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Photos of future iPad 3 compared to iPad 2
M.I.C. Gadget has posted some high quality photos comparing the iPad 2's back enclosure to the expected iPad 3's back enclosure.
Highlights:
- iPad 3 bezel will be slightly narrower than the iPad 2′s bezel.
- iPad 3 camera lens is noticeably larger than its predecessor.
- The unit is about 1-1.5mm thicker.
- The iPad 3 edges are tapered.
Take a look at the photos below:
iPad 3 with More Tapered Edge and an 8 Megapixel Back Camera
Apple Daily claims to have received the photo above that shows what is claimed to be an overview shot of the new iPad 3 back enclosure (top of image) as well as a comparison shot between the original iPad, the iPad 2 and the New iPad (inset).
The shot reveals the familiar form-factor but the lightning that looks much better in the shot seems to have undergone significant changes. The iPad 3 enclosure seems to have also a more gradual taper to the edges than the iPad 2. As a result of this longer taper, the iPad 3's camera rests on the taper itself.
The absolute positioning of the camera doesn't seem that far off from the iPad 2, but the lens does appear larger. According to NextMedia, the new iPad 3 camera will see a significant upgrade to 8 megapixels. The current iPad 2 back camera is 1 megapixel in resolution.
Confirmed: iPad 3 Has a 2048x1536 Retina Display
MacRumors managed to obtain the rumored iPad 3 displays, of course, these iPad 3 screens weren't directly sourced from Apple, and examined them under a microscope to determine if they are indeed an ultra-high resolution Retina displays.
Physically, the purported iPad 3 display is the same size as the current iPad 1 and iPad 2 display at 9.7" in diagonal, and looks quite similar to the naked eye.
However, when comparing the iPad 3 display to one from an iPad 2 under a microscope, the difference in resolutions becomes readily apparent, with the iPad 3 display's pixels appearing to be one-quarter the size of those on the iPad 2.
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Siri itself confirms Japanese support coming soon to Apple's iPhone 4S
Watchful iPhone 4S users noticed on Tuesday that Siri is now claiming to speak Japanese. Apple's Siri virtual assistant for the iPhone 4S claims it can already speak Japanese, despite the fact that the language is not yet enabled in the feature's settings.
When asked what languages it can speak, Siri responds, "I speak Japanese, English, German and French. I'm studying some new languages, too."
It then adds, "You can change the language I'm using…just go to Siri settings." However, the settings pane for the feature shows only English (with separate selections for Australia, United Kingdom and United States), French and German, with no way to select Japanese.
Samsung Underestimating Apple's Potential Impact on Television Market
Not all TV manufacturers seem to be afraid of Apple’s rumored television. For example, Samsung is confident that its massive investment in picture quality improvements will trump anything Apple might be able to put together in other areas.
"We've not seen what they've done but what we can say is that they don't have 10,000 people in R&D in the vision category," [Samsung product manager Chris Moseley] said.
"They don't have the best scaling engine in the world and they don't have world renowned picture quality that has been awarded more than anyone else."
iPad 3 Announcement on March 7th
Citing a "reliable source," Apple blog iMore on Monday claimed that the much anticipated iPad 3 announcement is imminent, and new whispers suggest that the date will be March 7.
Aside from the date of the announcement, iMore also claims that the iPad 3 will feature a 2048x1536 Retina display, possibly manufactured by Sharp, as well as a redesigned case that could allow for a larger battery than current models. It was reported that in order to implement the high pixel density screen, a unique dual LED backlighting arrangement would be needed, and the larger battery could be in response to the extra energy requirements. Other rumors suggest that the next-generation iPad may receive a quad-core A6 processor and "possibly" 4G LTE networking.
Apple Ordered 65 million Retina Displays From Samsung And LG For iPad 3
According to ChinaTimes , Apple has ordered 65 million 2048×1536 Retina displays for iPad 3 from Samsung and LG. Reportedly both companies have already begun production. However it is unclear if this number covers orders to Sharp, which is also rumored to be manufacturing displays for coming iPad 3.
Apple Working with Suppliers on 8-Inch iPad
The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple and its suppliers are working on a smaller iPad that would carry a 8-inch display.
Officials at some of Apple's suppliers, who declined to be named, said the Cupertino, Calif.-based company has shown them screen designs for a new device with a screen size of around 8-inches, and said it is qualifying suppliers for it. Apple's latest tablet, the iPad 2, comes with a 9.7-inch screen. It was launched late last year.
iPad 3 to Pave Way for 1080p iTunes Content and a New Apple TV
Apple is widely expected to reveal its next-generation iPad at a special media event in the first week of March. The iPad 3 is believed to carry a ultra-high resolution 2048x1536 display that exceeds the resolution of 1080p content. Now Apple offers a maximum of 720p HD content on their iTunes Store.
We've already seen evidence that Apple has been working on a next generation Apple TV. Back in October, references to an unreleased "AppleTV3,1" model were found in the latest versions of iOS 5. Meanwhile, Apple has reportedly asked movie studios to start submitting 1080p content to the iTunes Store late last year.
US Air Force may buy 18,000 Apple iPads for cargo aircraft
According to Nextgov, the U.S. Air Force's Air Mobility Command recently put out a notice that it plans to buy as many as 18,000 of Apple's iPad for use on cargo aircraft. Such order could be the largest single federal order for the iPad 2. The Air Mobility Command revealed on Federal Business Opportunities that it plans to buy a "minimum of 63 and a maximum of 18,000 iPad 2" units or "equal devices."
Though the iPad was the only tablet named specifically in the listing, Glen Roberts, AMC public affairs director, said the command seeks "a tablet device" but "not necessarily an iPad." The Air Force seeks proposals from tablet makers and seeks to obtain them at the lowest possible fixed price. A move to tablets, iPad or otherwise, would allow the Air Mobility Command to adopt an electronic flight publication system to save time and money, as well as boost efficiency.
First iPad was brought to the U.S. Air Force by the Federal Aviation Administration which started using Apple's touchscreen tablet as an electronic flight bag last July. Previously, commercial and charter airlines relied on cumbersome 40-pound paper manuals.
MacBook Pros Will Adopt MacBook Air Form Factor This Year?
Mockup of MacBook Air design covering full range of notebook sizes
Last year it was reported that Apple is working on a redesigned ultra-thin 15-inch Mac notebook which was expected to launch by the end of 2011. But the company apparently elected to delay its release and wait for the launch of Intel’s Ivy Bridge platform in 2012 to include it in its new models.
AppleInsider now citing people familiar with Apple’s plans that the company is preparing to release revamped MacBook Pro lineup sometimes this year. The full range of MacBook Pros will adopt the design aesthetic of increasingly popular MacBook Airs. According to the report, the existing MacBook Pro designs will be phased out over the course of 2012. However it is unclear yet whether the new notebooks will market as a next-generation MacBook Air or MacBook Pro.
Apple to Introduce iPad 3 in First Week of March
Citing unnamed sources, AllThingsD reported on Thursday that Apple's so-called "iPad 3" will debut at a special event to be held the first week in March in San Francisco.
Sources say the company has chosen the first week in March to debut the successor to the iPad 2, and will do so at one of its trademark special events. The event will be held in San Francisco, presumably at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Apple’s preferred location for big announcements like these. No word yet on a street date for the iPad 3 (assuming that’s what it’s called), though my guess is retail availability will follow roughly the same schedule as that of the iPad 2: Available for purchase a week or so after the event.
Foxconn's Servers Hacked, Exposing Vendor Usernames and Passwords
Swagg Security hacking group announced this week that they managed to hack Foxconn servers that expose usernames and passwords for clients and employees. Such information could be used to place fraudulent orders for companies like Apple and Microsoft.
Swagg Security alleged that it had bypassed Foxconn's firewall "almost flawlessly." Using several hacking techniques and a couple of days time, the hackers reportedly dumped "most of everything of significance," including usernames and passwords. According to the group, the leaked passwords "could allow individuals to make fraudulent orders under big companies like Microsoft, Apple, IBM, Intel, and Dell."
Photo of iPad 3 Rear Shell Suggests Minor Physical Changes, Larger Battery
RepairLabs reports that it has managed to obtain a photo of what is claimed to be the rear shell of the iPad 3 and compared the part with the corresponding version of the iPad 2. Based on the photo, the site concluded that the iPad 3 version demonstrates a few minor changes with a narrower logic board that could make room for an expanded battery.
In a side-by-side comparison of the new component with the iPad 2 back panel, the repair site found four key differences:
- The alleged third-generation iPad back panel has "very different" mounts for the logic board, implying that the shape of the logic board in the next iPad will also be a major change.
- This would allow for a larger battery within the iPad 3, because the width of where the logic board sits is much smaller on the new component.
- The component also reveals that the camera on the new iPad will be "different," though any changes from the current iPad 2 cannot be deciphered from the panel.
- Finally, the site also declared that the LCD display will also be "different" than the current iPad 2, based on different mounting in the new back panel. Apple is rumored to utilize a new, high-resolution Retina Display for its next iPad.
The photo does not show the backside of the rear shell that would be visible on the assembled device, nor does it show an edge view that would allow for a thickness comparison to the iPad 2.
Siri Support for Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, and Russian Languages Coming Next Month
Tech in Asia reports that Apple is preparing to bring support for Chinese, Japanese and Russian to Siri on the iPhone 4S next month. Chinese support will only include Mandarin, with Cantonese and other dialects being left out for the time being.
The Chinese tech site DoNews claims to have heard from an Apple engineer who’s working on the Chinese-language version of Siri, the clever voice assistant on the iPhone 4S. From this source it claims that Siri will launch in Chinese next month, and is already undergoing internal testing this month. [...]