iPad 3 Release Date Nears: Where to Trade in Your iPad 2 or Original

The hype around the likely unveiling of the iPad 3 on Wednesday has caused a flurry in the market place with people buying, selling and trading their older iPads.

While most people will be looking to get their hands on the next generation iPad in coming months, the iPad 2 and original are still highly prized gadgets in the market, especially with rumored upgrades that include 4G LTE connectivity , Siri and perhaps even iOS 6 software in the coming year.

According to Analyst Shaw Wu, industry sources have reported that the new iPad will have a significant hardware rehash, Apple Insider reports. If this is the case, it is likely that the older version of the iPad could get significant upgrades.

New iPad sales are expected to drive $158 billion in revenue and $43.30 in earnings per share for Apple's fiscal year 2012, while revenue is projected to grow to $179 billion in fiscal 2013, Apple Insider reported.

This will cause a significant reshuffle among older version, and experts in the industry urge iPad owners to start trading before the iPad 3 is released, in order to secure better value for their products.

Here are 3 sites that pay cash for electronics traded in:

NextWorth asks its customers to recycle their old electronics for cash. The company helps its customers get good value for old devices, while promoting reuse and recycling to keep old products away from landfills.

Gazelle promises a quick three-step trade. The Company first gives you an offer, free shipping and then claims to pay you fast cash for your product.

eBay Instant Sale: If you want an instant cash return for your iPad without waiting for a good bid, you can use the instant sale service from eBay that promises a fast cash return for your product.

iPad 3 Rumor Roundup:

Faster Processor:

The iPad 3 will likely come with a more powerful chip, perhaps the quad-core A6 chip. The first-generation iPad came with an A4 Chip and the iPad 2 followed with an A5 chip, which suggests the iPad 3 will follow suit and run on the A6 chip.

An A6 chip would double the power of the A5 chip that is currently used in the iPhone 4s and the iPad 2. An unnamed source, who claims to have an iPad 3 prototype, sent Boy Genius Report pictures of a diagnostic tool called iBoot, which states a chip model number that appears to be that of the A6 chip.

Better Camera:

The iPad 2's camera is another feature of the tablet that has come under strong critique, sporting a feeble 0.8 MP. The iPad 3 has a long way to go if it wants to compete with other tablets like the ASUS Transformer Prime, which currently boasts an 8MP, 3264 x2448 pixel, auto-focus, LED flash camera.

The iPad 3 will likely come with a much-improved camera, matching the quality of the 8MP camera of the iPhone 4s or better. The iPhone 4S not only improved its pixel capacity by 60 percent compared with its predecessor, but it also came with a larger custom lens that heralded a 2.4 aperture. More, the camera boasts advanced color accuracy, face detection and reduced motion blur.

Price:

While rumors continue to circulate about the possibility of two iPad 3 models -- one cheaper than the other -- it is likely there will only be one, which will fall under the same price range of its predecessor at $499 for its entry level model. The iPad 2 will likely drop to $399 and if Apple continues to sell the original iPad it will probably start at $199.

The iPad still falls among the more expensive tablets in the industry; the Amazon Kindle Fire is priced at $199, while the Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet came in at $249.

Siri:

It's difficult to predict if the iPad 3 will come with Apple's popular voice assistant that debuted in the iPhone 4s, but it seems more likely than not. Siri is undoubtedly the most appreciated feature of iPhone 4s with her ability to understand voice commands, send texts and find local pizza joints. She was the main reason Apple iPhone 4 customers upgraded to the 4s despite there being little difference in the phones design. The implementation of Siri in the iPad 3 could give iPad 2 owners a similar incentive.