Apple has now unveiled its long-rumored new iPad. Strangely, Apple is not calling it the iPad3. Instead, it is simply “the new iPad.” The new device contains a lot of improvements over the previous iPad2 but I see little in the list that will provide direct benefit to genealogy uses. The new iPad should handle all the existing iPad genealogy applications in exactly the same manner as the older iPad2.
To be sure, there are some nice improvements that will benefit all of the people who purchase the new iPad. The display has been improved to a 2048 x 1536 pixel Retina display with more than 3.1 million pixels. The older iPad has a very nice screen but the new iPad's specifications promise significant improvements.
The new iPad is powered by Apple’s much faster A5x processor. It functions as a dual core processor for programs, but features quad-core graphics.
One overdue improvement (in my mind) is an updated camera dubbed the iSight camera has been added to the tablet’s back panel. It features the same optics as the camera in the iPhone 4S with a 5MP chip and 1080p video-recording capabilities with video stabilization.
The new iPad also features significantly faster wireless connection speeds, if your local cell tower supports 4G LTE. The new iPad includes 4G LTE, making it even faster than the iPhone 4S. Initially, AT&T, Verizon, Rogers, Bell and Telus will be the only carriers. Apple will produce two versions of the iPad with 4G — one for AT&T and another one for Verizon.
At 0.37 inches and 1.44 pounds, the new tablet is slightly thicker and heavier than the previous iPad 2 version.
I am sure that Apple will sell a lot of the new iPads as the company already sells more tablet computers than all other manufacturers combined. However, I don't see anything earthshaking in this new announcement. Undoubtedly the new iPad is a better device than the iPad2, but the changes are evolutionary, not revolutionary.
If your only interest is genealogy, there is little in the new iPad to entice you.
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