New 'iPad 3': what's in it for business travellers?

Looking for a fast and hype-free update on the third-generation iPad – which Apple chose not to call the iPad 3 or even the rumoured 'iPad HD', just 'new iPad'?

We love travel-friendly tech at Australian Business Traveller, and many of the team tote an iPad as their tablet of choice.

But to be honest, there doesn't seem much in the new iPad for the Aussie business traveller to get excited about once the new iPad lands here on Friday March 16.

Retina Display

Yes, the new higher-than-HD 'Retina Display' inherited from the iPhone 4 packs four times as many pixels per square inch as the first two iPads. So it makes everything look prettier.

That, and the inherent support for playing Full HD 1080p videos, is all very nice and quite likely jaw-dropping in real life, but it's hardly a deal-breaker unless you're into games and a lush graphics experience.

5 megapixel camera

See above. Pretty but also in our book pretty useless from a business perspective, unless you're using the iPad to shoot onsite videos – such as at a client project or a trade show booth – which require better-than-iPad quality after the final edit.

Dual-core A5X 1.5GHz processor

In plain English, the iPad's pepped-up powerplant is now faster – way faster – which makes for more responsive apps and app switching.

Not than anybody complained the iPad 2 was too slow. The new processor is really there to drive the higher-resolution Retina Display without making the rest of the software take a hit.

4G mobile broadband

Well, kinda sorta. The new iPad's '4G LTE' (Long Term Evolution) technology is built for American phone networks and their shift to 4G services on the 700MHz and 2100MHz bands.

But Apple's iPad specs page doesn't list the 1800MHz frequency used by Telstra to roll out its Australian 4G network. And while Optus has earmarked 700MHz for its own 4G play, that won't be available until 2015 at the earliest (by which time we'll be looking at a sixth-generation iPad, based on Apple's annual refresh).

There's still some upside in the new iPad: while still running on on the standard 3G / Next G bands it now comes with the same 'dual channel HSPA+' technology which Telstra uses to deliver blitzing Next G speeds of around 20Mbps in the CBD.

If you rely heavily on your iPad for real mobile broadband when you're out and about in the city, this new iPad will fit the bill. (Note that prices for the 'WiFi + 4G' model start at $679 with 16GB of memory.)

iPad 2 now priced from $429

In some ways, the best thing about the third-gen iPad is that it makes the second-gen iPad 2 an even better deal.

Apple is keeping the iPad 2 as its entry-level tablet with a slashed price tag to match. The basic 16GB WiFi model now sells for $429, down from $579; the cheapest WiFi + 3G iPad 2 is now $569, down from $729.

Those prices are effective from today, so if you've been hanging onto your original iPad in the hope that the iPad 3 would be Your Next iDevice – but come away from today's launch a little underwhelmed – you can step up to an iPad 2 and get a better deal in the process.

How to save 10% on the iPad 2 or 'new iPad' 3

Don't forget that when buying your iPad in Australia you can get a 10% rebate on the GST sales tax by using the Tourist Refund Scheme or TRS.

Created for tourists but also available to locals, the TRS provides a full GST refund issued at any Australian international airport.

Read our Tourist Refund Scheme Explained article for more details.

 

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