AT&T and Verizon have formally announced their iPad 2 pricing plans, and it’s clear that they expect us to live in the stone age when it comes to internet usage on the go.

Here are the numbers, broken down:

And of course, this doesn’t even include the cost if your data runneth over, which is a whole other absurd list of charges.  Because of this mass confusion and chaos, I’m pretty much decided on wi-fi only.

Remember when AT&T offered unlimited data for iPad for $30? For one month? Then killed that?

Good times.

In an extremely un-Apple like move, the Cupertino, California company will release eighteen different variants of its new iPad 2 in the United States on Friday. Which model do you have your eye on?

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When you list out the options in this way, it seems a little ridiculous.

To much fanfare and Twitter-wide praise, Apple launched the iPad 2 today in San Francisco.  (And much to my chagrin, they are not available immediately. I have to wait a whole week and a half. I’m so bummed.)

But now it’s time for rumor-mill roundups. How did I do? Okay, but not great.

1. Front facing and rear facing cameras. I mean, come on. Everybody saw that coming.
2. Increase in storage capacity. Sadly, this was not too be. Same storage options as before, but at the same price. Kind of a bummer here. Apple, lately, has been offering upgraded specs at previous model prices, but not this time.
3. 3G Everywhere. Not even close on this one. Not only are the wi-fi only models still an option, but you have to pick either AT&T or Verizon. Given that there are three storage options, this makes a whopping 9 18 (nine models times two colors) different models to choose from. That’s very un-Apple like.
4. SD card slot. No on that one. No ThunderBolt either (I didn’t think there would be), but there is HDMI mirroring. I don’t think anyone saw that coming.

So overall, my predictions were crap. Why did you even listen to me?

Well, everyone else has gotten into the act, so with a little more than twenty-four hours left in which to speculate, here are my official predictions as to what the new iPads to be announced tomorrow will have:

1. Front facing and rear facing cameras. Well, duh. This has been a mainstay of the rumor mill since the first iPad was released last spring. Lack of a camera for FaceTime was a partial (not the major) reason for me not purchasing the iPad 1, and I’m looking forward to easy video conferencing capabilities in the new version.
2. Increase in storage capacity. Bye-bye, 16GB. Your new low-end iPad will be the 32GB, with 64GB and 128GB being the middle and high-end options, at the same prices as the current low/middle/high ends.
3. 3G everywhere. I think the wi-fi only option will also go by the wayside. Starting tomorrow, every iPad will contain the required circuitry for handling GSM and CDMA 3G networks.
4. SD card slot. Okay, even I don’t believe this one, but I’m throwing out there for a lark. If you believe all the case leaks, there’s a mystery port at the top of the new device. USB? Perish the thought. ThunderBolt? Well, maybe. But I think an SD card makes the most sense of the possible options.

So how did I do? We’ll find out tomorrow afternoon.

Hitting the “screen off” button during a call while having my headphones plugged in = screen locked.

Hitting the “screen off” button during a call while not having my headphones plugged in = disconnected call.

WTF?