New iPad: Apple announced a 4th generation iPad at it’s event in San Jose, California today. It’s essentially a hardware refresh for Apple’s 3rd gen tablet, as it packs a new A6X processor, dual-band 802.11 a/b/g/n WiFi, a 720p Facetime camera round front and the new image processor found in the iPhone 5.  It also gets the reversible Lightning port that debuted on on the iPhone 5, and will be available in both black and white.

iPad Mini: The 1,024 x 768 resolution is the same as the iPad 2.  Given the specs and price, this is definitely to be the newest entry-level for Apple tablets.  Even though it has a smaller screen, Apps should work just fine as they did on  bigger screen. It is going to be 7.2mm thick, weighing .68 pounds device has been manufactured with an “all new” process that gives it the same anodized edges as you’ll find on the iPhone 5.

Since it is considered entry-level, don’t expect a huge powerhouse performance.  They stocked it with the Apple A5 Chip which everyone is already familiar with.  This looks like a good choice for those who haven’t entered the tablet market and are just getting started.

Next Generation iMac: The new iMac gets super sleek with a slim design.  Measuring at just 5mm thick the screen sizes remain the same and include both a 21.5-inch, 1080p model and a 27-inch, 2,560 x 1,400 model.  To the dismay of Apple fans, they do not come in retina display. They share 720p-capable front cameras with dual mics as well as NVIDIA’s GeForce 600-era graphics, up to 32GB of RAM and a variety of possible storage options, topping out at 3TB.

Check back with Abt.com to see the latest news from Apple and when you can buy all the above goodies.

Credit: ChangeWave

A recent survey conducted by ChangeWave Research revealed the true feelings of iPad owners of all kinds. 82 percent of new iPad users said they were very satisfied with their new toy, while the remaining 12 percent were just somewhat satisfied, and none claimed complete dissatisfaction. The survey also revealed that the new high-resolution display topped the list of favorite features, and the high cost of the tablet was the most disliked feature.

So 82 percent of new users were very satisfied? I guess I would be very satisfied too with my shiny new tablet without having any experience with previous models. Honestly, if we valued these statistics across all markets the phrase “Best Hotdog in Chicago” would simply be a measure of how many hotdog virgins you could pack into one room.

The number we, as critical consumers of technology, should concern ourselves with is the amount of very satisfied returning users. These users know every inch, feature, and function of the iPad and qualify as informed analysts.   74 percent of returning users self-identified as very satisfied meaning, despite bad WiFi connection and overheating rumors; consumers still feel that their new iPad is an improvement on the previous iPad 2 model.

What do you think? As consumers we have the most powerful voice in the conversation. What features really stand out to you and which do you really want to say in future models. Get creative, this product fiends for a little innovation and maybe one of you can spark it.

The highly anticipated New iPad hits stores shelves today!  At Abt Electronics, we have a small shipment and will be honoring orders for customers who come into our store.  We will be taking orders over the phone at 888-228-5800, and will fulfill them as quickly as we can as more units become available.

If you purchased an iPad 2 not too long ago and are beginning to regret your decision, visit our Abt Trade-In program page to see how much you can get for that old iPad 2, then use the extra money for the New iPad.  It’s that simple!