Category Archives: technology

Mar 9 2012

iPad 3 leaves Apple’s rivals behind

iPad 3 revealed

Apple has finally revealed the iPad 3 and its no surprise to see that it comes with double the resolution of the iPad 2 and has 4G network capability available if Wi-Fi isn’t enough for your needs. Here in the UK we are still stuck with 3G and will remain so for more than a year.

In addition to these two features, the new iPad comes with a much improved 5MP iSight camera, making HD movies at 1080p a reality. The camera features  a backside illumination sensor, offering improved image quality. You can tap the screen to focus and tap to set exposure, just like on the iPhone and there is built-in face detection that automatically balances focus and exposure across up to 10 faces. The iPad 3 also has built-in automatic video stabilisation, so your shots should all come out sharply focused. Interestingly, the camera has  an ƒ/2.4 aperture and a five-element lens, and a hybrid infrared filter, something usually only seen in expensive cameras. This should help ensure improved colour reproduction in your images and video.

The new Retina display on the new iPad has a 2048×1536 resolution, which Apple claims gives 44%t greater colour saturation and an astounding 3.1 million pixels in total, higher than that found in an HDTV. Apple claims that the pixels are so close together that under normal viewing they are not discernible to the human eye. All told, the new iPad has 4x the number of pixels the iPad 2 has. Apple says this required a technological breakthrough to make it possible.

The new A5X chip at the heart of the iPad 3 comes with its quad-core graphics that promise smooth graphics for video and games. Image-editing too in iPhoto and iMovie should also benefit. Apple claims that all this extra processing power hasn’t impacted on battery life, with the iPad touting a 10-hour battery life, just like the iPad 2.

Prices for the new iPad are:

  • 16GB Wi-Fi model £399
  • 32GB Wi-Fi model £479
  • 64GB Wi-FI model £559
  • 16GB Wi-Fi & 4G model £499
  • 32GB Wi-Fi & 4G model £579
  • 64GB Wi-Fi and 4G model £659

You will, of course, still need a data plan from a mobile provider such as Orange, O2, Three and Vodafone. These cost from £2 for 200MB a day to £25 for 10GB a month.

Finally, its hard to see how Apple’s rivals can catch up as to be honest, their Tablet offerings up to now have been pathetic compared to even the original iPad, never the iPad 2. Now, with the iPad 3 Apple has opened up an even greater technological gap over its rivals. Its not just the pure technology thouugh but the whole package. Apple just ‘does it right’. Everyone else doesn’t act like they ‘get it’ frankly.

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Dec 31 2011

Apple looking at fuel cells for future devices

Fuel CellsApple has registered patents that indicate it is looking at powering future devices by fuel cells. Fuel cells are devices which convert chemical energy from a fuel into electricity through a chemical reaction with oxygen or another oxidising agent. They offer the potential of longer battery life, greener energy and less weight. It was the Welsh Physicist William Grove who first developed the earliest and somewhat crude  fuel cells in 1839. However, it took until the days of the US Space Programme for them to become a practical reality when NASA used them to generate power for it’s space probes, satellites and capsules.

Although they offer great potential for the future, currently the technology is still at an early stage. Although its approaching a billion dollar industry, as yet, no company has made a profit from the manufacture and sale of them. Most analysts accept that it will be another 3 – 5 years before they become commercially viable and economic for end-users, such as Apple, so don’t be expecting your iPad to be powered by them anytime soon.

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Dec 30 2011

iPad Rumours Round-up

Deutsch: IFA 2010, Berlin iPAD mit Lautspreche...

We are a pretty sad lot really, if we are honest with ourselves. The iPad 2 is an awesome product (by all accounts) and its the market leader, despite the best efforts of the likes of Sony, RIM and Samsung. Yet, it seems everyone is drooling over the iPad 3, even though, as always, there is no official announcement of whether there will even be an iPad 3, never mind when it’s coming and what exactly it will offer over and above the current model.

Now I have to say here that I don’t own an iPad, not even the first generation model. However, I encouraged a friend of mine to buy one recently. he is a totally non-techie guy and he has a young son. He was thinking of getting a laptop for the family (he already has  desktop PC – a HP server I persuaded him to buy for his home office) and his budget didn’t quite run to a MacBook Air. So, I suggested that the iPad would make an ideal choice as its light, very portable and has an intuitive interface, something he and his family would get along with easily. Also, the vast library of apps would be perfect for his young son as educational software was high on his list of priorities. Also, they wanted something their son could use on long journeys in the car. So, he went ahead and purchased the iPad and is, needless to say, very pleased with his purchase, as are his son and wife.

So, there is no doubt in my mind that the iPad 2 is the best tablet device around and its understandable that the geeks amongst us are interested to see what Apple can pull out of the hat next. I am sure too that there is an element of “how can Apple perform without Steve Jobs at the helm?”. In view of this and as its coming up to New Year, a time when we traditionally look to the year ahead, I thought I would do a round-up of the iPd 3 rumours doing the rounds at the moment.

Firstly, there are the contradictory rumours about whether there will be one or two new iPads in 2012. Some pundits are saying that Apple will introduce 2 models – a so-called iPad mini included. Taipei-based DigiTimes  has said that an iPad with a 7.85-inch display (iPad Mini) might be released by Apple in late 2012. Others are saying that there will only be one new iPad and that its slated for release as early as February 2012. Personally, I think that’s too early as it would cut into sales of the iPad 2 when its still riding high. The iPad 2 was only released in March this year (14 months after the original iPad was introduced in late Jan 2010). If Apple sticks to that cycle then we are looking at May or June as more likely.

In terms of specification, leaving aside the iPad mini issue, what can we expect of the iPad 3? Well, some folk seem to have been taking something (illicit substance wise) as they talk of a transparent iPad with holographic display! My guess is that such a device, if it were ever to appear would be sometime around 2020, not 2012. More realistically, a Retina-class display offering true HD with 2048×1536 pixels resolution is almost a certainty.

As for network connectivity, 4G LTE is also high on the feature list of most pundits. This would offer the possibility of super-fast mobile broadband, perhaps as fast as 100 Mb/s downloads! However, a LTE service is unavailable in most countries (including the UK) so even if Apple does introduce 4G LTE  it may only be available in some countries. My personal view is that Apple prefers to have as few models of its devices as possible and would rather wait for network providers in countries like the UK to catch-up with the likes of Japan, the US and even Poland!

Other features high on the list for many pundits are:

1. Siri – this would be a welcome step and make the iPad even more user-friendly

2. Camera – a higher resolution camera with true HD would be a minimum if Apple is to keep it’s fans and critics happy

3. Battery – improved battery performance is always welcome

4. SD Card slot – great for adding photos and expanding memory

These are the main features that most pundits seem to be expecting. Personally, I think we will see most if not all of these in the new iPad 3, whenever it eventually comes to market.

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Nov 30 2011

Cup of tea anyone? Would you like chips with that madam?

In case you think I have just lost my marbles and gone stark raving mad, let me explain. Back in the 1950′s there was a British catering company called J Lyons and Co, who not only ran a chain of tea shops, but sold biscuits and started a chain of fast food restaurants known as ‘Wimpeys’. Now, before you go away wondering what on earth I am going on about, let me tell you that this company kick-started the whole Business IT industry. That’s right, they were ahead of the rest of the world in creating a business computer that was the first one in the world. Called LEO, this computer was introduced to the world 60 years ago.

You can read all about this sadly neglected innovation on the Telegraph’s website. There is also a video below: