Thursday, March 15, 2012

Apple : Updated: New iPad review roundup

Apple : Updated: New iPad review roundup

Updated: New iPad review roundup

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Updated: New iPad review roundup

UPDATE: Check out our new iPad 3 review

While we put our new iPad through our in-depth testing process, some shorter early reviews are trickling onto the web. Here are the early verdicts.

AllThingsD

Walt Mossberg at AllThingsD says: "Since it launched in 2010, the iPad has been the best tablet on the planet. With the new, third-generation model, it still holds that crown."

Fox News

Fox News summed up its new iPad review with: "The new model is a strategic and incremental upgrade to the already dominant tablet, and given that pre-orders sold out in a matter of hours, it's obvious that customers don't care much about the name."

MacWorld

MacWorld highlights the new iPad's excellent retina display noting "it's a big leap in quality" compared to the iPad 2. Its only when you sit the new iPad next to the iPad 2 when you really see the difference, with icons and text being razor-sharp.

MacWorld gives the new iPad 4.5/5 and while acknowledging that the retina screen and extra power boost is welcome, the extra size and weight means iPad 2 users shouldn't need to worry to much, as long as they don't spend to long looking at that screen.

New York Times

The New York Times has its own idea on the naming choice for the new iPad: "Really, the new iPad should have been called the iPad 2S. In the past, Apple added the letter S to iPhone models that weren't exactly new but had been tastefully enhanced (iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4S). That's exactly what's going on with the new iPad."

The NYT focuses mainly on the retina display and 4G LTE capabilities of the new iPad and the review has a tone which suggests that these are nice additions, but the third generation of Apple's tablet lacks a significant spark.

SlashGear

SlashGear says "Steve Jobs would have approved of the new iPad", and notes the improved battery on the third generation of Apple's tablet will easily last two days between charges.

As others have noted, the omission of Apple's personal digital assistant Siri is a disappointment, with the half-way house addition of the voice dictation function not reaching the same heights.

Tech Crunch

"Once you see and use the new iPad, there will be no going back" says Tech Crunch, who points out that if you go from the new iPad back to the iPad 2, the "screens look blurry".

Tech Crunch was also impressed with the new iPad's lightening quick 4G LTE connectivity, clocking download speeds at over 40Mbps - 40x faster than 3G.

It ends on the simple note: "If you don't yet have an iPad, get the new iPad."

The Loop

The Loop reckons the key point to take from the new iPad is "Simple — the experience".

"For me, the real benefit comes with the clarity of text. I know that may sound strange, but I use the iPad to read quite a bit of text everyday. Crispness of the text matters to me."

"If a device is a pleasure to use, you will keep using it. Nobody in the market today can touch the Apple experience."

The Verge

The Verge says: "While the updated features are a boon to the new iPad, it doesn't offer an experience that is significantly different from the previous version. If your screen never bothered you, and you never wanted a faster cellular connection or a better camera, there's not a great argument to upgrade."

"However, if you're in the market for your first tablet, or upgrading from the original iPad or an Android device, do not hesitate. The new iPad is the most functional, usable, and beautiful tablet that any company has ever produced."

Update: The Verge has confirmed that the new iPad will not let you use Facetime over the super quick 4G network - forcing users to stick to Wi-Fi if they want visuals with their audio.

Make sure you keep an eye out for our in-depth new iPad review which will be popping up on the site soon.
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