Apple’s iPad 3 or iPad HD or whatever the hell you want to call it is going to be announced in 30 hours as we’re writing this. We don’t know the exact spec sheet yet, but we’re pretty confident in saying that it’s going to gain a feature that was first seen in the iPhone 4S: Bluetooth 4.0. How’s this version of Bluetooth different from other versions? Pairing is hugely simplified, but the real differentiator here is an ultra low power mode. The guys at Ten One Design, looking to capitalize on this feature, have uploaded a video to YouTube showing off a brand spanking new pressure sensitive Bluetooth 4.0 enabled stylus. They’ve made styli in the past, but this new “Blue Tiger” as they like to call it takes things to a whole new level by adding things like palm recognition and a nifty LED to let you see the color you’re going to “paint” with.
Now before you mock the need for a stylus, realize that human beings have been using tools since they first walked upright. Fingers are great and all when the buttons in your application are huge, but sometimes you simply need more fine grained control. We haven’t touched the “Blue Tiger” yet, let alone the iPad 3, but something tells us that the art community is going to go crazy over this. Especially considering the rumors that the next iPad will feature an insanely high resolution screen.
How much will this accessory cost and when will it ship? Here’s the thing, right now it’s nothing more than a concept that Ten One Design wants to bring to life. If you think you’ll be interested in such a device, then visit their website and let your voice be heard.
Oh and for what it’s worth, to those of you looking for an Android Ice Cream Sandwich tablet, Google hasn’t baked Bluetooth 4.0 support into their OS … yet. Though it’ll probably be in Jelly Bean or Key Lime Pie if we had to take a guess.