Are you curious to know about iPad 3 features ??
[ Ref : Dan Worth, Khidr Suleman from v3 collects features ]
Apple is expected to disclose the next version of its iPad tablet, V3 has drawn up a list of the some of the key features we would like to see brought to the device.
Apple facing its first serious threat in the tablet market in the form of the Asus Transformer Prime, which recently trounced the iPad 2 in our head-to-head review, the firm no doubt has several tricks up its sleeve to wow the punters and reclaim its number one position.
Some of them are :
1 ) iOS 5.1 with Siri and Flash -
Apple has a habit of launching devices with fresh software and it wouldn’t be surprising to see iOS 5.1 debut on the iPad 3. We would hope to see this include Siri and support for Adobe Flash.
Siri is the personal voice activated assistant that was launched with the iPhone 4S and allows smartphone users to dictate emails and text messages as well as set appointments and reminders. The software is also able to answer questions by searching the internet, and provided us with much amusement with some of its comical answers too.
Additionally, although HTML5 is now accepted as the standard for web browsing, almost all websites have yet to make the transition and still use Adobe Flash to display video content.
Despite all the good points of the iPad, nothing is more frustrating than trying to view a video on a site only to be greeted with the “Please download Adobe Flash” message.
2 ) Add a micro-SD card slot
The lack of any removable storage has always been one of the problems with the iPad range as it means that users have always had to connect the tablet to a PC or Mac to move content.
Apple has gone some way towards reducing the iPad’s dependence on iTunes by allowing users to sync content wirelessly between devices through iCloud. But this still requires an internet connection to function properly
3) Include NFC functionality
The iPhone 4S was widely tipped to come with near field communication (NFC) functionality but Apple pulled this from the specification due to concerns about the lack of infrastructure in place. Since the launch of the 4S, there have been a number of devices that now boast NFC functionality.
The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the most high-profile and has made good use of NFC, with its Android Beam content sharing feature.
It would be interesting to see how NFC would be used on the iPad 3 – as we can’t really imagine that you’d pay for your lunch at Pret by tapping it at the checkout.
4) Quad-core processor and more RAM
Apple to beef up the iPad 3 with a chipset to rival the Nvidia 1.3GHz quad-core Tegra 3 processor that is included within many Android tablets.
The iPad range has always had very smooth performance when compared to its Google-based rivals, and putting a quad-core processor and 1GB of RAM inside the iPad 3 would make the device faster than Usain Bolt.
Enhanced specifications are likely to improve other features too, such as multi-tasking, as well as boosting the internet and gaming experience.
5 ) Revamped 8in model with Retina display
Although nothing is confirmed until the launch of the iPad 3, the internet is buzzing with rumours that Apple has cut the size of the display. The screen size being touted around the rumour mill is 8in and this is plausible for a number of reasons.
Firstly, Apple is expected to port over the much lauded Retina display from the iPhone 4S to the iPad 3. However, enhancing the resolution to this level on the 9.7in display will no doubt add a substantial amount to an already costly device.
By reducing the screen size, Apple will be able to offer users an enhanced viewing experience without adding too much to the price.
6 ) Include a Thunderbolt port
The high-speed connectivity that was introduced in the latest MacBook Air range allows users to transfer data much faster than before. Thunderbolt allows data to move at 10Gbit/s in both directions.
This makes it up to 20 times faster than the commonly used USB 2.0 interface and up to 12 times faster than with FireWire 800.
Although mainly restricted to Apple devices, Thunderbolt is set to make an appearance in the forthcoming Acer Aspire S5 ultrabook and could be standard on machines much like USB. We would be surprised if this wasn’t included in the iPad 3.
7 ) Add 4G support for superfast mobile broadband browsing
While 4G networks are not yet in place in the India they are springing up in locations across the globe, with the US market in particularly seeing numerous roll outs of networks that can enable high-speed services.
As such, it would be no surprise if Apple were to include the ability for the iPad 3 to run on LTE networks, and would help ensure the tablet was keeping pace with some of its core rivals, such as the Galaxy Tab 10.1 from Samsung which has LTE capabilities in the US market.
8) Better camera components
One of the major new elements Apple touted with the iPad 2 was the inclusion of both front and rear facing cameras – components clearly missing from the first version of the product.
However, V3 thinks it is fair to say users were underwhelmed by the quality of the snaps, which lack the high-quality finesses of some of the more basic smartphones on the market. The iPad’s cameras are not a patch on the iPhone’s hugely impressive snapper either.
9 ) Guarantee a portion of profits go to Foxconn employees
Apple’s use of Foxconn employees to assemble its shiny gadgets has always been an issue, with mass suicide threats and explosions at the plant causing headlines around the world, and in recent weeks this scrutiny has increased yet again.
10) Keyboard docking accessory as with the Asus Transformer Prime
Using the touch screen keyboard on tablets such as the iPad is a slow and frustrating affair, and although Bluetooth keyboards are available, none of them are able to provide the cohesive experience of the hybrid Asus Transformer Prime.
V3 would love to see Apple offer a proper dock for the iPad 3, as it would be invaluable for use in conferences and meeting to type notes, could potentially extend battery life and would almost certainly remove the need to carry around a laptop ever again.
Thanks to
Dan Worth, Khidr Suleman
V3 networks
The invitation to the event in San Francisco doesn’t say specifically that the next iPad will make its debut, but does feature an image of a hand touching the iPad’s Calendar app icon for March 7, along with the message, “We have something you really have to see. And touch.”
