Gadgets and gizmos

The iPad 2 may not have made an official appearance but that hasn’t stopped products relating to Apple’s turning up as CES 2011. A new fitted case complete with a machined aluminium dummy of the iPad 2 is being exhibited by Chinese firm Dexim.

Rumours have been circulating around the ports and specifications of the Apple iPad 2 for months now, speculation of dual cameras and a rear slot were strengthened last month when some silicone cases emerged on the trading site Alibaba only to have a removal request put on them last week by an unnamed third party.

It is therefore very interesting that another case, especially one made specifically thinner with new port cut outs has turned up at CES. Engadget have taken lots of snaps of the case both with the mock up inside and of the case just on its own.

Interestingly the case incorporates a neat Bluetooth keyboard that attaches to the inside of the front of the folio case making it appear like a netbook – it looks like a slimmed down version of the Zaggmate.

The case seems to confirm rumours of dual cameras and a rear port; it doesn’t fit the current iPad which in itself supports the rumour that the iPad 2 will be thinner with a flat back. Then we come to the most logical reason that this case is more than likely real – why would so many Chinese manufacturers make such a variety of cases, all with the same cut outs, if they didn’t have the specs?

As always we will have to wait for an official announcement but this is the closest evidence yet to support the new ports and slimmed down frame of the iPad 2.