New iPad review 03/17/2012
 

With a breathtaking display and big hardware upgrades, does the tablet king retain its crown? 

- Pictures from the Verge -
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. Looks, of course, are really only half the story with the new iPad (side note: the name is just "iPad," though Apple seems to be using "new" quite liberally). In fact, looks may not be the story at all.

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 processor.

After the event last Wednesday, amongst the praise you could also detect a distinct sentiment of disappointment — mostly from the press. Much like the fallout after the introduction of the last iPhone, there were questions: Why does it look the same? No quad-core processor? Has Apple lost its edge? Yet despite the questions, pre-orders seem to be record breaking (just as with the iPhone 4S).

But is the iPad as good as it needs to be? Has Apple made the right moves, or is it slipping behind the competition? Most importantly, does the new iPad successfully defend the last version's reputation as the King of Tablets? I'll answer all those questions, and more, in this review — so read on!

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So, what'd you have in the office pool? iPad 3, iPad 2S, iPad HD? Doesn't matter, really. All that matters is that it's here! This is the next generation of Apple's iOS slate and, as usual, she's a beaut -- and yes, she's still rockin' a physical button. As was rumored this thing is packing a Retina display, potentially making this the most pixel-packed slate on the market. The 9.7-inch screen plays host to 3.1 million pixels in a 2048 x 1536 arrangement -- that's 264ppi. It's not just a higher resolution though, the screen also boasts improved color saturation. Of course, what would a new iPad be without some updated guts. The new model has an A5X processor and quad-core graphics chip. Apple even claims its newest sliver of silicon can deliver four times the performance of a Tegra 3 -- we'd say dems fightin' words.
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Graham McAllister maps out the opportunities and pitfalls that lie ahead if games were to know how you feel.

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Gamers are always demanding new experiences. Fortunately then, game developers and platform holders have continually been dreaming up new ways in which to entertain us. Over the last ten years we’ve seen games focus on technology: increasing graphical fidelity, delivering more natural animation and improving AI and physics. More recently, new game experiences have been delivered by gestural interaction controllers such the Wii, Move and Kinect, also bringing with them a new audience.  
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This luxury watch concept named “Ringen” was created by French designer Marc Tran. It was inspired by the perfect roundness of balls and automotive shapes. The watch is composed mostly of white gold, but the blue disc that represents the hours is made of brushed, anodized aluminum and adds a touch of youth to the overall design. A blue ball, representing 2 minutes, is moved along a horizontal progression of black slats. An additional blue ball orbits the face to displace seconds. Pretty creative watch concept! Take a look! 
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We see a lot of gadgets. We play with a lot of gadgets. We write about a lot of gadgets. So we thought you might like to see the few gadgets that we really want for Christmas.

1. Joe Brown: SousVide Supreme Demi Sous Vide Water Oven
"I have been dropping hints like a motherfucker, but I don't think anybody is going to get me a Sous Vide Supreme Demi. In blue. My Dad was like, 'Hey, how about I reupholster your chair?' Reupholster my chair? Why don't you get me a Sous Vide Supreme. In blue. Meat, bitches."
$300 [Amazon]

2. Brian Barrett: Audioengine A5+ Bookshelf Speakers
Brian says he'd like "Audioengine A5+ speakerzzz for my sad little basement office" which is located in his beautiful house overlooking the rolling hills of Birmingham, Alabama.
$400 [Amazon]

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