iPad 2 Case Surfaces at CES 2011

Apple has yet to officially announce the iPad 2, in its usual attempt keep buzz high for when Steve Jobs stands on stage –likely this spring–to introduce what is the most highly-anticipated gadget of 2011. Well, it appears Cupertino may be fighting a losing battle to keep the iPad 2 under wraps: Reports have surfaced that a third-party vendor has already (kind of) spilled the beans at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show.

The company, Dexim, is demonstrating an aluminum case that bears all the hallmarks of the iPad 2: camera cutouts in the front and bag and empty spot for what is rumored to be an upgraded speaker system. The demo unit, which has an iPad mockup installed, also includes a removable Bluetooth keyboard that attaches to the case's sleeve magnetically, so you can use the iPad like a notebook PC. And, apparently, the iPad mockup is a little slimmer than today's iPad, with a home button that's been moved a closer to the bottom of the tablet.

Rumor has it Apple is planning to release three editions of the iPad 2: one that's Wi-Fi only and others that also includes either UMTS or CDMA cellular-wireless technology. The follow up to the device that started the tablet PC craze is also supposed to be slightly smaller and thinner than the original.

See here at Engadget for more images of the Dexim's mysterious iPad case.