This packaging set shipped with the iPad Generation 8 with Wi-Fi + Cellular. This entry-level iPad had a 10.2-inch touch screen and included the optional cellular network service. According to Apple:
“The new iPad combines tremendous capability with unmatched ease of use and versatility. With the powerful A12 Bionic chip, support for Apple Pencil and the Smart Keyboard, and the amazing new things you can do with iPadOS 14, now there’s even more to love about iPad.”
The packaging included a cardboard envelope, a 4-page pamphlet with a color diagram of the iPad’s basic features, a 2-sided safety guide, a cardboard insert with an attached metal SIM-eject tool, and two white Apple stickers.
This version of the iPad 2 is nearly identical to the original iPad 2, but used a smaller 32 nm A5 processor (the original A5 processor was 45 nm) and had slightly improved battery life.
The iPad 2 represented a major update to the original iPad by allowing the iPad to begin its move from a content-consumption device to a content-creation device, mostly due to the addition of both a front and back camera. Apple’s press release led with its subhead, “All New Design is Thinner, Lighter & Faster with FaceTime, Smart Covers & 10 Hour Battery.”
Like the original iPad, the iPad 2 was described as a “magical device for browsing the web, reading and sending email, enjoying photos, watching videos, listening to music, playing games, reading ebooks and much more.” The iPad 2 added “two cameras, a front-facing VGA camera for FaceTime and Photo Booth, and a rear-facing camera that captures 720p HD video, bringing the innovative FaceTime feature to iPad users for the first time.” The iPad 2 had a silver aluminum back and was available with a white or black front.
The iPad 2 had a 9.7-inch glossy LED backlit display (1024×768 at 132 ppi) and could run both iPhone and iPad-specific apps. It shipped with the A5 processor with storage options including 16, 32, or 64 GB. In addition to its front and rear cameras, it had 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi support, an accelerometer, a three-axis gyroscope, an ambient light sensor, digital compass, a speaker and a built-in microphone. The iPad 2 was 33% thinner than the original iPad and weighed 1.33 pounds.
The iPad 2 was also released with the Smart Cover. The Smart Cover used magnets to attach and, when closed, automatically put the iPad 2 into Sleep mode, and would wake the iPad when opened.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is my 500th post! I celebrate it by posting the iPad 2—the iPad model that arguably flipped the device from being a consumption to creation device, and began a transformation in 1:1 education device programs. —Matt
The iPad 2 represented a major update to the original iPad by allowing the iPad to begin its move from a content-consumption device to a content-creation device, mostly due to the addition of front and back cameras. Apple’s press release led with its subhead, “All New Design is Thinner, Lighter & Faster with FaceTime, Smart Covers & 10 Hour Battery.”
Like the original iPad, the iPad 2 was described as a “magical device for browsing the web, reading and sending email, enjoying photos, watching videos, listening to music, playing games, reading ebooks and much more.” The iPad 2 added “two cameras, a front-facing VGA camera for FaceTime and Photo Booth, and a rear-facing camera that captures 720p HD video, bringing the innovative FaceTime feature to iPad users for the first time.” The iPad 2 had a silver aluminum back and was available with a white or black front.
The iPad 2 had a 9.7-inch glossy LED backlit display (1024×768 at 132 ppi) and could run both iPhone and iPad-specific apps. It shipped with the A5 processor with storage options including 16, 32, or 64 GB. In addition to its front and rear cameras, it had 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi support, an accelerometer, a three-axis gyroscope, an ambient light sensor, digital compass, a speaker and a built-in microphone. The iPad 2 was 33% thinner than the original iPad and weighed 1.33 pounds.
The iPad 2 was also released with the Smart Cover. The Smart Cover used magnets to attach and, when closed, automatically put the iPad 2 into Sleep mode, and would wake the iPad when opened.
The iPad Generation 4 was referred to by Apple officially as the “iPad with Retina Display.” Similar in many ways to the iPad Generation 3 before it, the iPad Generation 4 replaced the 30-pin dock connector with the Lightning port, and also offered incremental upgrades.
The Retina Display increased the touchscreen resolution to 2048×1536 (at 264 ppi). Internally, the iPad Generation 4 used a dual-core 1.4 GHz A6X processor, 1 GB of RAM, and was offered with 16, 32, 64, or 128 GB of storage. Its back 5-megapixel iSight camera could record video at 1080p, and its front FaceTime HD camera could record video at 720p. Wireless connectivity included 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0.
The iPad Generation 4 was available in black and white (both options had a silver aluminum back). This example is black.
The iPad Generation 4 was referred to by Apple officially as the “iPad with Retina Display.” Similar in many ways to the iPad Generation 3 before it, the iPad Generation 4 replaced the 30-pin dock connector with the Lightning port, and also offered incremental upgrades.
The Retina Display increased the touchscreen resolution to 2048×1536 (at 264 ppi). Internally, the iPad Generation 4 used a dual-core 1.4 GHz A6X processor, 1 GB of RAM, and was offered with 16, 32, 64, or 128 GB of storage. Its back 5-megapixel iSight camera could record video at 1080p, and its front FaceTime HD camera could record video at 720p. Wireless connectivity included 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0.
The iPad Generation 4 was available in black and white (both options had a silver aluminum back). This Wi-Fi example is in white.
The iPad Generation 5 was introduced in early 2017 and was referred to by Apple as the “9.7-inch iPad.”
This was the first “regular,” or base model, iPad available in colors other than back or white. The iPad Generation 5 was available in gold (gold aluminum back and white glass front), silver (silver aluminum back and white glass front), and space gray (dark gray aluminum back and black glass front).
This iPad had a 9.7-inch Retina Display touchscreen (2048×1536 at 264 ppi) and a Touch ID fingerprint sensor. Internally it used a two-core 1.8 GHz A9 processor, 2 GB of RAM, and was available with 32 or 128 GB on internal storage.
Its rear camera was an 8-megapixel iSight camera that could record video at 1080p (at 30 fps). Its front camera was a FaceTime HD camera that could record video at 720p. Wireless connections included 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2, and wired connections included a Lightning connector and audio port.
According to Apple’s website, “The Smart Keyboard is a full‑size keyboard made for iPad. It delivers a comfortable typing experience wherever you are and converts into a slim, durable front cover when you’re on the go.”
This keyboard uses Apple’s proprietary Smart connector so the keyboard does not require its own power. “Just attach the full-size Smart Keyboard to your iPad and start typing — no charging or pairing required. And when you’re finished, it folds up to become a slim, lightweight cover.”
The iPad Smart Keyboard is Apple’s first case-integrated keyboard for the base-model iPad. It is compatible with iPad (Generation 7 and 8), iPad Air (Generation 3), and iPad Pro 10.5‑inch.
MobileMe is the third in Apple’s iterations of online tools suites. This boxed version of MobileMe was available in 2010 and matched other Apple retail packaging of the time.
The history of Apple’s online services has included:
iTools (released 1-5-2000) with services including @mac.com email addresses (accessed through the Mail app), iCards free greeting card service, iReview web site reviews, HomePage free web page publishing, iDisk online data storage, and a KidSafe directory of child-friendly web sites.
.Mac (pronounced “dot Mac,” released 7-17-2002) with services including HomePage web hosting, iDisk online disk storage service, @mac.com email service (POP and IMAP), iCards online greeting cards, Backup personal backup (to iDisk, CD, or DVD), and McAfee Virex. Later enhancements included an online Mail interface, Back to My Mac remote desktop, Web Gallery, and the ability to add more online web storage and segment it according to purpose.
MobileMe (released 7-9-2008) had a difficult rollout where some users experienced instability over a period of several weeks. Steve Jobs later wrote, “it was a mistake to launch MobileMe at the same time as iPhone 3G, iPhone 2.0 software, and the App Store.” Customers received a free 60-day extension of MobileMe services. Although .Mac removed some services, including iCards and some specific web services, greater iLife integration was added and primary services continued to be expanded and upgraded.
iCloud (beginning Fall 2011) was released with iOS 5 and the iPhone 4S. iCloud includes email, calendar, file across multiple devices, 5 GB of free cloud storage, and offers additional paid tiers for more storage.
For users like me who have been customers since the iTools era, all email domains remain available, including @mac.com, @me.com, and @icloud.com.
This MobileMe software box is from 2010 and features several services on the packaging: online syncing of email, calendar, and contacts; the Find My iPhone or iPad service; online photo and file storage; and an image depicting the ability of MobileMe to share files and information among iPhone, Mac/Windows, and iPad via “the Cloud.”
MobileMe is the third in Apple’s iterations of online tools suites. This boxed version of MobileMe was available in 2008 and matched other Apple retail packaging of the time.
The history of Apple’s online services has included:
iTools (released 1-5-2000) with services including @mac.com email addresses (accessed through the Mail app), iCards free greeting card service, iReview web site reviews, HomePage free web page publishing, iDisk online data storage, and a KidSafe directory of child-friendly web sites.
.Mac (pronounced “dot Mac,” released 7-17-2002) with services including HomePage web hosting, iDisk online disk storage service, @mac.com email service (POP and IMAP), iCards online greeting cards, Backup personal backup (to iDisk, CD, or DVD), and McAfee Virex. Later enhancements included an online Mail interface, Back to My Mac remote desktop, Web Gallery, and the ability to add more online web storage and segment it according to purpose.
MobileMe (released 7-9-2008) had a difficult rollout where some users experienced instability over a period of several weeks. Steve Jobs later wrote, “it was a mistake to launch MobileMe at the same time as iPhone 3G, iPhone 2.0 software, and the App Store.” Customers received a free 60-day extension of MobileMe services. Although .Mac removed some services, including iCards and some specific web services, greater iLife integration was added and primary services continued to be expanded and upgraded.
iCloud (beginning Fall 2011) was released with iOS 5 and the iPhone 4S. iCloud includes email, calendar, file across multiple devices, 5 GB of free cloud storage, and offers additional paid tiers for more storage.
For users like me who have been customers since the iTools era, all email domains remain available, including @mac.com, @me.com, and @icloud.com.
This MobileMe software box is from 2008 and features several services on the packaging: online syncing of email, calendar, and contacts; online Photo gallery; online storage; and an image depicting the ability of MobileMe to share files and information among a Mac, iPhone, iPod touch, and Windows via “the Cloud.”
The iPad SIM Eject Tool shipped with the original iPad. This tool is built into the envelope packaging that shipped with the iPad and is referenced in the iPad User Guide:
Remove the micro-SIM card: 1 Insert the end of the SIM eject tool into the hole on the SIM tray. Press firmly and push the tool straight in until the tray pops out. If you don’t have a SIM eject tool, you can use the end of a paper clip. 2 Pull out the SIM tray and remove the micro-SIM card from the tray.
The SIM Eject Tool is no longer included with products that include a SIM card. Instead, the Apple website recommends and depicts a somewhat inelegant bent paperclip for ejecting SIM cards.
Back in 2010, the SIM Eject Tool became newsworthy when it was disclosed that Apple had manufactured this tool from a metal alloy known as Liquidmetal. This news came after Apple “entered into an exclusive agreement with Liquidmetal Technologies.” The alloy is described as an “amorphous, non-crystalline material…2.5 times the strength of commonly used titanium alloy and 1.5 times the hardness of stainless steel found in portable electronic devices.” (AppleInsider)
Reports also stated that, “Liquidmetal Technologies has granted all of its intellectual property assets to Apple, under a worldwide agreement that gives Apple the exclusive rights to use the alloy in electronic products” at a cost of nearly $11 million (AppleInsider).
In 2018, Apple was granted patents for parts made of Liquidmetal, but the alloy has not been confirmed as being used in production, aside from this SIM Eject Tool.
