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It's called the iPad 2: an Auto-Tuned song for the release
iTuned Steve Jobs is at it again. He previously Auto-Tuned the original iPhone introduction as well as the iPhone 4 Keynote. This time, using a JibJab like approach, Steve plays instruments while singing about the virtues of the iPad 2. The song is kind of catchy, and Steve does play some mean guitar, piano and drums. View the video on the next page and see what you think. [via Obama Pacman]
Apple exchanges iPads for iPad 2 for Rutgers class
An Apple retail store in New Jersey has taken back an order of original iPads and replaced them with iPad 2 units for a class at Rutgers' Center for Management Development, according to Forbes. In a move bound to annoy everyone who bought an iPad just before the iPad 2 was released and found that it was too late to return it, Apple isn't even charging a restocking fee even though the iPads had already been customized. The class was scheduled to start shortly before the iPad 2's release date on March 11, so the school had gone ahead and purchased the tablets (the students actually pay for them and keep them after the class is over). The article doesn't say exactly how this deal was arranged, but it's safe to say that someone at Rutgers followed my mom's perennial advice, "If you don't ask, the answer is no," and made a phone call to the local Apple Store. From the article, it is clear that Rutgers has a regular cycle of classes that use the iPads, which no doubt made it a little easier for Apple to show such extra flexibility. Of course, no good deed goes unpunished, so I'm sure there will be a whole host of people complaining that they didn't get the same offer. If you did happen to order an iPad recently, it's definitely worth a visit to your local Apple Store or a polite call to Apple support. Just remember, you're not a university sending tens of thousands of recurring dollars to Apple, so don't be too surprised if you don't get the same deal. [via The MacObserver]
Used iPads selling well on eBay and Gazelle
If online sales of the original iPad are any indication, then the iPad 2 may be a big seller for Apple when it launches later this week. eBay officials told the NYT's Bits blog that offers for the original iPad on the Instant Sale section of its website has skyrocketed to 15,931 since the announcement on March 2. Thousands of these offers appeared within the first few hours after the Apple event. This number eclipses the 1,500 offers for non-Apple tablets which have been received over the past few months. Used electronics company Gazelle is also reporting brisk trading of the original iPad. Gazelle purchases used devices from customers who send in their device and receive cash in return. Since the iPad 2 announcement last week, Gazelle has accepted 7,000 iPads. Over 2,000 of thee iPads were processed during the hours following Steve Jobs' announcement. Kristina Kennedy, a spokesperson for Gazelle, confirmed the company has paid out over $2 million for iPads in the last week alone. Can you guess which iPad model is the most popular? According to Gazelle, the 16 GB WiFi model is the most popular model being accepted by the electronics trade-in company. Prices for the iPad are reasonable with Gazelle paying $240 for a good condition 16 GB WiFi model. The same model is selling for about $305 on eBay's Instant Sale section.
iPad 2 video quality looks good, sounds great
We all know that the iPad 2's rear camera will capture 720p HD video and 3.1 stereo sound, but what does this actually translate to in real life? Settimio Perlini of Macity.net was at the European rollout of the iPad 2 in London last week and managed to capture some video at the event with the device. The video, which is on the next page, was shot under low lighting conditions and then uploaded to YouTube. That means that it has been compressed, with a resulting loss in quality, but the video still looks and sounds quite good. If the new device can capture video that's this good under less-than-optimal conditions, it's probably going to do very well in well-lit scenes. Add to that the ability to do video editing on the device with iMovie for iOS, and you have a capable (although awkward) way of shooting and composing HD video in the field. [via MacStories]
A funnier iPad 2 parody video? [NSFW]
When we posted the banned iPad 2 video, a number of commenters wrote about a funnier one. Let's see if you think they're right. This parody introduction of the iPad 2 comes from dandobi and contains some salty language which is definitely not workplace friendly. It answers the burning questions of how to pick a song for an iPad 2 commercial, why the Smart Cover isn't called the iCover and what all this has to do with Wolverine. Take a gander after the break and let us know if you think this one is better than the previous instance.
Stephen Colbert can't sleep or eat until he gets his hands on an iPad 2
Last night on the Colbert Report, Stephen was beside himself with anticipation for the iPad 2. A desperate Colbert complains that Apple wouldn't send him one "through the TV," despite having the technology. After all, Colbert notes, its A5 Dual Core Processor allows the iPad 2 to "Not run Flash nine times faster." You'll find the video after the break. Take a look and get ready to chuckle. [via Business Insider SAI]
Gene Munster: Don't expect long lines for iPad 2
Gene Munster, a senior research analyst for Piper Jaffray, expects the lines for Apple's iPad 2 to be shorter than they were for the original iPad in 2010. Even so, Munster predicts Apple will sell over 1 million of the hotly anticipated iPad 2 in its first 28 days on the market. When the original iPad launched last year, it was initially available at about 1,200 storefronts. This year, the iPad 2 will launch at over 10,000 locations in the United States. Customers swooning over the iPad 2 can join a queue at their local Apple Store or at any Best Buy, Target, Walmart, AT&T, or Verizon location. The broad variety of choices should result in thousands of shorter lines rather than hundreds of massive crowds. Some Apple customers quietly "protested" against Munster's predictions for shorter lines. At least one avid camper already began his campaign to be one of the first to score an iPad 2 at the Knox Street Apple Store in Texas. Even Munster admits the Friday evening launch time, 5 pm on March 11, could still draw large crowds at some stores. My guess is the long wait will be worth it for that ultimate Apple fan in Texas. It's a bold statement of pride for fans of the company. And your name will live on in the annals of Apple rumor sites as that guy who camped out for the iPad 2. That's worth something...isn't it?
Rumor: iOS 4.3 today at 10 AM PT, including WiFi hotspot (Updated)
A rumor fresh out of BGR claims that iOS 4.3 may debut today at 10 AM Pacific Time. This release date is earlier than the March 11 date suggested last week when the gold master version of the mobile operating system was released to developers. BGR also claims the widely-reported three device WiFi limit of the personal hotspot feature is incorrect. According to anonymous sources, the carrier determines the limit of personal hotspot connections and can allow five devices to connect if it so chooses. That's in direct contradiction to Apple's iOS 4.3 page, however, which says that the feature supports only three devices via WiFi plus an extra two devices via USB and Bluetooth respectively. It's possible that BGR's sources got the five-device number without realizing that Apple is counting Bluetooth and USB separately from the three-device WiFi limit. [Interestingly, Verizon's version of the personal hotspot feature is listed as supporting five WiFi devices, full stop. That does lend some traction to the BGR five-device concept, but remember that VZW iPhones aren't running 4.3 and won't be for a while yet. –Ed.] We can't confirm the validity of the iOS release time, so take it with a grain of salt. On the bright side, we shall know in a mere few hours if this is the real deal or merely a false alarm. Update: The Loop is reporting that there will be no update today. It is also after 10 AM PT and the update has not materialized so this one is looking to be a false alarm.
Rumor: Best Buy to equip employees with iPads
Forbes reports that "...one of the country's top 10 largest retailers" is prepping to supply its floor employees with iPads. A source notes that the retailer in question has 1,000 locations in the US. Forbes suggests that, with 1,100 stores in its stable -- not to mention its existing partnership with Apple -- Best Buy is a likely match. While the retailer would neither confirm nor deny the rumor, Forbes notes that a recent "Connected Store" pilot program launched by Best Buy locations in Vegas and Pittsburgh put devices like iPads, iPod touches and Galaxy tablets into employees' hands to increase familiarity when talking to customers. The retail giant will be selling the iPad 2 on May 11 in the States, as well as Target, Sam's Club and Walmart. [Via CrunchGear]
iPad 2 line has formed in Texas
A tent has appeared outside of a Texas Apple Store, and it's believed to belong to the first person line for an iPad 2. That, or deforestation is taking its toll on area Boy Scout troops. At right is a shot of the tent on McKinney Avenue in Dallas, which is serving as a temporary location for the Knox Street Apple Store while it's being renovated. Who's in the tent? It's been suggested that it's Justin Wagoner, who was also the first to line up for the iPhone 4 in Texas. It sure looks like the same tent to us. Of course, it's quite possible that, in some zany scheme to turn a profit, the tent manufacturer produced more than one grey-and-white model of that size and shape. iPad 2 sales will differ from the original iPad launch, as pre-orders are unavailable. That means, if you want to get an iPad 2 in person on Friday, you must first wait in line. See you then! [Via The Mac Observer]
Verizon crushes AT&T on iPad entry-level data rates
Well, I wish I didn't travel internationally so much after seeing the data rates both AT&T and Verizon are offering iPad users for monthly, non-contract plans. If you are deciding on whether to get a Verizon iPad or an AT&T one and will use 1 GB or less of data per month, Verizon just decided for you. As you can see from the chart that AllThingsD assembled, Verizon offers substantially better 3G data rates for the iPad than AT&T does -- at least for those users who want to be on the lowest tier. For $15, AT&T will give you 250 MB of data per month, whereas for a mere $20, or just another five bucks, Verizon will give you 1 GB of data -- that's four times the amount from AT&T. If you want to keep it on the lowest tier, Verizon is the way to go.
iPad 2 and iOS 4.3 JavaScript benchmarks show big performance gains
Some of the first speed tests coming in show that hardware and software improvements in the iPad 2 are giving it decent performance gains over its predecessor -- and over rival devices. CNET UK decided to spend its brief hands-on time with the iPad 2 by running the SunSpider JavaScript Benchmark, which CNET calls "an increasingly important indication of overall performance. The better a phone or tablet is at dealing with JavaScript, the faster more complicated websites such as Facebook will run, which means your whole experience with the device will feel faster." CNET found initially that the iPad 2 is up to four times faster than the original iPad, but not all this speed improvement is down to the upgraded hardware. The speed advantage dropped to a 1.5x boost when CNET updated the original iPad's OS to a beta version of iOS 4.3 that it happened to have lying around. This could be good news for anyone who wants an original iPad just for web surfing. Heavy discounting to clear stock means you can pick one up for $100 less than this time last week, a bargain if you don't want the cameras and other goodies that the iPad 2 brings. The other good news is the boasting rights this will give you over owners of rival Android hardware; iPad 2 cleaned the clocks of the Galaxy Tab (3x faster) and the Google Nexus S smartphone (also 3x faster). Since it will also be getting the iOS 4.3 update, the iPhone 4 will be 2.5x faster. Thanks Nik!
Six reasons iPad 2 will be a huge success for Apple
Photo courtesy of Engadget Since last Wednesday's announcement of the iPad 2, we've heard a lot of tech bloggers stating that they think the newest Apple tablet is going to be a flop. Well, maybe not exactly a failure, but not as successful as the original iPad was. I think the naysayers are completely out to lunch, and it's not just because I am a rabid fan of Apple products. Follow along as I go through my reasoning as to why the iPad 2 is going to be a resounding success for Apple. Newer is better (or at least that's the perception) Unlike the innovators and early adopters who write for tech blogs, there are a lot of people who don't buy the first round of anything; instead, they wait until the second edition becomes available. I heard this a lot from people who were gazing at my iPad with lust in their eyes: "I really want to get one, but I'm going to wait until the second generation comes out." For those who waited, they now have their chance to get an iPad that is demonstrably better than the first model. It has cameras, it has a dual-core processor, and it has graphics capabilities that are much better than what came with the first-generation iPad. Those people who waited are still in the "early majority" of consumers, so they'll still appear to be ahead of the curve in terms of being technological leaders to their friends. I think we'll see a lot of people who were on the fence about buying an iPad suddenly deciding to pick up an iPad 2. The features of the newer tablet address many of the complaints that the tech press had about the original iPad, and for a number of people, those features will take down the last barrier to making a purchase decision. Even if the iPad 2's specs aren't a huge step forward over the original iPad, for many people the perception is that "newer is better," and that perception is all it takes for someone to make a purchasing decision. Click or tap on that read more link to see the rest of this post.
Confirmed: iPad 2 will NOT be carrier-locked in Canada, or anywhere else
At first glance, wording on Apple's Canadian website would seem to imply that the iPad 2 will be carrier-locked in Canada. "The iPad model you purchase is specially configured to work with either Bell, Rogers, or Telus," the site states. "So while you don't have to activate 3G service right away, you should choose your iPad with Wi-Fi + 3G according to the carrier you prefer." This had GigaOM up in arms claiming that the "iPad 2 is a step backward for carrier choice." The original iPad was never locked to any specific carrier, but GigaOM took the wording on Apple's Canadian site to mean that the iPad 2 would be locked to whichever carrier you chose when you bought it. Let's be absolutely clear on this: just like the original iPad, the iPad 2 will not be carrier-locked in Canada, or anywhere else. If you buy the UMTS/GSM model of iPad 2 (known in the US as the AT&T iPad 2), you can swap out the iPad 2's micro-SIM and replace it with one from another carrier at your leisure. Unlike the iPhone, which usually is SIM-locked to a specific carrier and often requires a jailbreak in order to use it on a different carrier, the iPad and UMTS/GSM iPad 2 are both carrier agnostic out of the box. Website iPadinCanada has confirmed directly with Canadian mobile provider Rogers Wireless that the iPad 2 will not be carrier-locked in Canada. The same site also confirmed the AT&T iPad 2 won't be carrier-locked to AT&T, as did numerous requests for info from Apple Experts, a CNET article on international roaming with the iPad 2, and my own phone call to Apple's US support center. The only iPad 2 that is carrier-locked is the Verizon model, and it's only "locked" to Verizon because its 3G chipset won't work on a GSM network. If you buy the UMTS/GSM or "AT&T" model of iPad 2 on March 11, you will be able to use it almost anywhere in the world without having to worry about being locked to one specific carrier. It's unclear why Apple chose to word things the way it did on the Canadian site -- no other country's site contains similar verbiage, at least not in any of the languages I can read -- but both the Canadian carriers and Apple itself have confirmed that the UMTS/GSM iPad 2 won't be locked in to any specific carrier when you buy it. Update -- Some more details on Canadian activation: Each Canadian carrier requires slightly different software (the carrier settings file). This update will not download over the air after swapping SIMs, and getting the new carrier settings file requires plugging the iPad into iTunes before its 3G service will be usable with the new SIM. Current iPads cannot connect to Canadian carriers until they are plugged into iTunes with a SIM installed and have the proper carrier settings file synced over through iTunes. What's not clear is if this is a situation specific to Canada or not. I know I was able to switch SIMs between a New Zealand and Australian wireless provider without having to sync to iTunes before using my iPhone 4's 3G service, but this apparently isn't possible when switching between providers in Canada. Apple's verbiage on its Canadian website seems to be addressing this limitation and attempting to avoid customer confusion by having iPad 2 buyers choose a carrier when they purchase the unit. The iPad 2 should ship to Canadian customers with a micro-SIM from their carrier of choice already installed, but the iPad 2 will not be locked to that specific carrier, despite what the somewhat confusing wording on Apple's site may appear to imply.
Talkcast tonight, 7 PM PT/10 PM ET: iPad 2 Event Edition!
It's that time again kids, and this week we have TONS to talk about! We had a media event which included not just an official appearance by Medical Leave Steve, but loads of Apple news as well! We got our first look at the iPad 2, and a peek at iOS 4.3. Add to that the launch of Joint Venture and sightings of the new Thunderbolt laptops in the wild, and it's been quite the week to be a Mac geek. Remember it's "buy one get one free" when I'm hosting: Come for the show, and stay for the aftershow! A healthy dose of TUAWTF is a very good way to wrap up the weekend. Your calls and questions help us make the show the best it can be, otherwise I'm just talking to myself! To participate on TalkShoe, you can use the browser-only client, the embedded Facebook app, or download the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client; however, for maximum fun, you should call in. For the web UI, just click the TalkShoe Web button on our profile page at 4 HI/7 PDT/10 PM EDT Sunday. To call in on regular phone or VoIP lines (yay for free cell phone weekend minutes!): dial (724) 444-7444 and enter our talkcast ID, 45077 -- during the call, you can request to talk by keying in *8. If you've got a headset or microphone handy on your Mac, you can connect via the free Gizmo or X-Lite SIP clients; basic instructions are here. Talk to you tonight!
iPhone 4 + Personal Hotspot + Wi-Fi-only iPad: Possible, but with drawbacks
Once Apple announced Personal Hotspot, the new iPhone 4-only feature, a lot of potential iPad buyers started asking the same question. "Can I use this feature with a Wi-Fi-only iPad and avoid paying extra for a 3G-enabled iPad, plus another monthly data plan for it?" Indeed you can. With Personal Hotspot activated on an iPhone 4, any Mac or iOS device will treat the iPhone 4's Wi-Fi broadcast like it's a standalone base station. This means if you have an iPhone 4 and a Wi-Fi-only iPad, you can "tether" your iPad to your iPhone's 3G data connection for the first time. "Awesome! So this means if I have an iPhone 4, there's no reason to get an iPad with built-in 3G, right?" Well, no, that's not necessarily true. I can think of three things you lose if you go Wi-Fi-only with your iPad and keep it tethered to your iPhone 4. 1. GPS. Only the 3G models of iPad have built-in GPS functionality. The Wi-Fi models can approximate your position using Wi-Fi, but it's almost never as accurate as with GPS. "Well, so what," you might say. "If I've got my iPhone right there, what do I need GPS on my iPad for?" That depends on how important GPS functions are to you. If you hardly ever use apps that depend on location-based services, you probably won't be missing out on much. If you're like me and you use location-based apps all the time, having to sacrifice GPS functionality on one of your iOS devices might be more trouble than it's worth. 2. Longevity, by which I mean the amount of time you can use the iPad in a single session. The 3G version of the iPad 2 is rated for nine hours of battery life when surfing over 3G. When using your iPhone 4 as a Personal Hotspot, you can expect the iPhone 4's battery to last for only about five hours before it needs to be charged. Granted, you can bring along the iPhone 4's charger, plug it in, and use Personal Hotspot as long as you like. However, the charger and cable are just two more things to carry, finding an unused outlet isn't always easy when you're on the go, and having your iPhone plugged into the wall quite literally tethers you to one spot. That leads into the third thing you give up if you go the Personal Hotspot + Wi-Fi iPad route... 3. Flexibility. If your iPad doesn't have its own 3G capability, it's totally dependent on your iPhone's Personal Hotspot unless you can find another Wi-Fi source. If your iPhone's battery dies, or if you forget your iPhone in a bar and some unscrupulous wag pockets it, your iPad loses all of the versatility it gained through Personal Hotspot. The iPhone's data plans aren't anywhere near as flexible as those on the iPad, either. For one thing, in most countries the iPhone is locked to whatever carrier you buy it from; the iPad has no carrier locks whatsoever, and you can roam between carriers (or between countries) at a whim. Not only that, in several countries (most notably the US) you'll pay an extra monthly fee to enable Personal Hotspot on your iPhone 4. In the States this comes to $20 per month, which gives you an extra 2 GB of monthly data, for a total of 4 GB per month on your iPhone's plan. On a US iPad plan, you'll get 2 GB of data for $25. That's $5 per month more expensive than enabling Personal Hotspot on the iPhone, but you can manage the iPad's data plan on a month-to-month basis -- no contracts to sign, and no obligations to any carrier. Most carriers also offer cheaper iPad plans with lower monthly bandwidth caps, which should satisfy most users' data needs. Personally, I'm still getting a 3G-enabled iPad 2. I may never actually use its independent 3G capabilities since the iPhone 4's Personal Hotspot costs nothing extra through my wireless provider, but I'd rather know that I could use the iPad's own 3G if I needed to. Update: Many commenters have pointed out that Apple's Canadian website contains the following verbiage on the iPad 2's 3G capability, which at first glance seems to indicate the iPad 2 may be carrier-locked in Canada: If you decide on an iPad with Wi-Fi + 3G, be sure to select the model that corresponds with the carrier you'd like to use for 3G service. The iPad model you purchase is specially configured to work with either Bell, Rogers, or Telus. So while you don't have to activate 3G service right away, you should choose your iPad with Wi-Fi + 3G according to the carrier you prefer. Website iPhoneinCanada has confirmed directly with Rogers itself that the iPad 2 will not be carrier-locked in Canada. And despite similar wording on the US Apple Store urging buyers to decide between an AT&T iPad or a Verizon model before purchasing, the situation for the iPad 2 in the US remains the same: the AT&T iPad 2 is not locked to AT&T. iPhoneinCanada verified this by calling Apple directly; I just got off the phone with AppleCare myself, and they confirmed that just like the original iPad, the iPad 2 will not be locked to any specific carrier. Therefore, if you're like me and you live in a country where the iPad 2 won't be released until after March 11, you can still order an AT&T model iPad 2 from the US site without fear of having to jailbreak the thing in order to use it in your home country. The AT&T versus Verizon iPad 2 situation is a matter of the hardware differences necessary to access the different networks, not a case of the iPad being artificially locked to one carrier or another. It's unclear why Apple chose to word things the way it did on its Canadian site (no other country's site contains similar wording), but the Canadian carriers themselves have stated the iPad 2 won't be carrier-locked.
iPad 2 gets same quad-band 3G as iPhone 4
Just like the iPhone 4 before it, the feature I wanted most from the iPad 2 was support for 900 MHz UMTS/HSDPA in its 3G chipset. And just like the iPhone 4, the UMTS/GSM version of the 3G-enabled iPad 2 delivers, with the same quad-band support as the iPhone 4. The original iPad (and the iPhone 3G and 3GS) supported three frequencies for high-speed 3G access: 850, 1900, and 2100 MHz. If a wireless provider's 3G network didn't operate at one of those frequencies, the iPad or iPhone would then fall back on EDGE, or worse yet, GPRS, at 850, 900, 1800, or 2100 MHz. In countries whose wireless providers chose to run wide swaths of their 3G networks at 900 MHz, this meant older iOS devices would have extremely slow connections anywhere outside areas running at 1900 or 2100 MHz. As an example, my old iPhone 3G would drop to GPRS anywhere outside the central areas of major cities here in New Zealand, because my wireless provider's "extended 3G" network operates at 900 MHz. The iPhone 4 supports 900 MHz, greatly expanding my local 3G coverage compared to older iPhones, and the same will be true of the iPad 2 compared to the original iPad. As a matter of fact, the original iPad's lack of support for 900 MHz UMTS/HSDPA was one of the main reasons I didn't buy it. Now that the iPad 2 has the same quad-band 3G capabilities as the iPhone 4, this is no longer an issue. Almost all wireless providers worldwide operate their 3G networks at a frequency now supported by the iPhone 4 and iPad 2, meaning US owners of the AT&T 3G iPad can travel internationally with few worries about network compatibility.
The iPad 2 video Apple doesn't want you to see
YouTuber ooLDEoo has made another of his banned videos -- the videos that Apple doesn't want you to see. Previously he made one for the iPhone 4 and the original iPad introduction. This one is a parody of the iPad 2 introduction video. I thought it was pretty funny, especially since it features Apple's only black and female employees. Make sure you watch it to the end. http://www.youtube.com/user/ooJLEoo
Samsung says Galaxy Tab 10.1 is still on schedule, iPad 2 be darned
Samsung may have been humbled by Apple's iPad 2, but the company's apparently not letting that affect its plans -- without directly refuting statements by a Samsung VP that the upcoming Galaxy Tab 10.1 was "inadequate" or might be priced cheaper than originally intended, the company told the Yonhap News Agency that the tablet will be released on schedule. In other words, the Honeycomb tablet's not getting any thinner or lighter, but something's gotta give, and Samsung's not quite ready to say just what that is.
Redpark Console Cable gives iDevices an RJ-45 connector, not Ethernet access
Ever find yourself wishing your iPad iPad 2 was free from the fickle whims of wireless internet connections? Neither do we -- but, if you're the cable-dependent type, your prayers may not go unanswered for much longer. Redpark (who gave the iPhone an RJ-11 dongle) has created the Console Cable with the ubiquitous 30-pin Apple connector on one end and an RJ-45 plug on the other. The $69 device is used in conjunction with a $9.99 Get Console app to allow Cisco engineers to use their iDevice of choice to perform maintenance out in the field. Cable and app are exclusively compatible with Cisco devices, however, so no Ethernet on the iPhone... yet. It's only a matter of time before someone makes it happen -- your move, hackers.
