Whats New with iPad 2?
A year ago, Apple revolutionized the tablet market with their brand-new iPad. While competitors are now coming to market with alternate approaches to tablet computers, Apple is debuting their second-generation iPad entry. So how does the iPad stack up to the competition? What's new, and is it worth the upgrade? Let's take a look.
Aesthetics:
One of the big changes with the iPad is that it's 33% thinner and up to 15% lighter than the first generation. This means that it's actually thinner than the current iPhone 4.
Early buyers are reporting that the difference is definitely noticed. Though it's statistically not a huge amount lighter, the general consensus is that the combination of thinness and weight make it much easier to hold than the first generation iPad.
Plus, the new thinness doesn't mean any reduction in viewing surface - the iPad's screen is exactly the same size as the first generation's. The flexibility of the iPad 1's screen, which holds up very well when viewed at an angle, is still present in the iPad 2.
Processor:
The new iPad boasts a dual-core A5 chip. In theory this means that the new iPad is twice as fast as the original, and also has more available RAM for multitasking.
Early buyers note that while everyday activities on the iPad show some speed difference (and processor-intensive applications do show a noticeable difference), many apps show very little difference between the iPad and the iPad 2. This is likely because developers are hesitant to optimize completely for the iPad 2, as they don't want to leave the first generation adopters with sub-par performance.
As the iPad 2 gains in maturity, it's likely that more applications will take the new processor's efficiencies into account. In the meantime, iPad 2 buyers will notice some speed difference over the original iPad, but certainly not a huge change.
New Technical Features:
While many reviews have noted that the iPad 2 is more an upgrade than a true innovative step over the first generation iPad, there are a number of exciting new features.
The first is the iPad 2's twin cameras - one on the front and one on the back, which works well for Apple's FaceTime video chat application.
There have been some complaints from early buyers regarding the quality of the cameras.While they are a welcome addition for chatting, many take issue with their low megapixel count. This issue makes the iPad's cameras less competitive with other smart phone or tablet cameras on the market.
Big strides have also been made in the iPad's movement abilities. The iPad 2 combines an accelerometer, three-axis gyroscope and compass. Gamers are especially excited about the potential of these new innovations, and we're looking forward to seeing the cutting-edge products that are created to take advantage of these technological offerings.
Lastly, the iPad 2 offers HDMI output, so you can share your iPad screen in high definition on a television.
In Conclusion:
The iPad 2 offers many great steps forward from the first generation iPad. While it may not be a "must have" for early iPad adopters, customers who want to make the tablet plunge will find it a very capable and cutting-edge offering.
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