Apple says demand for its new iPad is "off the charts"; stock held for pre-orders all sold

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Apple has officially acknowledged that iPad stock set aside for preorders is sold out, while noting also that customer response to the device has been "off the charts."
Within two days of the unveiling of the new iPad, new orders of the iPad had already slipped from this Friday's launch day delivery to a ship date of March 19. Apple has since confirmed in a statement that preorders of the touchscreen tablet have run out, as noted by USA Today.
"Customer response to the new iPad has been off the charts and the quantity available for pre-order has been purchased," a company spokesperson said. "Customers can continue to order online and receive an estimated delivery date."
Given the response to the device, Apple is expected to set new sales records later this week when the device launches. Pre-existing records for the Cupertino, Calif., iPad maker were already impressive, as it experienced crushing demand for its second-generation tablet last year, with orders quickly slipping to multi-week shipping estimates. A month after the iPad 2 was released, Apple's then chief operating officer Tim Cook said during a quarterly conference call that "staggering" demand for the device had caused the "mother of all backlogs."
Apple has presumably significantly increased its production volume for iPad in anticipation of high demand, but it has also expanded its ambitions with a faster international rollout for the device. Whereas the iPad 2 was released in just the U.S. before launching overseas two weeks later, Apple plans to sell the new iPad in a total of 12 regions from day one. Those markets include: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Switzerland, UK and the US Virgin Islands.
The standout features of the new iPad are its Retina Display and the addition of 4G LTE connectivity. The device also contains a faster A5X processor and an improved camera.

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Lenovo's 9.7" Android ICS IdeaTab clears the FCC for a near-term launch

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Lenovo's been hard at work with various Android phones and tablets so far this year, and here's yet another one that's just popped up in FCC's database. Dubbed the IdeaTab S2109 (or S2109A-F, to be specific), we're told by a reliable source that 'tis an Ice Cream Sandwich tablet assembled by Foxconn, and it'll come with a 9.7-inch, 4:3 IPS display (supplied by Chi Mei), a TI OMAP chip and four powerful SRS-ready speakers as featured on the beefy K2010. The above diagram suggests said slate has a microSD slot accessible from the outside, and if you take a closer look at the product label, you'll see that the device requires a whooping 2.5A input at 5V, which means it'll come with a 12.5W adapter -- a lot higher than many tablets' maximum consumption at 10W (including the new iPad) or below. Here's hoping that this is an indication for a faster charge time.

As for availability, we heard that this S2109 will launch at some point this month, though our shy friend didn't specify which market it'll debut in -- the FCC document lists Germany, Canada, US, India, Russia, Turkmenistan, Mexico, Chile, Japan and China. If Android on a 4:3 screen sounds like your cup of tea then stay tuned for more news.

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New iPad first unboxing comes from Vietnam

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The new iPad is mere days away from arriving in stores and in the hands of millions, but Vietnamese tech blog Tinhte is ahead of everyone as it’s the first one to get a retail unit for a quick unboxing video. The third-generation iPad gets unboxed with a quick tour of the software and we get to see the high-res Retina display in action on a real retail device.

The first thing you’d notice is the way the packaging has evolved. The original iPad released in 2010 was pictured with the focus on the screen - a surprisingly large, 9.7-inch display that was the highlight as it was bigger than the 3.5-inch iPhone display. The iPad 2 packaging focused on the side of the tablet where Apple stripped its girth significantly. The iPad 3 follows that idea despite being a hair thicker.

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iPad: What's in a Name?

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Apple  finally drew the curtain on its next-generation iPad, revealing a device that looks a whole lot like last year's model but is definitely packing some heavier guts.

First of all the screen is now a super-sharp Retina display, so named because theoretically you shouldn't be able to spot the individual pixels with a naked eye. It's like the display you can already find on an iPhone 4 or 4S.

Also, as usual, the new iPad is loaded with faster processors -- it's got a new A5X chip with quad-core graphics.

The device's cameras have been given a brush-up, with the rear cam now able to record HD video. And now the iPad is available with 4G LTE wireless for those who don't mind paying for cellular data. This strongly hints at the possibility that the next iPhone may be an LTE device as well.

The new iPad follows Apple's standing price structure. Models start at US$500 and go all the way up to $830 for LTE plus maximum storage. Meanwhile, the iPad 2 now starts at $400.

Now, about the name -- I haven't called it an "iPad 3" or an "iPad HD" because apparently that's not its name. Apple is only referring to it as the "new iPad." That could lead to a little initial confusion, but on some levels it does make sense. Apple doesn't call its latest MacBook Pro the "MacBook Pro 7" or whatever generation it happens to be on. If you need to know which generation it is, you can find out, but in terms of branding and casual reference, it's just a MacBook Pro. And now its seems iPads will just be iPads.

Besides, the naming convention for the iPhone is already getting a little weird. The second model had a three in it, the fifth model has a four in it, and if they call the next one "iPhone 5," it'll actually be the sixth generation.

And who knows, maybe Apple's also taking a swipe at Android for what critics have said is its fragmented nature.

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iPad 3 specs and release date: rumor round-up

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Well, folks, it's once again the beginning of the year, which means we're once again close to witnessing the launch of another iPad. However, as always, Cupertino has done its best to keep any details away from prying eyes, so we're pretty much left to deal with a number of rumors and some other speculation. But, our excitement for the third offering in Apple's tablet line is too big, not allowing us to stay still and wait patiently until the company finally lifts the veil off the new iPad. That's why we wanted to gather all the few, but very interesting tid bits around the iPad 3 and see if this would allow us to get a better idea of what the final product may end up being.


iPad 3 vs iPad 2S vs iPad HD

Right from the start, we should acknowledge the fact that there are two main theories surrounding the upcoming Apple tablet: the first one claims that what we'll see will be introduced as a full-fledged, redesigned successor (iPad 3), while the second one sticks to the belief that we'll actually be treated to a slightly upgraded, refreshed model (iPad 2S).

Of course, the exact product name shouldn't bother us, as long as there are enough new features and improvement. Initially, it was rumored that the iPad 3 will come with a quad-core A6 processor - a logical move forward from the dual-core A5. However, some unofficial sources have claimed that it's also possible for us to see an iPad 2S with an enhanced dual-core A5 (A5 is the iPad 2's processor), instead of a quad-core A6.

UPDATE: According to a recent rumor, Apple's third generation tablet will be known as the iPad HD, which is a name that would clearly highlight the device's upgraded display. That same iPad HD moniker also appeared on an accessory listing not long ago. Of course, the name could be nothing but a placeholder, so nothing is certain just yet.


iPad 3 specs

iPad 3 specs and release date: rumor round-up
Leaving the iPad 3 vs iPad 2S vs iPad HD clash to the side, there are still other sources that would rather assume that the iPad 3 will have a processor dubbed A6, however, it will still be dual-core, but will have an overall better performance and a significantly more powerful graphics unit. As you can see, everything surround the next iPad's processor right now can fall into the category of wild speculation, and the many different takes on the matter don't really help us determine which one's the most likely. One idea is shared by all theories, though - the iPad 3 will have a faster processor! Whether it will have two or four cores, however, remains to be seen.

The screen is another vital point that's been subject to a lot of debate in the community. Obviously, the iPad 2's 1024x768 pixel, 132 ppi display isn't among the prettiest ones, due to its relatively low pixel density, so having a higher resolution in the new model seems anything but unexpected. All in all, the debate here centers around the question if the iPad 3 will have a higher-res display, or not. If yes, everyone is looking at 2048x1536 px, as this would double the pixel density of the screen, the same way that Apple once doubled the pixel density of the iPhone, when introducing the iPhone 4. If the screen size remains the same - 9.7", and it probably will, that would translate into a ppi (pixels per inch) of 264, allowing for much finer text and details, but a bigger strain on the hardware as well.

Then comes the subject of LTE. Thankfully, everyone seems to agree here that the iPad 3 should sport LTE connectivity (though it's 99% sure that there will also be a Wi-Fi-only variant), compatible with Verizon's and AT&T's 4G networks. For now, Qualcomm is seen as the most probable producer of the chip, though surprises can still be expected. Naturally, the radio is also believed to support other connectivity options such as HSPA+ and EV-DO Rev. A and B, where 4G LTE is unavailable.

iPad 3 specs and release date: rumor round-up
One of the more peculiar rumors insists that the new Apple iPad will be thicker than its predecessor by about 1mm. And while that different won't be really noticeable to the naked eye, it sure intrigues us to know why such a measure could have been taken. The answer is that — again, according to those fellas that are said to be familiar with the matter, but no one actually knows who they are — this change was needed in order to be able to fit a larger battery, which, some say, will be able to provide a battery life that's almost twice as long. Wow! This actually sounds pretty cool, and we do hope it will turn out true. One millimeter of thickness for almost 2x the battery life - oh, we are so a-OK with that!

Of course, many people out there (with and without any internal knowledge) believe that the iPad 3 will have an upgraded camera, and we're willing to agree, though we don't expect any wonders in this respect.

iPad 3 specs and release date: rumor round-up
UPDATE: Some claim that the next-gen iPad will drop the physical home button in favor of a capacitive one, and they even have evidence to back up that theory.

If you take a close look at the official invitation to Apple's March 7 event (pictured on the right), a physical button is, obviously, missing on the device's bezel.

Of course, whether these claims hold water or not will become known in a very short while.


iPad 3 release date and pricing

Now, for the question that's probably in everyone's head right now. When is Apple going to finally put an end to all of this wild speculation and unveil the real thing? Once again, it's hard to find a single, solid theory that's able to make everything else seem like far-fetched guesses, but there is a couple of dates that are being suggested for us to mark in our calendars. Having in mind that the first two iPads were introduced in January and the very beginning of March , respectively, it makes sense for Apple to hold an event very, very soon.

The more optimistic forecast is that Apple will show us the device on February 29, and will then launch it sometime around March 9. The other prognosis prefers the first week of March as the time of unveiling, and then sees mid-March as the timing for the eventual release. There's one conclusion we can draw from all this - the iPad 3 should come out of hiding by mid-March at the latest.

UPDATE: Apple will be hosting an event on March 7, and it is pretty certain that the next-gen iPad will be under the spotlight. And given that new iPad accessories are reportedly already in stock at some big box retailers' outlets, we can expect the device to be made available for purchase soon after its announcement. As far as pricing is concerned, rumor has it that the next iPad will cost just as much as the iPad 2 does.

And that's pretty much all we have, folks. Now tell us - are you excited about the upcoming iPad 3? What other stuff do you think will make its way into the device? What would YOU like to see in it? We're looking forward to hearing what you think!

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