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Apple iPad 2 Unveiled

by Terrence O'Brien on March 2, 2011 at 01:28 PM

Apple ipad 2
Apple kicked off the tablet era with last year's launch of the iPad, and countless manufacturers have been scrambling to catch up. It's no surprise that Apple wants to make sure its presence is felt as the Tablet Wars continue on through 2011. The iPad 2 is hardly revolutionary, but it's a worthy upgrade to an already attractive package. And say what you will about Apple and iOS, but it's still the most user-friendly tablet OS around.

First, Apple made sure to beef up the hardware inside. In terms of raw power, the 256 MB of RAM and single-core processor found in the original simply can't compete with the Android tablets hitting the market. Apple saw fit to cram its own dual-core processor inside (dubbed the A5), and promises up to nine times the graphics performance, thanks to a new 3-D chip. Apple managed to add power without sacrificing battery life, all while trimming down the already svelte package. The bezel around the screen is now slightly smaller, and the device is significantly thinner and lighter; it's .5 milimeters thinner than the iPhone 4, and weighs only 1.3 pounds. The iPad 2's audio is improved with two larger stereo speakers, and HDMI video-out will let you hook the device up to your TV (provided you cough up the $39 for the special dongle). As expected, Apple also slapped a pair of cameras on the device. A rear-facing one capable of capturing 720p video and a front-facing VGA cam for use with FaceTime. Apple also added a gyroscope, just like the one found in the iPhone 4.

In the U.S., the iPad 2 will be shipping on March 11th for the same price as the original: $499 for the Wi-Fi-only base model, and up to $829 for the tricked-out 64GB 3G version. In addition to the existing Wi-Fi-only and AT&T models, Apple also introduced a Verizon 3G iPad and promised to ship both white and black versions.

Jobs also touted new iPad covers that snap closed on the device with the aid of magnets. It may not sound impressive until you realize closing the cover automatically puts the iPad to sleep and wakes it when opened. Polyurethane smart covers will run $39, with leather versions coming in at $69.

Tags: apple, apple+ipad+2, apple+ipad+2+review, AppleIpad, AppleIpad2, appleipad2review, ipad, ipad+2, Ipad2, ipad2+stereo+speakers, ipad2stereospeakers, March11, top

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