14 DAY TRIAL // American retail company Target has announced that Apple’s iPad 2 is coming to its brick-and-mortar establishments on March 11, the official launch day of Apple’s second-generation tablet device.
In an unprecedented move, U.S. retailer Target is selling the iPad 2 on the same day Apple is scheduled to begin sales at its own stores, as well as via the company’s online store.
Surprisingly, the retailers chose Twitter as means of spreading the word, rather than a typical press release.
The tweet reads: “The #iPad2 is coming to @Target stores! Get yours on launch day - 3/11/11”
There is still time for Target to make a formal announcement, though.
Announced last week during a special event held at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts’ Novell Theater, the iPad 2 is significantly faster, thinner, and lighter than its predecessor.
It was officially unveiled by Apple’s CEO, Steve Jobs, whom many believed he would not show up at the media gathering.
Alongside fellow executive Scott Forstall, Jobs introduced the next generation of Apple’s magical device which features a new design that is 33 percent thinner and up to 15 percent lighter than the original iPad.
The second-generation tablet retains the 9.7-inch LED-backlit LCD screen, and adds Apple’s new dual-core A5 processor for fast performance and up to 9x faster graphics.
iPad 2 includes two cameras - a front-facing VGA camera for FaceTime and Photo Booth, and a rear-facing camera that captures 720p HD video.
Although thinner, lighter, faster and pretty much improved two-fold on every level, the iPad 2 also keeps the 10-hour battery life advertised for the original iteration.
According to Steve Jobs, the tablet also ships in white. Both black and white models will be available from day one, and the customer can choose between AT&T and Verizon as the carrier for a 3G model.
Alongside the iPad 2, Apple also introduced a new accessory called the Smart Cover.
The magnet-enabled screen-cover comes in a range colors and is made from polyurethane (for $39) and leather (for $69).