.

 

[jrcsh6]

I'm hoping...

-Retina
-128gb (probably @799$)
-Front and rear camera's equal to iPhone 4s' (the rear primarily for app use where the rear camera is used - not for "photography")
-Quad Core (or something quicker than the current chip)/More RAM

 

[Can't Stop]

I agree. I don't get why anyone would take a picture with their iPad.

You don't get it, someone gets. Unfair?

 

[borgqueenx]

I'm hoping...

-Retina
-128gb (probably @799$)
-Front and rear camera's equal to iPhone 4s' (the rear primarily for app use where the rear camera is used - not for "photography")
-Quad Core (or something quicker than the current chip)/More RAM

you forget the better GPU and same level of battery life
If that and your list is in the ipad 3......
then this:

 

[gotluck]

I find it humorous that people are still asking this. It's true many tablets using all sorts of OSes, not just Android, have duplicated, and even one-uped, the iPad 2's raw specs. But when it comes to usability consumers still gravitate to the iPad 2... for a reason. None of the competing tablets can compete w/ the iPad 2 when it comes to the #1 fuction: usability.

Android has proven to be a worthy competitor of the iPhone, but, as of yet, it hasn't found a way to convert the OS to be a decent tablet OS like Apple has done with iOS. That is what makes the iPad special and able to command 57% tablet marketshare... it's usable. (The #1 Android table BTW is the Kindle Fire which is "special" because it's low cost, not full featured like an iPad).

IPad is the supreme tablet, above the rest. I must admit that ICS is pretty slick on my HP touch pad though and its still in its alpha version. I'm not even sure if any tablet officially has ICS and I wouldn't buy a full price android tablet, but I don't understand the hate so much. My parents have the iPad 2 and I am very familiar with it. However aside from looking better/ better manufacturing quality, my touch pad can do everything an ipad2 can. Its the build quality of the iPad that sets it apart IMO, the OS's are getting pretty close in functionality /usability

 

[Gasu E.]

I agree. I don't get why anyone would take a picture with their iPad.

Just because you can't imagine it doesn't mean other people can't either. When I bring my iPad to meetings, I would love to have a nice big iPad screen to view the pictures I take of the whiteboards. It's very difficult to see how the writing looks on my tiny iPhone screen.

 

[dscuber9000]

Huh...NO, thanks.

In fact, the MOST important thing in the new iPad has to be RAM - 1GB is the absolute minimum.

But we were all Sumsunged!

 

[xraytech]

So my guess is that the iPad 3 is slightly thicker than the 2.

Also, the tapered edged is to accommodate the current Smart Cover.

 

[Joe-Diver]

Don't see how they can do a quad-core, retina display, bigger battery and an 8MP camera and still keep the price points the same. I'll believe it when I see it.

Well, when the people that put them together make $290 a week....that really helps to keep costs down.....

 

[Can't Stop]

Just because you can't imagine it doesn't mean other people can't either. When I bring my iPad to meetings, I would love to have a nice big iPad screen to view the pictures I take of the whiteboards. It's very difficult to see how the writing looks on my tiny iPhone screen.

If it's camera like on the iPad 2 i'd say screw it and even then it is useful to many people, but if they are really adding something like 4S camera to the iPad it really can be very useful.

And i don't see a problem taking pictures with an iPad. Looks unusual, but that's all it is, unusual.

 

[Tiger8]

I'm sorry, but can they still not get rid of that huge hideous 3G bar at the top of the iPad?

This is for the cellular antenna.

 

[SmoMo]

1GB ram

It does, but 1GB is quite a bit -- I think it'll last longer than 512MB does on the iPad 2.

I agree that 1GB will go a long way because of the compression used on the images.
If all the images were uncompressed then the OP would be correct is assuming that 4 times the memory would be required on the iPad3.
But I would estimate just a 50% in file size will offer very good results for the retina display, not pixel perfect of course but most images are compressed on iPad2 anyway and we hardly notice.

Another consideration is that not everything being stored in RAM is visual asset anyway, there is sound or other data and whatever the rest of the OS is up to.

Add to that, that text and UI controls will automatically be at retina display then I think 1GB could be quite ample.

 

[Drag'nGT]

It's getting even better. I was almost convinced that they wouldn't be aggressive with the cameras but I was wrong (hopefully).

 

[Alrescha]

Apple is working very hard on native support for 5.1 Dolby Digital in Mountain Lion

"native support"? To enable what, exactly?

A.

 

[SmoMo]

Rear Camera

It's funny that people only think of taking photos or scanning documents when it comes to the back camera.

I think thats a good point, I was thinking only of taking photos but as you point out there must be loads of other uses:

* That Smule app in which you record bits of audio/visual and then mix them together

* Stop motion apps, maybe only really popular with kids, but hey they still deserve awesome video quality like the rest of us.

--

Also I'm unconvinced by the attitude that 'i have no use for 8MP camera so I'd prefer the price to be lowered' because the price you pay is being subsidised in effect by people who do want that feature.

It would be impossible to say for sure, but hypothetically if 50% of purchasers did so because of the amazing rear camera then the economies of scale might make the iPad cheaper for you than it would have been without the camera.