The iPad 2 was just revealed, and the reviews are in.
On March 2nd, Apple unveiled the iPad 2 and early reviews are good. As with any product announcement Steve Jobs makes, about a minute in, I have the overwhelming desire to pull out my credit card. I swear, he could sell ice to Eskimos. I have a running joke that there is a subliminal message in each of the videos saying “Steve Jobs needs money. C'mon, he's sick. Give him your money.” Why else would we all be willing to spend an outrageous amount of money on a device that really isn't necessary.
There was some speculation from people who work in the tech industry that perhaps Apple released the tablet early due to concerns over competition from other tablets that are hitting the market, like the Sony Xoom. I think that the release corresponds with Apple's yearly update schedule, but the timing was indeed perfect. Take a look at Steve Jobs announcing the new generation of Apple tablet.:
As you would expect, the new version of the iPad has two cameras, one on the front and one on the back, allowing to to use Face Time for video calling. The tablet is considerably thinner, measuring a whopping 8.8 mm, which makes it thinner than the iPhone 4. It has upgraded the chip to A5 and has dual processors.
While the iPad 2 doesn't reinvent the iPad, it is a polished up version. It has a thinner, lighter design and faster processors. While I am not typically an Apple fan girl, even though I do own a few Apple products, I have to say that I am impressed with the new generation tablet. What impressed me the most was the Apple designed smart cover. It is amazing how an idea so simple can make such a huge impression. Don't believe me, take a look for yourself:
There are a few things I don't like about the iPad 2, and I had hoped that with this new incarnation, Apple would have fixed a few of them. Some of the things I would have liked to have seen are:
- An SD card slot – Having a way to easily transfer data to and from the iPad would be huge. Although, the lack of expandable memory allows Apple to continue to price by memory size.
- Retina screen – The retina screen on the iPhone 4 is hands down the best mobile screen on the market, and it would have been great to see that technology put in place with the iPad. If it did, I would be more willing to use an iPad 2 instead of an E-reader. Although the retina screen doesn't reduce eye strain as much as Digital E-Ink, it is certainly better than a traditional LED screen.
- A way to get around having to use iTunes – Apple keeps talking about a post-computer era, but their tablets still need to be plugged into a computer, just so they can sync with iTunes. It just seems silly that with all of the cloud technology they can't find a way to offer a wireless sync option.
But, all in all, I think that Apple has hit the mark with the iPad 2. Many other companies are offering tablets or are planning to release tablets, but unless they offer them for considerably cheaper, I think most people will opt for the $499 iPad 2.
What do you think about the next gen iPad? Let me know in the comments.
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By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for TechCareersBlog. Along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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