This years special iPad event ‘finally’ put all rumours and speculations at rest as Apple announced second gen iPad mini with Retina Display.

Apple entered into a new product category with a smaller version of the full size tablet. The purpose of iPad mini was to make the device even more portable. It was aimed at those of us who want to hold the device for long hours to read books, browse the web and want something that fits in a small bag without adding any extra weight. In 2012 when all iOS devices were already supporting high resolution display Apple announced iPad mini with the same resolution as iPad 2 with 1024×768 pixels.

Since its introduction many started speculating that the next gen 7.9 inch tablet will certainly feature retina display. However, some reports and bloggers expressed concerns about battery and weight of the device. John Gruber of Daring Fireball also remained sceptical about iPad mini going retina in 2013 and said, “we demand magic — a retina iPad Mini with no decrease in battery life, but no increase in thickness, weight, or price. And they need to produce at least 20 million of them by Christmas. Something has to give.”

Apple has made iPad mini with retina display a reality this year with the same 10 hour long battery performance. The display features 2048×1536 resolution  which is the same as iPad Air at 326 pixels per inch. With the new retina screen the hardware saw an increase of 0.01 inches in thickness and 23 grams (0.06 pounds) in weight. The fact that the device continues to provide battery for a full days worth of use even with retina certainly makes it worth the negligible thickness and weight.

iPad mini with retina display also features the 64-bit A7 chip and M7 coprocessor introduced in the iPhone 5s. This boost the performance of the new tablet upto 4 times in CPU and upto 8 times in GPU performance.

The 5MP rear camera and 1.2MP FaceTime HD camera remain the same even in the new model. Apple has added support for even more LTE bands in this new device and also delivers twice the Wi-Fi performance than before.

If reading and browsing the web are the primary tasks that you use the iPad mini for, then upgrading to the latest model is certainly worth considering. High resolution screen makes the text crisp without any fuzziness and each pixel in the photos deliver fantastic detail.

Apple will continue to sell the original iPad mini with 16GB storage at $299 for the WiFi and $429 for WiFi + Cellular. iPad mini with retina display will be available in 16GB, 32GB, 64GB and 128GB. The WiFi models start at $399 while cellular version starts at $529 and each model gets $100 expensive for more storage.

Will you be buying the new iPad mini this holiday season? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Apple’s iPad media event has just gone live. The company will be providing a live video coverage of the new iPad keynote event. The event is being held at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco.

Apple CEO, Tim Cook, will take the stage to announce new product launches and updates for this year before we enter the holiday season. The email invite sent out to the media suggests that the company will “cover” many product announcements.

Rumors and reports published in the past provide enough evidence to expect new iPad 5 (fifth gen) and second gen iPad mini. We could also get new Haswell MacBook Pro models, final release of Mac OS X Mavericks, new iLife and iWork software updates and more.

iPad 5 is widely expected to feature a thinner and lighter design inspired by the advancements made with iPad mini. Hardware specifications are expected to include new 64-bit A7 chip, improved camera and possibly new Touch ID sensor.

There have been many conflicts reports about a second gen iPad mini with retina display. It is unclear if Apple will introduce the new smaller iPad with a high resolution display.

During WWDC Apple showcased a sneak peek at the new Mac Pro. Apple could use today’s event to announce shipping date for the high end Mac for the professionals.

This year Apple is offering a live video feed of the iPad launch event. Live video stream of the event is available on Apple’s website. In order to view live video streaming of the October iPad event you’d require Safari 4 or later on OS X v10.6 or later, Safari on iOS 4.2 or later. Streaming via Apple TV requires second- or third-generation Apple TV with software 5.0.2 or later.

Apple recently sent out media invites for the new iPad launch event scheduled for October 22nd. The company is busy making preparations for the iPad event decorating the venue with huge posters resembling the invite.

This year Apple is expected to announce new iPad 5 and second gen iPad mini alongwith other product updates. The theme of the fall event is “We still have a lot to cover.” It doesn’t give us much insight into what the company has in store for us however, based on many analysts reports and rumors published in the past we certainly have a fair idea of what to expect.

The company has a history for fine tuning their products to perfect and have a certain penchant for making products thinner and lighter. Fifth gen iPad is widely expected to shed some weight it put on during its third iteration. In addition to losing some weight it will also become smaller with thinner bezel. In the past, when announcing iPhone 5 Apple in its advertisements asked how can a phone become larger yet lighter and thinner.

Second gen iPad mini is rumored to feature retina display. The smaller tablet from Apple has the same resolution as an iPad 2. iPad mini is the only iOS device that doesn’t ship with a high resolution model. Even though many rumors have suggested that we might get a high resolution display some analysts have expressed doubt over cost and product rates.

The fall event is also expected to feature OS X Mavericks, MacBook Pro, Mac Pro and other product updates as well.

{Images via Apple Spotlight and MacRumors}

Apple recently sent out media invites for the iPad keynote event. The event  will be held on October 22nd at 10 AM PT at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, California.

Last week WSJ leaked the date and now the event has been confirmed by Apple. The media invite features Apple logo with leaves in the iOS 7 color palette flying in the background. The leaves signify autumn line-up of new iOS 7 devices.

The theme of the event is “We still have a lot to cover.” This clearly suggests that Apple is planning to announce more than just one product line. Rumors and reports in the past have revealed that the company is prepared to launch new iPad, second gen iPad mini, new MacBook Pro with Haswell processors and OS X Mavericks.

Apple events usually focus on one major product and try not to announce too many new products at the same event. However, as the company is offering two line-ups of iPads and other product categories also need to be updated before the holiday season, this years’ event will be packed with announcements.

The fifth-gen iPad is expected to be inspired by the advancements in iPad mini and feature a thinner bezel which will make it lighter. Rumors suggest the new iPad will feature new camera and could possibly run on the new A7 chip. It isn’t clear if we will see TouchID in the iPad as the company has experienced low product yield of the sensor in the past.

Many analysts believe the second-gen iPad mini will go retina this year. iPad mini with a high resolution screen could prove to be a big boost in terms of new hardware feature. However, there have been some doubts expressed over cost and pricing of an iPad mini with a retina display.

OS X Mavericks was announced during WWDC. The company has been busy with iOS overhaul this year and during the iPad event we may finally get a release date for the upcoming software update for Mac.

Apple teased the developers at WWDC with the all-new Mac Pro. The release date wasn’t announced and it was showcased as a work in progress. The company could use the event as a platform to release the new Mac Pro.

iMac product lineup was recently updated with the Haswell processors and MacBook Pro line up has also been due for an update. It is expected that Apple will make these available on or before October 22nd.

The fall iPad event will be packed with major announcements. Stay tuned as Touch Reviews brings you the latest information and product launches from Apple.

Apple is rumored to announce the fifth-gen iPad (5) during a keynote event later this month. Photos of various leaked parts of the new iPad suggest that the design will be inspired by the iPad mini.

The new iPad 5 (fifth gen) is expected to be lighter, thinner and feature a smaller bezel. Back panels of the rumored device have previously appeared online but now Sonny Dickson has published high resolution images of the design.

We recently reported on a rumor published by AllThingsD that speculates Apple’s next iPad event to be held on October 22nd. The company is expected to unveil the new lineup of iPads for the holiday season.

Fifth gen iPad will be available in silver and space gray finish just like the iPhone 5s. Technical specifications of the new iPad could include A7 64-bit and an improved 8 megapixel camera.

Apple has been struggling with the production rate of Touch ID sensors on iPhone 5s due to high demand. It is unclear if the company will introduce fingerprint sensor technology in the new iPad. There has been no physical evidence of Touch ID being incorporated in the new iPad as yet.

During the iPad keynote event the Cupertino, Calif., based company will also unveil the new iPad mini. The second gen iPad mini is rumored to feature retina display.

Apple hasn’t sent out any media invitation for the iPad event as yet. If the event is indeed scheduled for October 22nd then the media could expect the invite email early next week.

Apple is rumored to hold another special keynote event to announce the next gen iPad lineup on October 22. According to AllThingsD’s sources Apple will unveil iPad 5, second gen iPad mini, release OS X Mavericks and could share an update on Mac Pro’s availability.

The iPad focused event had been rumored to be held in October earlier. Apple announced the iPad mini in October last year and the iPad product lineup had been due for a refresh. The fifth generation iPad is widely expected to share the design language of iPad mini which could result in a thinner and lighter design with slimmer bezel. The new 9.7 inch iPad could run on 64-bit A7 chip that was first introduced in the iPhone 5s. Sources familiar with the matter believe that even the second gen iPad mini could feature the A7 chip.

Apple introduced Touch ID in iPhone 5s this year to encourage more customers to set a passcode and yet find it easier and very intuitive to unlock their device. It is not clear if this fingerprint technology will make it to the iPad. However, it is possible that the new iPad 5 could feature the Touch ID.

Second gen iPad mini has long been rumored to feature a retina display and many leaks in the recent past suggest that second gen iPad mini will finally feature the high resolution display.

The time and venue of the event is still unknown. AllThingsD has a good track record of predicting dates for Apple events. While there has been no official confirmation it is very likely that the iPad keynote event will be held on October 22, 2013.

Apple earlier today sent out media invites for iPad 3 launch event which will be held on March 7th, Wednesday in San Francisco. The third-gen iPad will be unveiled at a keynote event at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts at 10 a.m Pacific and 1 p.m Eastern time.

Last week we highlighted a report which suggested that Apple was planning a media event in first week of March and today the Cupertino, Calif. based company officially confirmed the event date. The invite sent out to media has image of an iPad with  Maps, Calendar and Keynote apps showing on the dock and the text reads “We have something you really have to see. And touch.”

Apple brought Retina Display to iOS devices with introduction of iPhone 4 and then it made its way to fourth-gen iPod touch. According to various rumors and speculation we’ve reported in the past, iPad 3 is widely expected to feature Retina Display with a resolution of 2,048 by 1,536 pixels and include a faster processor. While most evidences revealed in the past confirm the inclusion of Retina Display it’s still unclear if Apple will use a quad-core chip or a dual-core chip with enhanced graphics.

In addition to an improved display iPad 3 is also expected to feature better rear camera for taking photos however the front-facing camera might not receive any update. It is believed that in order to feature the high resolution display and better camera the iPad 3 might be thicker than iPad 2.

Apple is known to introduce complete product re-design every alternate year so iPad 3 is expected to retain the same design as iPad 2. The company could also introduce new Apple TV with “A5X” chip that could deliver 1080p content to your HD television.

Are you excited about iPad 3 launch event? What are your expectations from the event? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

On Tuesday, Japanese site Macotakara reported that Apple is planning to hold an iPad event in early February to announce the iPad 3, which is expected to arrive with iOS 5.1. The website pointed out that they had an Asian supplier and a source in the U.S who could confirm these rumors.

Although the iPad 3 is expected to be announced in February, other rumors suggest that the iPad 3 will actually be released in March, the same as the iPad 2 which arrived on March 11. This long delay could be in part because of the Chinese New Year which is going to be celebrated from January 23 to the 28th.

Foxconn and Pegatron, two of Apple’s main suppliers are expected to start shipping the device to the Apple Stores in early March, likely for a mid-March release. The iPad 3 has long been rumored to include a higher resolution display, as well as the introduction of the A6 chip and better 2 megapixel camera, up from 0.9 megapixels.

Macotakara has a mixed track record with the release of Apple products, correctly reporting on Apple’s iPad 2 and iPhone 4S but incorrectly suggesting that Apple would be releasing a Macbook Air with high-speed 400MBps flash memory and that a fifth-generation iPhone would feature an aluminum back.

If the event is scheduled for February we can expect media invites to be sent out in the first week of the next month. It will be interesting to see if Apple will finally bring the retina display to the iPad, which will certainly make the poplar tablet worth an upgrade for many users.

{via AppleInsider}

UPDATE: Read our complete coverage on the iPad keynote here.

Apple’s iPad is already creating top news story. The new device unveiled today  looks stunning and it’s hardware capability will certainly create new standards for handheld computing.

You can  view the official Apple QuickTime stream of iPad keynote video here or download the iPad keynote video here

Jonathan Ive describing the ‘magical iPad':

The iPad Arrives!

The day has finally come. With the usual flourish and presentation skills only Steve Jobs can muster, the iPad came into existence over the course of an hour and a half today. Initial reactions are still starting to come in but my personal impression is that Apple has largely hit all the marks they had too.

The iPad will come in 16, 32, and 64GB models with 802.11n WiFi standard and models with optional 3G connectivity through GSM micro-SIMs. As demoed during the keynote, the iPad will run a variant of iPhone OS that executes all existing App Store applications out of the box but will also support purpose-built apps through a special SDK released today. Existing apps will either run in a 1:1 pixel black box or can be scaled up natively. It was hard to tell exactly how app performance and video looked since I wasn’t actually in attendance but all indications point to the usual beauty of an Apple display. The following hardware specs were detailed in the keynote:

• 0.5″ thick
• 1.5 lbs.
• 9.7″ IPS screen
• 1GhZ A4 processor – The A4 is a purpose-built, Apple designed processor.
• 802.11n WiFi
• BlueTooth 2.1
• accelerometer
• compass
• speaker
• microphone
• dock connector
• 10 hours of battery life

As anticipated, Apple is also entering the eReader market with the introduction of the iBook application and associated iBook Store. Users of the iPad can now buy, browse, and read eBooks from their new device. The iPad has certainly put the Kindle on notice and it will be interesting how the two fight it out. Instead of being a purpose-built device that does other things, as the Kindle was destined to become, the iPad is a device that does lots of things including eBooks. That versatility automatically puts Kindle at a disadvantage.

Speculation on pricing had pegged the iPad up in the $1000 range. Much to the relief of potential customers everywhere, the base WiFi-only model of the iPad starts at $499 and increases by $100 for each jump in storage. If you want the 3G model that adds another $130 on top of that. At such an aggressive pricing strategy, Apple is poised to run the competition out of the market. A versatile device capable of most computing tasks that starts at $499? Wow.

The only 3G packages announced today where through AT&T in the US; $14.99/month for 250MB/month and $29.99 for unlimited data. Those are great prices and hopefully that translates well to international deals. The 3G module is enabled from the iPad itself and the data plan is month to month, no contracts.

Of primary concern to most Touch Reviews readers though will be the gaming implications. EA demoed an iPad-specific version of Need for Speed Shift and Gameloft demoed N.O.V.A. All available indications seemed to suggest that this will be a killer mobile gaming device. It will retain all of the control mechanisms you’re familiar with from the iPhone and put it on a display more than twice the size you’re used to. How great will that be?

So when will all of this be available? 60 days from today for the WiFi only versions and 90 days if you want 3G connectivity. After that, all bets are off and I think Apple’s competition better run for their lives. The iPad is finally here and although it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles predicted for it, Apple has delivered a solid package again. Now go save your pennies, you’re going to want one of these.

By: Erin Peterson