subject: Apple launches iPad 2 [print this page] Apple launches iPad 2 Apple launches iPad 2
Apple has unveiled the much-anticipated iPad 2, promising a device that is twice as fast as its predecessor. The iPad is also one third thinner and 15% lighter than the original iPad.
The announced was made by Steve Jobs himself in a rare public appearance since his latest medical leave.
The iPad 2 will begin shipping in the US on March 11 and internationally on March 25 - originally to Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the rest of North America and 21 European countries. Apple stated that it is planning to launch in many more countries around the world in coming months.
The company added that for the US launch it will provide versions compatible with both AT&T's GSM and Verizon's CDMA 3G networks.
It will use a new dual-core A5 processor, and be powered by iOS 4.3. The base version will have 16GB of memory, scaling up to 64GB on the highest-end model. It will come in black and white from launch.
iPad uses the same screen as the original iPad, but has new graphics processing capabilities that Jobs stated promises a nine fold speed boost.
The device will come with two cameras, including a front-facing one capable of recording 720p HD video. The base model will have a price tag of $499 in the US, the same as the first iPad.
Apple is also planning to launch its Apple iPad 2 in Mexico on 25 March.
The much awaited iPad 2 will be available in Mexico at a starting price of US$ 499 for the 16GB WI-Fi version and goes up to US$ 829 for the 64GB WI-Fi and 3G version. The device will be available in black and white.
The iPad 2 features a dual core processor as well as improved video with a front and rear-facing cameras. It is also equipped with a Gyroscope. The iPad 2 has a thinner design, even thinner than an iPhone 4. It has got the same battery life as the other iPad i.e.10-hour battery life.
The new tablet, which is running a new version of Apple's iOS, feels faster. Apps open and close very quickly and even switching between screens seems faster. The difference is subtle because the original iPad never really felt slow but there seems to be an extra zip to things on the new device.
The changes powering that speed are hidden away inside; more obvious are the two cameras, one on the front and a second on the back.
The iPad 2's front camera is capable of recording VGA-resolution (640-by-480) video at 30 frames per second with audio. The front camera can also take still photos at 640-by-480. The back camera can record HD video at 720p at 30 frames per second with audio. When in still camera mode, the back camera has a 5X digital zoom.
The iPad 2 features a 9.7-inch LCD screen with a 1024-by-768-pixel resolution at 132 pixels per inch, like the original iPad.
Apple also announced a newPhoto Booth appfor the iPad. The app uses the front-facing camera to snap your image, which you can then alter with eight included effects. The Photo Booth app previews all effects on one-screen in real-time.
