iPad 2 cases surface, rekindle SD card slot fire and add a pinch of mystery with topside cutout

There's usually as much fun to be had before an Apple product launch as there is after, and this upcoming iPad 2 device is no exception. The latest scuttlebutt it has succumbed to comes courtesy of some cases that have cropped up in China -- AppleInsider and MIC Gadget have independently found iPad 2 shells that feature nearly identical cutouts -- with the resulting allegations pointing toward a rear-facing camera, an SD card slot, and perhaps even a Mini DisplayPort receptacle. Our own sources have confirmed the former two, but the latter, a miniaturized video output already featured in MacBooks, is a new development and less of a certainty. Then again, looking at the size of the hole leaves few alternative options (and a USB slot is extremely unlikely), so we're willing to believe that a Mini DisplayPort will be an inclusion Apple makes for the sake of offering choice -- even if it prefers you to send your video streams over an untethered AirPlay connection.

Source:AppleInsider, MIC Gadget

Via:Engadget

Video demonstration makes sense of N-Control Avenger

Remember that Xbox 360 controller attachment that turns your gamepad into a monstrous tangle of levers? Engadget met up with creator N-Control during CES, capturing just what the Avenger thing is on video.

After the break, see how the Avenger uses an elaborate, Mouse Trap-style arrangement to allow access to all of the controller's buttons without moving your thumbs off of the sticks -- ostensibly saving you valuable milliseconds of reaction time. Of course, the adapter requires several minutes of explanation, so perhaps it's a wash.