Apple is in the process of introducing the new iPad at an event in San Francisco right now.
We’re in Seattle, tracking the news via live blogs by sites including Engadget and gdgt.
Features unveiled so far include a retina display with 2048 x 1536 screen resolution, a new A5X processor with quad-core graphics, 1080p HD video recording, voice dictation, 4G LTE connectivity with theoretical peak download speeds of 73 Mbps, with the ability for the iPad to be a personal hotspot if carriers support it.
The new iPad will be available March 16 starting at $499 for a 16GB version with WiFi, and ranging up to $829 for a 64GB version with 4G connectivity. In addition, Apple announced that it plans to cut the price of 16GB, Wi-Fi-only iPad 2 to $399.
Earlier in the event, Apple unveiled a new Apple TV, with an updated interface and full support for 1080p HD video. It’s slated to be available next week for $99.
That integration of voice dictation is particularly interesting for existing technologies such as those from Nuance Communications. Nuance last year acquired Swype, whose CEO Mike McSherry will be among the panelists in our mobile “meeting of the minds” today at the GeekWire Summit in Seattle, where the new iPad will be one of the topics we’re discussing.
