Digital Arts staff, Macworld

[Tim Cook kicked off this year’s D: All Things Digital conference on Tuesday. The Apple CEO was interviewed by conference hosts Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher, in a lively, engaging conversation. Here’s an edited roundup of the highlights.]

With Apple's Wednesday introduction of the third-generation iPad, many of the questions people and pundits have spent the past few months obsessing over have been answered-but not all. We know it has a nicer screen, a faster processor, better cameras, 4G networking, and voice dictation. But even if you've read our live blog, chances are there are still bits of info you want to know. Here are all the details we've been able to dig up about Apple's newest tablet.

What's the new iPad's screen resolution?

You may want to sit down, because we’re going to talk about the iPad—and sitting is really the most comfortable way to use it, isn’t it? Apple on Tuesday invited members of the media to a special event on March 7 at 10 a.m. Pacific.

Any time there's a new operating system, there's bound to be lots of questions about new features and capabilities. And when that operating system's unveiling is as surprising as this week's Mountain Lion announcement was, those questions take on a newfound urgency.

Not to worry: We've had a chance to spend some quality time with the next version of the Mac operating system, and we're prepared to answer any questions you might have about its availability, new features, and enhancements to existing applications. And don't worry if you've still got lingering questions--we have a few months before Mountain Lion arrives to sort everything out.

Our favorite productivity apps for 2011 each have different ways of helping you get more out of your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad. A pair of the winners below improve upon the things your iOS device already can do, delivering in ways that Apple’s built-in apps don’t. And the other two add new and exciting features to your iPad and iPhone, making you more productive in the process.

Due

iOS 5 introduced a built-in Reminders app to go along with the many task-managers and to-do reminder offerings already available in the App Store. Still, we think Due from Phocus is just about perfect when it comes to quickly keeping track of the many tiny tasks you need to accomplish during a given week. Reminder creation in Due is simple and speedy: You don’t even have to name them, while custom presets allow you to stack up tasks for when you get up, get out of work, or go to sleep. You can also add custom timers for timed tasks.

Few App Store categories saw as much upheaval in the past year as news delivery apps did. Developers have seized on the idea of letting mobile device users customize their news. They've also found new ways of delivering streaming video straight to your iOS device.

Our two top news app picks represent the best of those particular trends.

Our three favorite iOS music apps all have something in common, and it’s not just the fact that they each offer great ways to make music on the go. Rather, this trio appeals to all iOS device owners. From experienced musicians to someone who’s hardly ever picked up an instrument, there’s something here to spark your lyrical muse.

Capo

Whether you’re a full-fledged musician or someone who just likes to learn the occasional top 40 hit, figuring out a song without sheet music can be difficult. Capo makes the task go much more smoothly. SuperMegaUltraGroovy’s app lets you play any song without DRM in the music library of your iPhone or iPad. From there, you can slow the song down, adjust the pitch, or add markers and loop points to help you master the particulars of playing back a tune.

Book lovers have found a welcome companion with iOS devices, particularly with the iPad and its reading-friendly screen. Our favorite reading apps from the past year include a tool that ushers comic books into the digital age, and two children’s books that make the most of the iPad’s interface.

Comics

Click to ZoomComics by Comixology is the definitive app for reading comic books on iOS, and has been since the day the original iPad shipped. With version 3.0, Comics got even better. It’s got a new, smooth interface and does a much better job of handling the huge volume of digital comics now being released.

One of the most widely used cameras in the world isn’t a DSLR or even a point-and-shoot—it’s the one that comes built into your iOS device. Certainly, the main reason for that is convenience, but iOS photographers also have a number of great photo apps at their disposal.

We’ve selected three photo tools—an all-in-one offering that promises to take care of most of your photographic needs, a versatile image editor, and an editing app that focuses on a particular task. We’ve also picked an app that takes the iPhone’s video-capture capabilities in exciting new directions.

This is the third year we’ve handed out App Gems awards to the top iOS apps. And each year, we’ve noticed a few familiar faces among the leading contenders. Certain apps could claim a trophy every year—they embody the best of what the iOS platform has to offer and continually introduce improvements and enhancements that make them the class of the App Store.

To recognize this ongoing level of excellence, we’ve created the App Hall of Fame. Five iOS favorite make up our inaugural class of perpetually top-notch apps.