The big reveal of the iPad 2 had finally arrived. Here is a rundown of what to expect from Apple’s newest venture…

The highly-anticipated iPad 2 has been discussed ever since the original iPad was released. Apple are constantly improving and upgrading their designs, leaving consumers such little time to catch up with the newest technology before the latest model arrives. However, the differences between the iPad and the iPad 2 are quite limited, which may encourage a sigh of relief for those that received their original iPad for Christmas before finding out that the new version was on its way.

The first difference to note is the fact that the iPad 2 is 33% slimmer and 15% lighter, going from a thickness of 13.4mm to 8.8mm. The Apple CEO also claims that it is thinner than the iPhone 4, reinforcing the trend of making technology more and more compact. Apple also offer a Smart Cover to protect your iPad 2, acting as a shield to the screen. It comes in a range of colours and is attached the screen using magnets. As soon as the shield is on the screen it immediately fades and goes to sleep, only to come back to life as soon as the cover is removed. Away from the aesthetical differences, the iPad 2 boasts a Dual-Core A5 Chip which consists of 2 powerful cores in one A5 chip. This allows it to work faster and makes the iPad experience a lot more enjoyable while watching movies, browsing the internet, video conferencing and multi-tasking between programmes. Perhaps the most prominent change in the newer version is the addition of cameras on the front and back. These tiny dots allow you to experience face to face conferencing for the first time ever on the iPad, with a 2 MP front camera and 8 MP back camera.

Some trademark aspects of the original iPad still remain in the iPad 2, including the impressive 10 hour battery life, and the 9.7 inch display. You can also still enjoy the crisp and striking clarity of the LED backlighting and the 178 degree viewing angle. The prices of the iPad 2 start at the same as the iPad, with the 16GB WiFi model costing $499. However, you should expect to pay a great deal more for the 64GB 3G model which is priced at $829.

The iPad 2 goes on sale on 3^rd March in the USA, and 25^th March all around the world, including the UK and Ireland. Watch this video to explore the improved features of the iPad 2.

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