Apple iPad 2 in official pictures

The wait is over: the Apple iPad 2 is here. There are two cameras in the slimline new tablet, as well as a dual-core processor and new software. Click through our gallery for a first look at the iPad 2 in Apple's official pictures.

The iPad is described by Steve Jobs as Apple's "third post-PC product", after the iPod and iPhone -- it's certainly created a whole new market for portable touchscreen tablets. With the original iPad still going strong, Apple has clearly decided not to stray too far from the formula with the iPad 2.

Jobs describes iPad 2 as an "all-new design", but it's not a radical departure. Apart from the camera, you'd be hard-pressed to tell a difference -- until you pick it up, when it's immediately clear that it's significantly thinner.

The iPad 2 runs a dual-core Apple A5 processor that promises faster graphics. Apple claims it'll still manage the hefty 10-hour battery life.

As expected, the new iPad includes a camera in the front for FaceTime video calling to other Apple devices. There's also a camera for taking proper pictures, which shoots 720p video and packs a 5x digital zoom.

New software includes Photo Booth, iMovie for iPad and GarageBand. The built-in accelerometer detects how hard you're hitting the onscreen instruments, so you get more realistic effects from your virtual keyboard, drums and guitar.

The iPad 2 arrives in the UK on 25 March, two weeks behind its US launch. The prices and options are the same as before, from $499 for 16GB and just Wi-Fi, to $829 for the top-end 64GB 3G model. UK prices haven't been announced -- in fact, the UK Apple Store is still selling the old iPad -- but we would expect British pricing to remain the same.

It was unveiled by Steve Jobs in front of a packed house in San Francisco and London, where we got our hands on the new tablet -- don't touch that dial and keep it CNET UK for our first impressions.

What do you think of the iPad 2? Will you be raiding your piggybank or are you holding out for Honeycomb? Tell us your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook wall.