Apple event: The new iPad cometh

Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, is on stage in San Francisco talking about iPad stuff. I'm following Engadget and Gdgt blogs for live blogging, and I'll post key details here as they come.

* Cook announces a new Apple TV, with 1080 (HD) capability. New user interface. Photo Stream support, meaning you take a pic with your iPhone and it automatically appears on your TV (through Apple TV). Also, you can generate Genius playlists off your movie choices in iTunes.

* iPad: Cook says, via Gdgt: “We’ve sold almost 15.5 million iPads last quarter alone. We sold more iPads in the last quarter alone than any PC manufacturer sold in their entire line.”


* The new iPad will have a retina display (really, really good, bright display) -- 2048 x 1536 pixels. This new iPad will have more pixels than your home HD TV set, sez Apple.

* The new iPad offers four times the performance/speed as the iPad 2. It needs more horsepower to power the retina display.

* Another feature: the same cameras as the iPhone 4S. Those are apparently quite good. (I don't have a 4S so I wouldn't know firsthand.) And HD 1080 video recording, with stabilization.

* Another feature: voice dictation.

* The wireless network: 4G LTE is coming to the latest iPad. Expect Verizon and AT&T to sell their models with 4G built-in. The models will also support 3G around the world. And it can act as a personal hotspot, if your carrier supports that feature.

* The battery life: Still pretty good at 10 hours, 9 hours with 4G.

* The price: Same scheme as past iPad prices, starting at $499 for basic Wi-Fi, 16GB.

* A bunch of new software upgrades from Apple, including: iWork, GarageBand, iMovie and iPhoto.

* FYI - The new iPad is simply called that. No "3". No "HD." Just iPad.