While Apple only recently caught up with demand for the iPad, and the tablet is virtually guaranteed to be one of the most coveted gifts of 2010, the pieces appear to be falling into place to start shipping the next generation iPad. Sources indicate that Foxconn--the Chinese manufacturer responsible for producing the device--will start shipping the new iPad by the end of February.

Rumors have swirled--almost since the launch of the original iPad--that we can expect dual cameras and FaceTime chat capabilities in the next version. There are also reports that the iPad 2 (which is not an official name for the next generation Apple tablet) might have a motion-sensing gyroscope a' la iPhone 4, that the iPad will be both thinner and lighter than the current model, and that the iPad 2 will sport more processing power--possibly a dual-core Cortex, a Retina display, and more memory. There is even speculation that the new iPad will forego the standard Apple 30-pin connector common across the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch, and come equipped instead with a standard mini-USB port.

More: http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/212738/