Apple announced new, thinnest iPad Air

Apple has announced the next iteration of its premium tablet, the iPad Air.


With thickness of just 7.5mm this could the thinnest full-sized tablet around

It claimed that the iPad Air is thinner, lighter and more powerful, befitting the new name. And the new tablet weighs just one pound (469 g), down from the fourth-gen model's 1.4 pounds (652 g). It also boasts a 43% thinner bezel and a 20% thinner profile. 

It is 8 times faster than the first-gen iPad, and graphics are 72 times faster. 

Thanks to MIMO, you should enjoy faster WiFi, and expanded LTE support from international carriers as well. So, this should be LTE compatible in Malaysia.

As expected, the new iPad Air sports a 9.7-inch Retina display with 64-bit architecture on board with more than 1 billion transistors, and there's an A7 processor under the hood along with an M7 motion chip.


iPad Air specifications and comparison

To have some idea of how this one differs from the previous iteration, here is the comparison:


Apart from faster processor and lighter body, there's not much to shout about.

Will I upgrade now?

Probably no. I'm happy with how my current iPad 3 perform, it serves the intended purpose and I have little complaint with its overall performance. Besides, iOS 7 works fine under the hood.

I'll wait for the next generation.

Could not activate cellular data network

Have you gone through a moment when your anxiety level reaches extraordinary heights as a result of your Apple army stops working?

You are not alone. The common error message is "Could not activate cellular data network", and you are well within the 3G coverage area.


iPhone

I've had similar problems with my previous iPhone 3GS and with my current iPhone 4S on several occasions and managed to get around them with simple toggling of the Airplane Mode. Tap to activate it then tap again to de-activate.

On other occasions a white apple reset (switching of/on the unit) did the trick.


Also happened on iPad

Today that error appeared on my new iPad (ipad 3) again when I tried surfing the internet. This is the first time that I encountered such issue since I purchased my iPad last year.

Other users stated that this maybe a wireless switching bug between WiFi and Cellular, but at the time of  the incident I was not connected or switched to WiFi. I was all the time on 3G.

Tried searching for specific info and iPad returned this error message

I search on the net and found that I should try the followings:

1. Toggle cellular data off and then on again on the iOS Device:
    iPad: Tap Settings > Cellular Data  --- did not work for me
2. Restart your iPad.                           --- did not work for me
3. Change Carrier (MY MAXIS) setting from Automatic to Manual selection --- also, no luck!


What did work?

4. Reset network settings worked for me, although I'm aware that not everyone get this one working for them.

a) Under Setting, tap General: then tap Reset

b) Tap Reset Network Settings: then enter your device passcode (if any).
     Note: Be prepared to get your network settings to the original factory setting.
              But it really is not harmful as other settings and data in your device are left intact.

c) Wait for a while and your iPad will automatically switch off and on with cellular data back functioning

I was able to surf again.

This is just a temporary solution as it could happen again anytime. If it is a bug in Apple's iOS program, I hope they will fix it sooner rather than later. You don't want to carry the tag of "A Device That Keep Crashing".

Hope this helps.

iPad Mini launched & Prices

Apple Inc. unveiled the new tablet half the size of the existing iPad called "iPad Mini" on Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2012. Measured diagonally at 7.9 inch, it is obvious that it is aimed at competing with Kindle Fire and Google's Nexus 7.

iPad currently is the king of the tablet world, and it is evident the Mini iPad is made to dominate the 7-inch segment of the fast growing tablet market.

Not really a 7-inch tablet but looks easy on the hand.

iPad Mini build

The rounded edges reminds you of the iPhone 3G. Thickness (or rather thinness) is 7.2mm and weight is 308g. This means that the mini version is 23% thinner than the big iPad and weighs at half of the bigger sibling. The volume and screen-rotation lock buttons have moved to the right-hand side. Not a big deal to me, just a bit of getting use to.

Screen

The 7.9-inch display is LED-backlit. Because it is at almost 4:3 ratio it looks more squarish when compared to the bigger iPad. Screen resolution is 1024x768 at 163ppi which is similar to that of the iPad 2. Check out the picture below.

Camera

Main camera is iSight 5MP similar to the one on iPad 3. There is stabilization on video camera so it should be easier to take picture. Taking picture with the iPad 3 is easy, I expect it would be better with the smaller iPad.

Battery

Announced as up to 10 hours of surfing the web on WiFi, watching video, or listening to music. If you are on cellular data network, you can surf up to 9 hours. Of course, these are always based on ideal conditions but with my current iPad 3, I'm happy with the battery performance.


iPad Mini performance

The iPad Mini is using the A5 dual-core chip, similar to the one found in iPad 2. In comparison, the new iPad 3 is using dual-core A6X with quad-core graphics chip.

Heck, who'll be able to tell how it perform if one hasn't even fiddle with the slab for at least a day or two. But the mini is loaded with LTE which means faster communication through 4G network (in selected countries). Don't put your bet on that to happen very soon in Malaysia though. We have 4G here but there is still that nagging compatibility issues.

For gaming and ease of use, you will have to wait for early adopters to come out with their comments.

Will you go for it?

While it is too early to hand down a verdict, there is one obvious reason why people would pass this one: Prices are way too high! Base model starts from $329 / £269 (possibly RM1,299) and the top end 64GB WiFi + Cellular will set you back $659 / £529 (possibly RM2,599).

It's a big hindrance as Google's Nexus 7 is only $199 (RM600) and Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) at RM1,299. I am comfortable with my iPad 3, with the 9.7-inch display being just what I need to complement my smaller smartphone. I think I'll keep my saved cash for a newer iPad.

Scaled comparison of the iPad Mini with the bigger siblings. 

iPad Mini prices:

Wi-Fi	US	UK
16GB	$329	£269
32GB	$429	£349
64GB	$529	£429
Wi-Fi + Cellular
16GB	$459	£369
32GB	$559	£449
64GB	$659	£529

Malaysia prices? Check this site again soon, we'll make some interpolation and put our best prediction for Malaysia market.

Tablet PC market share: iPad rules.

Two years after creating the market, Apple Inc. remains the king of all media tablets, with its global market share rising to nearly 70% in the second quarter, putting the company on pace to reclaim much of the dominance it surrendered in 2011.

During the second quarter this year, Apple shipped 17 million iPad 2 and new iPad media tablets, up from 11.8 million the first quarter, according to iSuppli Display Materials & Systems Service. This industry-leading increase in shipments translated into a market share gain of 11.5% points, as Apple’s second-quarter global tablet share climbed to 69.6%, up from 58.1% in the first quarter.

And you thought Samsung beat Apple Inc.'s iPad hands down with more Galaxy Tab variants in the market? Maybe one day, but for now iPad is the king.

Samsung, at any one time, has in its stable Galaxy Tab 7.7, Galaxy Tab 2(7.0), Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1), Galaxy Tab 8.9, Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus, and the upcoming Galaxy Note 10.1

Apple has single product, the iPad (the latest iteration being the New iPad). The reason for the overwhelming support for the iPad? Research shows that satisfied users are likely to go back to the same brand for their next purchase. It seems that Apple already has developed a solid future customer base, which will continue to strengthen barring a major stumble on an upcoming product release. The iPad Mini comes to mind.

Android and iOS devices battle it out.

There'll be 360 million Tablet Computers in 2016

This posting is not about comparing which brand is superior; it's just so we know how the tablet PC is expected to shape in the near future.

Today there are about 120 million tablet computers in the market. By 2016, it is estimated that this will triple to more than 360 million. This, in some way reinforce my contention in my previous article that there maybe possibility that tablet PC will make its way to schools in place of the heavy school bags. These tablet PCs could be the super text books in the near future.

New iPad (iPad 3) Price - Malaysia

Official pricing for the new iPad (iPad 3) for Malaysia has been released today, Friday 20th April 2012, by Apple.store.com. The initial prediction via extrapolation in my recent article overstated the prices by a small margin. But that made this official price release more of a good news than a bad one.

The following is the snapshot of apple.store's iPad page for everyone's record. You can also go to their website and order online. There is an ordering lead time of 5 to 7 business days.

Source: apple-store/my

Caveat: 

It stated in it's advertorial that this gadget is 4G LTE capable. While the specification is true, 4G LTE is supported only on AT&T and Verizon networks in the United States, and on Bell, Rogers, and Telus networks in Canada. Not in Malaysia.

Nevertheless, if our cellular network infrastructure can handle a bandwidth of up to 40Mbps, then you can still get a pretty fast surfing experience. Even the current wireless speed of 7.2Mbps is at 'best effort'. I rarely get more than 4Mbps on my Maxis broadband.


Update @25 April, 2012
Mobile phone shops and retailers are selling the new iPad at averagely RM300 more than the published figures on apple.store/my. My personal observation for Kota Kinabalu prices are as follows (both black and white colours are similarly priced):

iPad / WiFi + 4G / 16GB - RM2,199.00
iPad / WiFi + 4G / 32GB - RM2,499.00
iPad / WiFi + 4G / 64GB - RM2,799.00

Note: Most outlets offer free smart cover, leather or other material of equivalent cost, and screen protector.

Update @1 May, 2012: I finally received my unit, a 32GB Black WiFi+ 4G, for RM2,340.00. Not a very fair pricing, IMO, considering the published price of only RM2,199.00 at apple-store/my.

New iPad (iPad 3) Launched in Malaysia and compared with iPad 2 and Galaxy Tab 7.7

This is a scheduled entry in anticipation of the New iPad (iPad 3) launching date in Malaysia. As what came out in the mainstream media, launching of the New iPad in Malaysia is Friday, 20th April 2012.

Based on historical data of its pricing and referring to US and Singapore prices the followings are probable price structure for the new iPad. I stick to my earlier comparison and estimates in the previous article about the new iPad.

Let's see if this materialises:

		iPad2 (RM)	New iPad (RM)
WiFi	16GB	1,199.00	1,599.00
	32GB	1,499.00	1,899.00
	64GB	1,799.00	2,199.00
WiFi +4G	16GB	1,599.00	1,999.00
	32GB	1,899.00	2,299.00
	64GB	2,199.00	2,599.00

Note: Prices for iPad2 are current actual. [Update: get the latest updated New iPad prices here]

A brief comparison between the New iPad and Galaxy Tab 7.7, the latest  under Samsung's offerings:

The All New iPad (iPad3)

Excited about it yet?

The all new iPad from Apple was officially announced on 7th March 2012 and will be available to the US consumers beginning 16th March 2012. As always, they did not continue with the numbering sequence, instead they called it just iPad and for now, we'll call it the New iPad.

Image: store-apple.com

WHAT'S NEW

Resolutionary Retina Display

The typing error is intentional; it was meant for a revolutionary-high-resolution display. The new iPad is packed with stunning Retina display and probably making it the most pixel-packed tablet on the market. The screen size is similar to the iPad2 but packed with 3.1 million pixels in a 2048 x 1536 arrangement; claimed to have great improvement in color saturation.

5MP iSight Camera

Although only 5 mega pixel, the iSight camera is similar to the one fitted inside the iPhone 4S, with backside illumination sensor. If it is as good as the one in the 4S, then I will be the first to agree that the images captured are quite decent. I own a couple of compact cameras, a D90 and a D700 DSLR. The iPad lens assembly has five elements in it to capture the best possible image, and it is claimed to be capable of capturing 1080p HD video.

Super fast 4G connectivity

The new iPad boasts 21 mega bits per second (Mbps) HSPA+, with LTE radio capable of 73Mbps downlink on both AT&T and Verizon in the US, the home of Apple. In Malaysia though, we are just at the early stage of adopting 4G LTE technology. Case in point is Klang valley, although certain telcos claim to have 4G services in other cities. 4G connectivity is said to be up to 10 times the speed of 3G. It seems like this new gadget is way ahead of our telecommunication infrastructures.

And that's it! Nothing to shout about, really.

With technological advancement in the manufacturing of telecommunication and IT gadgets, newer product sporting a relatively similar feature or even a slight upgrade like the new iPad should be priced lower instead of going up. Or, at the very least maintained. Check the price movements in the following matrix:

		iPad2 (US$)	New iPad (US$)
WiFi	16GB	399.00	499.00
	32GB	499.00	599.00
	64GB	599.00	699.00
WiFi +3G	16GB	529.00	629.00
	32GB	629.00	729.00
	64GB	729.00	829.00

If you are a consumer like me, you will agree that the increase of US$100 (approx. RM300) for a slight tweak is not justified.

Comparing iPad2, New iPad, Galaxy Tab 7.7 and Galaxy Tab 8.9

So that we have some idea of what sort of progression the new iPad went through, I have compiled in the following Table my findings from the internet, mostly from Apple website. Just for comparison, the new super AMOLED Galaxy Tab 7.7 is pitted side by side, specification-wise, with the new iPad. See which one is worth the money and of course most importantly, better suited to you.

Note: The new iPad uses dual-core A5X processor, with quad-core graphics.

When our regular phone outlet receives their shipment next week, we'll be checking the Tab7.7 out to fiddle with features. Some say, you have to see it to appreciate the super AMOLED display.