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In The Know

Apple unveils the iPad 2

By Joni Blecher Follow me on Twitter | Wednesday, March 02, 2011 (permalink)
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Today, Apple announced the newest iPad, aptly named the iPad 2 and it has quite a few noteworthy enhancements. That said, if you were expecting the new iPad to work with 4G networks, you might be a bit disappointed. In short, the new model is thinner (a third), lighter (up to 15%), and more powerful all without sacrificing the 10-hour battery life found in the original iPad. The one thing that really hasn't changed is the screen's resolution, which is still 1024 x 768.

The power comes from the new Dual Core A5 chip found in the iPad 2 and that means that it's faster and offers improved graphics performance. It also means that the iPad 2 can do a bit more like run iMovie. So you'll be able to edit 720p HD footage shot with the rear-facing camera. There's also a front-facing VGA camera for use with PhotoBooth or making calls over WiFi using FaceTime. A nice addition is that during FaceTime calls you'll also be able to use the rear-facing camera to share events happening around you. It also has a new feature that's accessible via an additional accessory and the HDMI video-out port called video mirroring. Using the accessory, you'll be able to connect the iPad 2 to a HDTV and it will mirror on the big screen exactly what is happening on the little screen.

There's also a new accessory called the SmartCover. It's actually pretty cool and as the name suggests: smart. It's a thin cover that magnetically attaches to the front of the iPad 2. When you put the cover on the tablet goes to sleep and when you open it (even just a corner), it wakes up. You can also fold the screen forming a triangle to create a mini-stand for the iPad 2 (See the photo below courtesy of Apple). The covers aren't included in the box. There will be 10 colors available and cost $39 for plastic or $69 for leather.

The iPad 2 will be available March 11 in multiple configurations: 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB WiFi-only models that start at $499 or 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB WiFi + 3G models (Verizon or AT&T) starting at $629.

The company also announced iOS 4.3. Among other enhancements, the new OS will include faster browsing using the Safari mobile browser, iTunes Home Sharing, and Personal HotSpot to share the iPhone 4 data connection over WiFi.