Anyways, I promised this review awhile back. So here you go!
- Words in bold (except for the starting, conclusion and should I upgrade) - mainly point out pros.
- Words in Italic (except for the starting, conclusion and should I upgrade) - mainly point out cons.
iPad 2 is a tablet computer designed by Apple Inc. It is the successor to the iPad 1 (or iPad first generation) and features a dual core A5 chip and cameras while retaining the same 10 hour battery life. It is also about 33% thinner and somewhat lighter than the iPad 1.
icture comparison (web photo)]
Courtesy of intech-bb.com
I have to admit, the iPad is a fabulous piece of hardware. A dual core processor, 10 hour battery... But all this should make the tablet thicker right? Wrong! To my surprise, it is really thin. The tablet feels great on the hand and its convex back makes it easier to hold as well. It's really a pleasure holding the iPad and using it to browse the web.
There have been complaints that the Apple logo keeps getting scratched on the original iPad and that the tablet wobbles on a smooth flat surface. These problems have largely been solved with the iPad 2. Mine doesn't get scratched and doesn't wobble (unless you deliberately press it hard by the sides).
In contrast, the iPad 2 is still rather heavy. Holding it with only one hand will cause it to be sore after using for a long time (say, half an hour?). Sometimes, you really need to hold it with one hand (for not too long), so that's not very good. Nonetheless, it is still slightly lighter than the original iPad.
Of course, different people have different perceptions on thin and light.
Again, people have different views on fast. Of course if you want to compare it with a laptop/PC, it is definitely not as efficient.
The iPad 2, despite reports claiming that it is underclocked to 850+ MHz, is noticeably faster than its predecessor. An example: The GBAtemp home page took about 8 seconds to fully load on the iPad 1, but only took 4 - 6 seconds on the iPad 2. Both systems have everything on the browser deleted - including the cache.
A huge downside though, is that the browser lacks Adobe Flash and Java. At that time, Flash was still in production for mobile and HTML5 wasn't that advanced yet. Adobe Flash for the tablet would be cool and adds on to the pleasure of surfing the web on the bigger screen right in the palm of your hand.
Let's talk about other speeds now. Menus load faster by a couple of seconds, the AppStore loads very quickly... basically everything loads pretty much faster than the iPad 1, largely thanks to the dual core processing
Yes and no. The display looks awesome from a point that it is huge and easy to handle with. The display is also not awesome because of the low resolution. The iPad 2 does not have a resolution bump and retains the 1024 X 768 display at 132ppi. Compared to the iPhone 4, it looks like a whole league away. Still, I'd prefer a larger screen. The graphics aren't that bad either and most tablets have graphics around this range.
Also, the display looks quite bad under bright conditions. I had to increase the brightness a lot when I am using it outdoors.
The iPad 2, surprisingly, has very good battery. I clocked in about a whole afternoon of web browsing/games with Wi-Fi on, location off, 3G off and the battery dips to the 40% range.
I'll be honest. This is the first Apple product which I do not need to change every single day.
Unfortunately, that is true. Typing on the iPad alone can prove quite a challenge as you need to really put it on the tabletop or use just a hand to type while holding it (as stated before, the iPad 2 is kinda heavy). Apple, somewhat fortunately, has came out with a solution known as the Smart Cover. The cover can act as protection for the front screen and make the iPad turn into a stand for movies and typing. But, this stand costs a hefty $39/$69 USD depending on desired material and there have been reports of color stain, especially on the white iPad 2. What more, the stand only works well on a tabletop. Holding on the hand just makes it a protection cover.
Cheer up though, with iOS 5 and the introduction of the split keyboard, typing while holding is made much easier. The only downside this way is that the iPad 2 cannot be jailbroken, even tethered, until the jailbreaking team find a way. The iPad 2 has yet to be jailbroken easily (with the exception of Jailbreakme, which works only on iOS 4.3, untethered) since launch.
Yes, the iPad runs on iOS and not OS X. The latest firmware release of iPad is iOS 5.0.1 which is basically iOS 5 with battery fixes (There are certain battery consuming glitches on iOS 5) and possibly tighter security. iOS 5 introduces brand new features exclusively for iPad, namely multitouch gestures, split keyboard and tabbed browsing (no Siri though, even though it uses the same A5 chip) which greatly enhances the browsing experience.
Just a side note: Multitouch gestures can actually be unlocked in iOS 4.3 (with or without a jailbreak) and iOS 4.3 is, up to date, the only firmware which can be jailbroken on the iPad 2.
No no no no and NO. The iPad 2 may include two cameras - one front and one rear, but both cameras are of bad quality. Photos come out grainy on the big screen, and there is no LED Flash either. You'll be better off taking quality photos from the iPhone 4/4S/another device, and sending them to the iPad via various means like email, connection kit or iCloud, which gives 5GB free storage on iOS 5/Mac OS X Lion.
On the other hand, video calling/facetime on the iPad 2 is awfully good. The bigger screen changes the experience altogether and it just feels so awesome, even better than chatting on a laptop personally. Downside though, facetime is limited to Wi-Fi, though there are various 3rd party apps for video calls.
Even though Steve did mention that the iPad was post-PC, the iPad 2 is literally shit when it comes to actual connections. It only has a proprietary 30-pin connector and nothing else. If you want HDMI output you need adapters if you want USB connection (which, by the way, is AWFULLY LIMITED to certain appliances, although some have said that external memory devices and keyboards work) you'll need another adapter known as the iPad camera connection kit.
tl,dr: You need adapters and they are expensive.
These adapters are very costly to purchase but sometimes just required to do certain tasks. For display however, you can use AirPlay on Apple TV and you can print wirelessly with AirPrint or any other Wi-Fi printer using third-party applications such as PrintCentral. (USB printers - by the way - do NOT work)
Wireless connections, on the other hand, are simply good. Like mentioned above you can do a lot of stuff wirelessly. The iPad has two versions - Wi-Fi only or Wi-Fi + 3G, and both have very good Wi-Fi receivers. The 3G version supports A-GPS, 14.4 Mbps HSDPA as well as a compass.
This is a question many ask. Should I upgrade to an iPad? Should I get an iPad? Should I replace my 5-year PC with an iPad?
If you own an iPad (First Gen): You might want to consider. The iPad 2 is definitely faster than the original, more powerful than the original and definitely more efficient than the original. The iPad 2 has double the RAM as well, which work great for multitasking. Of course, you are fine with the original. The only things you'll miss are the cameras (which aren't that brilliant by the way) and the efficiency.
If you own a 1 - 2 year old PC/laptop: Worth it if you only have extra money to bust. Get what I mean?
If you have a failing PC/laptop and you're a casual user: It will be worth. The iPad is really portable, efficient in web browsing and has various apps to discover. You will not be typing/programming too much anyway, so it's quite worth the deal. But of course, if the laptop is only slightly more expensive, go for the laptop. It has much more features and stuff.
If you have a failing PC/laptop and you're constantly using it to do stuff like gaming/typing docs etc.: No. The iPad isn't meant to be a gaming machine at all. It is meant to be a piece of tech in between smartphones and computers. For typing even, the keyboard dock for iPad is overpriced and typing it on the screen itself can be rather tedious. Just get a laptop/PC which already comes equipped with a proper keyboard.
By the way, unlike certain Android tablets which have Polaris Office, Office does NOT come with the iPad. You'll need to buy iWork (Pages, Keynote, Numbers) it from the App Store. Each app costs $9.99.
The iPad 2 is a great tablet from Apple. It's ultimately slim, lighter and has much better performance. Of course it does have flaws, which we hope that will be corrected in the next possible tablet.
Main Pros:
- Huge IPS Capacitive Touchscreen
- Awesome browsing experience - very quick and handy with iOS 5
- Best for the casual user
- Not too expensive compared to other Apple products
- Good battery life
- Camera quality is poor
- Smart Cover is a nice add-on, albeit expensive and does not come with the system
- Adapters are needed for a better 'post-PC' experience
