iPad 2 Will Sell Briskly

The race is on.

Apple's iPad 2 will sell 1 million units faster than the 28 days it took the first-generation iPad to sell because the new tablet is available from more stores, according to one tech analyst.

Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster said in a March 8 research note that initial demand for iPad 2 will be strong but said the increased distribution points will mean shorter lines at Apple retail stores than there were for the inaugural iPad that sold 15 million units last year.



Apple launched the original iPad at 221 U.S. Apple retail stores and most of the 1,100 U.S. Best Buy stores on April 3, 2010. 

Apple March 11 will sell the iPad 2 at 236 U.S. retail stores and in more than 10,000 other stores, including AT&T and Verizon Wireless stores, as well as retailers Target, Best Buy and Walmart in the United States. Assuming the weather is good and Apple fans come out to shop, the iPad 2 should enjoy a solid opening weekend this Friday.

The iPad 2, which is thinner, a little lighter, and faster than its predecessor and includes dual cameras for video chat via Apple's FaceTime application, is expected to hamper Xoom sales because it is priced the exact same way the first iPads were priced. The base WiFi version costs $499, and the 16GB WiFi+3G version is priced at $629.

By comparison, the Xoom costs $799, off contract ($599 for a two-year Verizon data deal), or $70 more than Apple's comparable, 32GB WiFi+3G iPad and iPad 2.

iPad 2: Excitement Abounds

The Metro Atlanta area has been one of the "hot" areas of the country for tablet style computers and iPads over the last year.  Many Atlanta enthusiasts I talked with over the past few months had wished the first iPad had a camera.

So, it's no surprise that many Atlantans including this writer were looking forward to Apple's announcement of a new iPad that happened today at the Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco.  Those that wanted a camera, got their wish X 2.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs took the stage for the unveiling of the new and improved device.

The iPad 2 will be priced the same as the previous iPad, but what you get with this model is a faster processor and two cameras. The cameras will allow the user to use Apple's Facetime feature.

The new iPad is also 33% thinner and a tad shorter than the original iPad.  The new version will also come in black and white colors.  The iPad will be available and ship to consumers on March 11.

Application developers are also excited.  Manny Gomez of Gomez Industires loves the fact that price has stayed the same and now believes that the HP TouchPad will be priced accordingly.  He also thinks this might open the platform for more "intense" games.  Taking a jab at Apple's not letting users to view flash videos on products, Manny added, "one can now NOT view Flash sites 10 times faster on the iPad2."

Another app developer, George Salcedo says the iPad 2 will be a success in that it will sell 20 million units.  He also thinks the iOS operating system is showing its age.  He is encouraged by the faster processor and feels app developers will waste no time in developing apps to take advantage of it.

As with any Apple announcement, Apple took shots at their competitors.  Just the debut of this new tablet is a statement enough as they continue to lead the pack when it comes to tablet computers.



iPad Free App of the Week: NBA Game Time Courtside

With the NBA more exciting this year that it has been in the past decade, you will need to get the free NBA Courtside app to get you through the rest of the season and into the playoffs.

Designed from the ground up for the iPad, this stunning free app is a great enhancement to your TV viewing experience and is a must-have for every NBA fan sporting an iPad!

App features include:

• Video Highlights – Watch a full selection of video highlights from every game throughout the season from NBA TV and NBA.com.

• Performance Info – This is the first product to give fans easy access to team performance during a game. See real-time shooting percentages and performance by zones on the court, know each team’s stat leaders, box scores, and quarterly play-by-play action.

• Live Court View - Know who’s on court at every moment and see substitutions happen live. Plus, see individual shooting with the live shot chart.

• Standings – Keep up to date on league standings for conference, division and the whole NBA.

Additional Features:
• Player Cards: See player’s season and career stats.
• Live Ticker: the latest news from NBA.com.

Don't miss any of the action, get this free app now.

3/2/11 is iPad2 Day

Apple is expected to unveil a second-generation iPad on Wednesday in San Francisco.

The Internet is abuzz with industry insiders and Apple lovers expressing desires and speculation regarding what the maker of iPhones, iPods, iPads, and Macintosh computers has in store at an invitation-only event in San Francisco.

Cryptic invites provided the date, time and location of the event and displayed an image of a March 2 calendar page peeling back to reveal a corner of an iPad.

The message on the page reads "Come see what 2011 will be the year of."

I guess you can say "Year of the Tablet."

Apple sold 14.8 million iPads through the end of 2010, according to the company's earnings statements.

The second-generation iPad is expected to be slimmer with increased memory, a more powerful computer chip, and front and rear-facing cameras giving it the "FaceTime" video-conferencing ability featured on iPhone 4 smartphones.

The festivities begin at 1pm Eastern time on Wednesday.

The Catholic Church...There's an App for That

iPrayer?

The Catholic Church in America has approved  A Roman Catholic App, for use among churchgoers and lapsed Catholics alike. Patrick Leinen, of Little iApps, the company that created Confession, claims it has already helped one person come back to the church after 20 years away.

Protected by a password, the app invites users to examine their consciences and confess to their sins. But it won't replace the old-school booth. The app, which costs $1.99, just goes through the motions of confession, but churchgoers must see a priest for absolution.

I have to give the Catholic Church credit for trying to reach out to the masses with this app.  If nothing else, it's quite a media stunt.