Not only is Eldar Murtazin the venerable editor-in-chief of the Mobile Review blog, he is also widely regarded as a reliable fountain of insider knowledge in the tech world. Given his reputation, many are taking his latest report as a confirmation of Apple's plans for the iPad 2 - at least with regard to one particular new feature. According to Murtazin, the second generation iPad is definitely getting a USB port.

The present lack of a USB port has been an habitual thorn in the side of many gadget gurus and tablet aficionados. For the time being, iPad users only have the option of purchasing an adapter that connects to the device's 30-pin slot. The limited functionality and awkward connectivity of the present arrangement is a major source of complaint among iPad owners who are otherwise perfectly content with the touchscreen tablet.

All signs now point to the second generation iPad's release during the first quarter of 2011. On Tuesday, MMi reported that the latest insider news pertaining to the refreshed tablet indicates that the iPad 2 will join Wi-Fi-only and UMTS models with a new (Verizon-compatible) CDMA version. iPad shipment estimates for 2011 are widely pegged at approximately 40 million units.

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