This time next week, we will know what the iPad 2 looks like. Apple began sending invites today for the launch event in San Francisco on 2nd March. There is a clue to what the event is about in the image (shown here) that makes up the invite.

If Apple follows the launch timetable of the iPad 1.0, early adopters will be queuing outside of its stores within around a month or so.

If anything, the iPad speculation will probably be overshadowed by the continued morbid musings on the state of Steve Jobs' health. But what can we expect from the device? Initial suggestions have been a thinner, lighter product. Apple will finally give users what they have been crying out for in the original iPad by building a front mounted camera for videocalls.

Personally, a cheaper price point would be nice to move into a product I would consider purchasing rather than something I enjoy playing around with in the office. And what of book content?

Fundamentally, there's not a lot Apple can do in terms of resolution. Amazon will still continue to argue that the iPad will strain the eyes of heavy readers. Are there greater bells and whistles that Apple can introduce to help enhance e-books further? I'm not so sure it can without completely drowning out the text itself. Since Amazon sells more e-books for the iPad than Apple does via its own iBookstore, I'm wondering if it will go the other way and offer publishers a simpler reading tool.

The rumoured smaller 7 inch iPad would be an interesting alternative to the Kindle. It would be easier to read and use one handed, undoubtedly cheaper and could well exceed the 15m devices Apple has sold to date. But of course this time next week, we could all be raving about the iPhone5 instead.