iPad HD / iPad 3

The new iPad launch (the iPad 3 that's not been called the iPad 3) kicked off at 10am PT/6pm GMT on Wednesday 7 March, and our Hands on: iPad 3 review is now up.
Browse back through our new iPad launch liveblog - or read on for a round-up of all the new iPad announcements.
Before talking about the new iPad, Apple's Tim Cook unveiled an updated Apple TV box, bringing 1080p video streaming to the device which has a release date of 16 March and a price of $99. We've got the lowdown in our Apple TV: what you need to know post.
But it's the new iPad that grabbed the headlines. See what upgrades the new iPad has over the iPad 2:
We could walk into a store and pick ourselves up a shiny new iPad 3 (or is it iPad HD?) next Friday, according to a report outing the iPad 3 release date.
The rumoured iPad 3 release date of March 16 was leaked to 9to5mac by a source close to the Apple Store, who confirmed that the iPad 3 / iPad HD would land in shops just nine days after being flaunted in front of the world's media.
It's also been rumoured that new Apple Stores will open in Houston, Texas and the London department store Harrod's on the same date – could this be to conveniently coincide with the iPad 3 / iPad HD becoming available?

The countdown begins

It would be great to see the next-generation iPad fly into stores so quickly after its grand unveiling, but we won't know for sure until this evening when Apple boss Tim Cook takes to the stage in San Francisco to (probably) reveal the iPad 3 / iPad HD.
We're still unsure on what the new iPad will even be called and there are numerous rumours hinting at possible specs, from the seemingly certain HD retina display and quad-core processor to the more ambitious NFC technology and extra connectivity ports.
Whatever the final product maybe, you can find out all the details here on TechRadar via our iPad 3 / iPad HD live blog, or you can join us on Twitter for the 140-character happenings. For now check out our iPad 3 / iPad HD: all the latest details article to catch up on all the rumours.

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