ipad

Apple was quick to obsolete the "new" chip in the third-generation Retina iPad -- not to mention the iPad itself. So the question is, why so fast?

But before we answer that question, let's look at some of the improvements. Apple says the A6X "delivers up to twice the CPU [central processing unit] and graphics performance of the A5X chip" -- the A5X being the processor Apple just announced back in March when it rolled out the first Retina iPad.

A lot of that improvement comes from the goodness of Apple's new A6 chip … Read more

Well, it's official. Apple today announced the iPad Mini, a 7.9-inch version of its immensely popular iPad.

Available beginning November 2, the $329 device should be a top-seller this holiday season. In fact, it's a safe bet that the iPad Mini will join products such as the Kindle Fire HD, Nook HD, and Nexus 7 in winning big sales. But, considering this space is already so crowded, just how will the iPad Mini directly affect Android tablets, and in what capacity?

A pricier point As is the case with other Apple products, the iPad Mini is priced … Read more

The Apple event today went mostly as we expected. We got the iPad Mini we were expecting (though the fourth-generation iPad was a surprise), we got a new MacBook Pro and a new iMac, and we heard a lot about the many millions of iThings that have been sold (if you made a drinking game hinging upon the word "millions" at an Apple event, you'd have passed out in the first 30 minutes). As a software reviewer, however, I have to say there wasn't very much for me to talk about.

We heard a little bit … Read more

Though it's typical that the youngest and littlest sibling gets all the attention, he or she isn't always the favorite member of the family. The same can be said for the iPad Mini. In addition to the competition it faces with non-Apple tablets, the fun-size iPad still has some big shoes to fill from its own lineage.

To find out what's new and what stayed the same, we fashioned this handy comparison chart to see how the iPad Mini stacks up against its own siblings -- the recently announced fourth-generation iPad and the new iPad, which was … Read more

Just got a third-gen iPad? Apple might be willing to exchange it.

In an unexpected move, Apple refreshed its 10-inch iPad today, leaving many third-generation iPad owners groaning at a suddenly subpar device.

Apple customers like Roger Cheng have (until now) slept soundly knowing that any Apple product purchased is the "latest and greatest" for at least one year. Today, Apple killed that notion.

Considering the fourth-generation iPad offers relatively incremental upgrades, not all iPad owners will be peeved. However, if you know you'll lose sleep over the iPad you purchased less than one month ago, you'… Read more

After dominating the larger tablet market it popularized, Apple has turned its attention to the slightly smaller screen. The 7.9-inch iPad Mini has Apple's attention to style and detail behind it, but it certainly isn't the only slate of this stature that's worth considering, especially with the Mini's stepped-down processor and screen resolution.

When you line up the specs and the intangibles, which tablet has the upper hand: the iPad Mini, the Asus-made Google Nexus 7 (an original Android 4.1 Jelly Bean device), or the Amazon Kindle Fire HD? … Read more

The day has finally come. Apple is delivering an iPad Mini with a starting price tag of $329.

The new device, a 7.9-inch version of the 10-inch iPad tablet, goes on sale Friday and ships on November 2, Apple announced from the California Theatre in San Jose, Calif. The $329 iPad Mini will have 16GB of storage and will be Wi-Fi only.

The industry has been speculating about the once-fabled tablet since 2009, even before Apple released the full-sized iPad. Despite the late Steve Jobs' insistence that consumers … Read more

A video making the rounds this morning appears to show someone with an iPad Mini measuring and inspecting the device.

While it's not known for certain if such a device even exists, it's widely expected that Apple will unveil a smaller version of its mega-hit tablet at an event in Silicon Valley later this morning. (CNET's live blog is happening right now.)

In the video, which was reported on by 9to5Mac, we see someone with what appears to be Apple's new tablet. He measures it and shows off its various ports -- including one for the … Read more

Once again risking the wrath of Apple, HardCandy Cases has announced an iPad Mini case in advance of Apple's press conference today. Apple typically doesn't like when other companies trot out accessories ahead of its hardware unveils, so HardCandy clearly feels the publicity benefits outweigh the repercussions.

The $49.95 case is in HardCandy's ShockDrop line, and while rumors and leaked photos strongly suggest Apple will debut a smaller iPad today, it's unclear what it will be called or whether HardCandy's new case will fit whatever Apple product is introduced.

This is not the first … Read more