Today Apple announced the iPad 2, the second tablet powered by the iOS. Aside from a 30% slimmer form factor and front and rear cameras, the new iPad is quite similar to its predecessor in design.

Perhaps the biggest iPad 2 change is its processor; as guessed, the iPad 2 has a faster, dual-core A5 processor (clock-speed unknown).  Processing power is about twice that of the 1st Gen iPad, and graphics performance is said to be up to 9-times faster in some situations.  First-hand video shows the new A5 SoC to be quite speedy, from everything to normal tasks to games and video.  Presumably the RAM has also been bumped up from the current iPad’s 256MB, but this information was not published.  We’ll have to wait for a teardown to know more.

As also as previously suspected, the iPad 2 has two cameras, a front-facing camera for FaceTime video chats and a new app called Photo Booth, and a rear-facing camera for shooting photos and HD video.  A version of iMovie will be made available in the App Store for editing video shot on the iPad 2.

As we predicted in January, the screen is not a Retina-class model; in fact, it remains unchanged, at least in terms of size and resolution, but the iPad 2’s multi-touch display is constructed in such a way that the image is closer to the surface glass, much like the iPhone 4.

There are no USB or SD card ports, but you can output video and other onscreen content by way of HDMI with an optional dongle called the Digital AV Adapter, which will set you back $40.  This will surely be a widely-used accessory in classrooms and meetings.

Battery life remains at 10 hours per charge, which is impressive given the bumps in processing and graphics power. 

The iPad 2 will be available with black or white faces (seen left) and with three unchanged internal storage capacities: 16GB, 32GB and 64GB.  Each capacity will be sold in a Wi-Fi only version starting at $499 for 16GB and increasing by $100 for each storage bump, and Wi-Fi + 3G models for either AT&T or Verizon Wireless.  There are different Wi-Fi + 3G models for AT&T and Verizon, so you’ll need to decide which service you want to use before you purchase.  The 16GB Wi-Fi + 3G Model sells for $629 and increase by $100 for 32GB and another $100 for 64GB.

iOS 4.3 will debut alongside the iPad 2 (which ships running this version of the OS); updates will be made available for the iPhone 3GS and GSM iPhone 4, the current iPad, and late generation iPod touches.  Notable features include improved JavaScript performance in Safari, iTunes Home Sharing over Wi-Fi, and Personal Hotspot on the iPhone 4.

Pre-orders for the iPad 2 are not being accepted; Apple says they’ll start taking orders on March 11th, the same day the iPad 2 will arrive in Apple Stores.

Yesterday’s report was correct.  Apple has just begun sending out invitations for the 2nd Generation iPad press event. 

The event will be held Wednesday, March 2nd at 10:00AM PST at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco. 

Find out more about the 2nd Gen iPad…

Source: The Loop

Next Wednesday may be the day all 2nd Generation iPad speculation ends. 

According to a new report posted at All Things Digital, a Wall Street Journal tech blog, Apple will announce the new version iPad (or iPads) on March 2nd in San Francisco.

Exactly how the iPad 2 will be different from the current model remains unclear, however it’s safe to assume that it will have both front-facing and rear cameras, a thinner design, and improved hardware such as an updated processor and more RAM.  Beyond that, new features are anyone’s guess, but at this point we’ve dismissed most of the rumors as wishful thinking, often bordering on the absurd.

We’ll keep you posted.

Okay. Let’s face facts, you and I. Endless rumors and prognostications to the contrary, the 2nd Generation iPads – which will likely be announced in the next few weeks – will not have a Retina display. 

Like you, I was hopeful.  I wanted to believe the rumors.  I shipped my better judgment off to  destinations unknown, admonishing it not to hurry home.

But it couldn’t stay away forever: no Retina.

But… but… you say the iPhone 4’s screen is so backlit-magazine crisp, so beautiful, so blow-your-mind readable – why would Apple not bring this amazing display technology to its next tablet?  

Because, hopeful reader, it simply can’t be done.

…

There are currently four predictions about the next iPad’s display, and one of them will be proved correct. Two are highly implausible – read: not happening. Another is unlikely, but possible.

But it’s the final forecast I now grudgingly accept.

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If you believe the folks at Bloomberg, Apple is planning to include NFC – or Near Field Communication – in the next generation iPhone and iPad.  Great! 

So… what the heck is NFC?

NFC is an established technology that allows, essentially, the sharing of data between two equipped devices at short range (about 4-inches). While the possible applications for NFC are many, inclusion in their next-gen mobile devices suggests that Apple may be planning to get into the payment processing business, allowing iPhone and iPad users to pay for products right from their iTunes account the way they currently pay with a credit or debit card. 

The Nexus S, the current flagship Android phone from Google and Samsung, already boasts the technology, though not much has come from its inclusion given the phone’s relatively low number of users.  But on the iPhone, NFC could see its first wide-range use.

Here’s how it could work. 

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