With all the attention deservedly going to the new iPad, it can be easy to forget that Apple also launched a third-gen Apple TV set-top box at its March 7th media event. The little hockey puck included 1080p HD video support and a faster processor, but that’s basically it. Not much has changed since the last Apple TV.

Apple has given early review units of the new Apple TV to certain publications to review. Here’s what they have to say:

The new iPad uses blazing fast LTE 4G networking to let you stream YouTube faster than you can say “Tim Cook’s your uncle,” but you still can’t use the tablet to make FaceTime calls over 4G or 3G. Calls fail to connect when the third-gen iPad isn’t connected to a WiFi network, just like they do on the iPhone.

iPhone users have been hammering for FaceTime over 3G since the video calling technology was introduced by Steve Jobs and Jony Ive back in 2010, but Apple has yet to flip the switch. Due to the data-heavy nature of video calls, the carriers are likely to blame.

The highly-anticipated iPhone email client called Sparrow is now available in the App Store. The app costs $2.99 and promises an enhanced emailing experience. Flagship features include a unique and gorgeous interface, a threading system for messages, enhanced contact integration, better search, and more. If you’re ready to try something besides the default Mail app, Sparrow is definitely worth checking out.

Apple always gives a few select media outlets a sneak preview of their newest products so they can post their reviews before the rest of us peons get to own their magical device. The embargo on reviews for the new iPad just lifted this evening, and so far everyone’s impressed with the retina display and 4G speeds, but is there anything they’re disappointed with in the new iPad?

Here’s what the first reviewers are saying:

The arrival of the new iPad will be upon us in less than two days. Selling your old iPad to supplement the cost of the new iPad can be a quick and easy way to save money. Last week we published a guide on how to get the most money for your iPad, but it looks like another option has just emerged. Apple has updated their Reuse and Recycling program to include trade in values for the iPad 2 which will give consumers up to a $320 gift card to trade in their used iPads.

One of the first things most IT folks will think about Apple Configurator is that it’s pretty limited compared to some of the mobile device management suites on the market (including Apple’s Profile Manager in Lion Server). MDM suites are designed to make device management as easy, automatic, and wireless as possible. Most include robust monitoring and reporting features – virtually all can use Apple’s push notification system to update a managed device at any time.

Configurator, on the other hand, requires connecting each iOS device to a Mac using a USB cable to perform any administrative tasks like configuring device settings, assigning a device to a user, installing apps, or updating iOS. That means that Configurator isn’t appropriate for a lot of businesses or workplace situations. Yet, for some organizations, Configurator is a more ideal tool than most MDM suites because of its hands-on approach.

So, what kinds of environments is Apple Configurator suited to?

Not satisfied with your iPhone’s screen size? Want Apple to come out with an iPhone to rival the Galaxy Nexus’ screen? Maybe even the Samsung Galaxy Note?

Cartoonist Leslie Wood gives us a humorous take on what the future of smartphones holds for mankind:

When we think about security for our mobile devices, we’re usually protecting it from nefarious individuals. Well guess what? It apparently works both ways. In a story straight out of James Brown’s diary, the FBI is having a hard time busting a notorious San Diego pimp thanks to Android’s pattern lock feature.

Whenever I share a screenshot of my jailbroken iPhone the number one question I’m always asked is, “How did you get rid of your carrier name like that??” The answer is actually a very simple one, as there are a host of Cydia tweaks that will let you hide your iPhone’s carrier name and other status bar elements.

If you’re itching to clean up your own status bar, here’s what you need.

Vocre (pronounced voh-creee) is a translation app that’s not new on the App Store, but has one important new feature: it’s free.

Obviously, the best way to get the new iPad on launch day was to pre-order it as soon as Apple’s website came back up. That option is now gone and you’re looking at shipping times of 2-3 weeks before you can get a new iPad in your hands.

It’s ok. Despite everything Samsung says, waiting in line for the iPad isn’t that bad. In fact, it can even be a lot of fun. If you’re planning on braving the weather and the crowds Friday morning here is our killer guide on the gear you need to not just survive, but thrive on launch day and walk away with the new iPad model you want.

If you frequently use the iPad’s Picture Frame feature, you’ve probably noticed that it likes to zoom in on people’s faces within each photo. Fortunately, there is a way to prevent this.

Earbuds are a compromise. Bang for the buck, you’ll always get better sound and bass from over-the-ear headphones, and probably better comfort as well. Notoriously fragile, you’ll likely get more longevity with headphones than earbuds, too. But these are all the sorts of drawback you live with if you want to listen to your music on the go without carrying around a big pair of cans with you, and all of the technology of earbuds are largely extended towards minimizing their deficits when compared to their bigger, richer brothers.

Enter Sony’s XBA range of earbuds. Spanning four models, each defined by its number of drivers — the Sony XBA-1iP, the Sont XBA-2iP, the Sony XBA-3iP and the Sony XBA-4iP — Sony’s making a concerted effort to deliver high-end over-the-ear sound in a slim, light and portable package. But how well did they do?

We said just a couple days ago that there’s pretty much zero chance you’ll be getting your pre-ordered new iPad delivered early, but maybe people hanging out at Best Buy will have better luck? According to Engadget, Best Buy is already getting Retina Display iPads delivered to their back stockrooms, which means there’s a fair chance that some idiot stock boy will accidentally put them out on the floor early. Fingers crossed!

There’s no denying the fact that Verizon leads the charge in 4G LTE expansion. In fact, come this time tomorrow, over 200 markets will be blanketed in the lightning fast speeds of Verizon LTE. To put things in perspective, AT&T, who recently announced twelve new markets, covers a total of 28 markets. With the majority of devices now being manufactured to take advantage of LTE (including the new iPad) this huge gap in market coverage could very well push a large number of users over to Big Red’s network.

What’s better: 1080p iTunes videos or Blu-Ray? Blu-Ray, without a doubt, but it’s actually not as big a gulf in quality as you might think.

Adobe’s Photoshop Touch is flexible enough that you can really get your hands dirty with some desktop-level photo manipulation. But what the app is really meant to do is be a quick way for you to fix or edit your photos and then share them with your friends via social networks or email.

To this end, there are some incredibly powerful tools which take just a few taps to apply. One of the coolest is called Add Fade, and it makes blending two images together as simple as dragging a slider: Photoshop takes care of all the masking and blending for you. So go grab your iPad, fire up Photoshop and follow along.

On Monday, we asked iPhone 4S readers how Apple’s latest iOS 5.1 software has impacted their battery life. The new handset is notoriously poor at staying alive for a whole day, but those pesky bugs affecting its battery life were, according to Apple, quashed in the recent software update.

Nearly 6,000 readers voted in our poll, and here are the results.

Encyclopedia Britannica is the oldest English encyclopedia still in production, with roots dating all the way back to 1768. If you went to school before the dawn of Wikipedia, you might have fond memories of rummaging through Britannica’s pages while researching a sixth-grade report.

Sadly, the 32-volume printed edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica will no longer be published, as the company focuses on presenting its content digitally.

The new iPad’s LTE option offers a lot of potential for mobile professionals, particularly the Verizon version because it will support the iOS personal hotspot feature. The plans available from both AT&T and Verizon are pretty much in line with the previous iPad 3G plans for individual customers.

While plans for individuals are fairly straightforward, the options for business can be much murkier. Both carriers offer business plans and bundles, but no two businesses have the same needs or mix of devices. If your business is considering new iPads with LTE, you’ll want to sit down with your account rep to get the details about what options you have and possibly negotiate with them to get the best deal – but doing a thorough review of your existing mobile plans first can put you in the driver’s seat during those negotiations and save your company a ton of money.

Buying a new iPad? Be sure that you’re well aware Apple has made some changes to AppleCare. This past year Apple changed the iPhone AppleCare option to AppleCare+ and it has now done the same for the iPad. Unsurprisingly, AppleCare+ offers you more protection for your new iPad than was previously available under standard AppleCare plans, but there are a few differences, which everyone should take a moment to understand.

We’re huge fans of Readdle’s productivity apps here at Cult of Mac, and we’re delighted that they’re getting ready for the new iPad’s Retina display. Remarks and PDF Expert will be Readdle’s first two apps to get high-resolution artwork in their latest updates, in addition to a number of new features.

If you want to take great photos that you can play around with later, you shoot RAW. And if you want to take great video, ready for the kind of post-processing punishment exacted on it by adding visual effects, you also shoot RAW.

However, while you can get a RAW-shooting stills camera for under $500, a RAW-capable video camera is professional only, running to tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. Until now. Joe Rubinstein will sell you a Digital Bolex for just $2,500. In the movie world, that’s like finding a Nikon D4 in your cereal box.

Quickoffice is launching an enterprise version of its signature Microsoft Office-like iPad app that includes several noteworthy enterprise features, including data encryption and the ability to disable some consumer-oriented features that could lead to confidential business data being copied off of a user’s iPad. The update also incorporates volume licensing through Apple’s volume purchase plan as well as a year of premium maintenance and support.

While there are a number of solutions out there that offer iPad users the ability to view, create, and edit Office files, including Apple’s iWork apps, they tend to fall short of some enterprise needs. While it’s possible to meet these security and management needs by using a combination of mobile management products and native apps, those combinations really don’t integrate well into a single solution. The new Quickoffice ProSelect HD app is designed to address the security needs of IT and the productivity needs of users with a single app.

Those who are lucky enough to be living in one of the ten initial launch countries for Apple’s new iPad are now facing a shipping delay of up to three weeks for the device if they order now. But demand hasn’t stopped the Cupertino company from continuing the tablet’s worldwide rollout as planned.

Apple confirmed today that the new iPad will be available in a further 25 countries from March 23.