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.

In the three-and-a-half years since Apple opened the App Store’s virtual doors, App-mania shows no signs of abating. The concept of an Apple-managed software store has become so widely embraced, that the company even created a Mac version of the App Store this past January.

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.

The iPad has been making in-roads in the classroom ever since its 2010 debut. If Apple’s tablet is going to continue progressing to the head of the class, it will be with apps like our two favorite educational offerings leading the way.

Toontastic

An iPad app from Launchpad Toys, Toontastic is a creative learning tool aimed at the younger set (ages 4 through 7 for some of the app’s categories, and 8 through 10 for others). It’s obvious when you launch Toontastic that kids will have fun with it for a moment. What’s not so obvious is how they can lose themselves in the app and their imaginations—and they’ll be eager to share their creations with you.

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.

Communication starts long before you open your mouth. You first have to come up with an idea, put it into words, and then present it to the world at large. Our top communication apps from the past year cover this process from start to finish.

Textastic Code Editor

Click to ZoomThere are a lot of good writing apps capable of handling basic writing, highlighted by previous App Gem winner Elements. But if your writing includes any sort of code, Textastic Code Editor from Alexander Blach stands out by making editing on an iPad much less painful. For starters, it offers more than 20 color themes, each of which includes syntax highlighting and document navigation for a slew of file and code types, including Markdown, HTML, XML, CSS, Perl, JavaScript, and C variants.

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.