I’ll keep saying it to make sure everyone hears me: if you buy an iPad right now, you are a sucker. If you’re happy with being a sucker, great, fine, enjoy your iPad. But know that the second generation model is just around the corner.

Touchscreen chip designer Wintek Corp, battery maker Simplo Technology Co Ltd and AVY Precision, an unlisted maker of covers for electronic products, are among suppliers for the next batch of iPads, four people familiar with the situation said. Two could only confirm they were ramping up for a new round of production in the first quarter for components previously supplied for the original iPad, while two said the ramp-up was for a new iPad. One of those said the revamped model would feature cameras on the front and rear, while the other said the new model would be slimmer, lighter and have a better resolution display.

The article also talks about new deals Apple has struck with component companies that make camera parts. So the math isn’t that hard to do.

Yesterday, we saw photos of an alleged iPad 2 case already in production.

It may be that Apple is trying to get the new iPad out there quickly now that so many other tablets, mostly running Android, are starting to show up.