The new iPad: everything you need to know – The Verge

Is the Retina display holding back iPad graphics?

2012-05-26T11:45:06-04:00

nova 3

The new iPad's Retina display is certainly a sight to behold, but does it come at a cost? That's the impression you'd get from viewing screenshots of Gameloft's new shooter N.O.V.A. 3 over at NeoGAF - the results suggest that the developers have seriously dialed back the effects on Apple's latest tablet in order to push four times as many pixels. The A5X system-on-chip inside the new iPad is more than capable on paper, but what happens when its quad-core GPU is tasked with running a modern first-person shooter at 2048 x 1536? We took a look at N.O.V.A. 3 and some more of the iPad's most taxing games to see how this year's model stacks up to …

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New $399 iPad 2 has improved battery life thanks to 32nm processor

2012-05-04T03:32:26-04:00

ipad back_1020

We've already heard that the price-slashed $399 iPad 2 features a new 32nm A5 processor, and that it could theoretically lead to better battery life. Well, the test results are in from Anandtech, and it turns out that iPad 2 buyers will indeed be getting extended endurance from their new tablets… if they're lucky. Apple has begun shipping out models designated "iPad 2,4" with the new processors, but apparently they're rather thin on the ground right now, and there's no way to tell if you have one without turning the device on.

Still, if you do manage to snag a new unit you can reportedly expect battery life improvements of up to 15.8 percen …

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UK and Sweden may investigate ‘misleading’ iPad 4G advertisements

2012-03-28T10:54:53-04:00

Gallery Photo: iPad hardware hands-on

Apple may be facing legal challenges in a growing number of countries for touting the "4G" capability of its new iPad. Both Sweden and the UK indicated that they have received numerous consumer complaints about the iPad, which is advertised as a 4G tablet in both countries despite not working on LTE in either. "One may rightfully ask if the marketing of the new iPad is misleading," said Marek Andersson of the Swedish Consumer Agency, which is considering launching an investigation over whether the ads run afoul of consumer protection laws. The UK's Advertising Standards Authority, meanwhile, has told Pocket-lint that it is currently assessing …

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Apple reportedly set to offer iPad refunds in Australia after 4G marketing confusion

2012-03-27T23:46:03-04:00

iPhoto for iOS icon on iPad

Earlier today the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission made an application to the Federal Court in Melbourne for an injunction against Apple, stating that the company's use of the term "4G" in connection with the latest iPad was misleading for Australian consumers when the device only runs on LTE networks in North America. Apple has already responded, according to ABC News, and will be offering full refunds to Australian customers confused by the issue. Apple reportedly argued in the Melbourne Federal Court that it had never specifically said the new iPad could connect to Australia's Telstra LTE network, and that given that the new …

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Apple’s iPad ‘4G’ advertising labeled misleading by Australian watchdog, may be banned

2012-03-27T03:57:46-04:00

Gallery Photo: iPad hardware hands-on

Unlike the iPhone 4S, the new iPad can be bought with legitimate 4G connectivity on board. The limitation of that feature, however, is that it only works in North America. You can buy an "iPad Wi-Fi + 4G" model anywhere in the world, but it's only on AT&T in the US or Bell, Rogers or Telus in Canada that you'll be able to enjoy actual LTE connectivity. Needless to say, that can mislead (and ultimately frustrate) users who might reasonably have expected a product with "4G" in its name to connect to their local 4G network - an issue that has been taken up by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

The ACCC is unhappy with Apple's …

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The new iPad launches in 25 more countries today

2012-03-23T05:59:42-04:00

ipad back stock review

A week on from the first wave of new iPad releases, Apple is pushing out its latest tablet to a number of additional territories. Among the new markets are Mexico, New Zealand, all of Scandinavia, and Vlad Savov's motherland of Bulgaria. Pricing varies from country to country - in Spain the new iPad starts at €479 (around $635) for the 16GB model, in Luxembourg it's only €455.25 ($605), and in heavily-taxed Norway the same tablet costs 3,790 kroner ($655).

The complete list of new markets is:

Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Czech Republic
Denmark
Finland
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
Macau
Mexico
The Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Polan …

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iTunes Movie Trailers app updated for new iPad with higher resolution video

2012-03-23T02:56:04-04:00

prometheus itunes trailer ipad comparison

Following Retina display-ready updates to its own suite of software, Apple has updated its iTunes Movie Trailers app for the new iPad. The update isn't a simple asset switch, though, as the trailers themselves do appear to be in a higher resolution - we tested the Prometheus teaser on both an iPad 2 and a new iPad streaming over Wi-Fi, and as you'll see above the latter was significantly more detailed.

While we can't confirm the actual resolution that's being displayed, and the streaming quality is always dependent on your connection, it appears that Apple has made the 1080p trailers available to view on the new iPad. The Retina display can …

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New iPad Smart Cover incompatibility issue caused by magnet polarity

2012-03-22T09:56:06-04:00

ipad smart cover

A manufacturing change in the new iPad (Check out our iPad review) appears to have broken compatibility with certain Smart Covers, as well as some third-party cases that use the iPad's built-in magnets. From video and photo evidence posted at Mark's Hangout, it appears that the new iPad now uses a polarity-sensitive sensor to wake the device from sleep upon opening the cover, meaning that the magnet must be correctly aligned - apparently early Smart Covers were initially made with the magnet in question facing either way. Opening the cover and reversing the panel fixes the issue, though obviously somewhat hinders the cover's visual appeal.

…

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Tests show new iPad runs 9.6 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than iPad 2

2012-03-20T05:27:29-04:00

ipad back stock review

It looks like we weren't the only ones to notice the new iPad getting slightly warmer (Check out our iPad review) than expected. Dutch website Tweakers.net has taken an infrared camera to the new iPad and revealed that it runs at up to 33.6 degrees Celsius (92.5 Fahrenheit) when running the GLBenchmark - that's 5.3 degrees Celsius (9.6 Fahrenheit) more than the iPad 2, which reached 28.3 degrees Celsius (82.9 Fahrenheit). The site noted that the hottest part of the device was the lower right corner where the processor is located, but didn't test for any increase in heat when using the LTE radio.

Of course, this isn't a huge jump in temperatur …

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AT&T set iPad single-day sales and activation records on Friday

2012-03-19T11:28:34-04:00

Gallery Photo: iPad hardware hands-on

Tying into Tim Cook's claim of a "record weekend" for the new iPad, AT&T spokesman Seth Bloom just tweeted that the carrier set its own iPad sales and activation records on Friday. That's significant considering how long AT&T has been stocking various versions of the iPad - and it lends credence to the thought that the latest model has been doing extraordinarily well. There have been various reports that it hasn't sold out, but it seems possible (if not likely) that Apple has simply grown production capacity enough to ride the demand wave.

Huge day: On Friday, AT&T set a new single-day record for its iPad sales and activations.
- Seth Bloom …

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