To absolutely no one's surprise, Apple pulled the veil off of its second-generation iPad in a much-publicized press conference earlier today. Speculation had transformed into near-certainty in the weeks leading up to today's announcement, which comes less than a week after Apple released its latest MacBook Pro update. Many of the previously rumored iPad 2 features did indeed make the cut; check out the full specs after the jump.
Physically, we're looking at a small device. The iPad 2, which will be available in both white and black when it hits stores on March 11, weighs 1.3 pounds (down from 1.5) and is 33% thinner than its predecessor, which is thinner than an iPhone 4.
Apple also touts the iPad 2's increased speed as being "dramatically faster" than the first-gen release, thanks to the company's dual-core A5 processor, which boosts CPU speed "up to 2x" and graphics processing "up to 5x." It will of course support all earlier App Store releases, though we gamers have to start wondering now if certain games are going to start coming that can't run on the older model.
The tablet also keeps the gyroscope and packs in front- and rear-facing cameras, as was previously rumored. HDMI output capabilities will also be offered via a dongle, much like the iPad Camera Connection Kit, which will be sold separately for $39. Apple insists that all of these added features won't impact the battery life, which continues to hover around the 10 hour mark.
Now for the price. No surprises here. The 16GB storage capacity base model iPad 2 run $499, with 32GB and 64GB upgrades available for $599 and $699, respectively. These prices are just for Wi-Fi-only models. Those who want 3G functionality as well should count on adding $130 to the price tag.