The New iPad Review

Last week Apple released the new iPad. Although I haven't bought one personally, we do have plenty in the office (the are used for work) and therefore I thought I would post a short review.

Positives

The first and most obvious new feature is the display. Rocking a 2048x1536 resolution (264ppi) the quality is unsurprisingly breathtaking! The improved sharpness is most noticeable when opening an ebook or playing a high definition video, however as Apple have also improved the colour saturation, all images receive a welcome pop of colour (whilst still retaining a natural look). Overall the new display makes the device a pleasure to use, with the only limitation being older applications and websites that don't currently have high resolution images. However I'm sure developers all around the world are frantically updating their content.

The second positive is the battery life. With the new display, faster graphics and 4G technology, you would have expected the new iPad to have a shorter battery life. Thankfully this is not the case and on paper it retains the 9 hours you have come to expect from the iPad 2. This is achieved by increasing the battery to 42.5-watt-hour (nearly double the iPad 2), without increasing the size of the battery itself (an impressive achievement).

The display and battery are the main two features I like, with the new graphics currently going unnoticed (until developers learn to take advantage of them), the new front camera being mostly redundant (for me) and 4G technology not being available in the UK.

Challenges

With every positive, there are often a few negatives. This seems to be the case with the new battery. From my early testing it would appear the new iPad has a significantly longer charging time (get used to an overnight charge), which in itself is not a major problem. However, I have also noticed that when using demanding apps whilst plugged in to the mains, the new iPad still continues to lose charge. For example, I had the new iPad plugged in all day (at 100%), while playing a graphical screen saver (for testing only), after a few hours the iPad was reporting just 2% battery life remaining. Is this a bug or a hardware limitation, at this point I'm not sure, but you certainly want to keep this in mind if you plan on having a long gaming session. Hopefully if enough people notice the challenge Apple will be forced to provide some clarification. 

The next challenge is related to heat. Having used an iPad 2 for over a year I can't recall it ever getting hot, however after just a couple of hours with the new iPad it is clear the device can get very warm. This was also backed up by Consumer Reports, who ran a heat test against the iPad 2.

 

As you can see from the images, the entire device is warmer, especially around the location of the new A5X chip. With that said, from my experience the iPad is never uncomfortable to use and there is no evidence that this increased heat is outside of Apple's specification. Therefore I personally wouldn't worry, but it is certainly worth noting that this appears to be standard behaviour.

The final disappointment was the front camera. In my opinion, when it comes to a tablet, the front camera is more important then the rear camera. This is because I don't see myself using a device of this size as a primary camera (especially as I have a modern smartphone), however I do see value in video conferencing. For anyone that has used FaceTime, Skype or Cisco WebEX on the iPad, you will know that the experience is really good, only let down by the poor quality of the video. Unfortunately Apple decided not to update the front camera on the new iPad, which means my dreams of HD video conferencing on that amazing display will have to wait for the next revision.

Conclusion

The new iPad is an incredible device and without a doubt the best tablet available today. Therefore if you don't already own a tablet and are in the market for one, then the new iPad should be at the top of your list.

With that said, if you already own an iPad 2, I personally would not feel the need to upgrade to the new iPad. Yes the new display is great, but the old one is still very good and the other new features have yet to show their real value. As a result I think the rule "buy one, skip one" still applies here, just as it does with the iPhone.

Introducing the new iPad

Today Apple officially announced the new iPad at their media event in San Francisco. As expected the new device takes their "post PC" strategy to the next level, with the inclusion of the eagerly anticipated Retina Display, enhanced quad-core graphics processor, improved camera and 4G Internet.

 

The full specification can be found below:

• 9.7-inch IPS Display (2048x1536 - 264ppi)
• Apple A5X Processor (Dual-Core CPU / Quad-Core Graphics)
• 1GB Memory
• 16GB, 32GB, 64GB Storage
• 5MP Rear Camera (Backside Illuminated) / VGA Front Camera
• Wi-Fi Support (802.11a/b/g/n)
• Bluetooth 4.0 Technology
• Cellular support for HSPA+ (21Mb/s), DC-HSDPA (42Mb/s) and LTE (73Mb/s)
• Integrated Voice Services (Dictation)
• 10 Hours Battery Life

Nothing too suprising, but certainly an impressive upgrade! Apple have also stated that all the stock apps have been updated to take advantage of the new display, while existing apps are automatically upscaled, including higher resolution text. With that said, I fully expect to see a surge of app updates over the next few weeks.

The last piece of interesting iPad news is that the new iPad will retain the current price point, with the existing iPad 2 remaining on sale at a reduced price (16GB Wi-Fi at £329). This could be huge for schools and businesses who are looking for a lower cost option.

At the event Apple also announced iOS 5.1, which includes Siri support for Japan and a new 1080p compatible Apple TV (image below), which includes a new "iOS like" user interface and deeper iCloud integration, but retains the same form factor and £99 price tag.

Finally Apple shared some interesting facts and figures related to the success of iOS:

• 315 million iOS devices sold worldwide.
• 172 million iOS devices sold in 2011.
• 15.4 million iPad's sold in Q4 2011, which is more than any PC maker sold PCs.
• Over 585,000 apps in the App Store, with "over 200,000" optimised for the iPad.
• Over 100 million iCloud Users. 

Overall it was an impressive announcement that hit all the right points. Let's hope Apple can continue this momentum though out 2012, delivering the same level of innovation to the Mac (I would love to see a Mac Retina Display) and maybe even the TV...

iOS 5.1 is available from today, with the new iPad and Apple TV available on the 16th March (pre-order today). For more details and exclusive first hands on I recommend you head over to Apple, The Verge and MacRumors.

The iPad 3 Announcement

As previously predicted, today Apple officially sent out invitations to a media event in San Francisco on Wednesday 7th March (10:00 Pacific / 18:00 UK).

As you can see from the invitation, Apple are being less cryptic than normal and I think it's fair to say that we will finally see the iPad 3 with a high resolution (retina) display. From the rumours it looks like the device will also be equipped with a new quad-care processor (Apple A5X), improved cameras and a slightly thicker case design. However the main selling point will be the 2048x1536 display, which should be simply breathtaking on the 9.7-inch panel!

Regarding the launch date, there have been rumors that retailers have already started to receive shipments, which could mean immediate availability across Apple's major territories (US, UK, etc). This would be a killer blow to the competition, especially if they decide to leave the iPad 2 on sale at a reduced price (like the iPhone 3GS and 4).

Alongside the iPad 3 we are also expected to get a new Apple TV, which I assume will deliver 1080p playback (to align with the new iPad) and possibly a new high-definition audio format with something the industry is calling "adaptive streaming". Both of these upgrades make sense, taking advantage of the iPad 3 and iCloud.

Be sure to check back next Wedneday for more details.

Apple's Education Media Event

Today Apple held a special media event in New York focused on education. At the event they announced three new products that embrace modern technology, with the aim to create an immersive learning environment that will hopefully improve student engagement.

It should be no surprise that the key to this revolution is the iPad. Apple have signed a deal with Pearson, McGraw Hill, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, which together make 90% of the textbooks currently used in schools. This deal will see new interactive textbooks created specifically for the iPad and made available to everyone through the new iBooks 2.0 app.

These newly designed textbooks are graphical, interactive, and make use of features such as 3D imaging, embedded video, and multi-touch gestures. They also offer unique ways for students to take notes and prepare revision material. The textbooks will be made available through a new section of the iBooks store, where they can be published for free or sold for up to $14.99 (with Apple taking their normal 30% cut). Once published authors will be able to continually update the content (like the App Store), with any customer automatically receiving the updates for free.

As well as iBooks 2.0, Apple also announced iBooks Author for Mac OS X. This is a free application available on the Mac App Store that allows anyone to quickly and easily create a textbook for iOS. This includes full multi-touch control, as well as the ability to add HTML widgets, interactive photo galleries, movies, Keynote presentations, 3D objects, and more. The aim is to provide a simplified creation process, therefore allowing the teacher to focus on the content, while the application ensures the output is both beautiful and compatible.

The final announcement was related to Apple's iTunes U service. iTunes U has been available through the iTunes Store for some time, with over 1000 universities publishing audio and video lectures for free. This has always been a great service that I have used many times (specifically the Stanford iOS lectures). Today Apple released a new iTunes U app that expands the learning possibilities beyond just audio and video lectures, to a full-fledged learning environment. The app allows you to instantly watch videos, read books, and view all your course notes in one central location, making the impressive iTunes U library available to all, even when on the go. By consolidating the content and making it more accessible, Apple hopes that schools will be able to adopt iTunes U as part of their curriculum (as well as drive iPad sales).

Finally, Apple have released a short promotion video showing off each of the new products and how they can be used together to enhance the learning experience. Although the marketing video has been sprinkled with "Apple Magic", I believe the points are valid and the potential for the iPad to be used as a learning aid is both real and exciting. I for one would have loved to have had access to a device like the iPad, instead of an out of date, uninspiring textbook.

iBooks 2.0, iBooks Author and iTunes U are all available for free from today.

Introducing PhoneGap

When Apple launched the App Store for iOS back in 2008, it instantly took the world by storm. Since then Apple have sold over 18 billion apps and rival services have been created for just about every other platform.

Historically, creating a native app for any mobile platform has required knowledge of a specific integrated development environment (IDE), as well as an object-orientated language such as C++, Objective-C or JAVA. Although I have a basic understanding of Objective-C and JAVA, I am most familiar with web technologies, such as HTML, CSS and JavaScript. Therefore wouldn't it be great if I could use the skills I already have to create native apps?

Introducing PhoneGap, a HTML5 app platform that allows you to create native apps using web technologies as well as granting access to unique and powerful APIs. I have been using PhoneGap for the past couple of years to develop native iOS applications that are available on the Apple App Store, however written in standard web languages. Anyone that has a good understanding of HTML and advance CSS and JavaScript, will know that web languages can be just as polished and powerful as their native counterparts (with 3D games being the only real exception).

Another advantage of this approach is that PhoneGap is not platform specific, so you can take one code base (for example, basic HTML) and PhoneGap will package it natively for just about any mobile platform, for example Apple iOS, Google Android, Windows Phone 7, etc. This is an incredibly powerful feature, as it significantly reduces cross platform development time and the challenges of learning multiple programming languages.

Now we know what PhoneGap is, I thought I would run through the basic setup for Apple iOS (the most popular mobile platform). The aim is that by the end of the setup you will be in a position to write HTML code and have it instantly packaged as a native iOS application!

Requirements:

Before starting you will need the following three things:

• A Mac, running Mac OS X (Snow Leopard or Lion).
• Xcode (downloaded for free from the Mac App Store).
• The latest version of PhoneGap.

Installation:

Let's start by installing Xcode. As this is Apple's primary development environment for Mac and iOS it is quite big (1.7GB), but also very powerful. You can download Xcode from the Mac App Store, at which point an icon will appear in your "Applications" folder called "Install Xcode". Run the installer and follow the wizard leaving all settings at default.

Once complete you are ready to install PhoneGap. Simply unzip, navigate to the "iOS" directory and run the installer until completion (again leave all settings at default).

Hooray! Your environment is now setup to create your first project in Xcode using PhoneGap (easy, right?).

Project Setup:

Start by opening Xcode and select "New" and "New Project". Now select "PhoneGap-based Application" from "iOS > Application".

Next add a "Product Name" and "Company Identifier" for your app. These can be anything you like.

Once complete you will be asked where you would like to save your application.

You should now see your project in Xcode. If you attempt to "Run" your project at this point you will be prompted with an error, stating the "index.html was not found".

To resolve this, you need to copy your "www" folder into the project. Navigate to your project directory in Finder or right click on the project in Xcode (left navigation window) and click show in Finder.

IMPORTANT - Drag the "www" folder into Xcode, under the project name in left navigation window (See image below).

If done correctly you will be prompted with a few options (see image below). Make sure you select "Create folder references for any added folders" and click "Finish".

Now if you "Run" your project it will open the contents of the "index.html", which is pre-populated to prove the setup of PhoneGap has been completed successfully.

You can now edit the project just as if it was a standard web application. To get used to Xcode, I suggest you start by making some minor modifications to the "index.html" file.

Once you have mastered the basics you can start getting more advanced by adding custom JavaScript. I recommend checking out jQuery Mobile, which is a framework specifically for mobile devices that is very powerful, flexible and easy to work with.

That's it! You are now an iOS developer. In fact, even better, you can now port the same code to any other PhoneGap supported mobile platform!