iPad 2面世，乔布斯现身

    任凭你搜肠刮肚，恐怕都很难想到一款比苹果（Apple）的iPad 2更受人追捧、令人垂涎同时又横遭指责的设备。这或许是因为在过去这半年里，哪怕是再荒诞不经的谣言、设计模型或是愿望清单，都会引得世界各地的媒体争相报道。

    这也无可厚非。要知道，第一代iPad在2010年售出了1500万部，是有史以来销量最高的平板设备，而今年，预计两种版本的iPad销量都将高达2500万部。尽管批评者仍然在贬低iPad，但更多的人极其信赖该设备，而且在《财富》美国100强中，有2/3的公司现在正将iPad用于日常工作或者是打算即将这样做。不可否认，凭借其线条流畅的铝制机壳、易于操作的多点触控式用户界面以及正蓬勃发展的应用生态系统，重量仅681克（1.5磅）的iPad仅凭一己之力，就振兴了一个计算机领域，此前，即便苹果公司自己在1993年推出的Newton平板平台，也未能成功占据该领域。

    iPad的尺寸是9.7英寸，这都要归功于苹果首席执行官乔布斯。他曾指出，假如屏幕小于这个尺寸，将难以发挥iOS的优势。他说道：“7英寸的平板电脑不伦不类：与智能手机相比，块头太大，而与iPad相比，个头又太小。”同往常一样，乔布斯打破了无法装进外套口袋里的设备都难以大热的惯常思维，准确捕捉到了用户对平板电脑的真正需求。如今，用户和苹果迷们只有一个问题要问苹果，那就是“接下来还有什么？”

    事实上，去年4月iPad 1发布后没多久，就有传言称苹果将发布iPad 2。尽管《华尔街日报》（The Wall Street Journal）的沃尔特•莫斯伯格以及《纽约时报》（The New York Times）的大卫•波格都在自己的测评文章中对iPad 1大加赞美，但是人嘛，总是不会满足的，比如iPad用户就希望该设备具备更强大、更高级的功能，而他们有些要求也无可厚非，比如：用于FaceTime视频聊天的摄像头，内置的SD卡读卡器，USB插口，iPhone 4那样效果分辨率更高的Retina显示屏，更快的处理器以及更大的内存。

    人们的愿望一个接着一个，所以也就不难理解，为何只言片语的猜测和泄漏信息，都会让大家对下一代iPad的上市时间、价格和所具备的新功能感到惊讶。各科技博客通常关注功能方面：更快的双核处理器；Retina显示屏，分辨率将是iPad 1024 ×768的两倍；一前一后双摄像头。最近，一位所谓的苹果线人向科技博客瘾科技（Engadget）透露，iPad 2受到“工程问题”的困扰，结果导致iPad 2取消了高分辨率显示器和SD卡读卡器等一些原先计划的部件。

真正的iPad 2

    当然，现在iPad 2已经揭开了神秘的面纱。

    在人们无数次猜测乔布斯是否会露面之后，他最终登台亮相，虽然有些消瘦，略显虚弱，但总的来说看起来气色还不错。乔布斯向观众展示了iPad 2的新功能和新应用程序，并宣告今年是iPad 2年。

    乔布斯表示：“光靠技术是不够的，这一点深深印在苹果的DNA中。”他强调只有硬件、软件、人文科学及艺术完美结合，才能创造出令人愉悦的产品。考虑到苹果最近创造出的产品，可以说“在保持市场竞争力方面，我们做得非常棒。”

    iPad 2将于3月11日在美国首发，3月25日，它将登陆澳大利亚、加拿大、法国、日本等26个国家。iPad 2重量仅为1.3英磅，其厚度比iPad 1薄了33%，甚至比iPhone 4还要薄上稍许。iPad 2配备了双核ARM A5处理器，速度是iPad 1的两倍，图形处理速度则比iPad 1快上9倍，但电池续航时间没有缩水，仍为10小时。它还具备720P，30帧每秒的视频录制能力，并能输出1080P HDMI信号，而且前后摄像头均支持FaceTime视频通话功能。iPad 2在首发当日即将有标准铝合金版（黑色版——译注）和白色两种可供选择，3G版本能同时支持美国电话电报公司（AT&T）和威瑞森（Verizon）的网络，售价和iPad 1全面保持一致：16GB版499美元；32GB版599美元；64GB版699美元；16GB 3G版629美元；32GB 3G版729美元；64GB 3G版829美元。iPad 2将搭载最新的移动操作系统iOS 4.3，该系统采用Nitro JavaScript引擎全面提升了Safari的性能，并能支持iTunes的家庭共享功能。

    双摄像头应该会派上用场，要知道，iPad 2性能强劲，足够同时支持9组实时视频流。其配备的图像处理软件Photo Booth也得到了增强，增加了瞬间响应和触摸过滤等功能，并提供了Light Tunnel和Stretch等新工具。

    Try racking your brain for a device more crowed about, lusted over, or prematurely criticized than Apple's (AAPL) iPad 2. (We know. Pretty hard.) That's probably because, over the last six months, media outlets everywhere gave voice to even the most outré rumors, design mockups, and wish lists.

    And why not? The first-generation of Apple's tablet moved 15 million units in 2010, the most of any tablet device ever, and both versions are expected to sell as many as 25 million this year. Though detractors continue to throw haterade its way, many more simply swear by it, and roughly two-thirds of Fortune 100 companies currently use it in day-to-day dealings or soon plan to. Like it or not, the iPad, with its 1.5 pound lightweight status, svelte aluminum chassis, easy multi-touch user interface, and booming app ecosystem, singlehandedly reinvigorated an area of computing that until recently, even Apple had failed to successfully penetrate with its Newton tablet platform back in 1993.

    We have Jobs to thank for the iPad's 9.7-inch form factor -- as he once pointed out, anything smaller wouldn't do iOS justice. "7-inch tablets are tweeners: too big to compete with a smartphone and too small to compete with the iPad," Jobs said. As usual, the Apple CEO's sense of what users really wanted from tablets outweighed the conventional wisdom that anything that wouldn't fit in a coat pocket could never be a smash hit. The only question users and fans have for Apple today is, "What's next?"

    The iPad 2 rumors started shortly after the iPad 1's April launch. Despite glowing reviews from The Wall Street Journal's Walt Mossberg and an oddly hedged, but no less positive, piece from David Pogue of The New York Times, that human condition which states that we always want more, more, more meant that in this case, users craved even better, improved features from their tablets, some of which were justifiable: a video camera with FaceTime, an integrated SD card reader, a USB port, a sharper iPhone 4-like Retina-quality display, faster processor, more RAM.

    On and on the wishlists went, so understandably, even the tiniest morsels of supposed, leaked information raised an eyebrow on when the next-gen tablet would hit, how much, and what new features it would have. Tech blogs focused mostly on the features: a dual-core processor with faster speeds, a Retina display that might offer double the resolution of the iPad's 1,024 by 768 screen, and front and back-facing cameras! Most recently, an alleged Apple source told Engadget that "engineering issues" plagued the iPad 2, resulting in the loss of planned components like a sharper display and SD card reader.

The real iPad 2

    Now of course, we know better.

    After questions over whether he'd make an appearance, a thin, slightly frail but altogether fine-looking Jobs took the stage, walked the audience through the iPad 2's new features and apps, and deemed this year the iPad 2's "moment."

    "It's in Apple's DNA, that technology alone is not enough," he said, emphasizing that a sound relationship of hardware, software, the liberal arts and humanities is required to make "hearts sing." Given Apple's latest creative efforts, "we stand a pretty good job of being competitive in that market."

    When it launches March 11 domestically and March 25 in 26 countries including Australia, Canada, France and Japan, the 1.3 pound iPad 2, which is 33% thinner than the iPad 1 and a hair thinner than even the iPhone 4, will rock a dual-core ARM A5 processor that offers up to twice the speed and graphics 9 times faster than the current iPad, the same 10-hour battery life, 720p 30 frames-per-second (fps)-capable front and rear-facing video cameras for FaceTime video chat, HDMI out for a 1080p signal, and be available in both standard aluminum and white from day one. 3G versions will also run on both AT&T (T) and Verizon (VZ), and pricing across the board stays the same: $499 for the 16 GB version, $599 for 32 GB, 64 GB for $699, $629 for the 16 GB 3G edition, $729 for 32 GB 3G, and $829 for the $64 GB 3G. A new version of the mobile operating system, iOS 4.3, will up Safari performance with Nitro JavaScript performance and allow iTunes home sharing.

    The two onboard cameras should come in handy. The iPad 2 is powerful enough to support 9 simultaneous live video streams. Tweaked Photo Booth software features with super-responsive touch-based filters and manipulation tools like "Light Tunnel" and "Stretch."

    下面说说智能套，它分为聚氨酯和皮革两种材质，各有5种颜色，前者售价为每个39美元，后者为每个69美元。智能套内含磁体，能自动吸附到iPad 2上，内面是微纤维材质，能让屏幕（基本）远离指纹困扰，更神奇的是，当你揭开或合上智能套时，iPad 2会自动唤醒或休眠。

    苹果为iPad 2准备了升级版iMovie，软件主界面非常精美，整体来看很像中世纪风格的电影院，并搭配有霓虹灯等多种新主题。这款软件具备强大的视频剪辑能力；多达8声道的音频回放功能；支持苹果电视（Apple TV）的“AirPlay”；还能通过YouTube、Facebook和Vimeo分享高清视频。苹果还发布了一款名为Garage Band的新软件，能以触摸的方式模拟多种乐器，支持模拟吉他插件和模拟吉他放大效果；支持8声道回放、混音及250多重循环效果；支持延音踏板和8分度音节调整。在Garage Band中，你还能通过电子邮件，将自己创作的歌曲以AAC格式（苹果所提供的一种高质量音频压缩格式）发送给别人。有意思的是，以模拟敲鼓为例，如果你敲击鼓的边缘部分，鼓声就会很清脆，而如果你敲击的部分越接近鼓的中心，鼓声就会越浑厚。

iPad 3，蓄势待发？

    关于iPad这款产品，很能说明问题的是，在iPad 2还未公布之前，关于iPad 3的传言就已浮出水面。来自Cult of Mac的消息，苹果公司一位匿名人士表示，iPad 2根本比不上iPad 3。他还表示iPad 3将在今年晚些时候面世。

    该匿名人士表示：“iPad 2在开发中遇到了太多麻烦，所以你们别对它报太大期望。不过第三代iPad确实值得为之欢呼雀跃。”

    不过，现在说这些已经晚了。

    你可能会觉得iPad 2未能满足你的期望。你或许要问：高分辨率显示屏呢？SD卡读卡器呢？USB接口呢？摄像头和内存的规格到底是什么样的？

    要得到上述问题的答案，“果粉”们恐怕还得继续等。

    译者：项航

    The "smart cases," available in 5 colors of polyurethane ($39 each) and 5 flavors of leather ($69 each) include magnets that grasp and auto-align the tablet. A microfiber lining keeps the screen (mostly) fingerprint-free. Also neat: automatic wake on opening and sleep when closed.

    The updated iMovie, which has a quaint homescreen that resembles a mid-twentieth century movie theater, offers a precision editor, audio recording for up to 8 tracks, new themes like "Neon," AirPlay to Apple TV, and HD video sharing via YouTube, Facebook, and Vimeo. A new Garage Band includes touch-based instruments, the ability to plug in a guitar, guitar amps effects, 8-track recording and mixing, 250-plus loops, the option to email an AAC version (ie. high quality compression Apple-style) of the songs you create, and toggles for the sustain peddle and octaves. One neat trick: if you're playing around the with drum set for instance, hit the rim of the snare and you get rim sounds. Strike more towards the center of the snare, and you get that fuller tone.

The iPad 3, already?

    It speaks volumes about the product when iPad 3 rumors surface before the iPad 2 is even announced. According to an unnamed Apple staffer who spoke with Cult of Mac, today's iPad 2 doesn't hold a candle to the iPad 3, which this person says is on track for a release later this year.

    "For the iPad 2 don't get your hopes up too high," said the source. "They've had a number of problems along the way, and the third-generation iPad is the one to make a song and a dance about."

    Well, too late for all of that.

    Depending on your expectations, you might find the iPad 2 disappointing. Where's the sharper display, SD card reader or USB port? What are the specs on the cameras and RAM?

    For answers to those questions, iPad aficionados, you may have to wait even longer.