Image Courtesy Ben Atkin and Flickr Creative Commons

Speculation has infused discussion of the updated device since whispers of its technological remodel began in late 2011.  Would there be an iPad Mini?  3D?  New haptic touch features?  Now we know that “the new iPad,” as it is being called, rather than the iPad 3, does indeed sport a slew of impressive upgrades, but falls short of Jobsian achievement.  

An inconsequential gain in weight and a reduction in battery life -- about one hour, all told -- are small prices to pay for a tablet that features a 2048 x 1536 retina display screen (probably better than the average household plasma television), refined camera and video capabilities, and a high-end processor.  A 44 percent increase in color saturation comes courtesy of 3.1 million pixels, packed so densely that the eye cannot distinguish them.

More user-friendly than ever, the iPad rewards connectivity by syncing content to iCloud, and goes on to provide over 200,000 apps built to suit the iPad’s 9.7-inch screen; fast, clear gaming and HD movie functions; and voice dictation in six languages.

Pre-ordering for the new iPad begins today, and the tablet will be available in stores March 16, priced at $499.  Prices of the iPad2 were lowered from the usual $499 to $399, keeping Apple in the running with less expensive tablets like Barnes & Noble’s $249 Nook.

Tim Cook championed his newest baby as “state of the art” and “truly revolutionary,” and he's right.  Apple continues to push the limits of the status quo. It's just unusual that the words "Apple" and "status quo" have to be used in the same sentence at all.  Now that the public has had time to weigh in, a general consensus has formed: Good job, Apple.  But what else you got?

Reach Executive Producer Leslie Velez here.

[View the story "The New iPad: What Are You Saying?" on Storify]