We don't think we need to explain the Hashtag App TOO much to our clever little readers. It's basically a mobile app that allows you to track... you guessed it... hashtags. However, you're not just constrained to Twitter, you can track them in a simple feed from Instagram too.

The app is ideal if you're at an event, work in social mediaz and want to monitor a particular client or competition while you're on the move, or if you just have a weird obsession with something, like #sea or #puppies, then you'll ALWAYS get to peek at new content about it. Weirdo.

The app is really simple, you don't need to be logged in to Twitter or Instagram to use it, you just enter your hashtag of choice and pull down to refresh the content. If you want to look for a new one, just start again. Easy.

Available from the app store for free.

[Via TechCrunch]

We've noticed that more and more lucky iPad owners are throwing caution (and their cases) to the wind and using only a smart cover, screen protector or NOTHING to protect their lovely tablets. This kind of behaviour may be a little risky, but it's totally understandable. Why wrap a gadget designed to be super slim in layers of bulky protection?

But, you'll still need a way to keep your iPad safe when you're carrying it around all day before you get it out and use it nakey the rest of the time, so we've collected together our top 8 ways to keep your gadget safe in style.

The Queen's Gallery in London is currently exhibiting a number of fascinating anatomical sketches by Leonardo da Vinci, some of which have never even been displayed before (like, EVER). In order to make the collection more accessible to his fans, as well as art and science enthusiasts, The Royal Collection has developed an impressive, interactive app for the iPad, Leonardo da Vinci: Anatomy.

Most people know Leonardo da Vinci as the greatest artist and mind of the Renaissance period, but in actual fact he was also one of the most original and perceptive anatomists of all time. Over the course of his life he made a series of sketches and discoveries, which if uncovered shortly after could well have shaped European knowledge of the subject. But instead his work in the field was lost among his private notes for almost 400 years. Now these incredibly detailed, accurate and in many ways ground-breaking, sketches are part of the Royal Collection and are being exhibited for the next few months at The Queen's Gallery in London.

Shiny Shiny was invited along to the gallery and although it was a great opportunity to take a look at Leonardo da Vinci's work for ourselves, we also got some time to try out the new iPad app all about the exhibition. The Royal Collection worked closely with the application developers over at Touch Press in order to create a one-of-a-kind offering that doesn't just allow users to see Leonardo's work, but enables them to interact with the sketches and learn much more in the process.

The application, called Leonardo da Vinci: Anatomy features all 268 pages of his sketches, but it's their super high resolution that's been optimised for the iPad's new Retina Display which makes the app such a treat for the eyes.

Every aspect of the application is super interactive, you can scroll through pages, move sketches around, view them in 3D, enlarge them, play sections as animations and even translate Leonardo's secret notes into English. There's even a quirky spyglass tool, which you can move around the drawings in order to magnify certain elements. However, our favourite feature is that you can spin the body around (see the screenshot above), strip down certain elements of the model's anatomy with a simple swipe and then click on them to see all of the sketches associated with that body part. Very clever.

Although they're clearly the main focus, the app isn't just about looking at the sketches, there's a detailed commentary written by Martin Clayton, Senior Curator of Prints and Drawings at Windsor Castle, accompanying the content, which explains Leonardo's anatomical investigations in much more detail.

At £9.99 there's no denying this app is pricey, but for the access you're getting to the sketches, the impressive image quality with the new iPad's Retina Display and the chance to properly interact with the work it's definitely worth it for fans of Leonardo's work and those interested in anatomy.

Available from the app store for £9.99.

Find out more about the Leonardo da Vinci: Anatomist exhibition.

Online rumours are suggesting that iOS 6 will come with Apple's own built-in Maps application, so does that mean the slow death of Google Maps, an app that we've all come to love and hate in equal measures?

As iOS 6 is being developed over at Apple HQ, rumours have begun to surface that the latest version of the company's operating system will ditch Google Maps and instead come equipped with an in-house maps application, unsurprisingly called Maps.

The app is believed to be similar to Google Maps, but according to 9to5 Mac will provide users with, "a much cleaner, faster, and more reliable experience." Well there's no arguing with that then.

Apple has been busy purchasing a number of companies in preparation for the iOS maps app, such as Placebase, C3 Technologies and Poly9. The exciting thing about Apple's foray into maps is allegedly a fancy 3D mode, which 9to5 Mac believes will put C3 Technologies' latest innovations to good use, as the company describes itself as, "the leading provider of 3D mapping solutions, offering photo-realistic models of the world for search, navigation and geographic information systems."

If the rumours are true and Apple IS in fact busy developing Maps as we write this, then we can expect it to be launched at Apple's World Wide Developers Conference in June.

[Via 9to5 Mac]

The new iPad/iPad 3/third generation iPad has been with us for more than a month now, but we STILL don't really care what it's officially called, we just want to know what to do on it to please our eyes.

The new tablet from Apple boasts a 2048 x 1536 Retina Display, and last month we collected together 10 of the best Retina Display apps that had been given a super high resolution update to coincide with the shiny new launch. So now, a month on, we've collected together 10 more including a few quirky games, news applications and some that are oh so sensible and make us more productive too.

In a recent interview, well-known French designer Philippe Starck hinted that a "revolutionary" new Apple product is set to be launched in the next eight months.

Starck recently had a chat with radio station French Info, so obviously we have to go on a sketchy translation to figure out exactly what he was banging on about, but according to HardMac and Apple Insider, he said, "Indeed, there is a big project together which will be out in eight months" and hinted that it is set to be "revolutionary." However, he then went on to say that Apple's "religious cult of secrecy" made it impossible for him to reveal anymore details. Alright Starck, don't hold back will you.

Since news of the interview broke there's been a fair amount of speculation about what Starck could be up working on over at Apple HQ, with many hinting at an Apple TV or an innovative new design for the next model of the iPhone. Starck's experience to date has been wide and varied, he's been involved in packaging design, vehicles, furniture, interiors, hell even windmills. Argh is this the first step towards the iWindmill!? We can only dream.

[Via Apple Insider]

I must admit to being a bit cynical about freebie vouchers. The nibbling fish put me off Groupon and until I get a free coffee every week I am not going to be spend too much time on Foursquare.

However a new app that launched very recently called Wrapp has massively impressed me. At its heart is a very simple, but rather brilliant idea. The app, which has Facebook at its core, enables you to send vouchers directly to your friends' walls. If they have an iPhone or Android handset they can grab the voucher and get money off at restaurants, services etc

Of course, like Groupon, it needs really good offers to thrive. However that is only half the story. You can also use the service to send proper paid for vouchers of retailers too.

So a classic scenario would be - the app tells you that it is Sean's bday tomorrow. You haven't bothered to get him anything and don't want to spend time looking. You then send him a £20 voucher of his favourite online retailer which lands on his Facebook page. Alternatively if you are skint it is a £3 off Pizza Express voucher which costs you nowt.

The mobile app is also smart in that it keeps you up to date Facebook-style of which birthdays are on the horizon.

Personally I think Wrapp could show a bit more imagination. A deal for free Resolve could be sent to someone after a big night out, or maybe a free video voucher if someone is at home and ill. I am sure you get the gist.

The viral nature of the app - and the way it works brilliantly with Facebook - should ensure they gets lots of users very quickly.

To make Wrapp work though a few things need to happen

1 They need to get loads of good retailers on board
2 The standard of the freebies needs to get better
3 They need to make sure the Facebook wall posts don't look too spammy - that needs some work!
4 They need to roll it out in the US very quickly. At present you can only use Wrapp in the UK, Sweden and Norway.

If ever there was a case for a service that needed a massive war chest it is this. Spending big on the quality of the retail offering could lead to massive return from paid for vouchers in the future.

Wrapp has some serious backers too including the Skype guys so they really are one to watch.

There's a good video that takes you through the service at wrapp.com

The new iPad/iPad 3/third generation iPad is here, we don't really care what it's officially called, we just want to know what to do on it to please our eyes.

The new tablet from Apple boasts a 2048 x 1536 Retina Display and we've collected together 10 apps that have been given a super high resolution update to coincide with the release.

Related: New iPad 3: 10 Retina display apps to get you started [PART TWO]

It's nearly time. By 8am tomorrow the first die-hard Apple fan will be lovingly clutching his/her first New iPad (3rd generation) after high-fiving all the insanely enthusiastic Apple employees.

But amidst the excitement, shouting and crazy queues, you're going to need to know which data plan to opt for and Tech Digest's editor, Gerald Lynch, has written up a quick guide about all the important details...

Note:

With the UK still dragging its heels when it comes to divvying out the 4G spectrum, the iPad 3's superfast mobile broadband speeds won't be available in Blighty. All network plans here therefore refer to 3G data plans and their corresponding speeds, but even they should be slightly faster thanks to improved antenna tech in Apple's newest slate. Either way, they're future-proofed for when the new network tech does eventually go live.

Three

Three were first out of the blocks with their iPad 3rd gen pricing structures, with upfront costs for the subsidised tablet starting at £99, with each deal offering a generous 15GB monthly allowance.

To grab a 16GB Wi-Fi + 4G version of the new iPad, it'll cost you £99 plus £29 per month on a 24 month contract. For a larger upfront cost of £159, you can get the same model on a a £25 per month, 24 month contract.

The 32GB Wi-Fi + 4G version will cost £169 up front on a £29 per month, 24 month contract. A larger upfront cost of £229 will put the monthly charge down to £25.

To grab the 64GB whopper, it will cost £249 up front, on a £29 per month contract for two years. Cough up £299 up front, and that monthly charge falls to £25 per month.

Three will also offer their customers pay monthly deals on the new 4G enabled iPad. In this case, the hardware prices are set at the standard £479 (16GB), £549 (32GB) and £629 (64GB) prices. The pay monthly plans to accompany them will set you back £15 per month for 10GB of data, or £7.50 per month for 1GB.

O2

While O2 won't be selling the iPad 3rd gen themselves, they'll be offering data plans for customers looking to utilise their network.

Their pay-as-you-go surf plans cost £2.04 a day for 200MB and unlimited Wi-Fi, £10.21 over 30 days (recurring) for 1GB, and unlimited Wi-Fi, or alternatively £15.32 over 30 days (recurring) for 2GB and unlimited Wi-Fi.

Data allowance through O2 is also doubled for every third "top-up" users make, with the packages available to be changed and controlled from the iPad itself.

Orange

Orange are keen to keep their existing customers happy, and will offer cheaper upfront prices for the new iPad if you're already signed on with their network.

Therefore, existing customers will pay £199 for the 16GB Wi-Fi + 4G new iPad, £249 for the 32GB Wi-Fi + 4G new iPad and £349 for the 64GB Wi-Fi + 4G new iPad. New customers on the other hand will pay £299 for the 16GB Wi-Fi + 4G new iPad, £279 for the 32GB Wi-Fi + 4G new iPad and £379 for the 64GB Wi-Fi + 4G new iPad.

After that, data plans for all models are set at £25 a month for 24 months. That bags you 1GB of anytime data as well as 1GB of "Quiet Time Data" from Midnight to 4pm in the afternoon, as well as unlimited access to the BT Openzone Wi-Fi hotspots dotted around the country.

If you're in the market for a new phone too, Orange also offer deals that bundle various iPhone models in with the new iPad. Details of those bundles can be found here.

T-Mobile

T-Mobile have now sent Tech Digest the details of their price plans too. A 16GB Wi-Fi and 4G new iPad from the network costs £229 upfront, with a £25 per month plan over 24 months. That gives 1GB of anytime data allowance a month, and an extra 1GB of "Quiet Time" data from Midnight to 10am.

For a 32GB Wi-Fi and 4G new iPad, it'll set you back £279 upfront, with the same monthly cost and data allowances as with the 16GB model.

If you're an existing T-Mobile customer, you can get a cheaper deal on the 32GB Wi-Fi and 4G model, costing just £249. The same monthly payment/data allowances as above apply.

Vodafone

Vodafone too have announced their data deals for the new iPad, and offer plenty of options and price points.

We'll start with the 16GB Wi-Fi and 4G model. On a 24 month, £27 a month plan, you can grab the new iPad for £199, complete with a monthly allowance of 2GB of data, and 1GB BT Openzone Wi-Fi. It's then £15 for each extra 1GB of data.

Vodafone also offer rolling monthly plans on the 16GB iPad, with an upfront cost of £499. £15 a month bags you 2GB of data, and 1GB BT Openzone Wi-Fi. It's then £15 for each extra 1GB of data. Alternatively, for a monthly cost of £7.50, you get 500MB UK data, then £7.50 for each extra 500MB.

Moving on now to the 32GB Wi-Fi and 4G model. On a 24 month, £27 a month plan, you can grab the 32GB new iPad for £275, complete with a monthly allowance of 2GB of data, and 1GB BT Openzone Wi-Fi. It's then £15 for each extra 1GB of data.

Vodafone also offer rolling monthly plans on the 32GB iPad too, with an upfront cost of £569. £15 a month bags you 2GB of data, and 1GB BT Openzone Wi-Fi. It's then £15 for each extra 1GB of data. Alternatively, for a monthly cost of £7.50, you get 500MB UK data, then £7.50 for each extra 500MB.

Lastly, the 64GB Wi-Fi and 4G model. On a 24 month, £27 a month plan, you can grab the 32GB new iPad for £345, complete with a monthly allowance of 2GB of data, and 1GB BT Openzone Wi-Fi. It's then £15 for each extra 1GB of data.

Vodafone also offer rolling monthly plans on the 64GB iPad if you don't fancy being tied for two years to the same deal, with an upfront cost of £645. £15 a month bags you 2GB of data, and 1GB BT Openzone Wi-Fi. It's then £15 for each extra 1GB of data. Alternatively, for a monthly cost of £7.50, you get 500MB UK data, then £7.50 for each extra 500MB.

All models are available in black or white.

Alternatively, a 30 day SIM only plan is available with usage alerts to your iPad for £15.00 per month offering a 2GB UK data allowance with 1GB of BT Openzone included.

Tesco Mobile

Tech Digest have reached out to Tesco Mobile regarding iPad 3 plans, and will update this post once we get word back from them.

Related: New iPad 3 initial review

[Via Tech Digest]

Last night Apple launched its latest iPad device, referred to officially as just "the iPad", but we're all obviously going to be naming it the new iPad 3 or 3rd gen iPad to avoid any confusion.

Despite there being no HUGE ground-breaking new features, if you go through the checklist of things tech insiders had hoped to find in the new iPad, Apple has pretty much ticked them all off. Retina Display? Check. Faster processor? Check. Better cameras and image editing options? Check. 4G mobile downloads? Check.

In that regard it really is hard to fault the new iPad, and those who've been sitting on the fence about whether to invest in a tablet or not really don't have any excuses any more. Of course those looking to upgrade from an iPad 2 or tech lovers who are strapped for cash might not be so convinced though.

So the big question is, will you be buying one? We want to know your thoughts, so click on your answer in our quick poll below. Or enter your own if you've got specific reasons as to why you're steering clear this time round...

There's something magical about a new iPad launch, it makes us feel all excited, warm and fuzzy inside and despite the fact this latest version doesn't even have a standard numeric naming convention (it's just the 'new iPad', OK?) this most recent reincarnation hasn't failed to disappoint.

Our sister site Tech Digest went along to Apple's exclusive preview event yesterday to get some hands-on time with the shiny new tablet. Read on for editor Gerald Lynch's thoughts about the new GarageBand app and its fancy new orchestral and Jam Session features...

The mini-Mozart in me just dusted off his conductor's baton, as after playing about at the new iPad launch event with the latest version of GarageBand, I think I've got a whole symphony in me.

That's because Apple have just updated their popular GarageBand multi-track recording app to include a new orchestral string section. Everything from violins, violas through to cellos and basses can now be added to your songs.

And thanks to the implementation of Smart Strings as a new Touch Instrument, you don't have to be John Williams to add an epic, classical swell to your songs. Simply select a key, how much you want the app to improvise from a single held note to a full run of notes and you're away. Individual elements of the 5-piece orchestra can be switched on and off for as bare or dramatic an effect as you require. You can even select from pre-set "moods", with the cinematic option proving particularly bombastic.

Manually controlling individual notes was a breeze. Slowly dragging down beneath the listed note of your choice would produce a sustained sound, while tapping would re-create the sound of a plucked string. As with all of GarageBand, it's beautifully simple and intuitive; having previously played in bands I know how much of a pain it can be trying to add a few simple strings to a song, but this makes it all incredibly easy.

Strings aren't the only new feature of the updated GarageBand app. There's now also a new Note Editor included, that lets you go back through a piece and remove the odd dodgy note where required, rather than having to back and chop up whole bars before re-recording.

Lastly, and perhaps most impressively, there's the new Jam Session feature. With it up to four people with iPads running GarageBand can hook up over Wi-Fi and contribute to the same single song in real-time, live. Each track is then pulled together onto the iOS device for further editing or mixing. It's the closest you're likely going to come to a true live studio recording experience when using GarageBand, and will likely prove very useful to Apple-friendly gangs of musicians and bands. Right now we're unable to confirm whether Jam Session supports tracks being recorded over the iPad's mic (or the numerous guitar and midi cable accessories for that matter), but it would be truly excellent if it can.

As yet it's unknown as to whether or not the new GarageBand features will hit older versions of Apple's tablet, but for the sake of all the budding bedroom musicians who live by it, we sincerely hope so.

[Via Tech Digest]

Amidst the iPad 3/new iPad/JUST iPad drama last night we all seem to have forgotten that those of us with older models and lowly iPhones and iPod Touch devices can now download iOS 5.1, the latest version of Apple's touch-based mobile operating system.

To get your hands on the update, you can either hook your iOS device up to iTunes through your computer, or use the Software Update feature within iOS to carry out an over-the-air, cable free update.

Apple lists the full line-up of changes on its website as follows, and although none of them are particularly ground-breaking, they soften the blow a little that we're not able to get our mits on a new iPad just yet:

Japanese language support for Siri (availability may be limited during initial rollout)

Photos can now be deleted from Photo Stream

Camera shortcut now always visible on Lock Screen for iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS and iPod touch (4th generation)

Camera face detection now highlights all detected faces

Redesigned Camera app for iPad

Genius Mixes and Genius playlists for iTunes Match subscribers

Audio for TV shows and movies on iPad optimized to sound louder and clearer

Podcast controls for playback speed and a 30 second rewind for iPad

Updated AT&T network indicator

Addresses bugs affecting battery life

Fixes an issue that occasionally caused audio to drop for outgoing calls

Related: HANDS-ON: Tech Digest's new iPad 3 initial review

There's something magical about a new iPad launch, it makes us feel all excited, warm and fuzzy inside and despite the fact this latest version doesn't even have a standard numeric naming convention (it's just the 'new iPad', OK?) this most recent reincarnation hasn't failed to disappoint.

Our sister site Tech Digest went along to Apple's exclusive preview event this evening to get some hands-on time with the shiny new tablet. Read on for editor Gerald Lynch's full review and thoughts about the new iPad and some of its impressive features...

Retina Display

Many analysts rightly predicted that the new iPad would sport a super-high resolution screen, and as with the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, Apple have pushed in their Retina Display technology. Still in a 9.7 inch form factor, the Retina Display has a 2048 x 1536 pixel resolution. That adds up to 3.1 million pixels, approximately 1 million more than you'd see on an average 1080p HD TV. It looks as good as that sounds; text from iBooks content is so clear as to render individual pixels indistinguishable, photos edited in the new iPhoto app pop with colour and can be zoomed in for incredible definition. Sat side by side with an iPad 2, there was a significant difference in clarity across both screens.

A5X chip

Pushing that many more pixels requires a hell of a lot of graphical grunt, so there's a new A5X chip onboard the new iPad. Offering quad-core graphics capabilities, Apple stated that the A5X performs 4X better than the NVIDIA Tegra 3 mobile GPU. In some cases during our hands on session this really wowed us; the new Sky Gamblers flight-sim game from Namco looked incredible, with graphics now truly rivalling the latest generation of console games, with plenty of action onscreen all at once. However, apps didn't load notably faster than on the iPad 2, and there were a few occasions when the new iPad would hang. It's clearly a capable chip however, and gamers have a lot to look forward to here. With Apple claiming the new iPad is good for 10 hours worth of use from a single battery charge, they may lose a lot of hours here.

5MP iSight camera

The introduction of the cameras in the iPad 2 proved to be a bit of a disappointment, but Apple seem to have righted the wrongs with the new iPad. They've introduced the iSight camera onto the rear of the tablet, capable of shooting 5MP stills. It's more or less the same as you'd find in the iPhone 4S, offering a five element lens, a hybrid IR filter, backside illumination, and Apple's own ISP. There's also 1080p recording onboard now too. Both stills and videos looked great on the iPad. Though the low light surroundings where we went hands-on with the new iPad weren't ideal, the resultant images took were dramatically better than those shot on the iPad 2, and the roll of example images pre-loaded onto the device (which an Apple rep assured us were shot using the camera) looked great. When paired with the iPhoto app the tablet now offers a fairly robust shooting and on-the-go editing combo that will be irresistible to those who want one device to rule them all. Auto-stabilisation in video recording also helped remove shaky-hand camcorder syndrome in our brief test, and gave a feeling similar to when motion technologies are employed in flatscreen HDTVs.

Voice Dictation

So the new iPad doesn't have Siri, but it does have voice dictation, which is accessed simply by tapping a small microphone icon that now sits on the iPad software keyboard. Speaking in a hands-free mic, we said a few lines into the new dictation assistant, and were pleasantly surprised by the accuracy of the software. In the hustle and bustle of the launch event, it managed a 50-odd word chunk of text with only two errors, which was no mean feat considering the ambient sound and my cockney accent.

4G LTE support

The new iPad offers 4G LTE super-fast mobile broadband support. That's great news for US Apple fans, but not too much of a big deal as of yet for those in the UK, as the technology still hasn't rolled out over here. As a result, we were unable to test the mobile download speeds, but Apple have already confirmed US carriers such as AT&T and Verizon in the US. At least the new iPad is future-proofed for the tech once it hits here though, and with new trials rolling out this year, that's something to look forward to.

Apps

The only significant new app directly from the Apple stable was the iPhoto app. Completing the iLife trinity on iPad (flanked by Garageband and iMovie) it's a real showcase not only for the Retina Display, but also Apple's keen understanding of touch-based user interfaces. Everything from cropping to colour adjustments, contrast settings to light and saturation enhancements can be carried out simply by tapping and swiping away at the screen. There's even a Journal section, allowing to create a patchwork scrapbook of your favourite photos, which can have intelligent widgets added that add info like calendar dates and even the weather (based on date and location of the image taken) squeezed in. It's a lovely app that scales down the complexity of something like Adobe Photoshop so that even your Nan could produce incredible snaps.

Garageband gets updated too, with the addition of smart orchestral strings (that literally had us smiling like a giddy child) and a new Jam Session feature. Jam Sessions let users connect up to 4 iPads together over Wi-Fi and record separate instruments in tandem, giving as close to a live recording experience as you're ever likely to get with the tablet based version of Garageband.

iMovie also gets a slight update, adding new cinematic trailer options, and a few tweaks to the UI that make editing clips together a little easier. Considering the 1080p camera onboard, this app is now likely to get a lot more use, and it seemed from our short test easy enough to hobble together a few basic cuts and fades.

Third party apps included an Autodesk touch based illustration app that also really shone on the Retina Display and a new Infinity Blade game called Infinity Blade Dungeons which looked much like a Diablo clone. While these two weren't available to test, we did grab a play of Namco's new flight simulator, Sky Gamblers. An arcade-y dog fighting game, it looked stunning, with superb lighting effects making the jet you control shimmer, the game hurtled along at an incredible pace, with plenty of onscreen action and 3D jets all flying around at once. The new iPad barely broke a sweat.

Dimensions

The new iPad is slightly thicker than the iPad 2 at 9.4mm, weighing 0.64kg. It's a negligible difference, and only the weediest arms will notice the extra strain. So close to the iPad 2 is the new iPad in terms of design that even the old Smart Covers work fine with it. Available in black and white, we still think the white chassis has the edge.

Initial Verdict

If you go through the checklist of things people had hoped to find in the new iPad, Apple have pretty much ticked them all off. Retina Display? Check. Faster processor? Check. Better cameras and image editing options? Check. 4G mobile downloads? Check. It's hard to fault the new iPad in this regard, and those sitting on the fence about grabbing a tablet really don't have any excuses any more.

It's made all the more desirable thanks to the fact the pricing structure remains unchanged from the launch of the iPad 2. In the UK that leaves the pricing at £399 (16GB), £479 (32GB) and £559 (64GB) for Wi-Fi only, with the 4G + Wi-Fi version landing at £499, £579 and £659 respectively. In the US that's $499 (16GB), $599 (32GB) and $699 (64GB) for the Wi-Fi versions and 4G models at $629, $729 and $829 respectively.

Upgrading from the iPad 2 will be a slightly harder sell, but with all the added new features of the new iPad, it's now starting to look a little long in the tooth, and the first iPad even more so.

The magic isn't as pronounced as when the iPad was first unveiled, but when it comes to tablets Apple are still in a league of their own.

[Via Tech Digest]

Although most people have been focusing on the news of the latest iPad device, Apple made a few other cool announcements at its big fancy event today in San Francisco, most notably the arrival of the new Apple TV.

The tech giant's CEO, Tim Cook, confirmed that it'd be launching a successor to its 2010 Apple TV on March 16th, the very same day the new iPad 3 is set to hit stores, but it can already be pre-ordered RIGHT NOW.

But is it REALLY worth getting excited about this most recent version? Well, maybe.

Before today's event there were a number of online rumours circulating that Apple was set to launch a TV of its own. Instead it's upgraded its set-top box that streams movies and TV shows to your current device, and although that's not a surprising move, it seems to have left some a little disappointed.

However, there are a few cool added features to Apple's latest TV box, like a sleek and revamped interface with a more iOS look and feel, complete with large icons and much easier navigation than before.

The Apple TV will allow wireless mirroring, through Apple's AirPlay, which means you can 'mirror' your computer screen, iPhone or iPad to your TV wirelessly.

The new version also has iCloud, so you can view content that you've already saved to the cloud storage service and even view embarrassing photos on HUGE screens with the Photo Stream app.

But, the main USP of the new Apple TV is that it allows for full 1080p video support, as apposed to the 720p from the last version. You can also re-download things you've already purchased in 1080p too, which is pretty cool.

Although there are a few key features added to the latest reincarnation of the Apple TV, its price is staying the same at $99 in the US and around £120 here in the UK, which is pretty reasonable. A 'proper' Apple TV is still on the cards for the next year, but for the price this latest set-top device is worth it, particularly if you're up for taking advantage of the mirroring and iCloud services.

It's official, the new iPad device (which no one has actually referred to as 'the iPad 3' quite yet) is here and it comes with a whole host of new and exciting features.

Here's a quick and dirty rundown of the specs, keep checking back for more details and our take on the news throughout the night:

260 PPI Retina Display

A super sharp and detailed display is coming to the new iPad and its 2048 x 1536 pixel resolution screen, which the Apple team were keen to point out is 1 million more pixels than an HD TV. Wowsers.

As there are 264 pixels per inch, it's called a Retina Display.

The Apple rep said:

"Until you see it you can't understand how amazing it is."

Well, we can't wait to see it.

A5X Quad-Core Chip

This new chip will be a "graphics powerhouse" and is allegedly the best that's ever been added to a mobile device.

iSight Camera

An iSight camera on the front with a whole host of features, such as auto-exposure, auto-focus, auto-face detection, great edge-to-edge detail and AF-lock.

A new rear camera will run at 5MP and it's packing a backside illuminated sensor, 5 element lens and a hybrid IR filter too.

There's also HD video recording in 1080 resolution to boot.

Voice Dictation

Not to be mistaken for Siri, there's a new simple voice dictation tool inside your new iPad. There's a new key at the bottom of the keyboard when it pops up on screen, just tap that and your clever new iPad will write out everything you've been saying. For now it'll be supporting English, French, German and soon Japanese with the latest iOS update.

Other Stuff

The US prices are $499, $599 and $699 for 16GB, 32Gb and 64GB and pre-orders start today for those in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom (yay!), France, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Austria. So far anyway.

The new device will still maintain the current 10 hour battery life of the iPad 2, with 9 hours on 4G, as it's built to act as a 4G hotspot.

It's 9.4mm thick and weighs 1.4 pounds.

We'll keep updating this story, so check back for more news.

Apple has just announced at its 'mystery' iPad 3 event that its latest version of iOS 5.1 will be available to download from today.

There's been little indication about the new features yet, but the main news is that the rumours from February were true, Siri has been busy learning Japanese, a fact Tim Cook has finally confirmed.

We'll keep updating this story, so check back for more news.

We're all expecting to see an iPad 3/iPad HD/iPad 2S (please no) launch tonight, which will hopefully be packed full of exciting new features to make the third iteration of Apple's tablet a more significant jump than the stepping stone that the iPad 2 proved to be. But, if it indeed tickles the tech world's fancy, when will Apple fans be able to get their hands on it?

Well, according to 9to5Mac, far sooner than we all thought. The blog's stating that a March 16th release date for the tablet has been nailed down, a mere nine days after tonight's highly-anticipated event.

Whether that date turns out to be accurate (and a worldwide release date at that), remains to be seen, but hopefully we'll be able to deny or confirm the report by close of play tonight.

The site also hints at a second event to coincide with the 16th of March release, with the long-rumoured opening of an Apple store in London's Harrod's posh-shop and a second store in Houston, Texas in the U-S-of-A to both have their grand unveiling.

Check back with us later for coverage of the 'mystery' Apple event...

[Via Tech Digest Via 9to5mac]

Apple is holding an exclusive event on Wednesday at which it's expected to announce the next version of its ever popular iPad tablet (and possibly Apple TV too), but what do we all REALLY want to see in the new model?

We don't like to jump to conclusions too much here at Shiny Shiny (OK, that's a lie), but we've got everything crossed for the big unveiling of the iPad 3 (or HD) tomorrow evening. Apple fan boys and girls are excited, a lot of us are worried about our bank balances and the rest are wondering just what the new device will have to offer.

According to a study commissioned by MyVoucherCodes.co.uk the top features that Brits would like to see are all rather sensible and predictable, including a better camera and much more storage.

Here's a rundown of the top features we're hoping for:

1. Improved camera

2. Larger storage (rumoured option of 128GB)

3. Improved battery life

4. Better connectivity (rumoured option of 4G)

5. Higher-res screen

6. Release of a new operating system (rumoured update to iOS 5.1)

7. Bigger screen

8. Thinner in size

9. Siri

10. USB port in iPad

The study also asked the 918 respondents whether they'd consider purchasing the new model, 18% said they would, despite not even knowing ANYTHING about it yet and a more sensible 48% said they weren't too sure yet.

According to the tech blog rumour mill this morning an HD screen, improved camera, better processor and 4G connectivity are some of the top features key industry players are expecting to see tomorrow, so well done Brits, you've made some top predictions.

We'll be covering the iPad HD/3/2S news tomorrow as it happens, so check back for the latest updates!

There's a big (and hopefully exciting) Apple event scheduled into the tech calendar next week, which every fan boy and girl is hoping will be the highly anticipated unveiling of the iPad 3. But, just a year after the last model was released, is it all happening a little too soon?

A recent study, commissioned by discount website MyVoucherCodes.co.uk, explored our attitudes to Apple and all of its iProducts. The research interestingly found that 78% of British consumers think the tech giant releases updates to its popular models far too frequently.

However, it seems the issue isn't with Apple itself, after all we love its new, shiny gadgets, but it's the price we end up paying to stay ahead of the curve. 42% of respondents said they felt under pressure to keep up with the new generation of Apple products, which is hardly surprising. But more worryingly a third of consumers admitted they found themselves in debt after purchasing an Apple product, with 29% saying they bought an Apple gadget using a credit card and 6% admitting they'd actually taken a loan out to afford one in the past. Ouch.

This may not be good news for our bank balances and social lives, but the allure of Apple is clearly stronger than ever and we're sure we won't be the only ones high-fiving the overenthusiastic employees from the front of the queue when (or if) the iPad 3 is launched in the next few months.

The survey questioned 1,518 respondents and was commissioned by MyVoucherCodes.co.uk.

[Image via Yutaka Tsutano]

It seems the end is finally in sight when it comes to the wait for Apple's highly-anticipated iPad 3. According to many online sources, the tech giant has begun sending invitations out for a mystery launch event on March 7th, to take place at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco at 10AM PST (6PM GMT).

Though everyone's calling it a "mystery" launch event, the invite clearly shows a tablet device, seemingly with a resolution far higher than that of the iPad 2. So it doesn't take a genius to hazard a guess about what might be going down on the 7th.

Pair the image with the tagline "we have something you really have to see. And touch", and it becomes clear that a Retina Display packing slate, perhaps even with bezel touch controls, is on its way.

We'll keep you posted on any launch rumours we hear up until then. How. Exciting.