We know how quickly the iPad 3 is selling since the launch day. A few days ago, we informed that it has sold 3 million units in the first weekend of sales, and Pocket-lint reported few days ago that PC World and Currys group has so far sold 80 percent more iPad 3s in the four days after launch than iPad 2s in the similar time frame last year.
Moreover, after the midnight opening at the Tottenham Court Road PC World in London, eight hours before the Apple Store started selling the device, the shop sold the iPad 3 every 20 seconds for 90 minutes the time allotted before the shop closed its doors again. The source informs that the sales more than exceeded expectations. Other official news state Currys and PC World has announced a new tablet and phone trade-in service. Customers can visit curryspcworldtradeins.co.uk to exchange unwanted tablets and handsets in return for gift vouchers to spend either through one of its national stores or online via the chain. The iPad 3 isn’t listed yet, but you can trade in your iPad 2 at the current value of £203.90 (16 GB Wi-Fi), up to £282.37 (64 GB Wi-Fi + 3G model). Broken devices are also being accepted at a lower rate (as usual).
Apart from the sales report, the device was launched only in 10 countries on March 16th, with US, Canada and UK as the early recipients. On 23rd March, it was launched in 25 more countries. The list includes Belgium, Bulgaria, Austria, Denmark, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Macau, Luxembourg, Mexico, New Zealand, Netherlands, Poland, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
Now coming to accessories, we made a post about cool accessories that you can buy for your new tablet.There have been some reports from buyers they Smart Covers are not triggering the automatic screen-locking system when you close them. Apple developed with Smart Cover a means whereby magnets on the right edge of the cover would lock the screen and keep it fixed to the front of the display. Forums have begun to fill with reports of this not working with the iPad 3. Pocket-lint investigated this claim following a comment from a reader that the Smart Cover wasn’t performing as expected. In their tests, they used an original iPad Smart Cover which was purchased at the launch of the iPad 2, a Smart Cover bought at the time of the iPad 3 launch, and a Griffin intelliCase to examine how they performed and if there was a difference in performance.
The test of two different official covers on two separate iPad 3s had the same results and both of them worked! They also functioned great on iPad 2s. The Griffin iPad cover also worked fine.
However, The Daily Mail reported the first-generation Smart Covers don’t work with the iPad 3 which is wrong. The source then used a counterfeit Smart Cover on the iPad 3, and this didn’t work, however it did work fine on the iPad 2. This suggests that there might have been a change made to the iPad 3 specifications by Apple to combat counterfeit Smart Covers. The answer seems to be then if you want a Smart Cover to work with the iPad 3, it needs to be an official one, or from a trusty third-party maker. The Daily Mail also informed Maroo is offering refunds for unhappy customers. Maybe your Smart Cover maker will too. The fruit company isn’t replacing any covers, official or otherwise, and if you have bought one on a “deal” from the market chances are you’re going to regret the purchase.
9to5mac reports the president of DisplayMate Technologies Corporation, Dr. Raymond Soneira, has put the device through its paces testing almost every aspect of the “resolutionay” new Retina display. A lengthy report provides a detailed comparison of the iPad 3’s display vs. the iPhone 4 and the iPad 2.
Dr Soneira found, in the running time of iPad 3’s battery, that the batteries don’t actually reach full charge when 100% is shown and noted up to an extra hour of charging is required before reaching full capacity. One explanation suggests that the fruit company is trying to shorten the amount of time people think ti takes to charge to line up with iPad 2 expectations. Soneira found the iPad 3 running to applications at maximum brightness lasted for 5.8 hours in comparison to iPad 2 at 7.2 hours.
He provided an explanation for the extra hour the new tablet takes. The charge indicator on all mobile devices is based on a mathematical model of the charge rates, recent discharge history of the battery and discharge rate. It uses this information to estimate how much running time is due. It’s actually rather difficult to do because most batteries degrade slowly as they discharge and then tend to surprise with a precipitous decline near the end. So there’s something wrong with the battery charge mathematical model on the iPad. It shouldn’t say 100% until it stops recharging and goes from the full recharging rate of about 10 watts to a trickle charging rate of about 1 watt. Otherwise, the user will not get the maximum running time that the iPad is capable of delivering, which is listed in this link. There have also been reports that the iPad 3 gets warmer than the iPad 2.
Talking about apps, no doubt, the iPad 3 has strengthened Apple’s position as, currently, having the best tablet that’s available in the market. The iPad 3 has a Retina Display, A5x processor chip and other features and the device has something for everyone. The Retina Display present in the tablet provides people with a new experience, and that’s the feature which is urging people to buy the new tablet. That’s why many developers are creating apps or updating the apps that already have in order to utilize the Retina Display feature of the iPad 3. Comics have always been a favorite of many people and Comixology are going to release a new version of their comic reading app, and this version is capable of providing users with high-resolution graphics that make use of the Retina display present in the iPad 3.
Many of you might already know about Comixology. They are publishers of the most popular comics-reading app on the iOS and a new version of the app will be able to utilize the Retina display of the new tablet. Though the current version of this ‘Comic app’ is already quite good, the new version that will be released is just mind-blowing!
People who had the chance of experiencing the pre-release copy of the app have said that it’s something that the users haven’t experienced before. The new files are referred to by Comixology as “CMX-HD” format and the display they are able to provide is spectacular. The new version of the comic app is able to provide users with a picture that is high definition, crisp and bright. All of this is possible because of the Retina display feature present in the iPad 3. One of the problems with digital comics is that the fine lines are seen as pixilated blurs. The new version of the comic app is capable of providing a razor-sharp text, and the fine lines present in the digital comics are presented as straight lines and not as pixilated blurs. You can see what I’m talking about in the image below. Even when you zoom into an image, the lines are crisp and sharp. In the image, you can easily see the difference between the resolution on the iPad 2 and the iPad 3.
According to what David Steinberger, who is the Comixology CEO, the CMX-HD files can only be downloaded if you are using the iPad 3 and these files are two to three times more than the size of the regular issues. Comixology is hoping to decrease the file size; however, image quality is given first importance.
Comixology is also trying to upgrade the comic catalog that they have to the CMX-HD format as soon as possible. If users have a comic that has been upgraded, they will be asked to download the upgraded version. A good thing is that there isn’t any fee for getting an upgraded comic, and the CMX-HD format comics don’t cost extra. According to Steinberger, 90% of the catalog and 100% of the new comics will be in the new format.
Coming to LTE, its common that LTE devices burn through the data quicker than 3G counterparts and several reports are claiming concerns from iPad 3 users about reaching their data caps quickly. Some users have even reported reaching the 2GB monthly cap within hours of video streaming. A report from The Wall Street Journal which profiles many disgruntled Verizon and AT&T customers, the promise of the fruit company claiming superfast wireless connections doesn’t go well with the cost of the services. LTE speeds often hit 2 MB/sec. If this is the case, it would hit 2G in 1000 sec or under 17 minutes.
Brandon Wells, a man profiled in the story, went through 2GB of his Verizon plan streaming March Badness college basketball games to his iPad 3. Another user profiled by the source shot through his AT&T 3GB data plan within five days of getting the device after he “watched concert videos, clips and browsed social-media sites” for an hour. This shows many consumers are unaware that LTE sucks up more data.
WSJ explained that many consumers may not realize that the iPad 3's faster LTE connection means they will use more data even if they don’t change their 3G surfing habits. Verizon estimates that streaming a regular video over an LTE connection runs through 650 MB/hr. That’s twice the amount of data compared to usage over a 3G link, because the fatter pipe lets more data through. Apart from that, the iPad 3's sharper screen will encourage users to view videos in high-definition, which uses 2 GB an hour on a 4G connection according to Verizon.
The report also noted AT&T is looking to allow developers to the option to pay for data that their apps consume while in use. This would allow the apps not count towards a user’s monthly cap. There are also few complaints in Apple support forums claiming poor Wi-Fi reception on the iPad 3. One user stated the iPad 3 only works if he sits within six feet’s of his router. Tried two routers and it’s the same. He sold his iPad 1 and wishes to have it back. This one is no more use than a desktop with an Ethernet connection according to him.
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Filed under: iPad 3 News
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