I have the iPad for more than a year now. I resisted all the new features that comes with iPad 2 and put myself off buying iPad 2. So, when this new iPad (3) came out, I couldn't resist buying this one. I bought the 16 gb model with wifi only as I don't tend to use my iPad when I'm out and about. Besides, these days wifi spots are pretty common and the connection speed of wifi reigns over 4G. Also, it saves me money as I don't have to pay for 4G which I may or may not use. I got a 3% student discount, which is not much but every little things count.


Appearance alone is enough to win me over, especially my previous iPad is the generation one. It's very similar to iPad 2, which my mum has. It's not as light as iPad 2 but the weight isn't that much of an issue with me. One thing I have a problem is finding the smart cover. I've tried to use the smart cover for iPad 2 but it doesn't work; this is because, as I gathered from my quick online research, the magnet position is different between iPad 2 and 3. So, just take care when buying smart covers because they can just be covers without the smart bit.


The new and improved Retina display is really wonderful. The images are crystal clear and this makes videos, photos and even general online viewing much better experience. The LED-backlit display is really good as well, and I also like the fact that the brightness level can now be controlled much more finely. This makes it so much easier to read in lowly lit places; the brightness of iPad 1 is less controllable and it hurts my eyes after reading for more than 2 hours.


Another improvement is that the new iPad has that Dual-core Apple A5X that promises better speed and quality to processing, so this comes in handy for gaming and videos and so on. This combines with 5-megapixel iSight camera makes shooting videos and taking photos so much better. These days I don't worry if I forget my camera at home because iPad is a good substitute for camera and camcorder for amateurs.


As for the battery, it is a lot better than iPad 1 but the quality is about the same as iPad 2. Since I tend to charge regularly I don't have a problem with battery life. However, the battery gets used up quickly if I'm using high brightness level, listening to music and reading books at the same time.


Another interesting feature of this iPad is that it has dictation function, which is part of the Siri range. I've tried using it just for fun and testing purposes, I would say it works to a good extent. However, I rarely use dictation as I prefer to type this by hand. Besides, it is a bit awkward to speak to my iPad in a crowded place.


All in all, I'm really enjoying my new iPad. It certainly is a lot more expensive than other tablets on the market; to be honest, it's even more expensive than my 32 inch LED TV. Nevertheless, it's a great experience and the iPad is so versatile. It can't substitue a laptop for my university work, but it does a great job for everything else. I'd say this product is a very good temptation.


Thank you for reading. :) x