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You're the Pundit: Does your iPad 3 make your Mac look fat?
When it comes to forecasting the next big thing, we turn to our secret weapon: the TUAW braintrust. We put the question to you and let you have your go at it. Today's topic is the new iPad's retina display. Does your Mac look less beautiful because of the iPad Retina display? Is the iPad's new hotness making your computer old and world weary? You tell us. Place your vote in this poll and then join in the comments with all your predictions. %Poll-74126% No actual Fat Macs were hurt in the creation of this post. TUAW is a strong supporter of the ethical treatment of personal computing devices.
Apple updates iTunes Movie Trailers app to work with the Retina Display
Apple released an iTunes Movie Trailers app last year, so you could watch movie trailers from iTunes directly on your iPad, and that app has just been updated with the ability to stream movies at a higher resolution (probably around 1080p, since that's the usual format for these things, but we can't be sure). This way, they'll look even better on the Retina Display of your new iPad. You can go right now, and watch movie trailers like The Avengers, Prometheus, and more over there for free.
Apple updates iTunes Movie Trailers app, lets your Retina watch high-res teasers
Following in the steps of apps like Kindle, Evernote, Vimeo and most recently Netflix, Apple's Movie Trailers app has been on the receiving end of a Retina-friendly refresh. Version 1.1 doesn't reveal any other changes besides the 2048 x 1536 compatibility, which should be more than enough reasons to make you a happy camper. Now you'll be able to drool over The Avengers teaser over and over in 1080p -- a well-deserved retreat after flicking through your stack of CMX-HD books. The resolutionary app is up for grabs now, and you can get it straight from your shiny new iPad or via the source link below.
High-res Mountain Lion art could point to Retina Macs in 2012
Apple developers test-driving the latest Mountain Lion (10.8) release may have noticed some higher-res graphics erroneously popping up in "unexpected places," such as the double-size phone icon that appears alongside an audio chat invitation in Messages. One such dev reported his findings to Ars Technica, as you can see evidenced in the graphic above. This mild slip-up could imply that Apple plans to release Macs with high-density displays later this year, or, at the very least, that Mountain Lion will be Retina-ready. High-res support dates back to OS X Lion, which is reportedly equipped to play nice with HiDPI displays, should they eventually become available. Compatible icons are but a second piece of the puzzle, which could be completed to the tune of deliciously dense 2880 x 1800 (or higher) resolution 15-inch LCDs. Wouldn't you love to see that.
Shocker: Windows 8 will be 'retina' display friendly
We suppose Microsoft didn't have to make Windows 8 play nice with the new rash of extremely pixel-dense displays. But, that would be tantamount to OS suicide. So, we're not particularly surprised to hear that the latest and greatest Windows will support resolutions up to 2560 x 1440 on screens as small as 10.1 inches. That's a pretty impressive 291 pixels per inch. Of course, it's not quite as simple as it sounds. While in an ideal world, every UI element would be resolution independent, that's simply not the case and the infrastructure isn't there to support it. Instead graphical elements, including text, must be scaled to fill the available pixels. Microsoft's scheme will use 100 percent for standard density displays, 140 for HD and 180 for quad-XGA panels. Thankfully, the company was smart enough to include support for SVG files as UI elements, meaning that density and resolution independent future is at least one step closer. For loads more details hit up the source link.
Netflix iPad app upgraded with Retina quality icons and images now, HD video soon
Now that the third generation iPad has hit the streets even more apps are pushing out upgrades for its high-res display, and among the latest is Netflix. Version 2.1.1 adds not only high-res artwork but also fixes for VoiceOver, improved playback on external displays and other more minor tweaks. Better yet, for when you're actually watching your movies and old TV shows, the official Twitter account promises HD video streaming is on the way. Not rocking one of the fruit logo-branded tablets yet? You still may notice some changes, as HackingNetflix points out the homepage has been revamped once again recently, with a design that feels smoother and faster, featuring a floating red bar that follows as you scroll down. However, as Netflix giveth, Netflix taketh away, and streaming-only customers have lost the ability to even view or rate DVD-only titles in this new version. Take a peek at the latest changes for yourself and let us know in the comments below how they strike you.
Netflix updates iPad app for Retina display
Updated to clarify that the app changes affect UI elements only, not video quality. Netflix has rolled out the Retina-ready version of its video streaming app for the iPad. You can grab it for free from iTunes. The video service requires a minimum $7.99 monthly subscription. Of course, the iPad's display is actually much higher resolution than even an HD video stream -- there's no change to the streaming quality in this build (Netflix says HD streaming is coming soon) but at least the app's interface elements will look razor-sharp. New feature list: - Improved artwork for new iPad Retina Display - Fixed VoiceOver support - Improved playback on external displays - Numerous fixes and stability improvements
New iPad uses Retina graphics assets for upscaling
Touch Arcade noticed something interesting about the new iPad that you might not have seen yet. Specifically, it uses Retina Display graphics meant for the iPhone 4 and 4S displays when doubling the size of non-universal iPhone apps. This is a small use case these days, as many popular apps are universal. But there are still a few apps without dedicated iPad compatibility built in, and the new iPad will now use the Retina-style graphics when pixel doubling the image. The screenshot above is a representation of what it looks like. You'd only be able to see the real difference on a new iPad's display. The upscaled graphics still aren't as perfect as full-sized iPad graphics, but they look much better than the original iPhone-sized versions, especially when spread across the new iPad's big screen. This means even apps that aren't designed for your iPad (but have built-in compatibility for a Retina Display) will look much better than they did before.
Comics iPad app gets Retina-friendly update, 'POW!' bubbles now much POWier
ComiXology is usually keeping up with the latest-and-greatest, and it's doing so yet again by rapidly updating its Comics app to meet the new iPad's Retina-sized needs. In addition to the CMX-HD comic books coming to the 2048 x 1536 screen, the updated application also includes novel social sharing features via Twitter, Zuck's network and email. Among other bits worth noting are a handful of nondescript bug fixes as well as stability improvements. Best of all, the refresh won't cost you a dime and it's available now in the App Store, linked just below for your convenience.
TiVo iOS app updated to v1.9 with a few new features, Android tablet app on the way
The TiVo iOS app has been updated v1.9, and whether you're on iPad or iPhone there's a slew of new fixes and tweaks available. On both platforms, the Facebook login has been streamlined, there's To Do List / Season Pass management for Series3 DVRs, ability to create a WishList search and more. The iPad version features a new full-screen Browse UI (shown above) and collapsible folders while the iPhone receives high res retina display quality images. Zatz Not Funny mentions those higher quality pics will come to the iPad as well in the next few weeks, while TiVo's blog post mentions all of these features will arrive in its Android app(s) this summer. We say apps plural, because that's including a specialized Tablet version due in the springtime. For now however, the changelogs for the iOS versions are available at the links below.Update: Just an FYI, the official TiVo app for Android has also been updated, adding support for more resolutions, an exit button in the menu and unspecified performance and stability fixes.
The trouble with universal apps and the new iPad
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to afford a new iPad yet (nor have I had time to drool over one at the Apple Store), but I've heard from many of you just how amazing that Retina display is. I'm not surprised. The iPhone's transition to the Retina was great, and it must be even better on a larger scale. Of course, there's a tradeoff for having graphics that look this great in a universal app. Developer Justine Pratt has run through a few of the pros and cons of going universal. The most obvious drawback is app size. Those bigger graphics take up more space, and for many graphics-heavy applications, that could put them over the cellular data download limit (now at 50 MB). Universal apps specifically are taking this hit, even if they're not running with the new iPad-sized graphics on the iPhone hardware. There are good reasons to stick with universal as well, of course. Customers like apps that run on both devices. Given how different iPhone and iPad versions of an app can be, a universal often feels like getting two apps for the price of one. But each developer has to decide for themselves whether universal is the right way to go or not. In the past, universal was almost a no brainer, but I think as more and more devs figure out just what the differences are in the experience on the iPad and the iPhone, we'll see more and more devs (with limited resources, at least) choosing to split their apps up and run them device only more often.
The new iPad: are you buying one?
Today is the day many have been patiently, or not so patiently, waiting for. The new iPad saunters onto shelves around much of the globe, and into the sweaty palms of the "gotta-have-its." So, were you dazzled by that display? Or tempted by the LTE and new graphics chip? Maybe you're upgrading, or treating the partner (by treating yourself)? Perhaps you were hoping for the rumored smaller device, or just gotta have something Android. Whatever camp you fall into we want to know about it, tell us via the poll below!%Poll-73971%
Star Walk and Solar Walk updated for the new iPad Retina display
The highly rated astronomy iPad apps from Vito Technology have updates that allow them to display the heavens and our solar system in dazzling high definition for owners of the new iPad. Star Walk (US $4.99) is a fully animated guide to the night sky with a database of more than 20,000 objects. With the Retina display update, everything from details to the amount of items displayed on-screen at once is dramatically increased. Star Walk has also added more than 200,000 objects on screen, compared to 10,000 on the original iPad and iPad2. There are also new high resolution pictures of the day. Solar Walk (US $2.99) is an interactive 3D model of the Solar System. Using your fingers on the iPad screen you can explore the surfaces of planets, change your position to create your own eclipses, and even see man-made satellites orbiting our earth. I don't have the new iPad to test these apps, but the older versions were just stunning, and especially nice when you display them on a large monitor. These versions will be even more spectacular. Our Victor Agreda does have the app on the new iPad and he reports the interface is smooth as silk on the new versions and that moving around is more responsive than ever, but some texturing on the 3D models could use enhancement. Vito Technology is also offering a contest to win a new iPad if you are willing to follow them on Twitter. Details are available on the Company website.
Under the microscope: a closer look at the new iPad
Sure, you can take us on our word that the new iPad really is that much sharper than its predecessor -- or, you can opt for a more scientific approach, and peek at that Retina display under a microscope. Our own Richard Lai slid his 64GB WiFi iPad under a USB scope, going far beyond the naked eye for a close-up look at those gorgeous high-density subpixels. As you can imagine, it's impossible to distinguish one dot from the next when you're looking at a cool three million pixels packed tightly within a 9.7-inch slab, but that view clears up quite nicely under a 230x microscope. What you'll see is that those tiny red, green and blue dots are now significantly smaller, when compared to the iPad 2. That means text that's easily legible without a pinch, smooth icons and far sharper pictures. There's a dramatic improvement for sure, but is that new display alone enough to justify the upgrade for you? A quick click through the gallery below should help clear things up.Richard Lai contributed to this report.
The new iPad's display compared to others under the microscope
Image: Shutterstock.com I keep squinting at my new iPad, trying to see the pixels, but no dice. Luckily, Ignore the Code rounded up some microscope imagery of the new iPad's screen and compared them to other devices. Something that surprised me was the quality of the PlayBook's screen. But the density of the Retina Display is truly something you have to see for yourself in action -- it is magical. Check out the images at Ignore the Code if you're interested in how those displays look so good.
Kindle, Evernote, Vimeo and more get optimized for the iPad's Retina display
As we saw the iPhone 4's release, a massive bump in screen resolution means that plenty of apps need to be updated to fully take advantage of all those extra pixels, and today has seen a few big name ones get optimized for the new iPad's Retina display. The biggest of those is Amazon's Kindle app, which now promises sharper fonts than ever, along with a few other changes including the ability to switch between books stored on your device and in the cloud. Also getting a Retina-friendly update is Evernote, which offers improved text editing in addition to the display tweak, plus the otherwise unchanged Vimeo, and Weather Pro, which now boasts high-resolution maps. Of course, those are just among the first of many -- we're guessing you won't have to wait too long for most of your favorites to be similarly updated.Update: Twitter for iOS and Infinity Blade II (pic after the break) are also among the apps getting high res iPad makeovers just in time, let us know in the comments below about any others that appear.
Amazon Kindle app updated for Retina display
Several of the reviews of the new iPad were critical of apps that hadn't yet been updated for the ultra-sharp Retina display. For example, New York Times tech pundit David Pogue wrote that "After enjoying the freakishly sharp text in Mail and Safari, you'll be disappointed in the relatively crude type in, for example, the non-updated Amazon Kindle app. (Amazon says that a Retina-ready update is in the works)". Well, the Amazon Kindle app (free) has been updated, which should make Pogue and the rest of those who were grumbling quite happy. That's not the only change to the app. According to the update note, there's also a new library design (images below) where you can choose to view your library in a grid view. Any library view can be quickly toggled between cloud view -- which shows all of your book purchases -- and device view, which is used to display only those books that have been downloaded to your iPad or iPhone. While we won't be able to show you images of the high-resolution text in a Kindle ebook until tomorrow, it's good to know that Amazon updated the app prior to the mass release of the new iPad.
New iPad inventory shipments spotted at Best Buy, backroom eye-candy until Friday
If you somehow haven't heard, Apple's new iPad officially goes on sale this Friday. As such, it's not surprising to find out that at least one US Best Buy location has already received its stock of the Retina display-loaded slates. Thanks to an anonymous tipster, we've received photos showing short-stacks of the pads just waiting to be given new homes. If you'll recall, Apple's online store has already sold out of its arrival day shipment stock for home delivery, with newer orders now set to go out on the 19th. That said, if you haven't reserved one and have to it come March 16th, you'll likely have another option for a retail camping adventure aside from your local Apple, AT&T and Verizon stores.[Thanks, Anonymous]
Apple prepping web images for iPad Retina display
AppleInsider is reporting that portions of Apple.com have been upgraded to take advantage of the new iPad's Retina display and HiDPI screens. So far, the changes have been made to the home page and iPad portions of the site. AppleInsider has several comparison shots made in normal version, the bottom screenshot above, and with HiDPI, enabled in OS X 10.7.3.
New iPad spotted in the wild, unboxing photos and video in tow
Did Apple actually release a new iPad with LTE and a Retina Display last week? Or did it waft hallucinogens at us while we liveblogged, making us see only what we wanted to see? These doubts should be quashed when the third-gen tablet starts reaching consumers who are too populous to drug effectively. Fortunately, that process has already started, with some folks over in Vietnam claiming they've got hold of the retail version of the new iPad and posting evidence to prove it. Wander over to the video after the break and the images at the source link to catch a glimpse of what your pre-order might look like when it solidifies into reality.[Thanks, Duonglv]
