New iPad sports improved display, speed, battery life; Apple TV also upgraded

The new iPad isn’t called the iPad 3, or the iPad HD. In a press event Wednesday (March 7) in San Francisco, Tim Cook simply referred to it as “the new iPad”.

The faster, slicker, nicer-looking tablet is certainly new. Anyone waiting for a significant upgrade to justify purchasing an iPad has little excuse to delay further. Especially as the new iPad is priced the same as the iPad 2 cost only yesterday: $519 (16 GB), $619 (32 GB), and $719 (64 GB) for Wi-fi only; $649 (16 GB), $749 (32 GB), and $849 (64 GB) for the Wi-fi + 4G.

Yes, 4G. Also referred to as LTE, for long term evolution, a wireless standard that allows for high-speed data transmission. It is supported in Canada by the three major carriers who also support the iPad’s cellular functionality: Bell, Rogers, and Telus.

The new iPad also comes with a Retina display, which has been used on the latest models of the iPhone, and produces a resolution of 2048 x 1536, better than the best high-definition home theatre display. With 264 pixels per inch, the iPad has 3.1 million pixels in its 9.7-inch screen.

Other upgrades include a new processor, the A5X, with a quad-core graphics processor and a dual-core CPU and support for dictation.

A new iSight camera, the same used for the iPhone 4S, takes photos and records 1080p video with a 5-megapixel sensor. Video is further improved because of new video stabilization software.

“We have our feet firmly planted in the post-PC future,” said Apple’s CEO, referring to the iPod, the iPhone, and the iPad. The company credits such technologies with bringing in 76 percent of its revenues.

Calling the iPad the “poster child of the post-PC world”, Apple’s CEO presented stats indicating that in the last three months, more iPads have been sold – 15.4 million – than personal computers from some major manufacturers.

The new iPad is available for pre-order immediately. Apple will be shipping the new tablets on March 16.

As for the iPad 2, it will continue to be available at a reduced price: $419 for the 16 GB Wi-fi model and $549 for the 16 GB Wi-fi + 3G model.

In addition to unveiling the third-generation iPad, Apple revealed an upgrade to Apple TV, the device that simplifies the streaming of video – and audio – content to home entertainment systems.

The new version of Apple TV displays 1080p resolution, and while not an iOS device, has an interface that looks much like the icons on your iPad. The new model will be available on March 16 for $109.