Slashdot Mirror
Covert Video of Apple IPad 2 Just Released
An anonymous reader writes "This video has just been snuck out of the CES show in Las Vegas last week. Apparently this prototype iPad 2 was given to a Chinese iPad accessory manufacturer, presumably in order to help with their case designs for the launch of the iPad 2, rumored to be February 2011."
Or even this one which we saw last week. http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/06/ipad-2-mockup-teases-128gb-storage-exhibits-speaker-grille-wev/
You can clearly tell that it's only a mock-up; a shell of what could be the new case design and a printout of the screen pasted on the front so I wouldn't call it a 'leak' of the device.
I wish my lawn was emo, so it would cut itself.
In my opinion, there are two big issues against this supposed iPad 2: First, prototypes of Apple stuff have shown up before (on eBay) - however the key thing is, they tend to use the name / badges of the previous generation, or their name plates are simply blank (prototype Macbooks had 'power book' on them and the prototype macbook air's badge was blank)
On top of that, Apple has so far never named a product with a '2'. There is no Macbook 2, no iPod touch '2', no iPhone 2 etc.
So the likelihood that a) the prototype is a reflection of the finished product (with a proper 'iPad 2' name on it) and b) Apple have put a '2' in a product's name seems doubtful
The speaker grill and printing "iPad 2" on it seems pretty un-apple.
It's a nice-looking iPad 2 style case for a first generation iPad. It's well-known that Apple only provides dimensions to case manufacturers in advance of product launches. At best, this is a manufacturer's attempt to visualize what they'll be working with but it's really nothing more than a first generation iPad in a one-off shell.
If this is true, then Apple is adding colorful backgrounds to the icon text in the dock. Also, the icon itself was bigger looking with smaller corners and the margins were closer. I don't quite believe it, but it was a shaky video.
Apple could have given somewhat different screen mockups to various manufacturers - that way, if one leaked they'd know the source. Making subtle changes to documents so you can identify whose they were is an old trick.
I'm a consultant - I convert gibberish into cash-flow.
Personally, I was expecting to see Rick Astley sing to me when I clicked this link. You missed a good opertunity, Slashdot...
Blessed are the pessimists, for they have made backups.
I think this big phone is still not so convenient to take phone calls on the subway... Have they ever thought about doing a smaller version that could fit in a pocket?
Actually, there's skype for the ipad, so you can make internet based calls if you want. You would have to use speakerphone mode, or get a wired headset though.
If you need web hosting, you could do worse than here
WikiLeaks should have been on top of this...
I don't like how short these product generations are. Yes, I understand that perfect is the enemy of good and trying to shove everything into the product to make it the best can make it unaffordable. The conventional wisdom now is that Sony did screw up by trying to push the Blueray in the PS3 too early. It made the whole thing too expensive and ceded the high ground to Microsoft with the 360.
But I do have to wonder about a new pad coming a year later, as everyone and his brother claimed it would back when the first one launched. This new one is going to make the last one look like shit, right? Only a fucking barbarian would be stuck using such old kit. Rah rah. But seriously, what more can they stick in to make the thing better? Three years between refresh ok, I can see there will be some changes. But one year? It's just more marketing bullshit.
I'm not complaining as someone who doesn't see a place for gadgets. I like them. I'm a fan. But I don't like the wasteful, destructive, consumerist crap that goes along with it. Should we really be trading out gadgets every year? Should we naturally assume that any product should be EOL'd after three years? Should we really feel good about this endless stream of expensive trinkets that will go from awesomest thing ever to landfill in 18 months?
Kwisatz Haderach
Sell the spice to CHOAM
This Mahdi took Shaddam's Throne
We use a ton of them for disability support, some of the apps on iOS (iPad, iPod Touch or iPhone) are replacing $2-5,000 stand alone dedicated devices.
A netbook or a laptop are over kill and or too complex for autistic kids or the programs aren't supported well or are very complicated and expensive.
We are replacing old Windows applications that cost 800-1200 dollars with an iPad and an app.
So some users a keyboard and mouse aren't as good of an interface as a touch screen.
I love the one where he has a tape that plays with that question. He picks the phone and leaves the receiver on that machine. Hilarious!
It's easier to look closely at the video if it is downloaded (as with DownloadHelper add-in for Firefox)and viewed in something like VLC. About 19 seconds in, it looks the the FCC IDs are almost readable. If someone with a video editing app views the video, it might be possible to find a better spot than where VLC can stop to try and catch those numbers and hopefully allow looking them up in the F.C.C. database to see if they match a current product or not.
Since DownloadHelper doesn't seem to work with embedded youtube content on other sites, here's a direct non-full-screen link. There is a 720P version.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJvKEzRWzA8
(when doing a copy URL from an embedded page, adding that "watch?" and removing any "&fs=1" seem to be what's needed for Download Helper to work. Flash need not be enabled, either .flv or .mp4 can be usually be downloaded)
Additionally, it may be worth noting that Apple generally doesn't put release numbers on their products. My iPhone 4 just says iPhone on the back, and I'm pretty sure my 3GS only had iPhone on there too.
Really?
Mine has lots of info on the back.
Even the Engadget Pre Release "Found in a Bar" (planted) iPhone 4 had markings on the back with dummy numbers.
They are referring to the name. The backs of iPhones don't say "iPhone 3GS" or "iPhone 4." They simply say "iPhone" in addition to the other things. In fact, "iPhone 3GS" isn't found anywhere on the phone, even in the "About" page.
The iPad is a very limited deice that does one thing very, very, very well: it is a great reader. Note that "reader" is a large category that includes web, magazines, books, and email.
The iPad is a much better reader than a smartphone, for reasons that should be obvious to anyone who's ever compared browsing the web on their tiny phone screen to browsing the web on a full-sized computer screen. The iPad is a much better reader than a netbook, because it is lightweight (both physically, which makes it easier to carry, and software-wise, which makes it more responsive), has longer battery life, and has a form factor that more closely resembles a printed page. If you've ever tried to read an e-book or even a longer article on a a netbook, with all of 600 pixels of vertical resolution, you'll see the appeal of the iPad. Instead of constantly scrolling you can just "flip" a virtual page occasionally.
Every time I use the iPad to read something I'm reminded of how much I love it. Every time I try to do anything other than reading on my iPad - write an email longer than two sentences, say, or make a few quick tweaks to a document - I'm reminded of how much I miss my netbook.