iPad

Developers playing with iOS 5 beta 3 have discovered that it features AirPlay mirroring. AirPlay allows you to mirror your FaceTime video chats to a larger screen. If AirPlay mirroring makes it to the final version of iOS 5, your iPhone or iPad could change business conferences, future Twilight fan club meetings, or long distance family chats. No more trying to huddle around your iPad to wave at Grandma.

The initial images of AirPlay from iOS 5 aren't that impressive (see above), but it seems like a small price to pay for the possible benefits. However, AirPlay may get a boost from the next generation iPhone or iPad, depending of what kind of camera they have.

Two patents filed by Apple suggest that the company is ready to test the waters of stylus type devices. The first product is a digital pen with a conductive heated tip for better interaction with the capacitive-sensors in Apple devices like the iPhone or iPad. It features a rechargeable battery and docking station that can connect to an iOS device.

The second, more interesting digital pen is the “communicating stylus,” a wireless pen that allows the user to send handwritten notes to an iPhone or iPad from across the room. The communicating stylus features accelerometers and wireless transmitters for sending position data to an iOS device. Users can doodle or take notes on their iPhone or iPad by writing in the air or using a whiteboard. Some speculate that Apple plans to introduce these new devices as an attempt to make their hardware more useful to students and teachers.

The Apple store is down internationally, as Apple updates its store to get ready for the US pre-order of the iPad. Starting at 8:30 AM EDT, prospective customers will be able to order the WiFi-only and 3G capable versions of the Apple's hotly anticipated tablet. Today's pre-ordering is open to US customers only. The WiFi-only iPad is slated for arrival in stores and homes on April 3rd, with 3G models arriving later in the month.

iPad pre-ordering begins tomorrow, and those of you who intelligently want to avoid either lines, rumored supply shortages, or both, can finally lay claim to an iPad, or two, or three. Beginning at some time after midnight tonight, Apple will update their online store and allow customers to start placing pre-orders for both the WiFi only and WiFi + 3G versions of the highly touted Apple iPad.

As usual, Apple's been hush-hush on the details, which is a little odd considering the details usually allow buyers to make more informed decisions on whether or not to purchase a product. However, Apple's never conventional when it comes to drumming up buzz for their products, so having bloggers and journalists running rampant trying to dig up details on the launch of one of their products likely suits them just fine.

The iPad Guide has put together a list of

Apple released to developers its latest version of the iPhone SDK yesterday (version 3.2 beta 4), and an article published today by The iPad Guide details clues revealed by developers that show evidence of video conferencing support on the iPad.