Hasta La Gadget!

Nothing says truthiness quite like anonymous Chinese sources telling next generation iPad secrets to a Japanese blog lacking any notable successes on the professional rumor mongering circuit. Nevertheless, the Apple rumor sites have jumped all over the story like a Bay Area cop on prototype thief. So here’s the dirt, which certainly seems plausible in its specificity: a 3-mm reduction in bezel width, same 9.7-inch display size, and flattening of the back allowing it to rest wobble-free on a desktop. Mac Otakara also explains that there’s a “wide-range speaker” covered with “metal mesh” (that’s their render above) occupying the cut-out we saw at the bottom of those supposed next-generation iPad cases. The overall unit is said to measure 239 x 186 mm compared to the current iPad’s 242.8 x 189.7 mm footprint. Suspiciously, the site was unable to reliably confirm the existence of front of rear facing cameras but does claim that the new iPads will begin shipping from factories in January — timing that aligns nicely with previous rumors. After the break you’ll find another purported iPad 2 case with yet another render of the speaker grill design.

Continue reading iPad 2 features a thinner bezel, flat back, and chunky wide-range speaker?

iPad 2 features a thinner bezel, flat back, and chunky wide-range speaker? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Dec 2010 03:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Looks like some Chinese manufacturers think they know what the next-generation iPad looks like — we’ve seen numerous pictures today of supposed cases all with the same features: a headphone jack, a hole for a camera on the back, just one dock connector (not two), and a mysterious slit on the bottom. So, what could that be? An SD card slot seems unlikely since the cutout predominantly strips away the back of the case, not the bottom edge. Our source speculates it might be the antenna — if all the manufacturers saw was the aluminum case design, the cutaway could’ve been made as a precaution, not knowing exactly what it’s for. (Then again, the antenna for iPad 3G is found on the top of the device). We’re thinking it might be for a revised speaker design — the cutout is located just above and behind the location of the current iPad’s speaker. Maybe we’ll find out for ourselves by April, and maybe we won’t — consult your own crystal ball for that one. Some more case designs in a video after the break.

Continue reading Alleged iPad 2 cases show up with some interesting cuts (video)

Alleged iPad 2 cases show up with some interesting cuts (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Dec 2010 15:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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At this point, is there anyone that doesn’t suspect the next iPad will sport a camera? We’ve heard as much, more or less, and now here’s more fodder for the suspicious out there: according to Digitimes, a Taiwan Stock Exchange filing from Largan Precision pegs itself as the “sole lens module supplier” for the impending second-generation iPad, with shipments (of the part or of the tablet, we’re not sure) due out in the first quarter of 2011. It’s worth noting that Largan is the camera parts supplier for the iPhone 4. We haven’t been able to check out the filing ourselves yet, and for its part Largan’s not saying a word, but we’ll let you know what we dig up. You can now return to the part of your iPad 2 dream where it’s rocking a glasses-free 3D ultra-retina display… on both sides… and it’s transparent… and foldable… and not real.

Update: China Times is reporting that Largan got lucky with the exclusive order because Apple’s other iPhone 4 camera supplier GSEO (Genius Electronic Optical) is already running at full capacity. Said publication also casually mentions an “end of Q1” launch for the iPad 2, which makes sense given that the original iPad was launched in April.

Next iPad’s camera supplier outs itself in Taiwan Stock Exchange filing? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 07:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The 7-inch iPad rumors are suddenly hot and heavy. In the last few weeks, we’ve seen a series of reports claiming that Apple was working on a smaller iPad (or bigger iPod touch?) set for release between the end of 2010 or early 2011. A DigiTimes piece, sourcing its own “analyst,” claimed that the device would be making a jump to the Cortex A9 processor core, 512MB of RAM like the iPhone 4, and a 1,024 x 768 pixel IPS panel — the same resolution as the 9.7-inch iPad giving the new model a better pixel density. Now we’ve got Taiwan’s Economic Daily News saying that Chi Mei will join LG in supplying the new 7-inch IPS panels with AUO joining Sintek to provide the digitizer. EDN also claims that either Compal or Pegatron may join Foxconn in the assembly. Remember, even with hints of a new iPad model in Apple’s own code this is all just rumor for now. Besides, we’re still waiting for those Xbox 360 Blu-ray drives that the Economic Daily News assured us were coming in Q3 of 2008.

7-inch iPad tattle churns through Taiwanese rumor mills originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 07:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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