Dave Burrows – Tech / iPhone Blog – Technical Evangelist

I’ll have to start out by saying I owned the iPad 1, still own the iPad 2 and received the iPad 3 the day after the launch.  This pretty much tells you that I’m an iOS junkie, and spend a lot of time already with iOS devices.

You’ve probably heard of #warmgate and #batterygate on the New iPad.  Let me explain these a little if you don’t already know.

#warmgate
This is due to the iPad 3rd Generation not only sporting a dual-core processor like the iPad 2, but a quad-core graphics processor and 70% more battery along with a battery sucking retina screen.  This means when running high graphics intensive games the iPad is likely to get warm to the touch.  Not hot, not boiling, not too hot to handle, but warm.  It does make you wonder what the temperature is inside the iPad and whether it is doing any long lasting damage to the other components.

#batterygate
Due to the iPad 3rd Generation running 70% more battery power, it means it takes at least twice as long to charge.  On average to go from 80% to 100% takes 2 hours, that means 8+ hours to do a full charge.  Not to forget that even when it shows 100% it then goes into trickle mode and still charges up to an hour longer.  This means that you’re more conscious of the battery reduction and when you need to top-up the charge.

iPhoto
Like most of the Apple applications, iPhoto is an additional extra from the AppStore, but it’s a good one.  Think along the lines of PhotoShop or Snapseed for the iPad, but much better.  Just import your photos using the iPad Camera Connection Kit from your camera, edit the photos enhancing the photos to look like a professional.

Add various filters, tweak brightness and contrast levels, then save, email or even AirPrint them to your AirPrint printer.  If you’re not into printing, then keep them on your iPad and use them as a photo viewer device to show others your holiday snaps.

Is the iPad 3rd Generation worth the upgrade?
The iPad 3rd Generation’s screen alone is worth the upgrade, it really does make graphics and text look a lot more crisp.  I don’t have 20/20 vision, but not far off.  I do need to wear reading glasses (and don’t always wear then) but have found due to the text being so clear on the 3rd Gen iPad, I find it a lot clearer to almost perfect when not wearing glasses.  Let me first say, this doesn’t mean you don’t have to wear corrective glasses, that would be completely foolish of me.  What I mean is that I can read it a lot better without my glasses than a regular iPad or iPad 2.

The size of the iPad is almost identical (although a little thicker than the iPad 2), battery life is exactly the same as the iPad 2, and apps and games do run a little faster.

The biggest draw back for me is the having to recharge it, knowing how long it takes.  I’ve been using the iPad 3rd Generation for almost a month now, and I now have the battery percentage branded into my brain.  I check the percentage a lot more than I used to do on the iPad 2, when I see the battery percentage floating around 80% I know that’s a 2 hour to realistically 3 hour top-up charge, so I know I have to plug it back in to a charging socket.

For me, the iPad 3rd Generation is worth the upgrade, especially seeing that it’s not costing any more than an iPad 2.  I went again for the 64gb WiFi+4G device, my iPad 2 was a 64gb WiFi+3G device.  Already less than one month on I only have 7gb free on my 64gb iPad 3rd Generation.  I think some spring cleaning is going to be needed soon.