Sunday, March 6, 2011

Ipad 2 Price, Specs, and Features




The second generation of Ipad has been officially launched. It is the Ipad 2 which will go on sale on March 11th. (Only sold to the 26 Countries, not in Singapore yet). iPad 2 is 33% thinner and 15% lighter even after adding two cameras, new A5 processor and gyroscope while still retaining the “legendary” 10 hours battery life. Yes, it even thinner than your iPhone 4.

ipad 2 specs
Apple introduced the new apps like iMovie and GarageBand for the iPad2 as a tool to encourage people creating their own contents. Ipad 2 Specs:
  • 1GHz dual-core A5 CPU
  • RAM currently unknown, presumably 512MB
  • HDMI output capable of 1080p
  • 16GB, 32GB, 64GB storage options
  • Front & Rear Cameras, front is VGA, rear is 720p
  • 9.7″ LED display with 1024×768 screen resolution at 132ppi
  • GPU said to be 9x faster
  • Video output supports up to 1080p
  • Runs iOS 4.3
  • 10 hour battery life
  • White & Black color options
  • 3G models are AT&T and Verizon compatible
  • 1.3 lbs
  • Thinner build
  • Built-in gyro
  • iTunes Home Sharing
  • mute button or to lock the screen rotation
  • personal hotspot to share an iPhone 4′s data connection over Wi-Fi
  • cover-smart(will cost $39 in plastic or $69 if you opt for leather)
Apple’s launching iOS 4.3 alongside the new iPad and bringing with it much improved Safari performance as well as FaceTime, Photo Booth, iMovie and GarageBand(the last two cost $4.99 each). Additional iPad 2 features include a built-in gyro for advanced gaming; HSUPA support for enhanced 3G upload speeds on iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G on AT&T, and HDMI Video Mirroring that lets users mirror their iPad screen on an HDTV using an optional adaptor.
The 26 countries-list:
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

The Ipad 2 Price Tag (in the US market)

16 GB 32 GB 64 GB
Wi-Fi $499 $599 $699
Wi-Fi 3G $629 $729 $829
ipad2 keyboard
ipad 2 keyboard
ipad 2 smart cover
ipad 2 smart cover

iPad2 Full Body Protection

Apple iPad 2 (Full Body)

How to: Convert ebooks to ePUB with Calibre

After last weekend's shopping frenzy, many of you may already be the proud owners of an iPad, the ubiquitous gadget du jour. One of iPad's main features is the possibility to use it as ebook reader, thanks to the iBook app and the iBookStore, Apple's own online ebook service. Unlike other ebook readers which work with multiple formats, iPad only opens ePUB ebooks. That means that if you already have a nice collection of ebooks in other formats, such as PDF, you'll need an ebook converter.
Converting ebooks from PDF and other formats to iPad-friendly ePUB is easier than you might think. All you need is a DRM-free ebook, Calibre (the excellent ebook manager we reviewed a while ago) and follow these simple steps:
1. Download and install Calibre on your computer. As the program doesn't seem to have support for iPad yet, simply select Default as your device in the ebook reader selection screen. Remember Calibre is available for Windows, Mac and Linux.
Convert ebooks to ePUB with Calibre
2. Select the ebook you want to convert, or add it to the program's library if you haven't done it yet. Then right click on the title and add any missing meta information – or fix wrong data if necessary.
Convert ebooks to ePUB with Calibre
3. Click the Convert E-books button on the top toolbar. You can choose between converting one single ebook or doing a bulk conversion. Check the input format (on the top left corner) and above all, the output format on the top right corner: you should choose "ePUB" in the drop-down menu.
Convert ebooks to ePUB with Calibre
4. Browse the other options in the left sidebar to make sure everything's configured to your liking. You can modify the margins, change the book cover and customize other details. When you're ready, hit the OK button and Calibre will convert the ebook in a few minutes.
Convert ebooks to ePUB with Calibre
5. The only thing left now is dragging and dropping your newly converted ePUB ebook into iTunes. Then, when you connect your iPad to the computer, drag the ebook from the library to the iPad, under the Devices title in the iTunes sidebar. Enjoy your reading!