As the release of the next generation iPad approaches, the rumour mill is spinning frantically and technology writers are doing their best to keep up.

One such morsel that has raised a lot of enthusiasm lately, as NetworkWorld reports, is that the iPad 3 will feature a high definition front camera as well as a rear-facing camera which will be a significant improvement, at least matching the latest iPhone, which has an 8 MP resolution.

When it comes to the design, the latest rumours are that iPad 3 will not be significantly different from earlier versions, but under the bonnet is where some impressive new features will be found. Probably the most talked about feature is the high-definition 1536x2048 pixel display which, with 270 ppi, is more than double the pixel density of the iPad 2.

One thing that has cropped up more than a couple of times from analysts and industry observers, is that Apple is planning to release a smaller member of the iPad family, probably with a 7.85-inch screen. This strategy could be a result of the market pressure on Apple to respond to rivals that have released portable tablets appealing to budget-conscious customers, most notably the Kindle Fire from Amazon.