8 disappointments in new iPad

Apple's new iPad comes with a bunch of new features including Retina display, better than best HD display, a new processor, bigger battery and an array of technology advances.

However, perfectionists still find a few things missing in what can unarguably be billed as the world's best tablet.

While Apple has augmented the new iPad with a faster chip, improved camera and voice-dictation feature, many Apple lovers were disappointed as they were hoping to see a newly-designed, completely revamped iPad after a wait of over a year.

The new iPad has indeed missed out a few features that topped the wish list of Apple fanboys. Here's a quick look at all that new iPad has missed.

No Siri

 

One of the sorely missed features in the new iPad is Siri, Apple's popular voice-controlled personal assistant software that made its debut last year with the launch of iPhone 4S. It was expected that iOS 5.1 will bring Siri to the new iPad.

Apple's speech-controlled assistant, which can do everything from taking dictation for text messages and entering calendar appointments to answering general knowledge questions, is regarded as a key factor in iPhone 4S' success.

However, Apple's new iPad brings voice-dictation, a feature that adds a microphone icon to the keyboard. All you have to do is tap the microphone icon on the keyboard and it will write email, send text, search the web and create a note as you say. Still, a half-hearted fulfillment when a full-blown intelligence of Siri could have been added.

No change in battery life

 
Though Apple has nearly doubled the capacity of the battery, taking it from 25Wh in iPad 2 to a massive 42Wh in the new iPad, the battery life of the device stays the same: about 10 hours (9 hours on 4G).

That's because Apple has quadrupled the screen resolution, which in turn requires far more computing power.

According to Apple, the battery capacity of the new iPad is 70 per cent higher than for the iPad 2. While it is an achievement to fit in a three-times better battery within almost similar dimensions, the battery time for the user has not gone up.

Screen size remains same

 
Another thing which gets thumbs down is no change in screen size. The new iPad retains the same screen size of iPad 2 and the first-gen iPad at 9.7 inches diagonally.

It was widely speculated that the new iPad will be available in more that one screen sizes. Several reports had suggested that Apple was indeed working on a mini iPad this time, but that remains a mirage.

However, display in the new iPad is sharper than the average high-definition television set. The new iPad also comes with Retina display feature.

Near Field Communication (NFC) missing

 

While the rumour mill was agog with the possibility of Near Field Communication (NFC) support, the new iPad disappoints on this front. NFC is a technology that allows mobile users to use their handsets as a digital wallet.

The technology enables users to pay for retail goods or services such as transit rides by waving their devices across a reader.

No quad core processor

 

 

 
Since many competitors have armed their tablets with quad core processors, several reports had suggested that the new iPad will run Apple's A6 quad core processor, expected to be faster than the A5 CPU which powers iPad 2 and iPhone 4S.

However, Apple's new iPad will come with a new dual-core Apple A5X custom-designed chip with quad-core graphics. Apple has not disclosed how much RAM is on board. According to analysts, it is likely to have been doubled at 1GB since 512MB (the same as in iPad 2) could be quite inadequate.

Goes heavy, not lighter

 
Apple's new iPad will be thicker and heavier than the iPad 2 because it features a bigger, more powerful battery. The new iPad will be 9.4 millimeters thick, or 0.37 inches. That compares with 8.8 millimeters, or 0.34 inches, for the iPad 2.

The iPad 2 weighed in at 1.33 lbs, while the new tablet is 1.44 lbs for the Wi-Fi version and 1.46 lbs for the 4G iPad.

No USB, memory card slot

 
Once again, Apple has resisted the temptation of adding a SD memory card slot to expand memory. One of the sorely missed features in iPad 2, a SD card slot was widely speculated to find its way in the new iPad.

This would have let iPad users to transfer files more conveniently than ever. Similarly, it now seems unlikely if Apple would ever add a mini USB port to iPad.

Low storage

 
With a better processor, better graphics, better back camera and support for faster LTE connectivity, it was logical to think a model with higher storage of 128 GB was introduced, but Apple did not feel so.

While it is fine to have a 64 GB iPad with such capabilities and even 32GB at a pinch, the low-end 16GB model with these capabilities will provide a serious storage handicap to even an average buyer.

The lack of a 128 GB model may have left many Apple fanboys disappointed, but perhaps a 128 GB models would have tuned iPad prohitively expensive for Apple to push in the market at this time.