Like: The Retina Display

Like: The Retina Display

 Apple’s Retina Display has been a big hit on the iPhone and the iPod Touch. And now, it’s coming to the new iPad. According to Apple, the new iPad’s Retina Display will be the most impressive screen we’ve seen yet, and something that could put all other tablet makers far behind. Chances are that Apple will be spot-on with that prediction.

Dislike: The Same Old Design

 Apple’s new iPad comes with the same, basic design as its predecessor, the iPad 2. It’s unfortunate. Apple had the chance to deliver a unique new design with its new iPad, but instead decided to keep things as-is. It was a mistake.

Like: iOS 5.1

 When Apple launched iOS 5 last year, just about everyone was happy to see it arrive. It delivered a host of enhancements that improved usability and security. With the new iPad, Apple has launched iOS 5.1, which, like its predecessor, delivers design and security enhancements. It’s not a major step up, but it’s a notable one, for sure.

Dislike: Same Storage

 In a world where digital music, movies and other entertainment content is being bundled with tablets, isn’t it time that Apple offer up more storage than just 64GB? Apple should have launched a 128GB new iPad, alongside its other options. At this point, having anything less than 32GB makes no sense.

Like: The A5X

 The A5X is not the A6 processor, which everyone was hoping to see in the new iPad, but it’s a significant jump over the iPad 2’s A5. The A5X comes with quad-core graphics and dual-core CPU performance, enhancing battery life but improving gaming and application capabilities. It’s a nice addition.

Dislike: Not Quite Siri

 Apple has added voice dictation to the new iPad, but don’t for a minute think it’s Siri. For now, Siri is still exclusive to the iPhone 4S, and could very well stay that way for the foreseeable future. It would have been awfully nice if Siri came to the new iPad, but it looks like that’s just not in the cards.

Like: 4G LTE

 For well over a year now, critics have been calling on Apple to bring 4G Long-Term Evolution (LTE) service to its iPhone and iPad. Thankfully, Apple did just that with the new iPad. For enterprise users, especially, 4G LTE is a major selling point. Look for those devices running the LTE chip to be first to go when Apple’s new iPad launches.

Dislike: 4G LTE Pricing

 As with anything else in the Apple world, for every nice new feature, there is something that can be considered a drawback. As nice as 4G LTE is, buying an iPad that comes with it will cost customers $130 more than the WiFi-only alternative. What’s more, the pricing plans themselves range from $15 to $50 a month. In other words, it’s no bargain.

Like: New Camera

 The new iPad’s new camera is a welcome addition to the device. According to Apple, it’s a 5-megapixel iSight camera, featuring auto-detection, flash and a host of other improvements designed to make the new iPad a worthwhile companion on road trips. It also helps that the device can record 1080p video.

Dislike: The Name

 And now we come to what might be Apple’s oddest decision with the new iPad: its name. Instead of calling the new iPad the iPad 3 or the iPad HD, Apple decided to go with a name that could very well confuse customers in the coming months. Moreover, what will Apple actually call the next iPad?