On the eve of the iPad 2 launch, Apple's latest touchscreen tablet has already shown up on shelves at Walmart, though customers were unable to purchase it. News Corp. announced that it has acquired over 200,000 subscribers to the Wall Street Journal on the iPad and other tablets. Finally, Canon has spoken out in support of Intel's new Thunderbolt interconnect technology.
A new survey shows Apple poised to dominate the tablet market yet again in 2011 with the iPad 2, as 82 percent of future tablet buyers said they would choose Apple's iPad over competing options like the Motorola Xoom and RIM PlayBook.
Apple on Thursday reminded customers that the iPad 2 will go on sale at retail locations at 5 p.m. on Friday, but those who want to purchase from the comfort of their home will be able to order online starting at 1 a.m. Pacific, 4 a.m. Eastern.
Apple has posted to its website several in-depth videos highlighting both old and new features of the iPad 2 in advance of the tablet's U.S. launch on Friday.
The first reviews of the iPad 2 have emerged, declaring Apple's new touchscreen tablet as even farther ahead of its competitors than the original iPad, though some reviewers were disappointed with the image quality of the device's new front- and rear-facing cameras.
Within hours of the official release of iOS 4.3, developers have found further evidence that Apple plans to use its dual-core A5 processor in the next-generation iPhone.
Apple on Wednesday released iOS 4.3 for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, bringing new features like Personal Hotspot, AirPlay support for third-party apps, and JavaScript Web browsing speeds twice as fast.
Apple has allegedly inked a deal with chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. to produce the A5 chip for the iPad 2, a move that is seen as a potential loss for Samsung.
According to one Wall Street analyst, Apple's soon-to-be-released iPad 2 could burst a bubble for competitors who are hoping to capitalize on the growing tablet market but remain unable to catch up.
Apple is offering iPad 2 in two carrier options within the US, but AT&T and Verizon's plans differ significantly [update: Verizon's iPad plan has no activation fees].
Initial sales of the iPad 2 are expected to surpass the first-generation device, but numerous new points of distribution for Friday's launch are predicted to dilute lines of people.
AT&T revealed that it will continue to honor unlimited month-to-month 3G data plans for grandfathered customers when the iPad 2 launches on Friday. Also, Samsung has said it will not delay its Galaxy Tab 10.1, despite comments that the company would revise its design after seeing the iPad 2.
With the Federal Aviation Administration granting early approval for the use of the iPad in airplane cockpits, major commercial airline companies like Delta are exploring the possibility of using Apple's touchscreen tablet to ditch paper maps entirely.
Samsung is headed back to the drawing board for its forthcoming Galaxy Tab 10.1 to improve "inadequate" parts and reconsider pricing after Apple unveiled its iPad 2 this week.
Apple's Taiwanese suppliers have indicated that production of iPad 2 models will reach three million units in the first quarter of 2011, before ramping up to 10-12 million units in the second quarter, a new report claims.
Demand for tablet-style devices — particularly Apple's iPad — is expected to weaken demand for traditional PCs in 2011 and 2012, research firm Gartner has predicted.
In addition to Apple's retail stores, Best Buy will sell the iPad 2 on its March 11 launch day, while Walmart has also advertised the second-generation tablet but has not confirmed a sale date.
Customers who bought a first-generation iPad in the last two weeks can opt to return their device to Apple, or request a $100 refund, now that the iPad 2 has been announced. Also, the company will release a new dock designed to fit the smaller form factor of the iPad 2, though no new keyboard dock has been shown.
Though Apple has not officially disclosed how much RAM is found in the iPad 2, a Korean semiconductor analyst has claimed to know that the new A5 processor has 512MB of memory.
Wall Street analysts reacted positively to Apple's unveiling of the iPad 2 on Wednesday and remained optimistic about the company's continued ability to lead the tablet market, though they viewed the refresh as mostly "evolutionary."
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AppleInsider Staff
Katie Marsal
Josh Ong
Sam Oliver
Daniel Eran Dilger
Neil Hughes
Slash Lane
