Apple's new iPad 3 features a modified version of the company's standard A5 processor, A5X, which has a larger floor plan to include quad-core graphics, according to an analysis performed by UBM TechInsights, one of our sister organizations.
The A5X measures roughly 163 square millimeters, compared to about 120 square millimeters for the A5. Both use identical ARM processor cores, but the A5X adds four PowerVR SGX543MP4 graphics cores, which are paired in groups of two and then symmetrically opposed to each other on the floor plan. Both chips feature two application processor cores and operate at 1GHz, but the A5X includes more DDR interfaces and more architecture added for the handling of quad-core GPU, according to the teardown analysis.
Click on the image below to view a slideshow of the iPad 3 in various stages of disassembly:
I am also amazed at the marketing success of Apple. I have never bought anything from Apple and I don't plan to. As an engineer, I feel it my duty to resist succumbing to their marketing mania when other, lower cost products can generally do the same thing - at least for my needs. I thought the automakers' marketing success with SUVs beginning 25 years ago would never be topped, but I believe Apple has done so. SUV type vehicles were available long before the 80's, but the automakers started a marketing campaign that somehow made the general populus believe they "needed" SUVs.
Spoken like a true engineer, Ervin. I have to admit that I don't have any Apple products, either. If I can get the job done with something less costly, I usually do. As an outsider looking in, it appears to me that Apple's greatest genius is marketing.
An interestingly low piece count. Is there no hope of putting Humpty Dumpty back together again? What was it that made for no turning back?
It's hard to stomach that something this expensive is an unapproachable and unrepairable throw-away. Thank goodness for the reliability of modern electronics.
Simplicity of design? Well, it looks almost like a cell phone motherboard plugged into an overgrown display and battery. Doing it that way does make a lot of sense. It also permits multiple sourced displays to supply an existing model production run.
As miniaturization moves along its path the PC board will continue to get less complicated as more and more of the motherboard moves inside the IC packaging. If you can manage the heat and the power rail current you want to shrink the length of the interconnects to help speed up the device and reduce signal cross talk (noise).
The tablet computer will probably trend towards cheap disposable general purpose multi-media computers for all. When the device ends up costing a small fraction of the investment in software applications, how will that affect the giant software firms or should I say firm, the MS elephant in the room? Will they opt to embed all of their apps in their own hardware making it difficult if not impossible to load and run someone elses cheaper apps? Deja Vu? Or will the world of 3rd party cheapware/shareware blossom again, like cell phone apps have? And where does cloud computing fit into this model?
What can we expect with the auto companies showing how it's done. They taught us how to buy hype, personal expression, prestige, etc. while buying basic transportation of all things.
It's what makes it fun to live in the US of A. - watching others do it, I mean - I know better - most of the time.
Right Aldo, Apple should stop releasing new models just like the auto makers should stop releasing new models with little improvements each year. I'm sure it's only a marketing strategy to get you to buy the same old thing with minor tweaks. We only want revolutionary changes. Evolutionary changes are such a bore. ;-)
I think Apple is the greedy giant. I don't support companies like these. I make my own desktops from mismatched parts from starter companies (one of the first to get GSkill ram cards at 800MHz) pay for OEM Windows and put my own sticker or logo on my computer, generally 20% cheaper too. I don't do it for the cost I do it for the pleasure of it. However apple does not only sell hardware, they sell art as well. There will come a day when I will select form over function. I have already succumbed to a galaxy G2X. Maybe one day i will own an Apple iPad or iPhone.
The iPad 3 is beautiful the same way the iPad two is, Apple should stop releasing new models with little improvements and wait more time to get something more interesting and technologically advanced, I think this is only a marketing strategy and not really an amazing new product anymore. Anyway the slides are very nice thanks!
I only wonder what grenades they'll be packing in. I'm optimistic about biotechnology coming up with something that'll make break-downs like these micro-scopic
For 3D printing to make the jump from rapid prototyping to manufacturing, engineers will need to find easier ways to move products from their CAD screens to their printers.
Gigabit and PoE are two networking technologies moving ahead in tandem as industrial users power remote Ethernet devices such as IP security cameras at 1,000 Mbps over existing CAT5 cable.
New versions of BASF's Ecovio line are both compostable and designed for either injection molding or thermoforming. These combinations are becoming more common for the single-use bioplastics used in food service and food packaging applications, but are still not widely available.
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