…UBM TechInsights, has found that the iPhone’s 3-axis digital gyroscope is likely slated for the next generation iPad as well. TechInsights senior analyst Steve Bitton said there’s an almost-perfect spot (4mm x 4mm); the exact size of the MEMS gyro) for it, located right beside the iPad’s accelerometer.

The weird thing is, there is no gyroscope in the iPad as far as we know. I think it’s fair to assume Apple will include a gyroscope in the next generation of the iPad. This could be added to the list of things the next iPad will probably include. So far I think we can say that the next iPad will have a camera, gyroscope and a Retina Display.

The video below shows the differences between gyroscopes and accelerometers:

Benchmarks show that the iPad is twice as fast as the iPhone 3GS when running applications. The question remains: where is all this speed coming from? The A4 processor shares the same PowerVR SGX 535 GPU and same 256MB of RAM as the iPhone 3GS.

And has the processor one core, two cores or what? According to IO Registry Tree dumps, it looks like the A4 is based on a single Cortex A8 design instead of the new Cortex A9. The processor runs at 1GHz, looking more like the Samsung Hummingbird ARM processor. The company Intrinsity is responsible for the processor and it is believed Apple has recently acquired Intrinsity.

“If the rumors are true, the tablet will be able to do basically everything a gadget could possibly do. It’s an e-reader, a gaming device, and a music player. You can watch TV and movies on it and surf the Internet (or so we’ve heard). And it will have thousands of third-party apps available for it … or maybe it will run Mac OS X. That’s all still unknown.”

The reports also talks about things we’ve heard before. The device will have a price point ranging from $600 to $1000, have an integrated webcam and there will be multiple models with and without 3G connectivity. Below is another positive reaction from one of the analysts:

“The Tablet will be awesome, and my guess is that it will be an instant hit for people who loved Kindles and people who want netbooks,” said David Wertheimer, executive director of Carnegie Mellon’s Entertainment Technology Center. Wertheimer said he finds it hard to comprehend how the tablet will replace all other on-the-go tech products. “But then again, what I can’t imagine, Steve Jobs often can,” he added.

Some people are less excited:

“What we’ve found in the past with these multi-function devices is that they’re better for ad-hoc purposes, like quick and dirty tasks,” said Zeus Kerravala, an analyst with Yankee Group. “They’re not for any prolonged, high-performance use.”

Another analyst, Laura DiDio with ITIC, provided supposed specifics on the hardware. The device will sport  high-end graphics card, according to Laura. The stunning resolution that will be offered will be greater then the iPhone and iPod touch. There will probably also be several different models. The 3G-enabled version would be tied to a contract with a wireless carrier such as AT&T. The model with a Webcam will allow simple mobile video conferencing, suggesting the tablet would have an education edition geared towards schools.

“Any time Steve Jobs gets on stage, the expectations are incredibly high, but they are especially lofty for the tablet,” the report said. “Analysts and investors are saying that this device could revolutionize the handheld world in the same way the the iPhone changed the smartphone market.”

Personally, if I read these reports, I get very very very excited. If this fills a supposed void between the iPhone and a low-end MacBook then the Apple Tablet could really be device that enables you to do games, watch videos, listen to music, use the internet and even chat with people around the world with the webcam. It practically becomes a devices that can do everything, anytime, anywhere.

Are you getting excited as well?

Source: CNNMoney.com