Is it “The New iPad?” “iPad HD?” “iPad 3?” Who cares? All we know is this: It’s here! iPad 3 4G Teardown
In this video ifixit crew covers the biggest changes to the new iPad, including the fancy-pants 2048×1536 Retina Display, A5X system on a chip processor, updated 42.5 watt-hour battery and 5 megapixel HD iSight camera. The real surprise is the uninspiring repairability score of 2 out of 10 (10 being a cinch to repair, and 1 being totally not worth your time). While definitely an upgraded iteration, Apple made zero effort to improve this New iPad’s repairability. For complete teardown details and high resolution images, you can find the New iPad teardown on iFixit.
57 Comments
angelina carter says:
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Emmett Melis says:
I wonder what this means for the iPhone 5?!
Tomi says:
20 Ways to ‘Recycle’ Your Obsolete iPad 2
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/03/reuse-ipad-2-satire/
In case you haven’t heard, Apple released a new iPad today, instantly rendering any tablet other than this shiny, Retina display miracle obsolete.
That got us thinking about how you can repurpose your outdated tablet if you haven’t already sold it for parts.
Obviously some of these “uses” are a bit more realistic than others — and really, some could be downright dangerous.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Teardown of New Apple TV Reveals Same 8 GB Flash Storage, Bump to 512 MB RAM
http://www.macrumors.com/2012/03/18/teardown-of-new-apple-tv-reveals-same-8-gb-flash-storage-bump-to-512-mb-ram/
Following the release of the third-generation Apple TV late last week, one forum member at XBMC.org has performed a teardown of the device, revealing a number of details about its internals.
Tomi Engdahl says:
New iPad Jailbroken Already
http://apple.slashdot.org/story/12/03/18/1234254/new-ipad-jailbroken-already
Just hours after the new Apple iPad was released, it was jailbroken in three (how appropriate!) separate ways. This means that hackers have already found and exploited security holes to run custom code on the new iPad with iOS 5.1.
New iPad jailbroken on day one
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/security/new-ipad-jailbroken-on-day-one/10902
The new Apple iPad (third iPad, iPad 3) has already been jailbroken in at least three different ways. It won’t be long now before anyone with the new iPad will be able to jailbreak it themselves.
Just hours after the new Apple iPad (I’ll be referring to it as “the new iPad” throughout this article, not iPad 3) was released, it was jailbroken in three (how appropriate!) separate ways
Jailbreaking an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad makes it possible to install apps that aren’t available in Apple’s App Store, among other goodies. The tools for jailbreaking your new iPad aren’t yet available, but this first step means the software will be developed sooner rather than later.
Tomi Engdahl says:
iPad 3 costs Apple 30% more to make than iPad 2
http://www.reghardware.com/2012/03/19/ipad_3_costs_apple_30_per_more_to_make/
One thing Apple’s doing with its massive cash mountain: giving punters more iPad for their money. The News iPad – aka the iPad 3 – costs as much to buy as the iPad 2 did, but it costs a lot more to make.
Case in point: the 16GB Wi-Fi only iPad 2 has an estimated bill-of-materials and assembly cost of $245.10 per unit, market watcher IHS iSuppli calculates.
The 16GB Wi-Fi only iPad 3′s parts and manufacturing cost comes to $316.05 – 30 per cent more. Yet both retailed at $499/£399 at launch.
Press Release
New iPad 32GB + 4G Carries $364.35 Bill of Materials
http://www.isuppli.com/Teardowns/News/Pages/New-iPad-32-GB-4G-Carries-364-35-Bill-of-Materials.aspx
‘The new iPad’s Retina display has a resolution of 2,048 by 1,536 pixels. It costs $87, compared to $57 for the screen used in the iPad 2.
The wireless section costs $41.50 and accounts for 11.4 percent of the BOM. Because this section provides support for the LTE capabilities of the new iPad, it is significantly more expensive than the $25.60 wireless section of the iPad 2, which supported the 3G air standard. The big winner in this section is Qulcomm Inc., whose MDM9600 baseband processor provides the core LTE functionaility
The A5X applications processor costs $23, and represents 6.3 percent of the total BOM. Samsung manufactures the A5X for Apple.
The new iPad camera module design and cost is the same as in the iPhone 4 camera module. The two camera modules cost a combined $12.35, representing 3.4 percent of the BOM.
new battery costs only 40 percent more than the old one, at $32.00, compared to $22.75 for the one in the iPad 2.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple’s A5X Floorplan
http://www.anandtech.com/show/5686/apples-a5x-floorplan
Not only did we confirm the die size of Apple’s A5X SoC (162.94mm^2) but we also found out that it’s still built on Samsung’s 45nm LP process.
You can see the two CPU cores (ARM Cortex A9s) as well as the additional two GPU cores (PowerVR SGX543MP4) compared to the A5
Apple has moved the DDR interfaces next to the GPU cores, compared to the CPU-adjacent design in the A5. It’s clear who is the biggest bandwidth consumer in this chip.
iPad Retina Wallpapers says:
Stick to the nice work! Expect reading far more of your iPad 2 stuff in the future. I think it might be also fantastic if you add “Send to” option so persons can send the posts to their pals.
Tomi Engdahl says:
New iPad 4G real-world speed test: You’re the winner
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57400288-1/new-ipad-4g-real-world-speed-test-youre-the-winner/
Despite its mundane and nondescriptive name, the new iPad (third generation) is actually the first 4G device from Apple.
CNET editor Dong Ngo stacks the Verizon version of the new iPad against AT&T’s counterpart and finds that the fast 4G speeds make mobile users the winners.
Unlike the fight between 3G devices, both versions of the iPad were really fast in my testing.
In fact, in my trials, regardless of where I was around town, all Internet applications worked instantly of either of the iPads. There was no lag or buffer time for video streaming. It was really a big difference moving from a 3G device. For this reason, as far as the connection speed is concerned, the winner this time is actually you, the user.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Visualized: new iPad burns 10 degrees hotter than its predecessor
http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/19/new-ipad-10-degrees-hotter/
But while Apple has plenty of reason to brag about the device’s sales figures, it’s slightly less motivated to be forthcoming about its tendencies to create more heat. 10 degrees more, in fact, according to infrared camera confirmation obtained by Tweakers.net
According to the site’s measurements, Cupertino’s flagship slab reached 33.6 degrees centigrade (92.5 Fahrenheit), compared to 28.3 centigrade (82.9 Fahrenheit) with the iPad 2.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Analysis Confirms iPad Display Really Is One Of The Best Ever Made
http://techcrunch.com/2012/03/19/analysis-confirms-ipad-display-really-is-one-of-the-best-ever-made/?grcc=33333Z98
Apple’s claim (on Samsung’s behalf, really) that the new iPad’s display is the “best display ever on a mobile device” isn’t hyperbolic, just confident. DisplayMate’s battery of image quality tests, fortunately, agree with that assessment.
The new display is sharper than any screen its size and has better color representation than most home displays and HDTVs. It’s not perfect, of course,
Tomi Engdahl says:
Our test finds new iPad hits 116 degrees while running games
http://news.consumerreports.org/electronics/2012/03/our-test-finds-new-ipad-hits-116-degrees-while-running-games.html
Using a thermal imaging camera, Consumer Reports engineers recorded temperatures as high as 116 degrees Fahrenheit on the front and rear of the new iPad while playing Infinity Blade II.
We ran our test while the new iPad was propped on the iPad Smart Cover, plugged in, and after it had run Infinity Blade II uninterrupted for about 45 minutes.
So, when plugged in, the back of the new iPad became as much as 12 degrees hotter than the iPad 2 did in the same tests; while unplugged the difference was 13 degrees.
Apple’s Chilly Response to iPad Heat Complaints
http://allthingsd.com/20120320/apples-chilly-response-to-ipad-heat-complaints/
Here’s their statement, via Apple PR’s Trudy Muller:
“The new iPad delivers a stunning Retina display, A5X chip, support for 4G LTE plus 10 hours of battery life, all while operating well within our thermal specifications. If customers have any concerns they should contact AppleCare.”
Bigger battery powering a screen that is 4x denser… sure, the unit will be warmer than the iPad 2.
More Consumer Reports sensationalism
http://www.marco.org/2012/03/20/consumer-reports-sensationalism
Our test finds new iPad hits 116 degrees while running games
That sounds like a lot. And those colored thermal images appear to show a large difference, since the colors are so different.
But then the alarming tone sharply drops: “very warm but not especially uncomfortable”.
Wait. Is it merely warm, and not hot, like almost every computer and phone ever made when they’re under a sustained heavy CPU and GPU load for 45 minutes?
Tomi Engdahl says:
Video Speed Trap Lurks in New iPad
Users Find the Superfast 4G Link Carries a Big Cost: Churning Through Data Limits in Mere Hours
http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424052702303812904577293882009811556-lMyQjAxMTAyMDIwMDEyNDAyWj.html
Two hours of college basketball—which he viewed mounted to his car dashboard and live at tournament games—had burned through his monthly wireless data allotment of two gigabytes.
Mr. Wells will have to pay an extra $10 for every gigabyte above his current $30 subscription.
“It streams really fast video, but by streaming really fast video you tend to watch more video, and that’s not always best.”
The iPad’s new high-resolution screen and fast connection are specifically designed to spur greater use of online video—a long-stated goal for phone companies as well as technology purveyors such as Apple and Google Inc. Telecom companies in particular are banking on mobile video to drum up demand for their new, fourth-generation networks and create new revenue streams as they adjust to the smartphone age.
Verizon declined to comment on its pricing strategy, but said customers can pick higher-use plans or they can go easier on their data allotments by shifting to Wi-Fi networks when they are available.
What many consumers may not realize is the new iPad’s faster LTE connection means they will use more data even if they don’t change their 3G surfing habits. Take regular video: Verizon estimates that streaming it over an LTE connection runs through 650 megabytes an hour. That’s double the amount of data used streaming the same video over a 3G link, because the fatter pipe lets more data through.
On top of that, the new iPad’s sharper screen will encourage some users to view videos in high-definition, which uses 2 gigabytes an hour on a 4G connection, according to Verizon.
Tomi Engdahl says:
New iPad Uses Retina Graphics When Running iPhone Apps
http://www.macrumors.com/2012/03/20/new-ipad-uses-retina-graphics-when-running-iphone-apps/
When the iPad was first introduced there weren’t many iPad-specific apps yet available. As a solution, Apple allowed apps designed for the iPhone’s smaller screen to run on the iPad in a form of emulation.
Since the original iPad’s launch, both the iPhone and iPod Touch has been upgraded to high resolution Retina displays. While Apple could use the Retina graphics from apps that had been upgraded to work with the iPhone 4 and 4S’s 960×640 display (nearly all iPhone apps nowadays), so far, they’ve chosen not to. Instead, the iPad 1 and 2 continue to just pixel double the 480×320 display from the original iPhone’s screen.
The new iPad, however, now displays the Retina graphics of apps designed for the iPhone in both 1x and 2x mode, resulting in a significantly improved visual experience, as pointed out by a user on the TouchArcade forums.
Tomi Engdahl says:
LED backlight a likely culprit in iPad heat issue, says expert
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-57401137-64/led-backlight-a-likely-culprit-in-ipad-heat-issue-says-expert/
The new iPad has twice as many LEDs as the iPad 2, which means more heat from those LEDs and from the battery, a display expert tells CNET.
2.5X the power needed: The brightness efficiency is lower because the new iPad has more pixels (which means more transistors) compared to the iPad 2. More pixels and transistors take up more space, meaning less opportunity for light to pass. “So they basically have to blast light through the LCD to make it come out.” Soneira adds: “I measured the LED power at maximum brightness–it’s two and a half times greater than on the iPad 2.”
“So, not only do the LEDs need two and a half times more power but the battery is going to run warmer….
The iPad’s new A5X chip packing quad-core graphics may also contribute to a warmer iPad.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The new iPad Gobbles Up 5% of All iPad Traffic; CA, CT & NY new iPad “Hot Spots”
http://insights.chitika.com/2012/the-new-ipad-gobbles-up-5-of-all-ipad-traffic-ca-ct-ny-new-ipad-%E2%80%9Chot-spots%E2%80%9D/
After much anticipation on Friday March 16th, 2012, The new iPad hit the market and proceeded to shatter first weekend sales records, moving 3 million units over the course of the weekend — the most successful launch for the iPad yet.
As of 2 PM on 3/20/2012, “The new iPad” represents 5.52% (average of the last 24 hours) of all iPad traffic, according to Chitika Insights.
Tomi Engdahl says:
iPads keep charging for “up to” an hour after display shows 100%
http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2012/03/ipads-keep-charging-for-up-to-an-hour-after-display-shows-100.ars
iPad users who want to ensure they’re getting a full charge every time they plug in should wait up to an hour after the device shows 100 percent. That’s according to Dr. Raymond M. Soneira, creator of DisplayMate and author of a new report about the third-generation iPad, who says the device continues to charge well after the OS shows that it’s reached full capacity.
“I measured the power actually drawn by the AC Adapter and found that the new iPad continues to charge for up to 1 hour after it claims to reach 100 percent,”
Tomi Engdahl says:
new iPad Display Technology Shoot-Out
http://www.displaymate.com/iPad_ShootOut_1.htm
A true “Retina Display” but not an actual Retina Display
The original Retina Display on the iPhone 4 has 326 pixels per inch (ppi). But to qualify as an Apple Retina Display the new iPad does not require the same ppi as the iPhone 4 Retina Display because it is typically held further away from the eye, whose visual sharpness is based on angular resolution rather than the linear ppi resolution on the display. The iPad is typically held 15-18 inches away as opposed to the iPhone 4’s 12-15 inches. As a result, to meet the 300 ppi Retina Display specification made by Steve Jobs at WWDC for the iPhone 4, an iPad Retina Display only needs 240 ppi – and it has 264 ppi. So according to Apple’s own definition, the new iPad is indeed a true “Retina Display.”
However, Apple’s definition of a “Retina Display” is actually for 20/20 Vision (defined as 1 arc-minute visual acuity). 20/20 Vision is just the legal definition of “Normal Vision,” which is at the lower end of true normal vision. There are in fact lots of people with much better than 20/20 Vision, and for almost everyone visual acuity is actually limited by blurring due to imperfections of the lens in the eye.
Do you really need all of that resolution and sharpness?
I am definitely not proposing a new display Mega Pixel war for 400+ ppi (but several manufacturers are working on it, so we’ll see). The new iPad display is incredibly sharp with 264 ppi and 3.1 million pixels on a 9.7 inch screen. The iPad 2 screen with 132 ppi, a resolution of 1024×768 and 0.8 million pixels is noticeably pixelated, but was it really necessary to double the resolution and therefore quadruple the number of pixels? Marketing considerations aside, the real reason for doubling the iPad’s resolution to 2048×1536 is for the convenience and ease in up-scaling the older 1024×768 Apps from the iPad 1 and iPad 2
Marketing considerations aside, do you really need all of that “Retina Display” resolution and sharpness? In many cases no.
So where will the 2048×1536 3.1 Mega Pixel Retina Display actually make a noticeable visual improvement over other displays? All (computer generated) text will appear much sharper, but it will make the most difference whenever there is tiny text and fine graphics, which you often see when surfing the web (like the front page of The New York Times) or in a complex spreadsheet
So what display technology is in the new iPad? According to DisplaySearch it is still amorphous Silicon that has been pushed to its extreme upper ppi limit.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Teardown slideshow: Inside the third-generation iPad
http://www.edn.com/article/521251-Teardown_slideshow_Inside_the_third_generation_iPad.php
Tomi Engdahl says:
New IPad Fine Print: What Apple Isn’t Bragging About
http://www.cio.com/article/701867/New_IPad_Fine_Print_What_Apple_Isn_t_Bragging_About
Apple’s new iPad event was a parade of updated feature
Here are a handful of facts that Apple wasn’t so eager to boast about:
You’ll find an improved 5-megapixel shooter on the back side, but the front-facing camera is still VGA quality (read: 640-by480 resolution).
Better GPU, But Same CPU: CPU is exactly the same as that of the iPad 2′s A5 processor, as confirmed by Engadget.
The Hardware’s a Bit Thicker and Heavier
The new iPad’s 4G models can become Wi-Fi hotspots, serving an LTE connection to up to five other devices. Verizon says that the hotspot feature will be included in the price of data. AT&T: “We are working with Apple to enable this feature in the future, but we currently do not offer it”
My addition: LTE works on only in USA, it does not work in European LTE networks (they use different frequency band that iPad does not support)
Tomi Engdahl says:
Oz regulator to Apple: don’t call it 4G if you can’t connect
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/03/27/accc_dumps_on_apple/
As with most jurisdictions that aren’t America, Apple’s new iPad, which is only associated with the number “4” as in “4G”, can’t connect to 4G networks in Australia. That’s disturbed the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), which is taking Apple to court over the issue.
The ACCC, appointed enforcer of Australia’s national consumer legislation, has announced its intention to seek orders against the Cult of Cupertino for allegedly misleading claims about the iPad’s “4G” capabilities.
basis that advertising that says “iPad with WiFi + 4G” is misleading “because it represents to Australian consumers that the device can “connect to a 4G mobile data network in Australia, when this is not the case”.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple New iPad 3 Wi-Fi + 4G Review
http://www.reghardware.com/2012/03/27/review_apple_new_ipad_wi_fi_4g/
Tomi Engdahl says:
iPad Retina Display Key to Consumer Demand: Baird
http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Mobile-and-Wireless/iPad-Retina-Display-Key-to-Consumer-Demand-Baird-201100/
The high-resolution Retina display, a key feature of Apple’s latest iPad, is driving consumer demand for the tablet, according to a survey from Baird.
Prospective buyers of Apple’s latest iPad tablet are mainly interested in the high-resolution Retina display new to the device, according to a survey from Baird. According to the results of the online survey, 24 percent of U.S. respondents plan to purchase the new iPad in the next three months, with 29 percent of international respondents planning to purchase it. When asked about reasons for purchasing the new iPad, 28 percent cited the Retina display as the top reason, followed by the A5X processor at 26 percent and Long Term Evolution (LTE) wireless capability at 17 percent.
Slightly under half 48 percent of the survey’s U.S. respondents said that the currently own a tablet. The iPad 2 was the most commonly owned device, followed by the Amazon Kindle Fire and the original iPad. Google Android-based tablets (excluding the Fire and Barnes & Noble Nook) had a 5 percent share. The international sample was somewhat less penetrated, and had no HP TouchPad or Nook representation.
A quarter of the 59 Kindle Fire owners Baird surveyed said that they plan to purchase an iPad in the next three months. The report noted that the Kindle Fire was released in mid-November, marking a “fairly quick” turnaround.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Not So Hot: New iPad Heat Levels Comparable to Android Tablets
http://www.pcworld.com/article/252504/not_so_hot_new_ipad_heat_levels_comparable_to_android_tablets.html
PCWorld Labs tests show heat dissipation is a universal tablet problem.
So much for “heatgate.” We’ve all seen the reports this week indicating that the new iPad runs hotter than its predecessor, the iPad 2. But does the new iPad run hotter than other tablets?
Despite all of the media attention over the iPad’s (and other tablets’) operating temperatures, the issue seems to be overblown. None of the four tablets we tested ever get so warm that I could detect screen discoloration, of the type that some users of early units of the iPhone 4 reported.
All four tablets get warmer when their brightness is set to maximum. And all will get warmer still if they are sitting in a case or are parked on an insulating surface such as a blanket or your jeans
If you’re looking for some practical solutions to tablet heat problems, let good sense be your guide. Be aware that both a tablet’s front and back surface can get warm, and try to avoid situations that might make them even warmer.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple: iPad Battery Nothing to Get Charged Up About
http://allthingsd.com/20120327/apple-ipad-battery-nothing-to-get-charged-up-about/
While the new iPad has come under some criticism for the way it handles battery charging, Apple says the device operates in the same manner as past iOS devices.
So here’s how things work: Apple does, in fact, display the iPad (and iPhone and iPod Touch) as 100 percent charged just before a device reaches a completely charged state. At that point, it will continue charging to 100 percent, then discharge a bit and charge back up to 100 percent, repeating that process until the device is unplugged.
Doing so allows devices to maintain an optimum charge, Apple VP Michael Tchao told AllThingsD today.
“That circuitry is designed so you can keep your device plugged in as long as you would like,” Tchao said. “It’s a great feature that’s always been in iOS.”
It appears to have gone largely unnoticed until this latest generation iPad, when DisplayMate analyst Ray Soneira noted that his testing showed the iPad not fully charged when it displayed 100 percent.
Tomi Engdahl says:
New iPad Act – Stockholm with Charlie Caper and Erik Rosales – from MIPIM in Cannes v 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53_qvMQfvOE&feature=topics
New iPad magic. On behalf of Stockholm — The Capital of Scandinavia and Step2 Communication. Performed at MIPIM in Cannes by Charlie Caper and Erik Rosales. Magic with technology. Edit v 3
Tomi Engdahl says:
iPad subject of Commerce Commission complaint
http://tvnz.co.nz/technology-news/ipad-subject-commerce-commission-complaint-4804610
The Commerce Commission is carefully watching legal action its equivalent in Australia is taking over the new Apple iPad.
It comes as the computer giant offers to refund Australian customers who believe they have been misled by claims the latest iPad is capable of connecting to the country’s upgraded 4G network.
Australia’s competition watchdog has launched legal action against the company for false and misleading advertising.
Tomi Engdahl says:
4G Confusion Reigns: Apple in Hot Water Over iPad Labeling Abroad
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/03/apple-4g-ipad-international/
The iPad’s super-speedy 4G LTE capabilities may be a no-go for some international users. New iPad owners in Australia and Europe are finding this out the hard way, highlighting the continued confusion about consumers’ understanding of 4G.
Apple has been embroiled in a legal battle Down Under over whether Australian consumers were misled about 4G compatibility with the country’s Telstra network.
“Apple’s recent promotion of the new ‘iPad with WiFi + 4G’ is misleading because it represents to Australian consumers that the product can, with a SIM card, connect to a 4G mobile data network in Australia, when this is not the case,” the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) wrote in a statement Tuesday.
Apple insists it has been clear about LTE availability with the device, but conceded to refund iPad owners who felt misled. Other countries like the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Denmark could soon be following Australia’s lead.
“A guy from the Apple Store told me [the new iPad's 4G] will work in Germany. If it is not working, in my opinion this would be a deliberate deception!” commenter Romano81 posted in one of Apple’s forums. “Apple should give a clear statement on this whether it works or not.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
A new Apple antennagate waiting?
iPad 3 “Death Grip” causes wifi to drop to unusable levels!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rB9nI-Fv2o0&feature=relmfu
This video demonstrates how the iPad 3 has the “death grip” issues just like the iphone 4. Depending on how you hold your new ipad 3, it may get little or no wifi reception… Apple needs to fix this!!!
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple has updated the warranty policy for all of their products, Europeans will now receive a minimum of two years on all Apple products. The manufacturer previously was only given a limited one-year warranty on products.
Source: http://www.yourdailymac.net/2012/04/apple-finally-gives-in-two-years-warranty-for-consumers-in-the-european-union/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Gadget Lab Podcast: Foldable.me and the New iPad’s Heat Non-Issue
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/04/podcast-foldable-me-ipad/
Robbie and Mike talk about “heat-gate” — Consumer Reports found that the new iPad could reach a temperature of 116 degrees Fahrenheit when you play a graphics-intense game like Infinity Blade II for 45 minutes. Robbie decided to test that out, and also tested heat levels of other notable tablets on the market using a digital laser thermometer. The verdict? There’s nothing to worry about, folks — but using a laser thermometer is pretty fun.
Rachal Lowe says:
always the identical, it is therefore too easy to talk of others, since it is free, don’t realize that people are extremely sensitive which means you come and say anything regardless of effects?
Tomi Engdahl says:
VIDEO: Watch an iPad get made from the Foxconn factory floor
http://www.marketplace.org/topics/tech/apple-economy/video-watch-ipad-get-made-foxconn-factory-floor
Marketplace Shanghai Bureau Chief Rob Schmitz is only the second reporter ever to gain access to visit the factory floor at Apple’s Chinese producer Foxconn. In this exclusive video, see highlights from his tour of the assembly line and the Foxconn campus and facilities to see what living and working conditions are like for the hundreds of thousands of workers there.
Inside Foxconn: Exclusive look at how an iPad is made
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5cL60TYY8oQ
Tomi Engdahl says:
The new $399 iPad 2 uses a tweaked 32nm A5 chip, which may help it get better battery life
http://thenextweb.com/apple/2012/04/12/the-new-399-ipad-2-uses-a-tweaked-32nm-a5-chip-which-may-help-it-get-better-battery-life/
As far as we’re concerned, the cheaper $399 iPad 2 is the most important device that Apple announced back in March. Now an interesting new detail has been revealed about the price-sliced tablet. It uses a revised version of its A5 processor that has been built on the 32nm Samsung High-K + Metal Gate process, reports Brian Klug at Anandtech.
The chip dissection experts at Chipworks had torn down the processor (actually a System on a Chip) of the new Apple TV third gen, which was also based on the A5. It found that a 32nm process was also used for this chip, which appears to be harvested from larger runs that have a faulty core, as only a single core is enabled.
New Apple TV A5 actually built from dual-core chip, 41% smaller than older A5s
http://9to5mac.com/2012/04/11/new-apple-tv-a5-actually-built-from-dual-core-chip-41-smaller-than-older-a5s/#/vanilla/discussion/embed
In order to bring 1080P video playing to the new Apple TV, Apple included what they called a single-core A5 processors. Many industry watchers noted that this A5 was a new A5 chip specifically designed for the new Apple TV, as it is Apple’s only single-core A5.
Either Apple is only utilizing one core or they are binning parts.
Additionally, the teardown firm says this new A5 chip for the new Apple TV is 41% smaller than the A5 processors found in Apple’s other A5-driven devices.
Tomi Engdahl says:
New IPad Vs. Android Tablets: is it Game Over?
http://www.cio.com/article/702334/New_IPad_Vs._Android_Tablets_is_it_Game_Over_
The new iPad streaks to the head of the pack, largely on the strength of improvements to its display. But this doesn’t mean that everyone else should abandon the race; it just means that they’re going to have to work harder to overcome the iPad’s lead
But on two other tests, the new iPad was the clear winner, leaving the iPad 2 and the three Android tablets in the dust. Interestingly, these three Android tablets represent a cross-section of hardware and operating system versions, so it’s difficult to isolate why the Android tablets failed to keep up with the iPad’s performance on these tests. The Toshiba Excite 10 LE uses Texas Instruments’ OMAP 4430, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 4G LTE uses Nvidia’s Tegra 2; we tested both with Android 3.x Honeycomb. The Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime, meanwhile, runs Nvidia’s Tegra 3 and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.
The Android and Windows Tablet Future
It’s easy to think, given the effusive praise that critics are lavishing on the new iPad, that the game is over and that the non-Apple contenders should pack up and go home.
Think again.
What the new iPad really means is that the competition must redouble its efforts to challenge the market leader.
Google and the tablet makers that use Android have a major challenge ahead. Google needs to get serious about addressing the issue of ecosystem fragmentation and the complexities of developing for its Android OS across different hardware. And hardware makers need to double-down on efforts to not only release tablets, but to do something that replicates the “it just works” appeal of Apple’s iPad.
Meanwhile, with the coming onslaught of Windows 8 tablets, Microsoft has a huge opportunity to swoop in and achieve what Google hasn’t in the past year. Or does it? Already, the company’s introduction of the Windows on ARM variable–meaning that Windows 8 tablets using ARM processors won’t support current Windows software–creates an early fork that may invite consumer confusion. Nevertheless, the clean, fresh Metro interface of Windows 8 could be a big win, if Microsoft can get its software ecosystem cranked up to eleven and if hardware makers can come up with distinctive designs that compete with Apple’s offerings.
No one knows how successfully Apple’s rivals will respond to the challenge posed by the new iPad. But it’s going to be fun to watch non-Apple tablets and operating systems as they come to grips with this powerhouse tablet.
Tomi Engdahl says:
What the new iPad means for design
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57413377-37/what-the-new-ipad-means-for-design/
The new iPad’s display is so good that businesses need to change the way they design. Here’s how.
If you somehow missed all the hype, the new iPad features a huge jump in screen resolution with the Retina display. Packing in four times the number of pixels in iPad 2 (more than an HDTV), the Retina display gives end users an unbelievable visual experience.
For brands and e-commerce sites, the cost of adapting for the new iPad can be steep, particularly since, as a New York Times Bits blog post pointed out, the new iPad is “just a single device out of the many computers, smartphones, and tablets out there with less ‘resolutionary’ screens.”
A 2011 Online Publisher Association study reported that 52 percent of tablet owners prefer to shop online using their tablets, while only 40 percent preferred using a traditional computer.
Here are four steps that can be taken today to adapt your Website to the new iPad Retina screen:
1) Prioritize important images. Start optimizing whichever images on your site are eye candy for your audience. Most likely these are product images
2) Turn text into text. On the Retina display, any text that is not text (i.e. overlay text, button text, text in headers, sidebars, search bars) looks terrible compared to the ultra crispness of actual text.
3) Boost button sizes. “Buy Now,” “Learn More, “Sign up Here” buttons are critical to the efficacy of any website as they navigate visitors to the desired outcome. On the new iPad Retina display, practically all buttons look grainy and blurred.
4) Increase logo size. Really — make the logo bigger! Logos are common images that stand out poorly on the Retina display because they’re on every page and often highly optimized for performance.
Just as televisions evolved from SD to HD, more mobile devices will eventually sport high definition displays like the Retina display
Tomi Engdahl says:
iPad Waterproofed for Naval Ocean Optics Experiment
http://www.designnews.com/document.asp?doc_id=242076&dfpPParams=ind_184,industry_consumer,industry_gov,aid_242076&dfpLayout=article
Apple’s iPads are not designed to be submerged in water, but a Navy scientist found a way to use the tablet under the ocean’s surface as part of a recent optics experiment conducted by the Naval Research Lab’s (NRL’s) Oceanography Divison.
The iPad’s compact size and weight, as well as its brightness, low power consumption, and low heat emissivity were other design factors that made it useful. However, since it’s not waterproof, a colleague of Hou’s designed a waterproof case to protect the device.
Navy researchers drop an iPad attached to a custom-built frame called the “image Measurement Assembly for Subsurface Turbulence, or iMAST” into the ocean near the Bahamas to perform an experiment in ocean optics
Once submerged, the iPad allowed control of the brightness of the patterns and charts for the purpose of the experiments, which in the end confirmed researchers’ theory that optical turbulence interferes with visibility under the water, according to the NRL.
Most of the US military’s interest to date in using tablets like the iPad — such as with the Army’s online mobile application store and other initiatives — has been due to their ability to support custom applications and networking capabilities.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Slideshow: Apple iPad 3 Teardown
http://www.designnews.com/document.asp?doc_id=240862&cid=NL_Newsletters+-+DN+Daily
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple plots wireless server hubs at Genius Bars for users to temporarily store, sync content for iOS device replacements
http://9to5mac.com/2012/04/18/apple-plots-wireless-server-hubs-at-genius-bars-for-users-to-temporarily-store-sync-content-for-device-replacements/
According to sources, Apple is planning a major new addition to their Apple Store Genius Bars; an addition that will change the way the company handles Genius Bar support. When an iOS device user comes to the Genius Bar with advanced hardware issues that are deemed unrepairable via software, these users commonly find Apple willing to replace their device with a working unit.
With users typically keeping so much important content on their devices like contacts, calendars, text message conversations, media data, apps, application content, and more; the need for device backups is critical. So critical that Apple warns users that they should backup their iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch prior to the aforementioned iOS device Genius Bar exchange process. However, many users find themselves in situations where they are unable to backup their device prior to their Genius Bar appointment. Whether the reason be time, location, or something else, Apple is planning a solution for this issue.
Currently being prototyped inside of Apple’s top-secret “future” Apple Store labs near the company’s headquarters, a place where peaks into Apple’s retail future have leaked from in the past, is a wireless server system for Genius Bars that will automatically, securely, and temporarily store user content.
Apple is currently testing these WiFi hubs:
Now, instead of having to conduct an iCloud wireless backup or go home for a tethered iTunes backup, the Genius Bar will have the ability to mirror an iCloud backup, but onto a local store server. After the device is swapped, the Genius can pull the content right back from the server onto the new device. The content is then automatically wiped from the store server.
The system is still in very early stages of testing, and many retail projects inside of Apple’s labs never see the light of day. However, if this system is ever launched, Apple is planning to pilot the system in select stores by mid-2013.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple claims Aussie 3G is so good it’s 4G
Novel defence for Australian iPad 4G connection claims
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/04/20/apple_ipad_australia_4g/
Apple has hit back at claims it misled Australian buyers of “the new iPad” with the unusual defense that Australia’s 3G networks are so fast they are in fact 4G in all but name.
Cupertino has been taken to court by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) after is began an investigation into complaints from Australian customers that the latest fondleslab won’t work with the local 4G network offered by Telestra, operating at1800MHz.
Instead it uses the 2100MHz spectrum used by providers using HSPA+, which Apple claims is 4G in all but name, something the local telecommunications company have seemingly ignored and continue to brand as 3G.
The case has highlighted the confusion caused by the International Telecommunications Union when it altered its guidance on what actually constitutes 4G in the first place.
Certainly in the US a whole range of slightly faster than 3G services are now called 4G, whereas the EU tends to be stricter in its terminology. Quite what the Australian courts will decide on the issue remains to be seen
Tomi Engdahl says:
Why the iPad Has to be Made in China
http://ifixit.org/1856/why-the-ipad-has-to-be-made-in-china/?cid=Newsletter+-+EDN+Fun+Friday
Yes, labor is dirt cheap in China. Minimum wage was just $138/month at Hongkai Electronics in October 2010, compared to $1160/month in the US
iPad manufacturing, like the manufacturing of other electronics, requires a significant amount of rare earth elements, the 17 difficult-to-mine elements used in all kinds of green technology.
China currently controls 95-97% of the world’s supply of rare earths and has repeatedly cut export quotas, sending already-high prices skyrocketing.
Today, an American electronics company can only be exempt from China’s rare earth export quotas by manufacturing within China. So that’s what most companies, including Apple, are doing.
Tomi Engdahl says:
China’s rare earth policy backs Apple into a corner
Report says fondleslabs factories are located near source
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/04/24/rare_earth_ipad_apple_china/
Apple’s shiny fondleslabs are made in China not only because of the low cost of labour in the People’s Republic but also due to the surging prices and tightening export restrictions on rare earth minerals which the nation has a near monopoly on, according to a report.
Although Apple has been notoriously secretive about the materials it uses to produce the iconic tablet, tech repair site ifixit.org spoke to Cambridge professor Tim Coombs who reckons the fondleslab could be packed with the rare minerals.
The problem of supply and demand with these seemingly vital components is only going to get worse, with China – which has a global market share of around 97 per cent – cutting back on the mining of rare minerals apparently due to environmental reasons.
The EU, Japan and US have all lodged complaints with the World Trade Organisation, but as we’ve said before, there is little the body can do legally to compel China to change its mind.
Tomi says:
The first iPad game developed on the iPad-game to market
The iPad is a hotly debated since the appearance of the suitability for a tablet computer in the content production. Australian game house Two Lives Left has shown that iPad may also be games.
Cargo-Bot is the first iPad on the iPad game. Distributed for free at the App Store game is coded entirely on iPad.
The game was originally started when Rui Viana tried Codea for programming on iPad. Codea is a visual programming environment, which is targeted at game developers and students. It can be used to create simulations, games and visual using the Lua programming language.
http://twolivesleft.com/Codea/
Source: http://www.tietokone.fi/uutiset/ensimmainen_ipadilla_tehty_ipad_peli_markkinoille
Post HDTV resolution era « Tomi Engdahl’s ePanorama blog says:
[...] one pixel from another while holding the device a comfortable distance away from your face. Apple iPad 3 Retina display (2048×1536) started this trend to include very high resolution screen to consumer [...]
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple forced to change name of iPad Wi-Fi + 4G
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-57433333-71/apple-forced-to-change-name-of-ipad-wi-fi-4g/?tag=cnetRiver
It seems that international pressure sometimes works, as criticism of the iPad Wi-Fi + 4G name — which in many countries isn’t actually 4G, has finally caused a name change to iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular.
Every time I see “4G” there is a temptation to wonder what it truly means.
However, in Australia and other countries, many have been upset for some time now that Apple’s iPad Wi-Fi version was called “iPad Wi-Fi + 4G.”
Their complaints were naturally complicated and technical, but boiled down to this: It isn’t.
However, in Australia, Apple has a clarification on its iPad page. It reads: “This product supports very fast cellular networks. It is not compatible with current Australian 4G LTE networks and WiMAX networks.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Jonathan Ive interview: Apple’s design genius is British to the core
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/9283486/Jonathan-Ive-interview-Apples-design-genius-is-British-to-the-core.html
Apple’s design guru Jonathan Ive, who receives a knighthood today for creating products such as the iPad, tells Shane Richmond why this country’s industrial heritage lies behind his success.
The customers are oblivious to the presence of the man responsible for the design of the computers, iPads, iPhones and iPods that they are admiring, tapping and caressing throughout the shop.
Ive, a softly spoken, thoughtful Brit, has worked at Apple in California since 1992, and since 1997 has been in charge of its designs. This may well make him the most influential designer in the world. In creating the iPod he unleashed a product that profoundly altered the music industry, while the iPhone is doing the same to the mobile phone industry. The most recent product from his team, the iPad, is setting the standard for an entirely new category of computer.
His incredible run of success has made him revered in the design community and helped him to amass a fortune in excess of £80 million. Even so, he says, he isn’t recognised all that often. “People’s interest is in the product, not in its authorship,” he says.
Everything he says emphasises the teamwork involved in producing products such as the iMac, the candy-coloured computer that relaunched Apple on the path to success, or the iPad, the tablet that has redefined the way people use computers. Certain words come up time and again, particularly “simplicity” and “focus”.
“We try to develop products that seem somehow inevitable. That leave you with the sense that that’s the only possible solution that makes sense,” he explains. “Our products are tools and we don’t want design to get in the way. We’re trying to bring simplicity and clarity, we’re trying to order the products.
Tomi Engdahl says:
IPads on a Plane Let Scoot Save Fuel by Shedding TV Tons
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-06-03/ipads-help-budget-carrier-scoot-save-fuel-by-dumping-tons-of-tvs.html
Scoot Pte is offering Apple Inc. (AAPL) iPads to budget long-haul travelers after ripping out aircraft entertainment systems weighing more than two tons to save fuel.
The tablets helped the carrier cut 7 percent off the weight of planes obtained from parent Singapore Airlines Ltd. (SIA) even after a 40 percent increase in seating, Chief Executive Officer Campbell Wilson said. The savings will help Scoot, which makes its maiden flight today, cope with fuel prices that have jumped about 36 percent in two years.
Fuel is “the number one worry” for any airline, as it usually accounts for at least 40 percent of costs,
The iPads are “a very smart move,” said Corrine Png, JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s Singapore-based head of regional transportation research. “If they can make the aircraft lighter, it does help improve fuel efficiency.”
The budget carrier will loan the iPads free to passengers in its business-class seats. It eventually intends to have users access content via a wireless system onboard planes.
“We view this as initially a defensive measure by Singapore Airlines,” Timothy Ross, managing director and head of Asia-Pacific transport research at Credit Suisse Group AG in Singapore, said in a Bloomberg TV interview. “The economics of long-haul low-cost are unproven,”
Charging extra for services such as the iPads and catering may help boost earnings, he said.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple to bring full Siri voice-assistant to the iPad with iOS 6: mockup and details
http://9to5mac.com/2012/06/04/apple-to-bring-full-siri-voice-assistant-to-the-ipad-with-ios-6-mockup-and-details/
Come this fall, people will start talking to their iPads. Apple’s breakthrough Siri Assistant, based on an incredible artificial-intelligence system, will no longer be exclusive to users of the popular iPhone 4S. According to trusted sources, one of the tentpole iOS 6 features is Siri support on the iPad.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mozilla takes aim at the iPad browser market with its ‘Junior’ prototype
http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/17/3093178/mozilla-junior-ipad-web-browser
When it comes to browsing the web on iOS, there are plenty of third-party alternatives to Apple’s Safari. Atomic, Dolphin, Mercury, Opera Mini, and Skyfire are just a few that have enjoyed some measure of success on the platform, but one name that has been noticeably absent from the category thus far is Mozilla.
Judging by a presentation from the company’s Product Design Strategy team this past Thursday, however, Mozilla will soon be joining the fray in a big way.
Enter Junior. “So here comes the fun stuff,” said Alex Limi as he began discussing the prototype iPad browser Mozilla has been working on for several months.
“There are a lot of reasons we should be on iOS even though we can’t bring our rendering engine there.”
Ultimately he says Junior was born out of necessity: as of now, Mozilla has “no vehicle on one of the biggest consumer platforms in the world.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Jailbreaking Apple’s iOS: Thank goodness for hacking enthusiasts
http://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/brians-brain/4375687/Jailbreaking-Apple-s-iOS–Thank-goodness-for-hacking-enthusiasts-?cid=EDNToday
Thankfully, although the process was a bit tedious considering the number of devices I needed to tackle, it all went fairly smoothly.