Apple's Steve Jobs Unveils the iPad 2

Apple's iPad 2 announcement on Wednesday came as little surprise to even casual tech watchers -- but the messenger certainly turned a few heads. Steve Jobs, whose leave of absence from the company has fueled ongoing rumors about his health, took the stage in San Francisco to unveil the next-generation iPad, which will feature a faster processor and dual cameras.

While Windows and Android tablets are beginning to flood the market, there are still very few true iPad competitors currently available -- making now a time for Apple to strike again. The original iPad was unveiled a little over a year ago and was greeted with sales of 15 million. The iPad 2 could receive just as warm of a welcome.

Announcement Fever

Even though he is on medical leave, Jobs announced that he had been working on the iPad 2 project for too long to miss the unveiling. So what is Apple doing to top its popular first version? Here are some of the highlights:

• A5 dual-core processor to speed things up while keeping the 10-hour battery life
• 9 times faster graphics performance
• Dual cameras -- front and rear (hello, FaceTime videoconferencing)
• Gyroscope to add interest for apps
• 33 percent thinner and slimmed down from 1.5 lbs to 1.3 lbs
• Available in white and black
• Available with 3G on either AT&T or Verizon
• Same pricing structure as for the original iPad ($499 to $829, depending on storage capacity and mobile connectivity) with the same 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB storage options

So here's the iPad 2 in a nutshell -- faster, sleeker and more capable than the first generation. Although some folks may be disappointed by the lack of a price drop, higher memory capacity or improved screen. The device will start shipping on March 11 in the United States.

New iPad Accessories

Jobs also took the time to talk about some new accessories. An HDMI video out adapter cable opens up more possibilities for business presentations and costs $39. The Smart Cover is a magnetic slim case with a bendable flap that shows off the iPad 2's slim design. It can be folded over to prop the device up for viewing. Closing the case automatically puts the iPad 2 to sleep. It will come in a rainbow of colors in your choice of polyurethane or leather. Also keep an eye out for some new Apple apps like iMovie, FaceTime and GarageBand for the iPad.

But Wait, There's More

It's not all strictly iPad news today. Jobs also announced that Random House is bringing thousands of books to the iBooks platform. That helps to legitimize the iPad as a rival to Amazon's popular Kindle e-reader. He also revealed that 100 million iPhones have been sold, which has fueled something of an app gold rush -- more than $2 billion has been paid out to developers through the App Store.

Apple's next version of the iOS also got some stage time. iOS 4.3 features improved Safari browser performance and iTunes home sharing for streaming from your computer to your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch. This update also opens up the iPhone 4 on AT&T for use as a personal Wi-Fi hotspot. That's a feature the Verizon iPhone has made available since day one. Like the iPad 2, iOS 4.3 will be out on March 11.

Overall, it's been a busy day for Apple and iPad fans. Look for used original iPads to flood eBay any moment now as buyers gear up to get the latest version. The addition of cameras for FaceTime, a substantial power boost and new apps may seal the deal for entrepreneurs who have been waffling on bringing iPads into their businesses.