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Apple has launched the iPad 2 tablet computer at an event in San Francisco.

The company said the machine featured a faster processor, better graphics, and front and rear cameras.

Despite growing competition from rivals such as HP and Samsung, Apple lead the industry in sales of tablet devices.

The event saw the return of Apple Chief Executive Steve Job, who has been on medical leave since January.Mr Jobs was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2004.

Speaking on stage, he said: “We have been working on this product for a while and I just didn’t want to miss today.”
Apple has billed the iPad 2 as slimmer, lighter and faster than its predecessor.

The device features the company’s latest dual core A5 processor, which supposedly delivers twice the processing power of the original iPad.

Apple unveiled several new applications for the iPad 2, including the video editing package iMovie and music making programme, Garage band.

The iPad2 will go on sale in the US on 11 March, followed by 26 other countries, including the UK, on 25 March.
In the US, pricing will range between $499 (£305) and $826 (£505). Other countries are expected to follow similar pricing.

Aidan Donovan is a copywriter for a number of companies, including a short term van insurance company that specialise in 1 day car insurance.
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For most of us we’re going to be driving home for Christmas over the next 24hours. The roads are rubbish at the moment; the chances are if you’re not buried under snow at the moment you’re going to have to drive through some at some point before you’re home safe and sound.

If you’re going to be driving further than the end of your road over the next few weeks you need to make sure your car is in great shape. The weather is unpredictable at the moment, at least that’s the excuse being used by several major airports, so you need to make sure you’re prepared for everything.

Run through a check list of things to have in the boot. This should be pretty obvious; engine oil, screen wash and a bottle of water are like the basic first aid kit for your engine. Next you need to make sure you and any passengers will be taken care of in the event of an emergency, pack a warm blanket, some emergency food and drink and a shovel. This means that if you do get stuck both you and your car should be OK until help arrives.

Next you’ve got to make sure you’ve got a way to get yourself out of any trouble. There are two bits of modern technology here that can really be lifesavers. The first is a good quality sat nav, always stick to a reputable brand like a Garmin Nuvi sat nav even if it does mean paying a bit more. If you find your original route has been blocked or there’s been an accident you need to know you can find your way around it. Yes, the old fashion paper map will work but you have to question how safe it is to be driving around in the cold and snow in an area you don’t know trying to read the map sat in your passenger seat. This is what the sat nav is designed for. You can mute the voice so you don’t have some patronising American telling you to ‘take a u turn at the next opportunity’ (in fact if you stick with the Garmin Nuvi you get an English accent by default and it will never tell you to take a your turn it will simply recalculate until you’re back on course). It will also dim the screen after sun set so you don’t have a glaring screen in your face.

The next must have piece of technology you need in your car is the in car phone charger. These are cheap and small and sit on your glove box. Let’s face it, if your phone is going to die its going die when you’re stuck on a country road in the dark when the snow is falling. You need to make sure you’re able to get hold of someone and this tiny wire can mean the difference between waiting in your warm car and having to go for a walk for miles in the dark when you don’t know where you are. If you have break down cover make sure you always have the relevant paper work in your glove box too.

There are loads of other car accessories that can make your journey more enjoyable, an MP3 player can be plugged into the cigarette lighter if you have an older car that doesn’t come with this built into the console. You can even get a device to let you know when there’s a speed camera ahead. However, when it comes to safety and peace of mind, the sat nav and the in car charger are the two everyone should have.

The award winning ‘Skatecycle’ is the next generation of torsion bar-based skaters, and is built on the principle of the Snakeboard (if you remember that!) This award winning product incorporates a revolutionary design where your feet are inside the wheels, giving you a great level of control over the direction. Now this funky skater has been made even better by virtue of a Tron makeover. Check it out below:

It’s currently only a one off from a design house in New York called Brooklyn Studios, the makers of the skatecycle. It was created by importing graphics from the film, and creating an homage to the light cycle as best they could. However, due to the amount of interest generated in the current Tron craze, they are considering making more. I’m sure the orders will be flooding in. Have a look at the creators riding the prototype around New York

Written by Robert, who works for a company dealing with performance management.