iPad 2 Smart Covers Announced

Along with the launch of the iPad 2, Apple also unveiled the Smart Cover. The cover is different to a case in that it doesn’t wrap around the whole device. Instead, it uses magnets to attach on to the front of the device to keep the screen free from being knocked.

The magnets used are self aligning which means when you attach it, it always sits in the right place. The cover also controls switching the device on and off if needed. When you open the case, the screen enables. [Read more…]

iPad 2 Now Official – FaceTime, Dual-Core and Smart Covers

Apple has announced the iPad 2 at an event held earlier today. New features include a couple of cameras, dual-core processor, new design and a fancy new case/cover.

Just like the previous first gen iPad, the iPad 2 comes in three capacities of 16GB, 32GB and 64GB as well as two options of each which is WiFi only or WiFi and 3G.

The new iPad is now slimmer, lighter and smaller and measures 9.5 inches tall, 7.31 inches wide and has a depth of 0.34 inches. Rumors were quite correct in the positioning of buttons, microSIM slot and also got it right about the cameras. [Read more…]

iPad 2 Pics Surface Again – More Mockups

We’re just hours from the official unveiling of the iPad 2, but have also just come across a number of pictures that are supposedly the next generation tablet although yet again, the Flickr stream which they come from hints that it’s a mockup, probably put together based on dimensions from the case.

What we see in the pictures is a slightly slimmer device with the edges a little more tapered than the previous model. The antenna bar is white instead of black. It has a couple of cameras for Facetime and capturing pictures. We also see that all the same buttons seem to be available in that there’s up/down volume, mute, power. The microSIM slot seems to have moved to the top side of the device (currently at the middle on iPad 1). [Read more…]

iPad Approved by FAA as Sole Charting Source

Over the last few months, a number of tests have been performed with the Apple iPad that have been successful enough that the FAA has now approved it to be used in-flight as a solo charting source.

The announcement was actually made on February 11 by press release from Jeppesen, who make the appropriate software that can replace the paper based method. “FAA authorization allows Executive Jet Management to use iPad and Jeppesen Mobile TC App as alternative to paper aeronautical charts” [Read more…]

iPad 3 Is the One To Look Out For

Apple is getting ready to announce the iPad 2 tomorrow. The event kicks off at 6pm GMT and what we expect to see is a thinner and lighter iPad with a few enhancements.

Cult Of Mac has been tipped off with some interesting information which indicates that the iPad 2 will be just a small update to the original iPad in that it will have a bit more RAM, run faster, be slimmer and lighter, but it will keep the same or very similar display. [Read more…]

More iPad 2 Pictures Surface

We’re just a couple of days away from seeing the real iPad 2, but leaks continue to appear. The next up is what looks to be a rendering of the back of the iPad. It matches what we have seen before in earlier leaks in that it has the same larger speaker that continues around the back. It has a flat back, camera, black 3G bar along with the usual buttons around the edges.

We don’t know for sure if it is a real render, or if it’s just fan made. We do know that the images posted the other day (linked above), are actually fake and were created from the exact dimensions provide by Apple to a case supplier, so although fake, they could be almost what we see in a month or so time. [Read more…]

2011 MacBook Pro Benchmarked

Yesterday, Apple launched the new 2011 MacBook Pro range. Some of the new models include a quad-core Intel i7 processor. Some guys who managed to get hold of them today have started benchmarking them with Geekbench 2.

The scores are all impressive and average around the 10000 mark. When compared to last years MacBook Pro models, the scores are almost double on the newer models. [Read more…]

iPad Took 93% of the Market Q3 2010

When Apple launched the iPad in April 2010, it was really the first major tablet to hit the market. We had seen others before based on Microsoft that were generally convertible tablets. What we hear today is that in the 3rd quarter of 2010, the Apple iPad accounted for 92% of the tablet market. This particular number gives a good hint at what competition was out there… not much to be fair.

2011 is going to be a little different though. Google Android 3.0 Honeycomb rolled out today on the Motorola Xoom and there are a number of large manufacturers launching Android based tablets over the coming months. As well as many Android tablets, the BlackBerry Playbook is launching soon along with the HP TouchPad. [Read more…]

iPad 2 Mockup Pictured

We’re just days away from the unveiling of the Apple iPad 2 and what we see here is a mockup of what it could look like.

What makes this mockup more possible is that it apparently has been created by an iPad case manufacturer over in Japan and was designed using the exact dimensions that are provided to those manufacturers so they can create the necessary cases. [Read more…]

2011 MacBook Pro Line Updated – Official

Well, it finally happened and not a minute too soon. Apple [AAPL] has announced a new range of MacBook Pro’s for 2011. The new 2011 MacBook Pro range is said to use the next generation processors, graphics as well as use the leaked Thunderbolt I/O technology.

As expected, five new models have been released which includes two 13 inch models, two 15 inch models and a single 17 inch model. Read on below for more pictures and all the technical specs: [Read more…]

Apple Store Down – As Expected

As expected, Apple [AAPL] has taken down the Apple store in various countries. The store went down this morning and is expected to be down for the next couple of hours.

When the store loads back up, we expect to see details of the new MacBook Pro range included and at a push… a white iPhone 4? We doubt the latter, but the former of the two is certainly expected. [Read more…]

New MacBook Pro Specs Leaked

Apple is more than likely going to be announcing a new refresh of the MacBook Pro range tomorrow. It is expected that these will be going on sale as early as tomorrow.

Website fscklog.com posted an image of the specs which include the following:

• 2.3Ghz Sandy Bridge Dual-Core Intel Core i5 Processor with a 3MB L3 Cache
• 4GB of DDR3 RAM clocked at 1333MHz
• A 320GB hard drive
• a 13.3-inch diagonal LED backlit display with a 1280×800 pixel resolution.
• Intel HD Graphics 3000 with 384MB of DDR3 RAM.
• An integrated FaceTime-HD camera
• An 8x Superdrive
• Two USB 2 ports, an SD card reader, FireWire 800, a MiniDisplay Port, Ethernet and, most interestingly, Thunderbolt port (perhaps Light Peak?)

[Read more…]