Steve Jobs Steals GDC Thunder with iPad 2 Announcement

Greg Tito

PR for Dungeons & Dragons
Sep 29, 2005
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Steve Jobs Steals GDC Thunder with iPad 2 Announcement

Apple's CEO dropped the deets today on the tech company's latest tablet computer.

It almost seems that people started talking about the next iteration of the iPad even before the first version was sent to stores in April 2010. Now, with Jobs finally announcing the long-rumored iPad 2 today in San Francisco, people have already begun pondering an iPad 3. Perhaps that's because the specs for the first upgrade to the iPad are less a complete overhaul and more a minor tweaking to a sleeker design. The biggest change is that the iPad 2 is a third thinner, but it's only .2 pounds lighter. The screen is identical, while Apple added two cameras facing front and back so that it could support FaceTime and accidentally snapping photos of your crotch. Jobs said that the new iPad will support both Verizon and AT&T but those hoping for a dip in the exorbitant price are in for some disappointment. iPad 2 still costs exactly the same, that is, from $499 to a whopping $829 for a 3G enabled 64GB computer. The iPad 2 is shipping to stores on March 11, 2011.

Oh, and it comes in white.

[gallery=152]

The new iPad boasts a dual-core 1ghz CPU, so it should perform a bit better than its predecessor. Also, the iPad 2 comes shipped with an application that will allow you to turn it into a wifi hotspot for use with other devices. The cover has been re-designed to be less intrusive and come in more annoying colors than just black. You will also be able to configure the mute switch to instead disable the gyroscope used to flip between landscape and portrait views. Talk about a killer app!

In other news, I just bought a Kindle for an eighth of the price of the flagship iPad. Now, I know that the devices are not at all comparable, but I find it frustrating that Apple spends its cycles catering to the top 2% of the richest people in the world instead of trying to create affordable devices that the middle class can actually use. The worst part is that the iPad isn't a substitute for a laptop or a home computer; it can only exist in addition to those already expensive appliances.

Anyone who has that kind of money will likely be excited for this minimal upgrade. If not, you always have the iPad 3 to look forward to. Seriously, people are already speculating another announcement before the end of 2011 and as early as September [http://techland.time.com/2011/02/10/the-ipad-3-rumor-mill-has-already-started-churning/]. If that's not self-indulgent on Apple's part, I don't know the meaning of that word.

Source: Time [http://techland.time.com/2011/03/02/apples-new-ipad-2-thinner-lighter-cameras-and-more/2/]



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phoenix352

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Mar 29, 2009
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how is it stealing the thunder when every one and their mom knew its going to happen?
 

Korten12

Now I want ma...!
Aug 26, 2009
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Well this is a shock, I never thought they would announce iPad 2! /sarcasm.
 

Hungry Donner

Henchman
Mar 19, 2009
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I've generally avoided Apple's gadgets and this has largely been because they wouldn't accidentally take pictures of my crotch. It's nice to see this finally rectified.

It seems and odd thing to announce at GDC though.
 

Shycte

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Mar 10, 2009
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I will never understand why you would want a iPad. Seriously. I don't get it.
 

Cryo84R

Gentleman Bastard.
Jun 27, 2009
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Talk about an even handed and non biased news report.
Oh well, haters gonna hate. It's not like they sold 15 million in 9 months.
 

Mr. Mike

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Mar 24, 2010
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Cryo84R said:
Talk about an even handed and non biased news report.
Oh well, haters gonna hate. It's not like they sold 15 million in 9 months.
He's just telling it like it is. Stop defending anything to do with Apple on this site. They aren't gods, and they don't always make perfect products. For the record, the Escapist makes fun of Microsoft just as much. Ease off a bit will ya?
 

Blank Kold

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Aug 24, 2010
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Shycte said:
I will never understand why you would want a iPad. Seriously. I don't get it.
pretty much this. Everything it can do can be done better with either a laptop or a smartphone.
 

AngelicSven

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Aug 24, 2010
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Shycte said:
I will never understand why you would want a iPad. Seriously. I don't get it.
Sigh, exactly. Though HTML is soon going to outpace Flash making the "It can't use Flash" point moot, It's still closed source and you can buy a decent laptop/netbook for much less than this is gonna go for. I don't get why Apple marks up their hardware so much...I mean Asus isn't hurting and they'll sell a netbook for 200 bucks.

I know it's for 'those who want something simpler than a computer' but who doesn't know how to use a computer by now? The percentage of people who buy this and don't own and operate a computer on a daily basis is probably very small.

Though the inevitable iPad 2 was foreseen awhile ago.
 

Nerf Ninja

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Dec 20, 2008
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I've got an iPad 1 (64gb non 3G) it's not even been a year since that came out yet! I mainly use it as a comic/ebook reader and a video iPod. Plus the quality of the games are improving like crazy, have you seen infinity blade?! not the best game in the world but the graphics are amazing.

I can't really make much use of a camera any way so that doesn't bother me but come on that should have been in it from the start.

I only bought it because I needed back surgery just before I was due to go away on holiday. so I had a load of cash sitting around and an inability to sit up or walk, it stopped me going crazy so it gets my loyalty.
 

Braedan

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Sep 14, 2010
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Cryo84R said:
Talk about an even handed and non biased news report.
Oh well, haters gonna hate. It's not like they sold 15 million in 9 months.
Uh, when was the escapist ever a mainstream media website? I keep seeing this on any news post even slightly for or against anything. Would you prefer your news like this:

New Ipod
- Ipod2 announced
- 0.2 Lbs lighter
- 1ghz dual core processor
- Same price

Greg Tito
because I don't think I would come here if this is how it was. Real people have differing opinions.

OT: Apple will be Apple and continually price gouge people who are too dumb to know better.
 

KarmicToast

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Nov 11, 2008
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LOL nothing like the Escapist for the most opinion-drenched biased "news" on the net. I mean, I actually agree with you completely on this one...it just makes me laugh how this calls itself a news site instead of an editorial site. And before I get 100 comments saying "You don't have to come here then!" Trust me, I know that. I do like the site...I just wish they would tone it down a bit. I'm all for infusing your opinions when acceptable, but with opinions this inflammatory I will visit this site less and less for news and only show up when I want to know what "some dude on the site's payroll whose qualification for his opinions is that he is on the site's payroll" has to say. No news is unbiased, but seriously...if I want to know what the new iPad is all about, I don't necessarily need a giant diatribe on how you hate the anti-middle class marketing stratagem of a major company because you can't afford and don't want one of their flagship products. I mean, no offense man, you're a solid writer, but who cares if you want one? That has nothing to do with why the article was written.
 

Hippobatman

Resident Mario sprite
Jun 18, 2008
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Shycte said:
I will never understand why you would want a iPad. Seriously. I don't get it.
Eh.. Apple products have become some sort of a fashion trend, I suppose. Ipad 2, though? Seems awfully redundant. I mean, the Ipad isn't that old, anyway.
 

Levethian

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Nov 22, 2009
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AngelicSven said:
I don't get why Apple marks up their hardware so much...
A higher price-point enforces the 'private club' status that Mac users revel in. When challenged about game-playing or custom-purpose or upgrade abilities they're happy to turn their nose up and smirk "I don't play games / I'm not a geek / I'll just buy their next model". So; boring, ignorant or rich, or a mix of the above.

Wow I'm biased.
I jest ;) Kinda.

Not sure why people are so happy to let Apple monopolise all phones, all computers and all music-players. Cannot possibly end well.
 

Random Argument Man

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May 21, 2008
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Shycte said:
I will never understand why you would want a iPad. Seriously. I don't get it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9NP-AeKX40

There's your answer if the links work.

Is it me or Steves Jobs is like Peter Molyneux for computers?
 

tiredinnuendo

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Jan 2, 2008
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To those wondering "why" the iPad, I figured I'd speak up, since they're all the rage at my company. The fact is that the iPad (or now, the Xoom, which also doesn't natively play avi, what the hell?) is much easier to carry from meeting to meeting than the equivalent laptop and or briefcase full of paperwork. In tablets, we have a device that allows us to carry around something smaller than a binder, but at the same time we have all our vital documents for the various projects we're working on, we have our corporate email right there in front of us to keep us connected without having to look like we're staring at an open laptop or constantly checking our phone. Setting up an impromptu Skype session for out of reach clients or last-minute conferences is invaluable.

On the home front, it gives us something simple to have sitting on the endtable that we can grab to quickly bang out a few emails or do a quick bit of administration without having to boot up a laptop or work on a three-inch screen.

Many of these things may seem like minor conveniences, and they are, but this is what tablets are for. And, to be frank, when you work in the entertainment industry, image is super important too, and tablets are good image right now.

- J
 

gigastar

Insert one-liner here.
Sep 13, 2010
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Wait, even with all the rumors and speculation just how and why the hell did Apple keep the iPad 2 a secret until 9 days prior to launch?

Something feels quite off with this.