ipad3

Retina Display iPad vs. e-ink Kindle: Which do I prefer for reading?

A few months ago, I bought a Kindle. The cheap kind: $79, with "Special Offers." I bought it because I wanted to read more efficiently, and because the iPad 2's screen was giving me eye fatigue.

You'd think that with the new Retina Display iPad that my Kindle had been one-upped. Clearer, crisper text is exactly what I was hoping for on an iPad, and it did indeed come to pass. I upgraded to a third-generation iPad, although I did it mainly for storage space and to explore gaming with the new A5X graphics.

Yet, the new iPad hasn't been able to unseat my little old Kindle. Not entirely. In fact, I've been surprised to find that the Kindle has carved out a special place in my heart, and it's one that the iPad has a hard time filling.… Read more

New iPad owners complain of 3G connection issues

Apple's new iPad has had its fair share of problems, and it appears another one might need to be added to the list.

An increasing number of new iPad owners have been complaining on Apple's forums about trouble connecting to 3G networks from their tablet. Based on the growing thread, the issue appears to be widespread across Europe, Australia, and parts of Asia. Only a few people in the U.S. have said that the device is having trouble connecting to 3G.

"When I travel with my iPad, e.g. taking it on a train, it loses … Read more

Best screen protectors for iPad 3

The new iPad's glass screen is tough and scratch-resistant, but a lot of people still choose to buy a screen protector to be safe and potentially help cut down on glare.

The truth is, I don't know how necessary screen protectors really are, and many don't help with glare quite as much as they promise. "Film" protectors can be a challenge for many people to install and "bubble-free" protectors can reduce the crispness of the new iPad's Retina Display.… Read more

Otterbox shipping Defender Series case for new iPad

Most people don't want a bulky case for their new iPad, but some folks are looking for some serious protection. While there are plenty of tough cases for the iPhone 4S, the selection is more limiting for the iPad, and Otterbox remains among the top choices in rugged iPad cases with its Defender Series case.

The company has made some tiny tweaks to the design of the Defender (the new case fits both the iPad 2 and iPad third-generation). You get three layers of protection, including a built-in screen cover, and the Defender's outer "shield stand" … Read more

Does the new iPad have a heat problem?

Heat has come up as an issue with previous generations of iPads. So, that's not news. But the new iPad may have, in select cases, its own unique heat problems.

User forum postings (here and here) and a report seem to point to heat as an issue for select users.

The problem area--based on forum links above--seems to be a hot-spot in the corner of the unit.

In the worst case, the iPad shuts down and a message pops up, saying "the iPad needs to cool down," according to a Next Web report (link above).

That seems … Read more

New iPad's battery life (nearly) the same as the old iPad's

Over the last couple of days I've run CNET's tablet battery drain test on both the new iPad and the iPad 2. The iPad 2's battery life hadn't been tested since iOS 4.3, so while my focus was on evaluating the new iPad's battery, this was also an opportunity to see if iOS 5.1 brought any battery life improvements over 4.3.

The results The results speak for themselves, but if you need further explanation, continue reading after the chart. … Read more

Some people don't have a clue as to why they need the new iPad

Visits to two Apple stores on Friday confirmed my Apple Shiny Slab Theory. That is, some consumers, deep down, don't really know why they buy the newest Apple thing.

After attending a meeting in Hollywood on Friday, I stopped by an Apple store down the street in Century City (aka, Beverly Hills) and another in Santa Monica. I estimate I spent more than two hours total in those two stores.

My intention was not only to try to gauge the level of interest in the new iPad but also to form (I hoped) a bulletproof rationale for upgrading from … Read more

iPad debut gets 'warm' reception in Ginza

The new iPad made its debut in Tokyo's Ginza district to lines exceeding 500 people, according to Japan's Nikkei news service.

The Apple store in Ginza had about 450 people waiting while a nearby Softbank outlet had about 70 people in line, said Nikkei.

One 20-something male buyer in Ginza said he was looking forward to watching movies on the iPad's new high-resolution screen. And a teenage male said he wanted to use it for both study and games.

Lines began forming two days before sales, according to a ZDNet report.

(See link to Nikkei photos of long lines in Ginza.) … Read more

CNET Asia's new iPad review: iPad is still the tablet king

Editor's Note: Read CNET's full Apple iPad review here.

The new iPad may first go on sale at 12:01am Friday here in our corner of the world, but CNET's Singapore-based team managed to snag Apple's third-generation iPad 4G at midnight their time, before staying up until the wee hours reviewing the anticipated device. Read CNET Asia's iPad review.

Vincent Chang's verdict is more or less what we expected after Donald Bell got his hands on the device here in San Francisco at Apple's launch event last week. The stunning Retina Display on … Read more

Rumor Has It, Ep. 24: Google's gunning for iPad, with Asus' help (podcast)

I am writing this blog post from under my desk, because I am too embarrassed to face my esteemed colleagues after the stunt we pulled today. We play the most embarrassing Internet video yet. Starring moi. I have been blushing a deep purple ever since, and because I may now be notorious in downtown San Francisco as that crazy girl in front of the Apple store, I have decided to wear a disguise in public at all times. Guys, it's mortifying. Go watch it.

But--sweet relief!--with the new iPad no longer on our rumor roster, we get down … Read more