It’s been almost 2 years to the day when Apple released Aperture 2.0, and this morning the company announced that the third iteration of the photo editing and management software is available. Some of the new features include Faces, Places and Brushes, many of which will be familiar to people using iPhoto ‘09.

With the new version, Apple makes it easier for people to step up from iPhoto to Aperture, while still providing professional photographers with a powerful program for editing and managing their libraries. Apple says the new software boasts over 200 new features.

It’s crazy how the slightest little hint of something starts all the rampant speculation about Apple’s product development. This is the third clue that the next generation of iPad will have a camera, if not video capability. It certainly explains the stuff that was found in the SDK.

One of the most frustrating things about using a projector is setting up all the cords. You have to connect the video, probably the audio (at least in a business setting) and get the whole thing up and running. If you have a Mac, life gets even more complicated due to the lack of an HDMI or DVI port, which is the industry standard for projectors. InFocus is fixing all that with their new DisplayLink wireless technology.

Just the other day, AT&T announced that it was able to work with Sling Media in order to optimize Sling player for AT&T’s 3G network. That’s good news for consumers and all, but it appears as though AT&T might have been doing a little posturing to make itself look like the good guy. After all, Sling users were disappointed about the lack of a Sling player on the iPhone when the application had been avaiable on BlackBerry for some time – and on AT&T’s network, no less.

In November 2009, Apple launched a feature dubbed iTunes Preview, which essentially enabled people to see what music is available on iTunes from their Web browser without the need to fire up – or install – the desktop software program.

At the time, you weren’t able to actually listen to a sample of music tracks from your browser, but that changed earlier this year when Web-based audio previews were quietly added (paving the way for the imminent roll-out of iTunes.com).

This morning, Apple activated the iTunes Preview feature for iPhone / iPod Touch applications in addition.

USB 3.0 is the future and, well, Apple likes to be on the edge of technology so it only makes sense that the company would be at least looking into implementing the new interface sometime real soon. After all HP is already shipping USB 3.0 in its Envy 15 series and that can’t sit right with Apple fanboys. But all we know right now comes from a Digitimes report that basically states that Genesys Logic is denying reports that its providing Apple with controllers. So yeah, we don’t really know anything.

Ahh Steve. You can always be depended on to serve up a healthy dose of crazy. It’s just fortunate that people put up with your own special brand of crazy that no other CEO could put up with. For example, at a company wide Town Hall, Steve Jobs had some very special things to say about Adobe and Google and their business practices.

The iPad’s fate isn’t in the hands of Apple. Jobs & Co. has done their part and made the device. The iPad’s success lies solely in the hands of developers. Because unlike the iPhone or iPod touch, the iPad doesn’t really have a core function. The iPhone is nothing more than a glorified telephone and the iPod touch is just another PMP. But what’s the iPad? A big iPod touch?

None of the iPad’s functions seem to define it. Ebook reading? That may turn out to be just a novelty feature for many buyers. Web browsing? Maybe, but the Internet is formatted for a mouse and keyboard, a tablet simply doesn’t offer much, if any, advantage over a netbook or computer running a full OS. Early reports are even suggesting that the iPad isn’t even a solid media player because of its 4:3 aspect ratio.

Then there are the millions upon millions of apps Apple has accumulated over the last two years. They, and new iPad-specific ones, are the key to success for the iPad. Without them, the iPad would just be another concept-of-function device, targeted at a small crowd with its limited capabilities of web browsing, task management, ebook reading, and media playback. The apps will likely prove to be the justification many people will need to purchase the iPad.

The iPad? What were they thinking? Didn’t they consider the implications of people mocking the name? “How will Twitter react?” Doesn’t Apple have a social media ninja on its payroll?

One of the small surprises of the iPad announcement was that it was running on Apple’s own custom silicon. Well, that’s true to an extent, but it’s not like Apple actually invented the processor in-house. It’s just not OEM hardware. In fact, other guys are running with many of the same parts.

The A4 is a custom implementation of the ARM A9 processor, also found in Snapdragon (running the Nexus One) and Tegra (running the Zune HD). The difference is there is a GPU mated with the A9 in Apple’s design, probably to help offload the graphics work and keep the interface smooth.

Apple spent a good deal of time today selling the world on the iPad’s ebook skills. It has a nice 9.7-inch screen, 10 hour battery life, and ebook store. But how does it stack up against the current reigning ebook king, the Kindle? It’s time to call in a massive chart.

Another year, another release of iLife. This time, though, with full iPadsupport. Yes, Apple showed off iLife 2010 at its big press conference today, and the updates are about what you’d expect from the application suite: incremental and filled with one or two things that make you say, “Wow, neat.” That being the multi-touch support.

Don’t you worry about the iPad lacking an SD card slot and USB port. Apple has you covered with adapters! How nice of Lord Jobs. Instead of building in two industry standards, users are forced to buy extra items with their new iPad. It’s not like the these standards are large and would take away from the oh-so-important design.

But it really is ridiculous that the iPad doesn’t have an SD card slot built-in. USB port, fine. Apple is sticking with its massive dock connector, but an SD card slot — or microSD card slot — would actually open the iPad to some niche markets.

Folks were a bit disappointed early on in the iPad announcement when it started to sound like it’d be WiFi only – but there was a twist!

Late in the show, Steve Jobs announced that their will be 3G-enabled models. While Apple specifically named AT&T as the carrier who will offer up the 3G, he also stated that all iPads will be sold unlocked. It relies on GSM microSIMs – so while you’ll be able to take it around the world, don’t expect to take it over to Verizon or any other CDMA carrier.