Third-Gen Apple TV Sports A Custom Designed Single-Core A5 Chip

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Apple’s new Apple TV appears to be the first product to come packed with a single-core A5 chip, according to reports.

Apple’s big announcement yesterday may have been about the fancy new iPad we’re all fawning over right now, but the latest tablet wasn’t the only thing to be announced by the Cupertino company’s CEO yesterday. Tim Cook and his band of cohorts also took the wraps off a newly redesigned Apple TV, too.

While the new Apple TV – not to be called the Apple TV 3 officially, but we need a way to differentiate somehow – may look identical to the model which came before it, but this new version brings with it improved support for streaming video. Namely, 1080p content is now watchable on the little black box, whereas previously users had to make do with just 720 lines of vertical resolution.

In order to power those extra pixels though, Apple apparently needed to add a little extra oomph to the device one famously called ‘a hobby.’ According to Apple Insider, that oomph is provided by a custom chip based on the Apple A5 architecture.

The A5 is what powers the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S, offering two cores and all the bells and whistles expected of a modern mobile processor. The interesting thing about this new Apple TV is that it apparently sports a single-core A5, a chip which has not yet been used in any other Apple product. Did the company have to make a chip just for the Apple TV? Obviously the dual-core A5 could have been used – the company cannot be running short on the chips used in its flagship smartphone – but cost may well have been an issue in the decision to reduce the number of cores used.

It is also worth remembering that having a dual-core chip in a box that simply receives video and then pushes it to a TV screen may have been a little OTT at the best of times. When you’re trying to keep the price to below $100, dropping a core makes more sense than not.

The A5's big brother, the A5X is the chip that is now going to power Apple’s new tablet, the iPad 3. Just don’t let Apple hear you call it the iPad 3, will you?

(via AppleInsider)

You may also like to check out:

• Introducing The New iPad With Retina Display [VIDEO]

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Sample Photos Taken From The New iPad’s 5 Megapixel Shooter

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Although the iPad has been a revolutionary product since the first iteration dropped some two years ago, it has, in the eyes of many, taken a backseat to the Cupertino company’s smartphone.

When the iPad 2 dropped last year, many consumers were left a shade disappointed by the new screen – or specifically – a lack thereof. The cameras added gave the impression that Apple had decided the iPad would benefit from snappers, but didn’t have the resources to keep them of the standard consumers had become accustomed to with the iPhone 4.

Thankfully, the speculation leading up to the release of the new iPad was exactly on-point, and Tim Cook’s company has delivered a truly spectacular 5 mega-pixel snapper which will leave photos looking exquisite on the all-new Retina display.

Apple has showcased some of the images featured in the keynote speech on its website, along with a couple of videos; all of which are downloadable. There’s one of a ladybird, one depicting a beach, another of an old ship as well as an excellent shot of a border collie, check them all out below:

The iPhone 4 and 4S have both had stints as the camera of choice on Flickr, the popular image social. With Apple’s claims today that smartphone, desktop and notebook owners all prefer to use their iPads for the majority of tasks such as e-mail and web browsing, don’t be surprised to see the iPad camera become a hit with the budding photographers now the specs have been brought up to scratch.

There has been much talk of the "Post PC" era, and although it’s becoming a somewhat overused and vague term, Apple leads the way in the evolution of the tablet market. The new device covers photography, improves gaming, connectivity, and the new processor means tasks can be completed in a smooth and streamlined fashion.

Those of you looking to purchase the new device – you’d better make sure you have your preorder in place, pronto! In the meantime, feel free to drool over the sort of images you’ll be able to take, as of next week!

You may also like to check out:

• iPhoto For iPad And iPhone Now Available On App Store – Download Now!
• Untouched Camera Pictures from iPhone 4S 8 Megapixel Shooter; This May Just Be The Best Mobile Phone Camera Ever! [PHOTOS]
• Real Untouched Camera Pictures and HD Video Sample from iPhone 4

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Famous iOS Customization App “Pimp Your Screen” Lands On The Mac – Download Now!

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Even though iOS and OS X are both very easy on the eye, that doesn’t mean some users wouldn’t like to make changes here and there.

As those running a jailbroken iOS device can vouch – the temptation to call in WinterBoard or Springtomize often proves too much, and before you know it, the one or two visual tweaks you intended to make have turned into a full-scale overhaul, with no stone left unturned.

Even if you’re not jailbroken, though, there are an abundance of App Store residents who are only too keen to help change the way things look. Pimp Your Screen is one such app, jazzing up the SpringBoard and Lockscreen with some superb, high-resolution visual effects.

Developed by Apalon, Pimp Your Screen has now been wonderfully re-thought and improved for the Mac. As with the iOS iteration, the Mac app presents an exclusive collection of optimized background images and wallpapers ready and waiting to grace your computer. Pimp Your Screen has been a popular choice hitherto because it is always updated, and fortunately the Mac version continues this tradition.

You can choose a large catalog of different designs by Apalon’s assortment of pro designers. From the minimalistic, subtle images to the loud, slick and colorful – there’s a design to suit pretty much every mood, and every taste. You can choose from 8 different categories, and images support all Mac resolutions for a perfect fit. You’re able to bookmark the ones you prefer by means of the Favorites folder, and you can check out what’s hot via the Popular tab.

Of course, those with a little Photoshop nous will probably want to create their own designs, but even so, Pimp Your Screen does a stellar job in what it claims to do. There’s social sharing via Twitter and e-mail, enabling those around you to enjoy some of the great designs this app has to offer.

If you want more information on Pimp Your Screen for Mac, check out the developers’ web site, which you can find here.

Download Pimp Your Screen for Mac [Mac App Store Link]

Be sure to check out our Mac OS X Apps Gallery to explore more apps for OS X powered computer.

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