Some New iPad Clarifications

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So "the new iPad" came out today. And boy is it amazing. It's without a doubt the greatest tablet yet. Will I be buying one? Perhaps. If I can get together the $500 I'd need to buy it. It'll happen. Eventually.

Regardless of as to wether or not I buy one though, (although without a doubt I do very much want one) after today's announcement — which you've no doubt seen already — I thought I should just go over a few points that may have been missed during the presentation:

  1. The new iPad's CPU is not quad core. It is still only a dual core processor. What is quad core, however, is the GPU, which is what allows for the insane graphics and games you saw demoed today.
  2. The reason why iOS 5.1 now shows 4G in the status bar of the iPhone 4S instead of 3G is because, with the antenna system present in the iPhone 4S, data speeds can, in theory, reach the absolute minimum speed required to be considered 4G. Sound a bit shady? It is. These 4G-like speeds are incredibly theoretical. And you'll only see this new 4G icon, by the way, on the iPhone 4S, obviously.
  3. 4G is going to be offered only on Verizon and AT&T in the US. Doesn't look like it will be offered on Sprint.
  4. It appears as if there are separate models for the AT&T and Verizon iPads. There is no single iPad that can work on both networks. You will have to commit to one when you purchase it.
  5. The front-facing camera on the iPad is still the same, terrible, VGA camera found in the iPad 2. (The on on the back, however, is more in line with the iPhone 4's camera. Although it will still look like you're taking a picture with a lunch tray when you use it.)
  6. Apple is calling the font-facing camera the "Face Time camera" and the rear-facing camera an "iSight camera". Why the iSight name? Couldn't tell you. (Speaking of, the camera app for iPad has a new design.)
  7. The iPad is currently on pre-order, and will be delivered on March 16th (the day the new Apple TV is available).

And that is pretty much it. Those were some of the points that seemed to confuse me during the presentation, so I thought I should just clarify them after the research that I did. If I got anything wrong though, do let me know in the comments below.

That all being said, to all those of you that pre-ordered the new iPad, enjoy. It's sure to be an amazing device.

I myself do hope to get one sooner or later.