Apple has unveiled the latest version of its popular Tablet PC, the iPad 2 – boasting a 33% thinner and upto 15% lighter design, combined with a new dual-core A5 chip, promising improved graphics, and a faster & better user experience, with 2 cameras, HD video – the Apple iPad 2 release date has been set for 25 March 2011.

iPad 2 – Dual Cameras

The new Apple iPad features a set of dual cameras – a front facing camera lets you shoot VGA quality photos and record video at 30 fps (frames per second) and enables users to make FaceTime video calls over WiFi to other iPad 2 owners, iPhone 4 devices, the new iPod Touches and Apple Mac computers.

There is a better quality rear facing camera on the iPad 2 tablet that enables HD video recording (720p) at 30 fps with audio and the still camera features a 5x digital zoom function to get closer to your subjects.

Owning the newer iPad with 2 cameras opens up new possibilities for communication and entertainment, particularly when utilizing the wide variety of iPad applications that push the creativity and fun factor even further, such as the iPad Photo Booth app.

iPad 2 Photo Booth

The new camera photo manipulation software app Photo Booth comes built in with the latest iPad – demonstrating a slew of fun, artsy and even weird photo distorting effects live on the display – but moreover, the Photo Booth app shows off the capabilities and power of the new dual core A5 chip, enabling such improved graphics processing, as it displays a 9 panel screen preview each with a unique photo effect that updates and changes as you move in real-time.

iPad 2 Multi Touch Display

Pinch, tap and swipe on the multi-touch display that detects the movement of your fingers by sensing the electrical fields as you touch the screen.  The iPad is fully controlled by your touch, from browsing the web, to tapping out an email or reading an eBook – the iPad 2 Multi-Touch display screen is both intuitive and a joy to use.

iPad Smart Cover

The new iPad 2 and the iPad Smart Cover were designed with each other in mind – both feature built in smart magnetic technology that  enables the two to work together in clever and innovative ways.  For example, the iPad Smart Cover fits neatly over your iPad to protect the display – fold back the Smart Cover and your iPad wakes up instantly and ready to use! Close the cover again and it puts your iPad back to sleep.  What’s more, the iPad Smart Cover can be folded over itself into the perfect iPad stand for those times when you want to watch a movie, play some games or browse the web.

The iPad Smart Cover comes in 10 vibrant colour choices, including 5 of which are made in a rich, aniline-dyed Italian leather.

iPad 2 Games

With the introduction of the new dual core A5 chip on the latest iPad 2, it does twice the work, faster and with up to 9x faster graphics performance the iPad 2 is able to offer an even better gameplay experience with smoother and more improved graphics on the high resolution 9.7 inch iPad display.

Combined with the built in accelerometer, 3-axis gyroscope, and a compass that all work together – the iPad knows your every movement, allowing for an added dimension and sense of realism from new iPad applications and games.

Apple iPad 2 Built In Apps

iPad – 10 Hour Battery Life

The new iPad may be thinner and lighter on the weighing scale, but with the power-efficient A5 chip, the iPad 2 can still offer a generous 10 hour battery life that lets you do more of what you love, for longer.

Related Sites

• Apple iPad 2 (Official UK Site) [Apple.com]

With announcements from Nintendo and Sony this week on the release of the next generation of handheld gaming machines, namely, the Nintendo 3DS and the Sony PSP2, is upon us, but the big question on most gamers’ lips at the moment is: will the next generation of super-phones and tablets spell the end of the handheld gaming console?

Is it Game Over for the Handheld Games Console?

Today’s super-charged Smartphones and tablets are just as powerful as any handheld gaming console on the market at the moment. And with the first dual core phones going on sale this year, your average Smartphone could very well end up packing more punch than the new offerings from Nintendo and Sony by the end of the year. Even the Smartphone’s big shortcoming, a distinct lack of controllers or joysticks, has been solved by cheap gamepad add-ons, such as the Game Gripper.

Game Gripper

Both Nintendo’s and Sony’s consoles have a long and prestigious heritage dating right back to Nintendo’s progenitory Gameboy. But with high-end processors and 3D capabilities, prices for handhelds are becoming prohibitive. And let’s face it, where else can they go from here? Has the handheld gaming device come to an evolutionary dead-end?

The Handheld Console Killers..

Without doubt, it was Apple’s iPad that struck the first nail into the coffin of the handheld gaming console. A wave of game releases over the past few months demonstrated that the iPad could play the most popular games just as well as the average home console and there’s plenty more on the way. The turning point was probably the release of Infinity Blade with graphics that were noticeably better than those on the Xbox 360 or the Playstation 3, and arguably one of the best games of 2010.

The latest big budget release for the iPad is set to take things even further. Dead Space is the prequel to the Xbox’s blockbusting sci-fi horror, Dead Space 2. But rather than being a simplified version of Xbox’s offering, it mimics every detail of the original. Likewise, Real Racing 2 is taking on Gran Turismo 5 in terms of graphic excellence. And Fifa 11 for the iPhone, despite its simplicity, is probably the best portable soccer game ever.

With all this going on, the lines between Smartphone and handheld gaming console are becoming more and more blurred. Now, with talk of a Sony PSP phone on the way, things are to set to become even more confusing. Is it a phone or is it a handheld gaming station? You decide.

Sony PSP Phone

See Also

• Video Game Consoles
• Mobile Phone Shops

So long as you haven’t been living in a cave for the past 6 months, you’ll be aware that the iPad has finally been released. There are thousands of apps already available for it, and many of these are fantastically useful. You may have heard of some of them already. We all know you can use the iPad to read books and play games, but what follows are a few things that maybe you didn’t realise it could do.

7.  Make Phone Calls

Now you can even afford to give up your iPhone, thanks to the Truphone iPad app, which allows you to wield around your brand new gadget like an enormous iPhone, even though you might end up looking a little ridiculous.

Truphone is a free VoiP application, which uses the web rather than regular phone lines. The makers state that calls to other users of Truphone, as well as Skype and Google Talk users is totally free, while the rate to call land lines and mobiles is in their words “really, really low”.

6.  Write With Your Finger

The new Writepad app is a handy little tool that allows you to take notes anytime, anywhere, without having to mess around typing. Simply use your finger like a pen and scrawl all over the screen! You can set Writepad in a blank notepad mode for taking notes at a meeting, or else you can use it while viewing documents and web pages in order to jot things down quickly and easily.

5.  Dictate Text

Going one step further than taking notes with your finger, how about having the iPad just take the notes for you? The Dragon Dictation app is the cheapest secretary you’ll ever employ, costing absolutely nothing. It uses voice recognition software to take down notes, which you can then copy paste and send as emails, messages etc.

4.  Gaze At The Stars

Astronomers will love this one. The award-winning Pocket Universe app works just like a telescope, except that it does even more! Point your iPad at the sky and the app’s built in digital compass will work out what you’re looking at and replicate that image on-screen, only with far more details than you’ll get from gazing at it by yourself. Names of stars and planets will be displayed, and clicking on any one of them brings up more additional information, and it’ll even direct you where to look in order to see special sights and events throughout the year!

3.  Watch TV

You can even use your iPad to watch thousands of your favourite TV shows and movies thanks to the Netflix streaming app. This app is totally free though you’ll need to sign up for a Netflix account for around £5 a month.

2.  Paint Pictures

Anyone looking to express their creative talents on their iPad should look no further than Brushes, one of the best illustration applications to appear yet. It allows you to choose from 13 different brushes to perfect your work, blend images, import photos for you to enhance and even watch video replays of you recreating your masterpieces. The very fact that several paintings created with Brushes have made it to the cover of Time magazine shows illustrates just how much potential this application has.

1.  Use It As A Cash Register

Our final feature showcased today is probably the most unusual one that anyone could imagine, yet perhaps it’s also the most useful one yet! Shop owners will be blown away by the potential of the free Square application, which transforms your iPad into a hi-tech cash register that’s able to recognise finger signatures, generate SMS and email receipts, calculate VAT and upload every sale onto an accounting dashboard to keep track of what you’ve sold. And if you buy the separately sold credit card swiper, you can even take credit card payments!

The tablet battle is well and truly on. The Samsung Galaxy Tab, a 7-inch Android slate is set to be released on the 1^st November and looks to be the first real contender for the Apple iPad. But what is it about this newcomer that is going to give Apple a run for its money?

Size Isn’t Everything.

The most obvious difference between the two machines is that the screen on the Galaxy Tab is smaller. Although the iPad has an extra two inches, resolution is more or less the same at 600×1024 – more than ample for a screen of this size. However, Samsung’s device weighs in at less than half that of the iPad.

Calls and Connectivity

Like the iPad, the Galaxy Tab has 3G/HSDPA, but unlike the iPad, it also has the ability to make and receive calls via a Bluetooth headset, which, incidentally, is Bluetooth 3.0, as opposed to Bluetooth 2.1 on the iPad. The Tab wins this round hands down.

Expand Your Memory.

When it comes to storage, as the iPad has no memory expansion capabilities; you’re stuck with whatever memory your device came loaded with. On the other hand, the 16GB on the Galaxy Tab can be expanded via its micro-SD slot which can add up to 32GB extra memory. That’s a lot of movies and music.

Say Cheese!

One of the big gripes about the iPad is the lack of a camera. The Galaxy Tab comes with not one, but two cameras: a 3MP on the back with flash, plus an additional front-facing 1.5MP for video calls. Another win for the Galaxy Tab.

Staying Power.

The iPad wins out on battery life with 10 hours compared to the Galaxy Tab’s 7 hours. There simply isn’t the room in the Tab for the Li-ion cell that’s in the iPad.

Functionality.

Performance-wise there’s very little between the two. Both have 1Ghz processors. Sure, the Android doesn’t have as many applications as the Appstore, but it does have 10.1 Flash support, which could give you a lot more functionality. What’s more, the Tab has full multi-tasking.

The Bottom Line.

Now, let’s get down to the real nitty-gritty – price. Even though it’s not officially out yet, the price of the Galaxy Tab has already been falling. From £799, the Tab is now set to retail at under £600. However, that’s still as much as the most expensive iPad model. That said, if you need to make calls you’re going to need phone functionality too. And adding the cost of an iPhone to the cost of the iPad blows all financial considerations out of the water. You could make serious savings by simply buying a Galaxy Tab with its already included additional functionality.

It’s worth bearing in mind too that if you’ve got your heart set on a slate PC for Xmas, your choice may not be so black and white, as the RIM BlackPad, and probably several other similar devices could be on the market by then too.

Since the invention of the wheel there have been innovations that have changed the world in which we live, beyond recognition – nowhere more so than in the technology arena.  Here, we pay homage to six innovations that radically moulded the way we live today.

6. The Modem

Imagine a world without Internet, but that, in all likelihood, would be the reality if the modem had never been invented. The original purpose of the modem (short for modulator/demodulator) was to convert digital signals into analogue for transmission over a telephone line and they were originally mass-produced to connect terminals of the United States’ air defense system. Today’s cable, ADSL and optical modems are much more advanced and considerably faster, bringing Internet, TV and telecommunication into homes all over the world.

5. The Commodore 64

It’s the computer that started home computing and, in some respects, the home video gaming industry. Unsurprisingly, at over 30 million units sold, it ranks as the number one selling computer of all time. The success of the Commodore 64 came down to ease of use. All you had to do was hook it up to an ordinary TV. Plus, the fact that it was the first to be sold in retail shops as opposed to electronic stores. The original games for the Commodore 64 are still available for other gaming consoles today.

4. The MP3 Player

It’s hard to imagine the world without portable digital music players, but, again, it’s not that long since we were walking around with these devices that could only play one tape or CD at a time and if you wanted to carry a lot of music with you, you needed big pockets. Today, MP3 players or even your mobile phone can store thousands of tracks of music.

3. The Mobile Phone

From the telephone bricks of the 80s to today’s Smartphones, the mobile phone has come a long way. Yet, it was only in 1973 when the first mobile phone call was made by Martin Cooper, the General Manager of Motorola (now CEO) and another ten years before the Dynatac phone became the world’s first commercially available mobile phone. 2010 sees Apple’s iPhone ushering in a whole new era in mobile phone technology.

2. And Talking of Apple..

..this article isn’t complete without mentioning this year’s must-have – the Apple iPad. True, just about everything Apple has come out with in the last ten years has had an unprecedented effect on the way we see technology. But the iPad takes mobile personal computing to new heights and, more importantly, has inspired a host of copycat companies. To some, the iPad might be just an oversized iPhone but the next generation of tablet PCs are on the way and promise to shape the way we use technology from now on.

1. The Flat Screen TV

Finally, we end this article with a device found in just about every modern home on the planet. The CRT TV is no more. Our living rooms have been transformed by the emergence of flat screen technology making it possible for the typical household to have space-saving flat screen TVs throughout the home offering high definition and, for some, a 3D, cinema-style experience from the comfort of their favourite armchair.

The iPad is here and if you already know your way around it, you might be looking for the latest and greatest accessories to get even more out of Apple’s revolutionary new tablet. Here’s just a few of the accessories already on the market for you to choose from.

Write On!

If you’re like me and do a lot of writing, then one of the first things you’ll be on the look-out for is a decent Bluetooth keyboard like this one from Freedom. In fact, connecting your iPad to any Bluetooth keyboard paired is easy. Go to ‘settings’, click ‘general’ and enable Bluetooth. Following this, putting your keyboard into pairing mode usually involves holding down the power key on the keyboard. The keyboard will then show up under ‘devices’ as ‘not paired’. Select and follow the instructions to complete the pairing. Easy!

Protect Your Loved One.

It might seem obvious but your iPad really needs some day-to-day basic protection. Belkin do a fantastic range of grip sleeves from as little as £30. Comfortable enough to carry round while keeping your machine readily accessible. They also look quite funky. For more robust protection, Proporta has been making ultra-protective shells for PDAs for years and this iPad shell will keep your iPad in one piece and looking good. For protection out of the case, consider a screen protector by Logic3.

Stand Up and Be Counted.

There is a wide range of stands for the iPad just coming onto the market. How you use your iPad will influence your choice. The Incipio iPad Kick Stand, for example, doubles as a case that transforms into a stand to allow you to watch your favourite videos hands-free. Alternatively, Griffin Technology has a wide range of accessories for the iPad. You might like their stylish aluminium A-frame for easy reading and web browsing.

Get a Little Extra.

Let’s face it, the stylus that came with your iPhone wasn’t much use, considering it was a touchscreen phone, but the iPad is one device that really could do with a stylus. Luckily for you, Hama has a wide selection.

When it comes to charging your iPad on the way to a meeting, then this in-car charger is just the thing. Best of all, you can continue to use it during the charging process.

Finally, not exactly an accessory, but something that could come in very handy if your iPad goes missing. MobileMe is a software package from Apple that keeps all your email, contacts and calendar in the cloud and, if you ever lose your iPad, it allows you to use GPS to track it down. Simply sign into me.com and if Wi-Fi or 3G is enabled on the phone, you’ll be able to get an approximate whereabouts of your precious iPad.

It’s finally here – the Apple iPad. It’s what everyone is talking about, but what can the latest device from the Apple stable bring to your life that other Tablet PCs can’t. Already many reviewers are saying it’s not all what’s cracked up to be. In fact, commentators on Twitter have gone as far as calling it the iTampon.

Let’s start by giving it the benefit of the doubt and take a look at what it does have going for it.

The Positives

The screen – 9.7 inches of multi-touch goodness, incorporating 1024×768 HD resolution and LED backlighting. All in all, fairly gorgeous. The iPad adds real depth to what’s being displayed in rich, warm colours and makes just about everything a pleasure to view and read.

Speed – Wow! This machine is a real speed freak – much faster than the iPhone 3GS. Applications and web browsers start instantly and remain highly responsive throughout. This is all down to Apple’s A4 chip which runs at an estimated 1Ghz, as much as a fifth faster than the iPhone 3GS processor.

iBooks – The iPad is one device that could revolutionise the e-publishing industry. Showcasing the iPad’s natural ability as an e-Reader, iBooks is a beautifully laid-out application with a really stylish interface. Simply choose what you want to read from the iBooks store and it instantly appears on your bookshelf.

Unfortunately, apart from the obvious aesthetic qualities, there was little else we could find to differentiate the Apple iPad from a good Netbook or a state-of-the-art Smartphone. On the contrary, there seemed to be a few glaring disadvantages.

The Negatives

Multi-tasking – Put simply, it can’t. Honestly, for a state-of-the-art computing device in 2010, that’s a bit of a let-down. Can you imagine having to switch off your music player to send an email on your laptop? Well, that’s pretty much what you have to do on the iPad.

Memory – The iPad ships with file storage in the range from 16GB to 64GB. C’mon, the iPod Touch has that. Where’s the elusive 128GB we’ve all been waiting for? In truth, probably less than a year away on the next generation model.

What do you mean, no camera? It seems that even dishwashers come with a built-in camera these days. It’s a well-known fact that Apple has been having technical issues incorporating a camera into the iPod Touch. Have they had the same issues with the iPad? Or is this another addition we’ll see further down the line, touted as a next generation feature?

Battery – Ten hours of battery life sounds like a winner, but Apple have again made the battery irreplaceable. The more cynical of us might suggest that this incentivises people to use Apple’s costly servicing centre, or simply take the easy route out and upgrade to the next generation model, which, based on past experience, won’t be too long coming. And, do you know what? They’re probably right?

Wi-Fi and 3G – In the United States, Apple has a deal with AT&T to offer a Wi-Fi contract to users. If you don’t want to avail of this, there’s a big price supplement for a 3G enabled iPad. Tut tut! Furthermore, the iPad sees the introduction of the ‘micro SIM’. With few phone companies using this format, AT&T may have found a fairly foolproof way to hold on to their market share for the time being.

Not very Flash – The absence of Flash on the iPad has left some commentators completely bewildered. Apple just don’t do Flash, but, let’s face it, despite having HTML5 in the pipeline, Flash isn’t becoming obsolete anytime soon. In fact, Google is positively developing the format on its Android handsets and, for iPad users, this means living within Apple’s walled garden for the foreseeable future.

And while we’re at it, where’s the GPS? Just about every modern smartphone has GPS built in, so why shouldn’t the iPad. Again, this likely to be another feature that’s been held back for the next generation iPad to help stimulate future sales.

Interfaces – If you’ve downloaded a HD movie you might want to see it on something bigger than your 9.7inch iPad screen, but there’s no HDMI connector, so tough luck! What’s more, just about everything else you would want to connect to your iPad needs an adapter.

Finally, and by no means lastly, the operating system. Unlike a netbook, you’re stuck with whatever OS Apple want you to run, which greatly reduces the amount of applications you can use. This is a bigger issue than it appears at first glance because Apple is locking you into what it wants you to view on the Internet. Only what it approves makes it into the Apple App Store. And, really, is that what the web is all about?

Apple of whose Eye.

Despite the high retail price, the iPad is already selling twice as fast as the iPhone did on its launch. Consumers and technophiles are rushing out in their droves to get their mitts on the first generation of Apple iPads, mostly on the strength of the hype surrounding it and its undeniable good looks. But is this wise? Probably not. First generation machines are always a let-down, full of glitches, bugs and disappointments. In fact, let’s call them what they really are – a ‘work-in-progress’.

No doubt missing features and capabilities will appear in later models and ensure a healthy revenue stream for Apple for many years to come, but, right now, the iPad seems too much like an over-sized, overpriced iPhone.

The Apple iPad has everything it takes to be a great machine; it just needs to grow up a bit first.