In likely the THE most anticipated announcement event Apple has ever made, CEO Steve Jobs tonight (SA time), took the stage to genuine, rousing applause, and a standing ovation at the Yerba Beuna Center for the Arts in San Fransisco.

As is Apple’s wont, the presentation started with numbers.iBooks, iPhones and then of course, the “magical” iPad. There was a relaxed period of self congratulations, and some video, showing the impact that the iPad has made in it’s nine-month race to the head of the field, education and healthcare featuring strongly.

And then the moment everyone had been waiting for. Yes folks, the iPad2. Dual-core A5 processor, 9x faster graphics, front and rear video cameras, a third thinner than the original at 8.8mm (thinner than the iPhone 4), and? Black and white cases, shipping from day 1 (cue audience laughter). And it seems the power consumption seems to have been maintained despite the performance gains, so 10 hour battery life. And an interesting little magnetic cover that features magnets for alignment and micro-fibre for screen cleaning. Same screen size, same screen resolution, same onboard memory. Take that, rumor-mongers!

Scott Forstall then announced the next revision of the iOS operating system, sporting a new turbocharger in the Nitro Javascript engine (from OS-X), iTunes Home Sharing, some BIG improvements for AirPlay, and a user function-configuration switch for orientation-lock or mute.

On the software side, the addition of cameras, mean the the iPad2 can now use FaceTime, there’s a photo-booth app, and to great rejoicing, iMovie for iPad! Precision editor, multitrack audio, new themes… And on the musical side, Xander Soren came out on stage to demo the new Garageband for iPad. There are touch instruments, Guitar amps and effects, 8 track recording and mixing, 250+ loops…These apps are not earth-shattering in and of themselves, but here’s a big deal. They mark a shift from content consumption, which has been iPad’s main game so far, into content creation.

We currently don’t have any info regarding availability of the iPad 2 in South Africa, but be sure that we will update everyone the minute we know!