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Steve Jobs unveils the highlights of Apple iPad 2 [video]

March 2, 2011, 3:00 PM PST

Takeaway: Apple took the wraps off the second generation iPad on Wednesday. Here is a six-minute video clip of CEO Steve Jobs showing off the highlights.

On Wednesday in San Francisco, Apple showed off the iPad 2 with a mix of incremental upgrades that bring it on par with its emerging tablet competitors while also maintaining the product’s long battery life (the killer feature for business users) and low starting price of $499 (the killer feature for consumers).

Next to the unveiling of Apple’s second generation tablet, the biggest news of the day was that Apple CEO Steve Jobs was there to run the proceedings himself. The Apple co-founder is technically on medical leave from the company, so his appearance drew a standing ovation from the audience.

Below we have a six-minute video clip in which Jobs sums up the leading features of the iPad 2.

March 2, 2011, 12:55 PM PST | Length:00:06:05

Another new feature of the iPad 2 is Apple’s “Smart Cover,” an accessory that magnetically attaches to the iPad to protect the screen and to prop up the device to type or watch videos. Take a look at our three-minute video clip of Jobs’ demo of the Smart Cover.

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About Jason Hiner

Jason Hiner is the Editor in Chief of TechRepublic. He writes about the products, people, and ideas that are revolutionizing business with technology.

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4 Votes

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Superior wisdom

Ian Wright 2nd Mar 2011

"Disgusted by People and their Apple Crack! Get over it, your the real loser in the end."

Thanks for generously sharing your superior wisdom. From my clearly humble position my responses are:
1. Non issue
2. Non issue
3. Non issue (indeed an advantage and not missed ever)
4. You call that a winning point? Because it is the same as the Xoom - dohhhh.
5. Non issue
6. "Can't do anything with it" - your logical powers leave me breathless
7. Price - and what do the competitors cost?
8. Non issue
9. Non issue (indeed an advantage)
10. I think that's in the mind of the beholder. The converse is that this superbly executed device empowers me in far more ways than I lose through a tightly managed ecosystem. That's a tradeoff I'll accept.

And, it's "you're the real loser" and not "your the real loser" or is that correct English controlling what you can do?

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3 Votes

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Editor

What are your first impressions of the iPad 2?

jasonhiner 2nd Mar 2011

Link to original post:
http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/hiner/steve-jobs-unveils-the-highlights-of-apple-ipad-2-video/7775

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2 Votes

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Interfaces?

Aragorn7 2nd Mar 2011

What about interfaces - HDMI, USB? Can you still only use an expensive Bluetooth Keyboard?

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0 Votes

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Congratulations

Drew M 5th Mar 2011

I am thoroughly impressed. You have successfully managed to have the biggest ego on planet Earth. You insult someone personally solely because you disagree with their view on a tablet. I would like to see how you deal with people in real life. It can safely be said that I'm not the only one who would say you're the idiot in this situation.

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1 Vote

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Jobs and Post-PC era

Andrew Houghton 3rd Mar 2011

I thought it was interesting that Steve Jobs talked about the iPad in the context of Post-PC era. What I found ironic about his vision of the Post-PC era was that the iPad *must* be tethered to a PC/MAC in order for the iPad to sync with iTunes. So while Steve Jobs wants to believe that the iPad falls in the Post-PC era, the reality is that it's somewhere in-between.

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0 Votes

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I have to agree

JSerrago@... Updated - 3rd Mar 2011

Honestly, other than the camera most of the stuff that this is offering I can do on a nook color. That and I can add additional storage to the nook via a micro SD.

Thinner, lighter, and the same battery is impressive I will give him that, but I am not comfortable with the level of control that I would have over the device. Also what does the iPad do but browse the web? Yes there are the famous apps but most of them are web based. How much faster do you need web pages to load? This does take the wind out of the first two minutes of his presentation promoting greater speed. Also one of the big factors of those is speed of the connection, not the processor.

4G? Thats all that At&t, Verizon, Sprint, and all the others have been clamoring about, when it does become mainstream will it have it? Support it? Or do we have to buy yet another one when it comes out Ipad2.2?

I know there is a flash debate, not going there, but would it really kill them to put in a usb, a micro usb something? I dont , wont and cant get all my technology from apple something to show that they are trying to play nice with other tech.

Also It would have added something if he actually showed us the device. I mean if he had one in his hands, because its easy enough to alter graphics. I could see him telling his engineers, "Okay I announced it now make it happen!" Kind of like when Kennedy said that we were going to the moon, then NASA had to figure out how.

Honestly there are improvements, but not in the areas that we have been clamoring about. The improvements that have been made are not relevant to getting new users to buy an iPad, and honestly I dont think there relevant enough to get the users of the first iPad to upgrade to it. The only people that are going to run out any buy this on the first day it the die-hard apple fans, and they can have it.

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