Apple could be working on a fifth generation of its full-sized iPad that’s sexier than the version released last month.

The news comes from Japanese news blog Macotakara, which indicates that the fifth-gen iPad will have a thinner, lightweight design — deducting 4mm from the height, 17mm from the width, and 2mm from the depth — and will get a March 2013 release date. The alleged new full-sized iPad will also borrow some design cues from the iPad mini, which means you’ll be able to choose between two different colors (white/silver or black/slate).

The March release date would be in line with the regular product life cycle that Apple had for the first three versions of its iPad. The fourth generation device featured a few hardware upgrades and swapped out the old 30-pin dock connector for the new smaller lightening connector, much to the dismay of early Apple device adopters. Apple has shown that the one-year product refresh isn’t a main concern for them, so it’s very possible that the report could prove true.

Macotakara also indicates that Apple could be working on a second generation iPad mini, with the big upgrade being a brand new retina display that would feature the 2,048 x 1,536 resolution of the current full-sized iPad.

Via 9to5Mac

It looks like at least one of those issues could be resolved soon.

According to Taiwan-based Digitimes — which has a bit of a spotty record with rumors — Apple is sourcing new screens for the newest, lightest, and smallest member of Apple’s iPad lineup. Those new screens are most likely retina displays with 2,058 by 1,536 pixels, for a 326 pixel-per-inch density.

That compares to the current model’s 1,024 x 768 pixels and 163 pixel-per-inch density, and it would address the popular device’s most common complaint. Apparently, iPad Mini is outselling the iPad 4 and may account for half of all of Apple’s iPad sales in 2012 — up to 50 million units.

On the one hand, the retina rumor is a gimme: Obviously, Apple is going to put a better screen on the iPad Mini at some point. The question is when.

iPad refresh schedules were generally about a year in length — until the unexpected October release of an updated iPad 3. So will the mini be updated in six months, which puts a new version in the April/May time frame, or in 12 months, at another October-ish event?

My guess is six months, as the tablet market is moving fast, and more competitors are nipping at Apple’s heels. This rumor adds fuel to that fire.

Image credit: John Koetsier

Adobe has just announced support for HiDPI and Retina display as part of Photoshop CS6 and Adobe Illustrator. Support for Lightroom 4 should be available soon, but don’t hold your breath for Photoshop Elements support anytime soon.

The feature was prophesied some months ago on the Adobe blog and has just been confirmed on the Photoshop.com blog.

Basically, this is just one part of Adobe’s company-wide campaign to make its Creative Suite of development and design tools the best they can possibly be for mobile and web developers and designers. Adobe has held sway over the print media folks for ages; recent product releases and updates are intended to ensure that reign continues long after the print era is over.

Retina display is Apple’s term for what the rest of the world calls HiDPI: liquid crystal displays with extremely high pixel densities that yield stunningly detailed images onscreen. Apple would tell you the human eye is completely unable to detect any pixelation on such displays. Such high resolutions mean that image creation and manipulation software has to duplicate pixels to keep up, leading to a final product with less-than-desirable fidelity.

For Photoshop alone, Adobe had to make adjustments to more than 2500 cursors and icons, not to speak of the extra software engineering that went on under the hood.

“Adobe’s product teams are keenly aware of a creative professional’s desire to experience the highest quality creation experience,” wrote Adobe’s Maria Yap when the planned updates were first announced.

“Naturally, designers, photographers and creative professionals want to take full advantage of this new technology. … This resolution shift in the new display technology presents unique challenges to teams that support bitmap, vector or video content. Therefore each product team will be releasing support for HiDPI display for Apple’s Retina Display as soon as the development is complete and tested for each individual product.”

The new Photoshop and Illustrator enhancements are the first to roll out; stay tuned as we wait for news of other Adobe updates.

Top image via olly, Shutterstock

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July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Early Bird Tickets on Sale

Chinese consumers will officially be able to get their hands on Apple’s latest toys next month.

Apple announced today that the iPad Mini and fourth-generation iPad will hit China on December 7th, while the iPhone 5 will be available a week later on December 14th.

Reservation requests for each device will begin the day before they launch from Apple retail stores, and they’ll also be available for purchase from Apple’s online store and official resellers. Of course, nothing stopped Chinese consumers from nabbing one of Apple’s new devices on the black market, aside from a high markup.

As you’ve likely gathered from my glowing reviews, I consider both the iPhone 5 and iPad Mini as the best devices for their respective categories. Apple’s partners have had trouble manufacturing enough iPhone 5 units to meet worldwide demand, so hopefully the company has ramped up production to satisfy China’s buyers.

While only a technology journalist might be foolish enough to think that everything rumored for an Apple event is actually going to happen, there’s a lot of smoke about Tuesday.

Here are all the rumors we’re hearing about what Tim Cook might show us on Tuesday:

iPad Mini

The big kahuna, of course, is iPad Mini — potentially 16 different versions priced from $250 to $650. From 8GB to 64GB, black and white, WiFi and/or cellular.

Likelihood: extremely high. There have just been too many rumors, pictures, and whispers. And with the Microsoft Surface coming out very soon, Apple needs to give consumers a big reason to say no, even if it comes in a little package.

Refreshed full-size iPad with Lightning connector

This is a more recent rumor, but it’s both widespread and includes credible photos. There aren’t a lot of details about what it might or might not include, but the new Lightning connector is a gimme. Pricing will probably stay the same, but it’s possible that LTE could provider some faster cellular networking, and it’s possible that the retina screen will get a small update.

This would also be an opportunity for Apple to push the spec versus Microsoft’s new Surface tablets. Could we see any other upgrades?

Likelihood: high. Not due to the number or frequency of rumors, but it just seems to make sense.

Retina 13″ Macbook Pro

Half of Apple’s Macbook Pro line got the amazing new retina screen in June of this year. Now it may be time for the other half. The 13″ laptops look to be getting the same retina screen as the 15″ Pros, possibly for a $1,700 price tag. If so, Apple may also feature-bump the 13″ just a little bit.

Which would, of course, leave the Apple faithful eagerly panting for a 13″ retina Macbook Air.

Likelihood: medium. Reasonable, but definitely not guaranteed. Macbook sales have been extremely strong for Apple in the last quarter; this would juice them even more.

iBooks 3 (and other assorted software bumps)

You’re almost guaranteed to get some software updates at an Apple event, and it looks like iBooks 3 might be one of the announcements this coming week.

Likelihood: medium. It’s likely that Apple’s new iPad Mini will have a strong media, particularly reading-focused marketing message to compete with Kindles and other mid-sized tablets and e-readers. As such, it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to expect some new software for said literary material …

Refreshed iMac, Mac Mini

There have been some reports of a refreshed iMac with an almost-invisibly-thin side profile, a new type of display (though probably not retina), and larger memory options. Similarly, rumors have surfaced about the Mac Mini.

Likelihood: medium. The iMac’s last update was 538 days ago, which is almost double the average time between refreshes, so a change is coming soon. And the Mac Mini was last updated 460 days ago. Whether either will be announced this week … we’ll see.

And … one more thing

Steve Jobs’ trademark — although he did not always use it — was the “one more thing” that was sometimes amazing enough to warrant an event of its own. The only items seemingly in that class would be announcements on a new Apple TV even a new Apple TV screen.

Likelihood: low. This seems to be an update event, not a shake-the-world event. And all reports on Apple’s efforts in television have it nowhere near where it needs to be yet. Wouldn’t it be fun though?

VentureBeat will be on scene live-reporting on October 23.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Early Bird Tickets on Sale

Probably the biggest disappointment with Apple’s June announcement of the 15-inch Macbook Pro with Retina display was that the device wasn’t joined by a 13-inch variant.

That, however, is expected to change next week, when Apple brings its beloved Retina display to the smaller Macbook Pro, a source tells 9to5Mac (which was previously on target with news of the Retina Macbook Pro.)

A 13-inch Retina Pro will bring all the benefits of its title — a high-resolution screen, powerful processor– with a smaller, lighter footprint, making it perfect for highly mobile creative types.

All signs point to the device’s announcement coming on October 23,  the same day that Apple is expected to announce the iPad Mini, a smaller version of the iPad.

That the device is being called a “Macbook Pro” and not a “Macbook Air” is telling. For one, as with the 15-inch Macbook Pro with Retina, the 13-inch variant is unlikely to feature the Macbook Air’s signature tapered design.

Likewise, that “Pro” designation  also means that the 13-inch Macbook Pro with Retina will also come with a similar price to that of its $2,199 counterpart. This, in turn, means that Apple will be able to sell both the 13-inch Retina Pro and 13-inch Air alongside each other with minimal risk of the two devices cannibalizing each other’s sales.

Photo: James Pikover/VentureBeat

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Early Bird Tickets on Sale

Google is planning a 10-inch Nexus tablet that will have a higher pixel density than Apple’s iPad, Cnet reports.

The new Nexus tablet will have a 2,560 by 1,600-pixel display, according to Richard Shim, an analyst at NPD DisplaySearch quoted in the story. That gives it a pixel density of 299 pixels per inch, compared with the iPad’s “Retina” display, which has 2,048 by 1,536 pixels, for a pixel density of 264 PPI.

The new Nexus tablet will also be slightly bigger, with a 10.1-inch diagonal screen compared with the iPad’s 9.7-inch diagonal screen.

Unlike the current, 7-inch Nexus 7, which is made by Asus but branded entirely as a Google tablet, the new 10-inch Nexus will be made by Samsung and will carry that manufacturer’s branding as well, Shim claimed.

The Nexus 7 is an impressive piece of hardware, especially given its $200 price. VentureBeat’s Devindra Hardawar called the Nexus 7 the best 7-inch tablet yet and the first Android tablet worth owning. Even Apple-loving Jennifer Van Grove liked the Nexus 7. So presumably, a 10-inch version of the tablet would present some serious competition to Apple’s market-dominating iPad.

Photo: Jennifer Van Grove/VentureBeat

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Early Bird Tickets on Sale

The assessment that the MacBook Pro with Retina Display is the “least repairable laptop ever” is holding true. The repair experts at iFixit have torn down the Retina display and found it ridiculously fragile.

Despite calling the Retina display an “engineering marvel,” the iFixit team actually broke the display when trying to take it apart. Instead of putting a LCD panel between a back case and a front piece of glass, Apple has used the MacBook’s aluminum case as the frame for the Retina panel and the LCD as the front glass. Impressively, Apple has packed in four times as many pixels into a slightly thinner display, but you better be careful not to drop it.

“What happens when you hand over a groundbreaking notebook display to a group of careful, highly trained technicians?” iFixit writes. “They break it. We were as careful as we could possibly be, but the glass on the Retina display is just too fragile.”

The assessment means that if you ever crack the Retina display on your crazy-expensive MacBook Pro, no outside help will be able to fix it; only the folks at Apple will be able to help you. More than ever, if you get a MacBook Pro with Retina display, you’re going to want to get an AppleCare warranty plan too.

Here’s a photo of what iFixit did to the Retina display:

iFixit also notes the following highlights:

• The Retina display is a hair over 7mm at its thickest point and just over 3mm at its thinnest, only a fraction of a millimeter thinner than the regular MacBook Pro.
• The display hinges have cables routed through them, without any means to remove the cables. So instead of routing cables underneath cable retainers (as in the non-Retina MacBook Pro), you just have to replace the cables and hinges together.
• The FaceTime HD camera interfaces with the rest of the computer via a Vimicro VC0358 USB camera interface IC.
• Underneath the top layer we find a series of films and sheets that manipulate light before sending it to the user’s eye.
• A strip of 48 LEDs at the bottom of the display assembly provides all the light your Retina display needs.
• The bottom edge of the case has two features that we found pretty neat: a laser engraved internal use code and a nifty arrangement of round indentations.

Photo: iFixit

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Early Bird Tickets on Sale

Apple’s new MacBook Pro with Retina Display is ridiculously fast and thin — but you can forget about ever taking it apart.

The repair gurus at iFixit unveiled their teardown of the Retina MacBook Pro this morning, and thanks to its plethora of non-upgradeable parts, they ended up giving Apple’s latest and greatest laptop a dismal repair score of 1 out of 10.

Apple had to squeeze plenty of hardware into the Retina MacBook Pro’s .71-inch thick frame, and just like the MacBook Air, the company had to sacrifice expandability in order to do so. IFixit notes that the new MacBook Pro’s RAM is soldered into the logic board, there’s a proprietary non-upgradeable SSD, and the battery is glued into the case (which means trouble if you ever try to disassemble the computer).

Perhaps the biggest potential issue, iFixit says the entire display assembly is fused, which means you’ll have to replace the entire thing if any aspect of it fails. If you’re not under AppleCare, that will likely be a very expensive repair.

“Laptops are expensive. It’s critical that consumers have the option to repair things that go wrong, as well as upgrade their own hardware to keep it relevant as new technologies roll out,” wrote iFixit’s Kyle Wiens. “On top of being glued together, the new MacBook Pro is virtually non-upgradeable—making it the first MacBook Pro that will be unable to adapt to future advances in memory and storage technology.”

But aside from gadget geeks, I don’t think many consumers will care that this new MacBook Pro is practically impossible to repair. After all, the vast majority of buyers should never have to worry about fixing the computer on their own, and most would rather have a thinner laptop instead of one that catered to tinkerers. I’m a hardware geek myself, but I save my upgrading fetish for my self-built desktop — I don’t mind at all that my MacBook Air is basically a hermetically sealed magic box.

Image via iFixit

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The new MacBook Pro has a 15.4-inch screen with a pixel density of 2,880 x 1,800 pixels, or four times the number of pixels in previous displays. The new display can show videos in ultra-high-definition and display apps with resolutions will look far more crisp than other kinds of laptops.

Applications have to update to take advantage of the retina display. Apple has been working with developers to do that. Adobe Photoshop will get an update to take advantage of the Retina display. Autodesk is also preparing a new version of AutoCAD for the new screen.

“Bringing uniformity across platforms is just wonderful,” said Van Baker, an analyst at Gartner. “Now you can look at apps on the smaller devices and then again on the laptop. It’s little things like that, a bunch of little things that are delightful little features that collectively make for a much better experience.”

Games will work beautifully on the Retina screen. Blizzard Entertainment’s Diablo III has already been modified to run with the new screen, using the crisp resolution to its full potential.

“You will see a gaming experience with this resolution that you have never seen before,” said Phil Schiller, senior vice president of Apple, speaking at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) event today in San Francisco. “This is the world’s highest resolution notebook.”

Typography “looks amazing, sharper than a printed page,” Apple said in a video. Apple says photographers have never been able to work on images with this kind of pixel resolution on the run.

“This led us to rethink everything in a notebook,” said Jonathan Ive, head of product design at Apple, in a video.

The 15.4 inch retina display model has 7 hours of battery life, is .71 inches thick (about as thick as the MacBook Air), and it sells for $2,199. It is mercury and arsenic free and is shipping today.

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Update: This information has all been confirmed at WWDC. Check out our posts on the new thin Retina MacBook Pro, the new MacBook Air, and the updated MacBook Pros. Original story below.

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As eager developers and journalists line up for Apple’s WWDC keynote this morning, some intriguing new details about Apple’s Mac hardware announcements have leaked out.

Among the scheduled hardware upgrades, Apple will offer the MacBook Air with up to 8 gigabytes of RAM and a 512 gigabyte SSD for storage, its first Mac Pro update in two years, and the long-awaited MacBook Pros with sharp Retina Displays, reports 9to5Mac.

Many of the upgrades have been expected and/or rumored for some time, so there’s not much left to surprise us. Though it sounds like you’ll be paying more than you thought for that Retina MacBook Pro — according to 9to5Mac’s sources, that machine’s high-end specs could surpass $4,000 in some countries. Even at the low-end, the Retina MacBook Pros look like powerhouses, as they start out with a 2.3 gigahertz quad-core processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD for storage.

The current details don’t mention anything about thinner MacBook Pros, which have been rumored for the past year, but we could still end up seeing them announced today.

It doesn’t look like much has changed with the MacBook Air, aside from the new high-end models with 8GB of RAM and higher capacity 512GB SS for the 13-inch model.  Like all of  Apple’s new hardware, the revamped MacBook Air will sport Ivy Bridge processors starting at 1.7 Ghz and 1.8 Ghz for the 11-inch and 13-inch models respectively.

The Mac Pro upgrades should make desktop power users especially happy. The lowest-end Mac Pro will start with a 3.2 Ghz quad-core processor, 6GB of RAM, a 1TB hard drive, and a Radeon 5770 graphics card. Of course, you’ll be able to mix and match all sorts of crazy hardware into the Mac Pro as well.

Among other new announcements, 9to5Mac notes that Apple may announce a refresh for its MagSafe power adapters, and it may also rebrand its current external CD drive as the “USB SuperDrive” (right now it’s the “MacBook Air Superdrive”).

We have several writers currently waiting to get into Apple’s WWDC keynote, so stay tuned here for official updates on Apple’s new hardware, iOS 6, and much more!

It seems like 2012 will become the year when utra-high resolution computer displays become the norm — at least on Apple’s devices.

Following up on Monday’s news about Retina displays (among other upgrades) in new MacBook Pros, 9to5Mac is reporting that Apple is also working on bringing higher-res screens to its new (and still unannounced) MacBook Airs and iMacs.

To be clear, Apple’s current laptops and desktops already feature impressive screen resolutions for their respective sizes — especially when measured against Windows PC competitors. But by bumping up those specs further, Apple’s next machines will be able to make just about anything look better. It won’t be as dramatic as the difference between the iPad 2 and new iPad’s screens, but it will allow Apple to keep pushing the boundaries in screen technology.

Sources tell 9to5Mac that Apple’s next MacBook Airs won’t see a major redesign, but they’ll receive hardware upgrades to run Retina displays smoothly. The new computers will likely run Intel’s new Ivy Bridge processors — which are more power efficient than last year’s Core i5 –  and feature improved graphics capabilities. Additionally, the Air’s battery will also be improved to support the higher resolution screen.

While I don’t doubt that Apple has its heart set on bringing Retina displays to all of its machines, the company will likely have a hard time finding suppliers for screens larger than 15 inches. For that reason, I suspect we’ll see Retina displays in the new iMacs long after they hit Apple’s laptops.

If you’ve been waiting for Apple to refresh its flagship MacBook Pro laptops, it looks like your patience will be well-rewarded.

Apple’s next 15-inch MacBook Pro will reportedly sport a thinner design (as many previous rumors have indicated), a higher-resolution Retina Display screen, and it will also be the first Mac to feature USB 3 ports, supply chain sources tell 9to5Mac. Apple is expected to announce the laptop at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June (it’s already out of stock at many stores), and the company is also ramping up shipments for that month as well, Digitimes reports.

We’ve been hearing quite a bit about a new 15-inch MacBook over the last six months. While initial rumors pointed to Apple releasing a 15-inch version of its MacBook Pro ultraportable, it’s more likely that they were referring to the thinner MacBook Pro. 9to5Mac notes that the new laptop won’t have the tapered design of the current MacBook Air, and it will instead resemble a slimmed-down version of the existing MBP.

Given just how well the new iPad’s Retina Display turned out, it’s been rumored for some time that Apple would eventually bring higher-resolution displays to the Mac. According to 9to5Mac, you’ll be able to choose from several different resolution modes to tweak the sharpness of images and text in OSX Mountain Lion (instead of dealing with specific resolutions).

Intriguingly, Apple is also reportedly removing the MacBook Pro’s optical drive in an effort to make the laptop thinner. Power users will likely be annoyed by the move, but honestly I rarely miss having an optical drive on my MacBook Air. You’ll still be able to read CDs and DVDs with an external optical drive.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Early Bird Tickets on Sale

Facebook has updated its popular iPad app with much-welcome support for the new iPad’s Retina display and needed fixes like the ability to sign out of chat.

After a seriously long wait, Facebook finally released its Apple iPad app to the public this past October. The app functions much like the Facebook site and the iOS app. But as Facebook’s more than 750 million users seem to love photos, the app needed updating to support the iPad’s fantastic Retina display, which is one of the best-looking screens on the market.

On top of new support for the Retina display, the app also adds the following fixes:

- You can go offline in chat
- The right profile picture appears for everyone
- Your list of friends always includes all your friends
- In sets of photos, your name is displayed correctly
- Photos of people who like Facebook Pages load correctly
- Your friend-request notification only lights up if you have a request
- You can change your language to Czech, Danish, Greek, Indonesian, Malaysian, Norwegian (Bokmal), Portuguese (Portugal) or Thai

The fix I like most is the ability to sign out of chat. There are many times where I’ve wanted to check Facebook and not be seen as online by friends, so now I can do that. Profile pictures and request notifications working correctly are also welcome.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Early Bird Tickets on Sale

Consumer Reports counted Apple’s new iPad among the top of the list for tablets, despite its earlier concerns of the devices generating excessive heat.

The non-profit group, which reviews a variety of products to protect consumer interest, initially caused some doubt among would-be buyers after discovering that the new iPad reached 116 degrees Fahrenheit when running a process-intensive application longer than 45 minutes. (For instance, an iPad game played with full brightness for an hour could make your hands quite toasty.)

Consumer Reports praised Apple’s third-generation iPad for its 5-megapixel camera, 8-hour battery life, and 4G connectivity. Of course the biggest selling point of the new iPad, the group found, was its high-resolution Retina Display. The 2048 by 1536 pixel-dense display gives you much richer colors, highly detailed imagery, and the ability to play movies in 1080p quality. The group says the new iPad “achieved the highest score we’ve ever recorded for color accuracy in a tablet.”

In fact, the new display is so good, it pushed the ratings for every other tablet’s screen down a level.

Apple has already sold more than 3 million of its new iPad 3. With the Consumer Reports also recommending the device, as well as dispelling fears about the heat it gives off, I’d expect that number to grow over the next quarter.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Early Bird Tickets on Sale

Adding a whole new meaning to the phrase “up close and personal,” Skype has released a version of its iPad application optimized for the device’s new ultra-high resolution Retina Display.

Skype’s 3.8 for iPad was released Monday and is specifically tailored toward early buyers of Apple’s third-generation iPad, which features a heretofore unheard of screen resolution of 2,048 by 1,536 pixels.

With the release, Skype is promising customers its best-looking application yet. Technically, that description is absolutely accurate. VentureBeat’s own Devindra Hardawar, in a review of the new iPad, said, “because of its high resolution, the Retina Display makes practically everything look better, even merely browsing the web.”

But while we’re sure most of your friends and family members look better in high-definition, we know that the additional pixels won’t be favorable to all. So ladies, put your lipstick on. And gentlemen, you may want to rethink that decision to skip a shave in the morning.

Microsoft-owned Skype, which today demonstrated no qualms about rapidly updating to support a competitor’s hardware, was only recently made available to Windows Phone customers. The additional audience pool, however small it may be, helped pushed the VoIP service to a new 35 million concurrent user record.

Photo credit: spieri_sf/Flickr

The iPad might not be the only Apple product to get a gorgeous new Retina Display upgrade.

The latest developer release of Apple’s operating system OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion indicated that some Mac computers will upgraded with Retina Displays. The dev release hints at support for double-sized graphics within some OS X applications, which would make them ready for a higher-resolution display, according to an Ars Technica report.

For those not privy to why the Retina Display is a big deal, then let me explain: It’s Apple’s marketing term for a high-density pixel screen that displays images better than the human eye can perceive. Just like with the new iPad, a Retina Display on a Mac would put your HDTV to shame, and would also allow the macs to support full 1080p HD video.

However, finding double-sized image support in apps isn’t exactly new. For instance, Apple’s beta version of its new native instant messaging application Messages also contained support for high-resolution images.

More realistically, Apple could be trying to future-proof its developer community. The company’s strategy is leaning towards making the experience within OS X and its mobile operating system iOS more similar. In doing so, Apple may try to guide developers to create one application that can be optimized for whatever device its used on. (Obviously, that might not be true for all applications, but certainly for simple apps such as Twitter’s desktop client).

The other problem with higher-res displays on PCs is that they also make text look tiny. But given that Apple was able to squeeze a Retina Display into the new iPad without changing its text formatting, the company can likely optimize its fonts for larger resolutions.

If Macs do gain a pretty new Retina Display, we’re likely to see them when Mountain Lion is released to the public this summer. As for which Macs will get the upgraded screen, I wouldn’t bet on anything larger than 15-inches. That cancels out all iMacs and the 17-inch Macbook Pro.

My guess is that Apple will probably put a Retina Display on the Macbook Air first, or perhaps to an upgraded slimmer 13- and 15-inch line of Macbook Pros.

Netflix customers will soon be able to stream high-definition versions of movies and TV shows on their iPad, the company said via Twitter yesterday.

Netflix subscribers have been waiting for an update ever since news broke about Apple’s third-generation iPad, which features a new ultra-high resolution Retina Display. The combination of HD videos and the new iPad screen could make you think twice about watching a movie on an older TV set.

While we don’t have a precise date for the HD video availability, it’s likely to happen soon. Netflix yesterday rolled out an update to its iPad app, which features user interface tweaks, higher resolution movie/TV show artwork, and a handful of other bug fixes. The red navigation bar at the top of the screen is now visible at all times. I can’t say that I really bothered to use it much, but it makes sense for people who aren’t constantly messing with mobile apps (like my mom).

In addition to the visual improvements, the new iPad update includes bug fixes for VoiceOver and video playback when connecting to an external display.

As many long-time subscribers have noted over the past year, Netflix isn’t very enthusiastic about its DVD-by-mail rental business. Staying consistent with that behavior, the latest update removes the ability to rate DVDs directly from your iPad. Although, if you subscribe to a Netflix DVD plan, you probably aren’t concerned with watching movies on your tablet anyways.

VentureBeat is holding its second annual Mobile Summit this April 2-3 in Sausalito, Calif. The invitation-only event will debate the five key business and technology challenges facing the mobile industry today, and participants — 180 mobile executives, investors, and policymakers — will develop concrete, actionable solutions that will shape the future of the mobile industry. You can find out more at our Mobile Summit site.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Early Bird Tickets on Sale

You’ve seen us gush about the new iPad’s Retina Display, but now the screen tech experts at DisplayMate have run their tests and confirmed that it basically blows everything else away.

“Apple has taken the very good display on the iPad 2 and dramatically improved two of its major weak points: sharpness and color saturation — they are now state-of-the-art,” writes DisplayMate President Dr. Raymond Soneira. “Our lab tests and visual tests agree with Apple’s claim that the new iPad has ‘the best display ever on a mobile device.’”

While most of the tech press has focused on the new iPad’s increased screen resolution, Soneira says the improved color saturation is “equally responsible for its wow factor.” Compared to the iPhone 4S and iPad 2, which display 60 to 64 percent of the standard color gamut, the new iPad hits a “virtually perfect” 99 percent of the color gamut. And because of proper calibration, the new iPad offers vibrant colors that aren’t overly saturated like some OLED displays.

Soneira notes that with some minor calibration, the new iPad’s screen could qualify as a studio reference monitor — a screen so good that you could use it for accurate representations of color. It’s the sort of feature that appeals to photographers and movie directors, who want to make sure that their images look as good as possible.

Of course, that retina display is also contributing to the new iPad running about 10 degrees hotter than previous versions, leading to reports that the tablet has been shutting down. Brings a whole new meaning to “crisp” resolution.

VentureBeat is holding its second annual MobileSummit this April 2-3 in Sausalito, Calif. The invitation-only event will debate the five key business and technology challenges facing the mobile industry today, and participants — 180 mobile executives, investors, and policymakers — will develop concrete, actionable solutions that will shape the future of themobile industry. You can find out more at our Mobile Summit site.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Early Bird Tickets on Sale

Apple announced today that it has sold three million new iPads since its launch on Friday, March 16 — the most iPads sold in a launch weekend yet.

The figure comes after earlier reports of “record” sales from both Apple and AT&T. It’s particularly impressive given the remaining iPad stock that many stores had on Friday. For example, I was able to snap up a new iPad around 11 a.m. on Friday by just strolling into my local Radio Shack.

It’s not at all shocking that the new iPad has sold so well. Reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, and the only reason why you wouldn’t want to buy one is if you’re a satisfied iPad 2 owner, don’t have $500 (minimum) to shell out, or if you just don’t care for tablets. If you’ve been holding out for a tablet, however, this is definitely the one to get — especially as the Android competition continues to look slim.

Apple never revealed launch sales for the iPad 2, though analysts placed it somewhere near 1 million units. The company also notably sold over 4 million iPhone 4S units when it launched last October.

The big upgrade in the new iPad is its high-resolution Retina display, which blows away the screen of its predecessors, and pretty much every other computer display for that matter.

As I wrote in my initial hands-on with the tablet, the Retina display finally gives the iPad a feature that you can’t find anywhere else. Few consumer computer monitors reach near the new iPad’s 2048 by 1536 resolution (Apple’s 27-inch Thunderbolt display is one of the few, but it’s still not as dense as the iPad). The screen is also far beyond the 1920 by 1080 resolution of HDTVs.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Early Bird Tickets on Sale

So you’ve got a shiny new iPad — now what? Given that the most significant upgrade this time around is its new Retina Display, we suggest diving into apps that will best show off the high-resolution screen.

Apple has wisely collected some choice apps optimized for the new iPad in iTunes, but it’s missed some really strong ones. We’ve collected some of our favorite apps, as well as the ones we think will look best when upgraded to the new iPad’s 2048 by 1536 pixel resolution.

Infinity Blade II

Epic’s sequel to its smash-hit Infinity Blade has been one of the best-looking apps on the iPad since it was first released. Now with its update for the new iPad, Epic’s graphical prowess has even more of a chance to shine. Infinity Blade II shows how the new iPad can seriously be considered a competitor to existing consoles. — $6.99

Solar Walk

Amateur astronomy junkies rejoice; the best space app on the iPad is now even better. Solar Walk contains a ton of information about our solar system, as well as detailed 3D models that really take advantage of the iPad’s Retina Display. — $2.99

iPhoto

Apple has finally ported its popular photo editing and management app to iOS. While it’s a bit late to the party, iPhoto still has a lot to offer some consumers thanks to its effects, multi-touch editing, and browsing features. — $4.99

Amazon Kindle

With the strongest e-book library around, Amazon made sure that its Kindle app was ready for the new iPad. In particular, the Kindle app will show how the new iPad makes text look extra-sharp (Apple says it’s sharper than reading a newspaper). The Retina Display may be good enough to tempt some consumers away from purchasing Amazon’s e-ink Kindles. — Free

Roambi Flow

Business data never looked this pretty. Mellmo launched its iPad app Roambi Flow last May in an attempt to bring the stodgy and boring world of business information into the stylish tablet era. While it was attractive from the start,  Roambi Flow will make your business data seem downright sexy on the new iPad. — Free (Viewer)

Reeder

Of the many news-reading apps on iOS, Reeder is by far the best. Now you’ll be able to keep track of all your RSS feeds (including Google Reader), with text that looks better than any of your other displays. — $4.99

Other notable apps

Here are a few other Retina Display-ready apps worth checking out:

• Evernote — Free
• IA Writer — $0.99
• Mass Effect Infiltrator – $6.99
• Galaxy on Fire 2 HD — $9.99

VentureBeat is holding its second annual Mobile Summit this April 2-3 in Sausalito, Calif. The invitation-only event will debate the five key business and technology challenges facing the mobile industry today, and participants — 180 mobile executives, investors, and policymakers — will develop concrete, actionable solutions that will shape the future of the mobile industry. You can find out more at our Mobile Summit site.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Early Bird Tickets on Sale

On Friday, stores around the world will be opening their doors to crowds of Apple fans, eager to be the first to swipe their frozen, grimy fingers across the glorious new iPad Retina display. The lines aren’t necessary, you can buy the devices online, but they’re an admirable feat of branding and marketing, and a display of just how hungry Apple fans are to have the latest gadget before anyone else.

If you’re planning on getting a new iPad tomorrow, here’s a guide to help you navigate the madness. The Apple Store isn’t the only game in town. Certified Apple Resellers will also have some units in stock, but the selection and inventory aren’t as dependable. I’d suggest calling ahead to find out how many units your reseller has before getting in line, but all stores (Target, Walmart, Best Buy, Verizon, AT&T, and Radio Shack) say they’re not allowed to share that information. Some won’t even receive shipments until tomorrow, including many smaller outlets such as college campus stores.

Pick your model (and your second choice, maybe third)

Before lining up, decide which iPad you plan on buying. Then, consider what features you’re flexible on since there’s a high chance that your dream configuration will be sold-out.

Color: It’s available in black or white — like anyone is admiring the back of your Retina-display iPad.

Size: New iPads are available in three memory sizes, 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB.

Price tag: Prices start at $499 for a 16GB Wi-Fi model and go all the way up to $829 for the 64GB with 4G model (data plan not included).

Connectivity: The new iPad with Wi-Fi + 4G LTE will be available on Verizon or AT&T. You don’t have to sign up for a data plan when you buy, but you do need to pick what company you’ll be using since each iPad is pre-configured to work with just one of them. If you know which carrier you want, you can go directly to one of its stores and avoid the longer Apple lines.

Trade-in: If you already have an old iPad, you can trade it in when you buy your new model at some sellers. Exact trade-in offers can vary a bit, but for the most part they seem to be competitive. Verizon, Target, and (as of Wednesday) Apple each have trade-in programs for iPads. eBay’s Instant Sale option is another way to sell your old iPad, and the site tells you how much the device is going for at auction. There are other reselling sites like Gazelle, or you can donate it to worthy organizations like Teach for America.

Location, location, location

Even though Apple Stores get all the attention, iPads are actually available at a variety of certified Apple Resellers in the U.S. Sure, the line outside of the Norman, Okla. Target won’t have the same exciting rock-concert feel, but it might be much shorter. On the other hand, small stores get shafted in the selection department — many don’t know what they’re getting or how many until the iPads arrive. Here are your options:

The Apple Store

Apple stores open at 8:00am local time, but people are already lined up. You can order online anytime, but there’s already a 2-3 week wait. Apple recently added iPads to its buy-back program, which pays with an Apple gift card. The estimated price for a 64GB iPad 2 with 3G is $320. You can calculate the price for your model on Apple’s site.

If you’re considering camping out overnight for an iPad instead of just buying it online, chances are you’re in it for the experience or are really hard-up for something to brag about. Apple Retail stores are the place to spend a few chilly hours stretching in place, drinking free coffee, being marketed to by clever companies who couldn’t pass up a captive crowd, and having sleepy conversations with interesting characters (pictured) and like-minded Apple fans.

If you want to be in line when the doors open but don’t want to do all that boring waiting, you can pay someone to wait in line for you. There are offers on eBay and Craigslist, like this person charging $100 for his spot in line at the Los Gatos Apple store (Steve Wozniak’s favorite location).

There are benefits to buying your new iPad in an Apple store. The lines are longest, but the stock is going to be much larger there than at other stores. The staff is also better trained on the product and will be extra knowledgeable and helpful. Apple says each in-store customer will receive a “personal setup” service — a nice addition for those who need extra assistance migrating from an old iPad or setting up their email and apps on an iPad for the first time.

The new iPad will be available at all Apple retail stores in 10 countries. From left to right: Canada, U.S., UK, France, Switzerland, Germany, Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan.

Find your nearest Apple store.

Verizon

Stores open at 8:00am local time, but online sales begin at 3:01am Eastern Time. Verizon only sells 4G LTE iPad models that work on the Verizon network, and you have to sign up for a Verizon plan on the spot to buy your iPad. Verizon accepts trade-ins, and offers $325 for a working iPad 2, 64GB with 3G.

Locate a local Verizon store.

AT&T

Stores open at 8am local time. AT&T is only selling 4G LTE iPad models that work on the AT&T network. The wireless carrier is requiring customers to purchase the minimum data plan, which is $25, along with the iPad. AT&T is not accepting trade-ins.

Find an AT&T location near you.

Best Buy

Making the most of the excitement, some 24-hour Best Buy locations will start selling the iPad at midnight. The New York City, Union Square location will begin handing out tickets to people in line at 10pm.

Like the other stores, Best Buy would not divulge how many units it had in stock. However, at least one Florida location has 2,000 iPads, which an armed store employee and accomplice attempted to steal Thursday, along with other Apple products totaling $1.3 million. The pair’s plan was thwarted when they were caught in the parking lot by an off-duty deputy.

Locate the Best Buy nearest you.

Walmart

Also beating Apple Retail to the punch, Walmart is opening its doors at 12:01am local time at its 24-hour locations. Walmart does offer a trade-in program online through Gazelle, but you’d have to wait for the gift card in the mail. You might as well just buy your iPad online.

Find the closest Walmart for some midnight madness.

Target

Stores open at 8am local time. Target may not be opening at midnight, but the company is rolling out the red carpet for iPad buyers. They’re offering a 5 percent discount to shoppers who use the Target credit card, and are accepting trade-ins on the spot. They’ve said a top-of-the-line iPad 2 can get as much as $350 towards a new iPad, which is about $20 more than most other locations. Exact inventory is, of course, unknown.

Use the Target store locator to find one in your area.

Radio Shack

Stores open at 8:00am, but pre-sales have already been available for weeks at some locations (they weren’t advertised). The most overlooked of the iPad retailers, Radio Shacks are supposed to have iPads in stock, but some have already pre-sold all of their units. The lines will be shortest here, but keep in mind that most Radio Shacks typically have a very limited numbers of iPads to begin with. For example, all locations in San Francisco had one shipment of just 50 to share, according to one Radio Shack employee.

Find a Radio Shack and hope nobody else thought of the same thing.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Early Bird Tickets on Sale

With one day left until Apple’s new iPad launches, review embargoes on the tablet have lifted, and geeks everywhere are getting their panties in a twist.

Not surprisingly, reviewers have gone head-over-heels for the new iPad’s ultra-high resolution Retina Display and its built-in 4G LTE capabilities. While there are other improvements in the tablet, like it’s quad-core graphics A5X chip and better camera, it’s the screen and LTE that steal the show as the most significant upgrades.

Apple’s new iPad goes on sale in stores at 8 a.m. Friday morning, and the wise shoppers who pre-ordered the tablet will also start receiving their shipments in time for the weekend.

Here’s Daring Fireball’s John Gruber on how the new iPad handles text:

Reading on the big retina display is pure joy. Going back to the iPad 2 after reading for a few hours on the iPad 3 is jarring. With bigger pixels, anti-aliased text looks blurry; with smaller pixels, anti-aliased text looks good; but with really small pixels like these, anti-aliased text looks impossibly good — and what you thought looked pretty good before (like text rendered on older iPads) now looks blurry.

Not everyone considers the new iPad a computing revolution though. David Pogue of the New York Times, who is often criticized for being a major Apple fan, didn’t think the tablet was a major upgrade over the iPad 2:

Really, the new iPad should have been called the iPad 2S. In the past, Apple added the letter S to iPhone models that weren’t exactly new but had been tastefully enhanced (iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4S). That’s exactly what’s going on with the new iPad. Its technical improvements keep it at the forefront of desirability — just ahead of the snapping jaws of its Android competition — but don’t take it in any new directions.

The Wall Street Journal’s Walt Mossberg was impressed with the iPad’s 4G LTE speed (and he wasn’t the only one):

On Verizon’s network in Washington and Austin, Texas, I averaged LTE download speeds of over 17 megabits per second, faster than most home wired networks. A colleague using a new iPad on AT&T’s LTE network averaged over 12 mbps. My iPad 2 running Verizon’s 3G network averaged just over 1 mbps.

For people who bought an iPad 2 in the past year, Joshua Topolsky at the Verge doesn’t think the new iPad is a must-have upgrade:

For owners of the iPad 2, this isn’t necessarily a slam dunk. While the updated features are boon to the new iPad, it doesn’t offer an experience that is significantly different from the previous version. If your screen never bothered you, and you never wanted a faster cellular connection or a better camera, there’s not a great argument to upgrade (especially considering many of you just shelled out for a new tablet less than a year ago).

Applications for the third generation iPad are getting bigger. That means even you, users of lesser iPad models, will have to give up storage space to support the tablet’s new high-def screen.

When the next iPad is released to the hounds on March 16, it will come with a fancy new display, twice the resolution of its predecessor. The screen is 2,048 by 1,536 pixels, with 264 pixels to an inch, which makes for much crisper image details. Because of this, apps are getting a graphics boost, meaning the apps are getting significantly bigger.

Vietnamese tech blog Tinhte first found the increased sizes, saying (translated by The Verge):

“The applications developed by Apple have been upgraded to support the Retina Display. For example Keynote was previously only 115MB but its latest version is 327MB. Numbers is up from 109MB to 283MB, Pages moves from 95MB to 269MB, and iMovie from 70MB to 404MB.”

That’s a huge increase and a potential suck on data storage in even the newest 16GB iPad. Because Apple wants apps in the App Store to work universally with any of its mobile devices, the company isn’t going to make an exception for the new display. We checked the App Store to see if the Pages app had actually increased to 269MB, and indeed it has.

It wouldn’t make sense for Apple to release applications that work with older iPad models, of course. The point is to push consumers toward the newer technology. That’s the same reason older Mac computers only accept operating system updates until their technology doesn’t make the cut anymore. But even if you leap for the newest iPad, storage on even the 16GB version is going to become precious.

The tablet’s display is causing ruffles in its supply chain as well. The Wall Street Journal’s sources are saying iPad display provider Sharp has been left out of this first shipment of tablets. Sharp was reportedly unable to meet Apple’s criteria before the shipment deadline but is continuing to make the screens for the next round, according to the Journal’s sources. Apple’s other two display producers, LG Display and Samsung, seem to have come through, despite some early delays from LG.

hat tip The Verge

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Early Bird Tickets on Sale

If you’re planning on getting the next generation of Apple’s iPad and haven’t already pre-ordered one, prepare to wait a little bit longer.

The company’s website has changed the expected shipping date for the new iPads from March 16 to March 19 in the U.S and 2 – 3 weeks in the U.K. This means Apple has completely sold through the initial stock of iPads intended for online pre-orders. I’m assuming the waiting time will increase again with this news hitting all the tech blogs.

So basically, if you want a new iPad on the launch date, you’ll have to wake up super early on March 16 to line up outside an Apple store or one of its authorized retail partners, such as Best Buy or Radio Shack.

While this version of the iPad doesn’t have a number attached to its name, it does have some notable upgrades. The biggest of these is probably the device’s “resolutionary” (yay puns!) high-definition Retina Display, which was previously only available on the iPhone 4 and 4S. It also features  impressive battery life and a more powerful A5X processor.

Have you pre-ordered a new iPad yet?

Photo of Apple senior vice president Phil Schiller by Heather Kelly/VentureBeat.

VentureBeat is holding its second annual MobileSummit this April 2-3 in Sausalito, Calif. The invitation-only event will debate the five key business and technology challenges facing the mobile industry today, and participants — 180 mobile executives, investors, and policymakers — will develop concrete, actionable solutions that will shape the future of themobile industry. You can find out more at our Mobile Summit site.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Early Bird Tickets on Sale

Apple is almost certainly going to unveil its next iPad at a media event on Wednesday, and by this point it seems like the juiciest upgrade — its incredibly high-resolution screen — is a given.

Still, there are plenty of other rumors about the iPad 3 (which could be called the iPad HD) that we’re keen on seeing confirmed or debunked. And more so than specs, it’ll be particularly interesting to see how Apple will contend with Windows 8, Microsoft’s ballsy attempt to unify tablets and desktops under a single new OS.

The reveal

Apple announced its iPad 3 event in the middle of the Mobile World Congress last week — a shrewd maneuver meant to deflect attention from the conference in Barcelona, and notably from key attendees like Google, Android tablet manufacturers, and Microsoft. The announcement certainly caused a stir at Mobile World Congress, though it didn’t dominate the conversation at the event as Apple fanboys would have you believe.

The invitation above was sent out to journalists, with a clear indication that it’s going to be an iPad-related event. Past Apple invites have hidden clever clues about the upcoming events, but so far nothing has been unearthed about this one. (One possibility might be to closely compare the icons above to the iPad 2, but the image isn’t high-resolution enough to tell us much.)

The not-so-secret high-res screen

When the iPad 1 was released, its 1024 by 768 display was definitely one of its weaker aspects. After all, that was a resolution commonly found in PC displays a full decade ago. Come the iPad 2, which shares the same low resolution, its display was shamed even further when compared to the iPhone 4′s Retina Display, which packs in an astounding 326 pixels per inch with its 960 by 640 pixel resolution.

So at this point, it seems like Apple has no choice but to bump up the iPad 3′s display to something resembling Retina quality. Word is that Apple is planning to include a 2048 by 1536 resolution display in the iPad 3, four times the resolution of the current iPad display.

Rumors surrounding the higher-resolution display, which will likely be dubbed “Retina Display” as well, have been floating around the web for over a year now. But the reports have become even more solid with evidence in Ars Technica’s server logs. MacRumors even took a purported iPad 3 display under a microscope and confirmed plenty of new pixels.

The higher-resolution display will not only make text and pictures sharper, it’ll also make the iPad 3 the only tablet to support 1080p high-definition at its full resolution (1920 by 1080). Android tablets have been sporting 720p HD displays (1280 by 720) for some time now, but if the reports are true, the iPad 3′s display will blow Android slates out of the water.

And as Ars Technica points out, the only readily available display to run such a crazy resolution now is a $5,000 NEC monitor meant for medical usage. It’s also worth noting that that NEC screen is 21.3-inches . At a mere 9.8″, the iPad 3 is squeezing all of those pixels into a much smaller screen, which means it will likely sport the sharpest display we’ve ever seen.

More horsepower under the hood

For the longest while, the rumor mill has been pointing to Apple using a new quad-core chip for the iPad 3, dubbed the A6. But a recent posting on a Chinese forum, which shows an A5X processor on an iPad logic board, says otherwise. The A5X is assumed to be a slight upgrade to the current dual-core A5 chip used in the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S.

I have no doubt that Apple is working on a quad-core A6 right now, as it’ll need such a chip to compete with the quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 and upcoming Qualcomm chips. The real question is if the A6 will be ready in time for the iPad 3.

Some have argued that Apple would need a quad-core chip to drive the iPad 3′s high resolution display, but Apple could still manage to eke out enough performance with an A5X chip to take care of that problem, especially if it added more RAM. And of course, it would be cheaper for Apple to produce a chip based on an existing design, rather than start churning out something entirely new.

We’re already seeing quad-core tablets on the Android side, but just like Apple’s choice to stick with its 3.5-inch design for the iPhone 4S in the face of massive Android phones, we don’t expect Apple to leap into the quad-core arena just because Google has.

LTE 4G (which will be a bigger deal than you think)

With LTE 4G service now readily available from Verizon and AT&T across the U.S., it makes sense for Apple to finally move beyond 3G with the iPad 3. And for many consumers, the addition of ultra-fast 4G connectivity on an iPad would be far more appealing than a quad-core CPU. You can feel the speed of 4G instantly, whereas the benefits of a quad-core CPU aren’t nearly as immediate.

The iPad is already a magical device to consumers, but the addition of an always-on 4G network as fast (and in some cases faster) than their home broadband would make it seem downright miraculous.

More so than the 4G smartphones on the market, the iPad 3 could end up being the killer LTE device that AT&T and Verizon have been praying for.

And what of Windows 8?

Even though Microsoft has tried and failed with tablets several times (remember the Ultra-mobile PC fiasco?), it looks like the company has finally figured things out this time around — so much so that I think it can teach Google a thing or two about tablets.

Apple has been slowly trying make Mac OS X more iOS-like, especially in the latest Mountain Lion release, but with Windows 8 Microsoft has the advantage of offering tablets that can do everything a Windows desktop can.

Despite all of its keyboard docks and other accessories, that’s an experience Apple can’t yet offer with the iPad — even with the addition of a nicer screen. You can certainly argue that it’s better for Apple to focus entirely on the mobile experience with the iPad, but it’s clear that there’s a convergence afoot between the mobile and desktop worlds.

Thanks to the rise of smartphones and tablets, we want to touch and swipe all the screens we come across. Windows 8 is ready for a world where laptops and desktops sport touch screen displays, and where the difference between an ultraportable laptop and a tablet are negligible.

Microsoft’s Windows 8 tablet plans could still flame out entirely, but at least it’s looking to where the industry is headed, instead of futilely trying to catch up with the status quo.

Other expected updates

The iPad 3 is expected to launch with the latest iOS release, iOS 5.1. And with a high-resolution screen, it’d make sense for Apple to dramatically improve the iPad 3′s camera. I’m expecting a 5 or 8 megapixel shooter that can record 1080p video on the rear, and an improved front-facing camera capable of 720p HD video.

Tune in on Wednesday for more

VentureBeat will be reporting live from Apple’s iPad 3 event on Wednesday, so keep your eyes peeled for the official announcements and analysis.

VentureBeat is holding its second annual MobileSummit this April 2-3 in Sausalito, Calif. The invitation-only event will debate the five key business and technology challenges facing the mobile industry today, and participants — 180 mobile executives, investors, and policymakers — will develop concrete, actionable solutions that will shape the future of themobile industry. You can find out more at our Mobile Summit site.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Early Bird Tickets on Sale

What better way to come off the long weekend than with a bunch of Apple rumors? It looks like the iPad 3 may be getting a bit of junk in the trunk, while the iPhone 5 could be another fall release for Apple.

The Chinese tech blog M.I.C. Gadget received an early production version of the iPad 3′s rear case from “reliable sources,” which shows that the new tablet will have even more tapered edges than the iPad 2 and will also be around 1-1.5mm thicker.

Apple was likely forced to increase the iPad 3′s thickness to fit in some new hardware, like the higher resolution Retina Display (which was semi-confirmed by counting pixels on an early production display), improved camera, and possible inclusion of LTE 4G technology. The iPad 3 is rumored to sport a new quad-core A6 processor from Apple, though a recent posting on a Chinese forum says otherwise, thanks to a picture of a purported iPad 3 logic board with an “A5X” chip. Judging by Apple’s naming conventions, the A5X (if it exists) is most likely a slightly faster version of the dual-core A5 on the iPad 2.

According to the most recent rumors, the iPad 3 is expected to launch on March 7.

As for the iPhone 5, it seems that Apple may be settling on fall as its new season for iPhone releases, according to the Japanese tech blog Macotakara. The site, which has been accurate in the past about Apple rumors, also cites “reliable sources” for its information. I wouldn’t be too surprised if the iPhone 5 does land during the fall, because it wouldn’t make much sense for Apple to cut into the iPhone 4S’ life cycle. People are still hot for the iPhone 4S, and Apple will want to milk that demand for all it’s worth.

Via ZDNet; Image via M.I.C. Gadget

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Early Bird Tickets on Sale

Rumors have been swirling around that Apple‘s iPad 3 will be outfitted with a coveted high-resolution Retina display.

One of these displays for an iPad 3 unit may have made it into hands outside Apple’s supply chain.

MacRumors allegedly has a Retina display (shown on right) that belongs to the iPad 3, which is still in production. The display measures 9.7 inches, which falls in line with the first and second iPad models.

After inspecting it with a microscope, MacRumors determined that the screen has a resolution twice as good as the current 2048 x 1536-pixel resolution seen on the iPad and iPad 2. The resolution was calculated by looking at pixel swatches taken from the iPad 2 and purported iPad 3 screens. Four pixels from the iPad 2 screen fit inside the swatch, whereas 16 pixels from the new display fit into a swatch of the samesize (shown below).

The iPad 3 is rumored to be released on March 7. It’s also thought to sport a faster processor and graphics chip.

It’s hard to hang your hat on many Apple rumors, particularly after the October iPhone 5 miss, when Apple actually launched the iPhone 4S to many Apple fans’ chagrin. However, the idea that the iPad 3 would have a screen upgrade is not a far-fetched assumption.

New information from Apple’s recently launch Messages Beta application for OS X may indicate that the company plans to upgrade its line of Mac computers with a beautiful Retina Display.

The Retina Display offers a much better screen resolution for displaying images, HD video, and more. It’s currently only used on the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, but we have heard rumors that the next generation iPad will also sport a Retina Display.

The reason some think Mac computers will also get the Retina Display treatment has to do with the iOS-like “@2x modifier” support for images within the developer resources of Apple’s Messages Beta app, according to Macrumors. On Apple’s iOS mobile operating system, developers can use this to enable high-pixel density images to take full advantage of the Retina Display.

I’m a bit skeptical of Apple adding a Retina Display to any of its Macs, if not only because the company just released a new $999 27-inch Thunderbolt Display with a 2560-by-1440 screen resolution. Giving Macs a Retina Display would make them superior to the Thunderbolt Display’s screen. However, if Apple did decide to go this route I’d expect the only model to get the Retina Display treatment would be the MacBook Air. A better screen may help some consumers justify the higher price of the Air over other MacBooks. At the same time, the Air wouldn’t cannibalize sales of Apple’s MacBook Pro, iMac, or Thunderbolt Display.

But putting that aside, this information could have something to do with Apple’s initiative to bring its main operating system more in line with iOS. Since the full release of Messages isn’t due out until the release of Mountain Lion OS X, it’s possible that Apple is trying to get developers to make one single application that can be used on a variety of devices rather than making separate versions of each.

What do you think about Apple adding a Retina Display to Macs? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Early Bird Tickets on Sale

Both Apple and Samsung are hard at work tackling the next big innovation in tablets: higher resolution screens that can match the pixel fidelity of the iPhone 4′s Retina Display.

And both companies are apparently gearing up to show off their new high-res tablets in February, according to rumors from Boy Genius Report and Citi analyst Richard Gardner.

That timing makes a certain amount of sense for Apple: The iPad 2 was announced this past March, and the original iPad was introduced in late January 2010 and made available for pre-order in March 2010. Samsung released its new Galaxy Tab 10.1 in June, so it’s feasible the company will have something new to show off come February.

A “trusted source” tells BGR that the new Samsung slate will feature an 11.6-inch screen with a massive 2560 by 1600 resolution. In comparison, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 sports a 1280 by 800 display (which allows it to support 720p high-definition video), while the iPad 2 features a measly 1024 by 768 resolution. The more pixels, the better — that’s why the iPhone 4 and 4S screens look so much better than most other phones.

While the screen is bigger, Samsung’s source says the new tablet won’t feel that much bigger than the Galaxy Tab 10.1. It’s said to be powered by a dual-core 2 gigahertz and Android 4.0. BGR believes it will be announced at the 2012 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, which begins on February 27.

Less is known about the next iPad, which will likely be called the iPad 3. Gardner notes that it’ll feature a screen with double the resolution of the current model, but that’s been rumored for some time now. He attributed the February release date to “several sources,” but it’s unclear just how reliable those sources are.