It’s the iPad 2: thinner, lighter, faster, Verizon-ready, and with the same pricing model and battery life as the original.

With the specious rumors about seven-inch models and Retina displays finally dispelled, we can actually get to what the new device means for apps. The two biggest changes? Everything will run faster thanks to a new A5 chip and significantly improved graphics capabilities, and with a new HDMI adapter, you can mirror video to your big-screen TV or projector at resolutions up to 1080i. The latter is a particular boon for educators and seminar leaders who want to reduce the cumbersome arrangements required for laptop presentations. And you can place FaceTime calls to an iPhone 4 from day one, thanks to the new dual cameras.

We’ve seen growing interest in iPad development, both on the consumer front–where content licensers are eager to take advantage of the iTunes paid digital ecosystem–and in B2B, where businesses outfitting their reps with tablets are staying ahead of the curve with in-house apps. To read more details about the new device and Apple’s revamped flagship apps for it, head over to Ars Technica for excellent coverage.