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Links from Thursday's episode of Loaded:

Motorola will sell the Wi-Fi-only Xoom for $599.

The European Union is going to revamp its 16-year-old online privacy laws.

Apple changes in-app purchase protocol so that any additional purchases require a password.

Samsung releases a new line of laptops for students and office workers.

Google updates collaboration messaging within Google Docs.

Taking a cue from Otterbox, Gumdrop Cases has answered the iPad 2 call with the rugged Drop Series case, which features multiple protection layers, including a replaceable snap-on integrated cover screen. Gumdrop is calling it "the ultimate in iPad 2 protection."

The case, which comes in a few different colors, is listed for $59.95 and won't be available till May. But with iPad 2 shipping times continuing to slip (they're now in the four-to-five-week range), you may end up getting the case before the iPad 2.

Sure, the iPad's fun. It's thin, it's addictive, it can handle a wide variety of apps and media files. There's only one problem: it still needs to sync to a PC.

If "magical" was the catchphrase most repeated at last year's iPad unveiling, "post-PC" was this year's equivalent for the iPad 2. I had hoped that, along with the iPad 2, Apple would find a way access media libraries wirelessly. They have, in a way, with iOS 4.3's new Home Sharing capability--but it needs a Mac or PC … Read more

A couple of weeks back we put the original iPad up against the Xoom in a site-loading speed battle. While most of the feedback was positive, a few commenters expressed their disappointment that we used the original iPad instead of the iPad 2. Well, now that the iPad 2 has been released, we can in fact post the story you've been waiting for. One that will no doubt completely satisfy everyone.

So, let's get right to it.

Testing Site-loading speed is one of the simplest things to test, and it's a test many users can immediately relate … Read more

Kevin Fox, lead designer at Mozilla Labs is theorizing that the headphone jack on the Apple iPad 2 might just be waterproof.

Based on the iPad 2 teardown graphics sourced on the crowdsource repair manual site iFixIt, he speculates that the new headphone jack is the materialization of a patent Apple submitted back in September 2010 that uses smaller pogo pins instead of the traditional metal strips.

The springy pogo plug design reduces the real estate required around the hardware, and also exposes the outermost plug ring when fully inserted into the jack--not a big deal, since the "ground ring" is simply used to remove charge and pause device playback when you remove it from the connector.

Interestingly enough, Fox also speculates that its steep-angled curve within the iPad 2 suggests a weatherproofing element to prevent moisture penetrating the device, and the subsequent lawsuits that can occur as a result.… Read more

OK, so you just replaced your antiquated, not-even-a-year-old iPad with a brand new iPad 2.

To complete the succession, you have one last task to complete: to transfer all your apps, music, movies, and settings from that archaic piece of "technology" (that was never good enough for you, anyway) to your new honey, who's going to love you forever.

I don't state it in the video, but make sure you have the latest version of iTunes installed on your PC. Also, just to be completely safe, go ahead and upgrade your current iPad to the latest … Read more

Links from Monday's episode of Loaded:

Google compiles pre- and post-earthquake images of Japan

AT&T allows U.S. customers to call and text to Japan for free through the end of March

Rumors circulated over the weekend of a new Google social network called Circles

Sony temporarily shuts down Final Fantasy MMO games to help Japanese utility companies save power

Netflix is not interested in selling movies

GPS manufacturers protest the LightSquared broadband spectrum

The iPad 2 sold like gangbusters this weekend

It might seem like the tech news this week has been all about the new iPad, but speedier browser versions grabbed some big headlines as well.

Google on Tuesday released Chrome 10, endowing its browser with faster JavaScript, password synchronization, and a revamped preferences system. Chrome is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Google announced Chrome 10's stable release on its blog but refrained from mentioning its product number. That's in line with the company's effort to focus on features rather than version numbers, which it calls mere milestones. Google tries to get new versions into users' … Read more

As new smartphones and tablets come on the scene and as operators tweak service plans with new pricing, it's getting harder to figure out how to get the most bang for your buck.

In this week's Ask Maggie column, I try to help readers figure this out. I offer some advice on whether one reader should splurge on the 3G-enabled iPad 2 or save $130 with the Wi-Fi-only iPad 2 and use his iPhone 4 tethering plan. I also help another reader, who damaged her iPhone 3GS, figure out if she should upgrade now or wait for the … Read more