The iPad The iPad is a tablet computer developed by Apple Inc. Since the announcement of it in January 2010 it has been one of the most talked about technology gadget. Understanding the iPad’s Industrial Design article tells that iPad is the culmination of Jon Ive’s quest for the ultimate industrial design, a search for the minimal minimalism, reducing an entire mobile computer to just a screen with no keyboard. What’s inside the iPad and what it can do article give you an idea what kind of computer hardware iPad has inside it. Inside the iPad: Apple’s new ‘A4′ chip article tells about the CPU used in iPad. iPad’s A4 CPU chip (souped-up ARM Cortex A-8 processor) runs iPhone OS at 1GHz, compared to the estimated 600MHz of the iPhone 3GS.
If you are a hardware hacker, you might want to see what is inside iPad and not just read about it. When looking for information on new mobile devices, the information on FCC site is usually has information about any new gadget, you just have to find it. The problem in finding the information is that the name used on FCC documents is often very different from the marketing name for the device. FCC ID ‘BCG-E2381A’ documents give you some detailed information on iPad hardware, including some inside hardware pictures and EMC test results. The iPad’s Not So Revolutionary Inside article contains an interesting video that point out some interesting design choices that Apple has made, and shows off all the insides.
Image sources: Apple iPad page and video
46 Comments
Tomi says:
Hare is one more article link for more information on iPad electronics:
Inside the iPad: Samsung, Broadcom snag multiple wins
http://www.commsdesign.com/design_corner/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=224400642
Tomi says:
Pirates rewrite script for Apple’s China iPad launch
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63P0B620100426
“Just three weeks after the global launch, bootleg versions of Apple Inc’s hot-selling iPad tablet PCs have begun showing up on the shelves of online and real-world shops in piracy-prone China.”
Marcos Himebaugh says:
Is it just me or did this article make you want to buy an iPad?
Tomi says:
EETimes.com is claiming to be the first teardown of the A4 processor.
“Analysis gives first look inside Apple’s A4 processor”
http://www.eetimes.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=224701036&printable=true&printable=true
tomi says:
Your blog at http://ipad.w3storm.net/ seems to have also interesting iPad related posts.
Lamont Altaras says:
Hey there, I’ve found your site on Yahoo, it’s really interesting. I surely will be back later to check things out again. Keep up the good work!
Press Release Writing says:
This is my third visit to this blog. We are starting a new initiative in the same category as this blog. Your blog provided us with important information to work on. You have done a marvellous job.
Tomi says:
iPed sold in China looks a lot like iPad and runs Android OS:
China Rips Off The iPad With The iPed
http://kotaku.com/5549865/china-rips-off-the-ipad-with-the-iped
Rocco Dandrea says:
Is it me or did this article make you want to buy an iPad?
Tomi says:
Dolphin uses iPad as way to communicate with humans
http://www.boingboing.net/2010/06/01/dolphin-uses-ipad-as.html
The iPad and dolphins (for real)
http://mleddy.blogspot.com/2010/06/ipad-and-dolphins-for-real.html
Benjamin Edwards says:
iPad is way too cool to own, i wanna buy one next month.’”.
Roy Hordyk says:
I like Apple gadgets. I think IPhone 4G is the hit! But the prices are enormous here in Japan!
Elliot Saden says:
I just got my ipad, and I must say that I am impressed.Much better than the amazon Kindle.
Tomi says:
How Microsoft foresaw–and still missed–the iPad
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-20008369-56.html
“The technology icon stands before a crowd, holding in his hands a prototype that embodies his vision for the future of computing. It’s a touch-screen tablet that is thinner than a magazine, has all-day battery life, and sells for less than $800. But the icon wasn’t Steve Jobs and the tablet wasn’t the iPad.”
“A few devices, like Samsung’s Q1 eventually found their way to the market, but they were a bust, offering terrible battery life and costing more than $1,000. Within a year, Microsoft and the partners had largely abandoned the effort.”
Dallas Prebish says:
I bookmarked this site a while ago because of the informative content and I have never been let down. Continue the quality work.
Joaquin Ehlers says:
Awesome work. I often discover highly interesting articles here in your web site.
Louie Holmes says:
my girlfriend is going to give me an ipad on my birthday this month.`’~
Enrique Dowe says:
Very nice blog, will come back for an update. Thank You
Tomi says:
The truth about iPad: It’s only good for two things
http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/hiner/?p=5941
“1. Reading and viewing”
“2. Multi-touch interaction”
Harvey Morris says:
my ipad have some display problems and i cannot fix the damn thing .’~
Heike Wiatrak says:
Quite a few of these messages look like junk, You might want to filter them out.
Kyle Armada says:
I’m going to start a serious blog that will eventually hold a great deal of content. I am a graphic designer, and my husband does my web programming, so this is for reals (haha, yes I just said that). That being said, I’ve already started collecting my content and writing entries, but just how much content should a brand new blog have when you “unveil” it to the world (ideally)?. . Thanks :).
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple’s next iPad will indeed feature a 2048 x 1536 “retina” display – if an Asian whisperer is right to say LG, Samsung and Sharp have already shipped more than one million such screens to the fruit-flavoured firm.
Source:
http://www.reghardware.com/2011/11/18/apple_to_take_receipt_of_3m_ipad_3_retina_displays_by_months_end/
Tomi Engdahl says:
PC hardware players to phase out from tablet PC market in 2012
http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20111116PD216.html
Due to pure PC hardware players such as Hewlett-Packard (HP), Acer, Asustek and Dell not having any advantages to compete in the tablet PC market, sources from upstream supply chain believe these players will gradually phase out from the market with players that have strong content support such as Apple, Amazon and Barnes & Noble, to continue to compete through lowering their hardware prices.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple Never Designed the iPad – They Undesigned it
http://www.baekdal.com/opinion/apple-never-designed-the-ipad-they-undesigned-it/
You have probably heard about the continual struggle between Apple and Samsung over similarities in their designs.
Yes, the Galaxy tab looks very much like the iPad, but they couldn’t really design it any other way.
Apple never designed the iPad. They undesigned the tablet. They focused on creating the simplest form possible. Every single decision is based on usability, readability, comfort, and focusing your eyes on the content itself.
You cannot force people to add design elements that don’t need to be there. You can trademark design, but not simplicity.
Tomi Engdahl says:
FAA approves iPads in the cockpit; American Airlines to start Friday
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/apple/faa-approves-ipads-in-the-cockpit-american-airlines-to-start-friday/11865
AA pilots received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval to test iPads with electronic charts this summer and asked to take it to the next logical level: replacing most of their paper books and charts with digital documents on the iPad.
A source tells me that the FAA has granted the approval and that AA will be the first airline in the world to be fully approved to use iPads in all phases of flight.
F.A.A. Approves iPads in Cockpits, But Not for Passengers
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/14/f-a-a-approves-ipads-in-cockpits-but-not-for-passengers/
The Federal Aviation Administration said Tuesday that pilots on American Airlines flights would be allowed to use iPads instead of paper flight manuals in the cockpit starting Friday, even during takeoff and landing. But, passengers are still required to shut down anything with the slightest electronic pulse from the moment a plane leaves the gate until it reaches an altitude of 10,000 feet.
The rule barring passengers from using a Kindle, an iPad, or even a calculator, were originally made to protect the electronics of an aircraft from interference. Yet pilots with iPads will be enclosed in the cockpit just a few inches from critical avionics on a plane.
Les Dorr, a spokesman for the F.A.A., who said the reason for the ban was that the agency would rather err on the side of caution when it came to allowing digital devices on planes.
Disruptions: Fliers Must Turn Off Devices, but It’s Not Clear Why
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/27/disruptions-fliers-must-turn-off-devices-but-its-not-clear-why/
Tomi Engdahl says:
The previous comments told that American Airlines flights would be allowed to use iPads in Cockpits
American Airlines adopts Samsung Galaxy Tab for in-flight entertainment
Another step towards tablets taking over the world
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2132791/american-airlines-adopts-samsung-galaxy-tab-entertainment
PREMIUM CLASS flyers with American Airlines (AA) will be treated to Samsung Galaxy Tab tablets for in-flight entertainment.
The high-end tablet will replace the existing devices on many internal and international flights.
Source: The Inquirer
Tomi Engdahl says:
Can a $100 iPad Case Improve 3G Data Power? Lab Test!
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/12/pong-ipad-case-investigation/
But now a company called Pong Research is spreading word of a proximity sensor inside the iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G that reduces the tablet’s 3G radio output by some 6 dBm, or about three-quarters of its total transmission strength. The sensor is tripped whenever it comes within 10 mm of a solid object — which could be anything from human flesh to an iPad case that snugly ensconces the tablet’s chassis.
“It looks like the sensor is looking for human tissue next to the antenna, and if it sees it, it backs off the transmit power,” says Francis Sideco, iSuppli’s senior principal analyst for wireless communications. “You would assume that the FCC had some kind of requirements that the iPad had to meet.”
As as a safety measure, FCC regulations limit SAR levels for partial-body exposure to up to 1.6 W/kg (watts/kilogram), and whole body exposure to up to 0.08 W/kg.
So we know the proximity sensor exists, and that it attenuates 3G radio power. Our line of inquiry now turns to Pong Research, and its marketing claims.
The SAR testing apparatus in an impressive set-up. The device under review is carefully positioned below a basin filled with a special liquid solution called a “body phantom.” The phantom is mostly water with a small amount of ethanol, and simulates the electrical properties of body tissue.
Our results? The Pong case delivered all the radiation protection it advertises.
Just as Pong promised, we saw this 6 dBm reduction in our own testing: The iPad transmitted at full power when running naked and when seated in the Pong case, but its power attenuated when seated in the other third-party case. Because the dBm scale is logarithmic and not linear, this seemingly small reduction in power actually represents a power drop in the neighborhood of 75 percent.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple to unveil two versions of next-generation iPad in January, sources claim
http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20111228PD215.html
The iPad 2 will be competing directly with Amazon’s kindle Fire in the price-sensitive market segment, while the new models will focus on the mid-range and high-end segments respectively, the sources said.
Instead of the previously-rumored 7.85-inch, the upcoming iPad models will still feature 9.7-inch screens but come with QXGA resolution (1,536×2,048 pixels), the sources indicated.
Tomi Engdahl says:
For comparison:
Teardown of Vizio VTAB1008 tablet shows man-machine symbiosis
http://www.edn.com/blog/Design_Cycle/41545-Teardown_of_Vizio_VTAB1008_tablet_shows_man_machine_symbiosis.php
Tomi Engdahl says:
IPad 3: Predictions and Challenges From iFixit
http://www.pcworld.com/article/249375/ipad_3_predictions_and_challenges_from_ifixit.html
With the next iPad expected to come out in March, Wiens recently gazed into his crystal ball.
Wiens: I anticipate the iPad 3 will have basically the same form factor but with double the screen resolution. A Retina display, or four times the pixels, would be the goal. Although I haven’t run the numbers, it all depends on how far you hold it from your face. It’ll be very close to the Retina display. There might also be a high-resolution camera.
To go with this, Apple will have to up the graphics processor. Right now it’s a dual-core, gigahertz-ish processor, but I think there are a lot of improvements down the pike for graphics performance on iPads.
Tomi Engdahl says:
iPad 3 announcement March 7, quad-core, possible 4G LTE
http://www.imore.com/2012/02/13/ipad-3-announcement-march-7-quadcore-4g-lte/
According to sources who have been reliable in the past, Apple currently plans to hold their iPad 3 announcement on Wednesday, March 7, 2012. Along with the 2048×1536 Retina display, the iPad 3 will feature a quad-core Apple A6 system-on-a-chip, and possibly 4G LTE networking.
Tomi Engdahl says:
iPad3 inside and outside
http://tw.nextmedia.com/subapple/article/art_id/34034580/IssueID/20120219
Tomi Engdahl says:
Photo of iPad 3 Logic Board with “A5X” System on a Chip
http://www.macrumors.com/2012/02/19/photo-of-ipad-3-logic-board-with-a5x-system-on-a-chip/
A forum post at Chinese site WeiPhone offers a photo of what is claimed to be the iPad 3′s logic board showing an “A5X” system-on-a-chip.
Tomi Engdahl says:
A Trip to The iFactory: ‘Nightline’ Gets an Unprecedented Glimpse Inside Apple’s Chinese Core
http://abcnews.go.com/International/trip-ifactory-nightline-unprecedented-glimpse-inside-apples-chinese/story?id=15748745#.T0JFsXmivk0
“Okay.” “Okay.” “Okay.”
The voices are robot feminine and they never shut up, each chirp a surreal announcement that another new iPad is about to be born.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Leaked parts reveal A5X processor, possible 8MP camera for iPad 3
http://digg.com/newsbar/topnews/leaked_parts_reveal_a5x_processor_possible_8mp_camera_for_ipad_3
As an expected early March reveal for the third-generation iPad 3 approaches, details are leaking from Chinese sources. New photos detail what is claimed to be the logic board for an iPad 3, sporting an “A5X” processor.
The A5 is no slouch in general processing, but improved graphics processing would be especially useful if the iPad 3 contains a 2048 x 1536 pixel “Retina” display. Such a display has long been predicted
Tomi Engdahl says:
Suite anticipation
Microsoft Office for iPad expected in coming weeks
http://www.thedaily.com/page/2012/02/21/022112-tech-apps-office/
Back in November, The Daily initially uncovered the existence of an iPad version of the Microsoft Office Suite. Sources now say that the app will soon be submitted to Apple for approval.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft Denies Rumor of Office Software for iPad
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/21/microsoft-denies-rumor-of-office-software-for-ipad/
A rumor that Microsoft is releasing an iPad version of its Office software was all over the Web on Tuesday. But Microsoft says it’s just not true.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Daily calls Microsoft’s bluff, says that Office for iPad is real, and was demoed
http://thenextweb.com/microsoft/2012/02/21/the-daily-calls-microsofts-bluff-says-that-office-for-ipad-is-real-and-was-demoed/
Now, The Daily’s editor Peter Ha has taken to Twitter, calling Microsoft out on the images, saying that they were not fake at all. In fact, says Ha, the app was demonstrated to them by a Microsoft employee.
Regardless of whether these are images of the ‘real’ Office for iPad, it seems silly to conclude that Microsoft isn’t working on a version of it. Especially after it recently announced that some components of Office would be converted over to ARM, the same architecture used by the iPad.
How to parse a Microsoft denial
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft/how-to-parse-a-microsoft-denial/11980
Summary: Microsoft’s response to The Daily’s latest Office on iPad story provides a lesson in how to interpret Microsoft’s official responses to information the company isn’t ready to share.
As a long-time Microsoft watcher, I’ve seen lots of Microsoft denials in my day. I’ve had my stories called “not reflective of Microsoft’s current thinking,” mere “rumors” and “based on incorrect and out of date information.”
Notice Microsoft officials did not say that Microsoft isn’t building a version of Office for the iPad. (In fact, if Microsoft wasn’t building Office for the iPad, I’d be more surprised than if they are.)
So what about Microsoft’s claims thatThe Daily’s photos weren’t of a real Microsoft software product? Remember: If something like the actual UI screen in a photo isn’t yet final and subject to change in any way, Microsoft execs technically can say this with a (semi) straight face.
Tomi Engdahl says:
iPad + Office + Apple + Microsoft: Why It All Makes Sense
http://www.splatf.com/2012/02/microsoft-office-ipad/
In case you missed the craziness this week, Microsoft appears to be making some Office apps for the iPad. Or maybe it’s not. Or whatever.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows on the iPad, and Speedy
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/23/technology/personaltech/onlive-desktop-plus-puts-windows-7-on-the-ipad-in-blazing-speed-state-of-the-art.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all
Your iPad can’t play Flash videos on the Web. Mine can.
Your copy of Windows needs constant updating and patching and protection against viruses and spyware. Mine is always clean and always up-to-date.
All you have to do is sign up for a radical iPad service called OnLive Desktop Plus.
When you open it, you see a standard Windows 7 desktop, right there on your iPad.
The free version of the OnLive Desktop service arrived in January. It gives you Word, Excel and PowerPoint, a few basic Windows apps (like Paint, Media Player, Notepad and Calculator), and 2 gigabytes of storage.
OnLive Desktop Plus. It’s not free — it costs $5 a month
OnLive Desktop Plus adds Flash to your iPad, for $5 a month (hands-on)
Read more: http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-31747_7-57383068-243/onlive-desktop-plus-adds-flash-to-your-ipad-for-$5-a-month-hands-on/#ixzz1nCljT400
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple working on enhanced A5 chip (A5X) AND completely new chip (A6)
http://9to5mac.com/2012/02/26/apple-working-on-enhanced-a5-chip-a5x-and-completely-new-chip-a6/
With the upcoming iPad 3, most industry watchers seem to agree on a design similar to the iPad 2′s design and a Retina Display. Notably, publications are disagreeing on the new iPad’s processor: some are pointing to a quad-core A6 chip and others are calling for an improved A5 dual-core chip. Why, though? Because Apple is actually developing BOTH.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple announces iPad event for March 7 in San Francisco
http://www.loopinsight.com/2012/02/28/apple-announces-ipad-event-for-march-7-in-san-francisco/
As expected, Apple on Tuesday announced an event to show off the company’s next generation iPad.
While nobody knows for sure what changes the iPad 3 will have, it is widely expected the device will have a faster processor, improved graphics processor and a Retina Display.
Sources: New Apple TV launching in March, near-immediate availability hinted for new iPads
http://9to5mac.com/2012/02/28/sources-new-apple-tv-launching-in-march-near-immediate-availability-hinted-for-new-ipads/
Reliable sources familiar with Apple’s upcoming product release have said that the company is in fact launching a new Apple TV alongside the next-generation iPad.
We’ve got part numbers for all of these new products below.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple steps up graphics with new iPad
http://www.edn.com/article/521149-Apple_steps_up_graphics_with_new_iPad.php?cid=Newsletter+-+EDN+Fun+Friday
Apple added LTE and upgraded the processor, display and camera in its latest iPad. The new iPad uses a new Apple A5X applications processor, sporting two CPU and four graphics cores, the company said.
Little is known about the A5X. However, the decision to boost graphics quality in the chip, along with an improved display, should provide noticeable improvements in games, graphics and pictures while keeping the power budget low, said one analyst.
“The new iPad sets the tone and direction for next generation tablets,” said Patrick Moorhead,
He speculated the A5X uses four Rogue graphics cores from Imagination Technologies. Changing to another graphics core provider would not be possible without disrupting Apple’s developer base, he said.
Krewell said the A5X almost certainly uses the Imagination PowerVR SGX543MP4 core. The Rogue core is not due out until later this year, he noted.
With the new processor Apple appears to be on par with Nvidia’s Tegra 3
The tablet will come in separate versions for AT&T and Verizon LTE networks
Tomi Engdahl says:
3rd Generation iPad Reviews: Retina Display “Stunning”, LTE Speeds Impressive
http://www.macrumors.com/2012/03/14/3rd-generation-ipad-reviews-retina-display-looks-great-and-lte-speeds-impressive/
The embargo has lifted on the reviews for the 3rd Generation iPad, and they are starting to trickle out. Here are links and summaries of some of the more prominent reviews
Review: The third-generation iPad
Apple advances the ball with a better screen, camera, and cellular connection
http://www.macworld.com/article/1165849/review_the_third_generation_ipad.html
The iPad has been a remarkable success story. Apple sold 15 million of the original model in the first nine months of the product’s existence, a number that blew away even the most optimistic prognostications. With last year’s introduction of the iPad 2, things kept accelerating. In a little less than two years, Apple has sold roughly 60 million iPads, dominating the market it created.
Maintaining Apple’s lead in tablet devices is the job of the third-generation iPad, a product that doesn’t mess with success. Like the iPad 2 before it, this new iPad is not a re-thinking of the original concept. Instead, Apple has chosen to focus on a few areas of improvement while keeping the overall package the same. Though it’s an approach that can frustrate people who are disappointed by anything that’s not a quantum leap, Apple executes it to perfection and reaps the rewards.
iPad (3)
http://daringfireball.net/2012/03/ipad_3
Pixels pixels pixels. Battery battery battery. Speed speed speed.
That’s the new iPad, a.k.a. (for comparison’s sake) the iPad 3. The retina display, significantly faster graphics, and the potential for startlingly fast cellular networking — all with the same renowned battery life (and standby time) as the original iPad and iPad 2.
iPad review (2012)
With a breathtaking display and big hardware upgrades, does the tablet king retain its crown?
http://www.theverge.com/2012/3/14/2870533/ipad-review
The moment Tim Cook took the stage and announced the new iPad on March 7th in San Francisco, I immediately started brainstorming on my review for the device. There are clear challenges in comparing generational, iterative products like the iPad — especially when the devices themselves look nearly identical.
While the device does appear to be physically nearly identical to its predecessor, there are significant changes in the product. For starters, it’s boasting that outrageous Retina display — its 9.7-inch screen delivering a whopping 2048 x 1536 resolution. The new iPad is also equipped with a greatly improved camera on its back (a 5 megapixel shooter, not unlike the one featured on the iPhone 4), new 4G LTE options (for both Verizon and AT&T), and a considerably more powerful CPU.
New iPad: a Million More Pixels Than HDTV
http://allthingsd.com/20120314/new-ipad-a-million-more-pixels-than-hdtv/
Apple’s iPad could be described as a personal display through which you see and manipulate text, graphics, photos and videos often delivered via the Internet. So, how has the company chosen to improve its wildly popular tablet? By making that display dramatically better and making the delivery of content dramatically faster.
There are other changes in the new, third-generation iPad — called simply “iPad,” with no number, which goes on sale on Friday at the same base price as its predecessor, $499. But the key upgrades are to those core features — the 9.7-inch screen and the data speed over cellular networks. These upgrades are massive. Using the new display is like getting a new eyeglasses prescription — you suddenly realize what you thought looked sharp before wasn’t nearly as sharp as it could be.
Giuseppina Valero says:
hello there and thank you for your information