Judging from initial reviews, it looks as if the iPad Air is just as much a massive leap from the iPad as the MacBook Air was to the Macbook. Apple has challenged itself to produce something fresh, after recent iPads have more or less stayed the same,with the 4th-generation actually being bigger and thicker than its predecessor. Apple wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice – and the iPad Air certainly delivers.

Basics

• 2048 x 1536 (Retina) 9.7-inch display
• 16GB, 32GB, 64GB and 128GB
• A7 processor
• 802.11n dual-channel Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
• 10 hours general use Wi-Fi surfing, 9 hours on cellular
• Starts at $499 (Released on online stores November 1st)

On the plus side, the sheer size of this thing is tremendous (ly small). In comparison to its older brother, it’s got a 43 percent smaller bezel, a 20 percent thinner case, making it 28 percent lighter. It weighs only 450 grams – which means that this state of the art piece of technology, with the full 9,7 inch display weighs as much as your average Pick ‘n Pay cucumber.

The screen on the iPad Air is a Retina display, which means that from an average viewing distance, you shouldn’t be able to see any pixels. While the screen isn’t as fantastic as the new iPad mini, with a pixel density of ‘only’ 264 PPI – you shouldn’t really be able to tell much of a difference.

The new pad is also much more powerful, with a crazy A7 64-bit processor and M7 motion coprocessor to boot. There’s also some dual microphones to help out with sound quality on audio and video FaceTime calls, and the motion coprocessor means that you’ll start to see more activity tracking built into the iPad, too.

Simply put, the new iPad Air is totally rad – but it might face some stiff competition from the iPad mini, which is able to be smaller and just as powerful with an even better screen.

Too many choices. Damn you, Apple.

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[Source : Tech Crunch]