Five Reasons Not to Buy an iPad 2 | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

Five Reasons Not to Buy an iPad 2
Apple's iPad 2 is thinner, lighter, and boasts more processing power than original, but that doesn't mean you should toss your first-gen iPad.
Apple has a new iPad on the way, but you've probably gotten pretty chummy with your original model. For a first-generation product, the Apple iPad is a fine tablet that can do tons of different things and hasn't lost any of its functionality in the last few days. Sure, the shiny new iPad 2 is more compact, faster, and adds cameras, but besides that, there's not much more in the way of upgrades. So, should you make the move to the iPad 2? Well, the new one has a camera, so you can use FaceTime, Photo Booth, and other fun iLife apps that focus on taking photos or videos. If your best friend or favorite relative has an iPhone, iPod touch, or a Mac, this would be the perfect way to get some video calls going without getting a new cell phone. And its faster CPU and graphics processor means it's better suited for the apps and games of the future. Still, there are several good reasons why you shouldn't ditch your old iPad just yet. Here are five of them: The iPad is as good a media player as the iPad 2 The iPad 2 doesn't increase the resolution or improve the brightness or colors of its display over the first iPad, so as a plain movie viewer, there's no compelling reason to replace your iPad. There are no movies you can watch or songs you can listen to on the iPad 2 that you can't on the original iPad. The iPad is as good an ebook reader as the iPad 2 Once again, same screen, same ebook reader. The iPad 2 isn't going to display newspapers, magazines, and books any better than the original iPad. At best, the iPad 2 will load large documents like PDFs faster than the iPad, but that's it. Not a good justification to toss out your tablet and spend $500 on a new one. The iPad can access the same online content as the iPad 2 Again, just like playing local media files and loading ebooks, the iPad 2's additional power won't make online content any smoother or prettier. The iPad can already load Hulu Plus. It can already load Netflix. It can already load the Adult Swim mobile app. What more could you want? The iPad can output video to an HDTV just like an iPad 2. Apple announced the Digital AV Adapter alongside the iPad 2, and showed off its video-mirroring feature as a strong benefit of the new tablet. Unfortunately, video mirroring only works with the iPad 2, but the adapter itself works just fine with the old iPad. You can still use your original iPad as an HDTV-slinging movie player, albeit at 720p compared to the iPad 2's 1080p maximum output resolution. (Update: The Digital AV Adapter only works with the first iPad at up to 720p, while the iPad 2 can output at 1080p through the adapter and supports video mirroring. You can still send video to your HDTV through your original iPad, but it will be slightly lower resolution. Whether that's a deal-breaker is up to you.) You'll still be able to use GarageBand on the iPad Next to iMovie, GarageBand is the biggest new app Apple announced alongside the iPad 2. However, it will run on the original iPad. Yes, the iPad 2's faster, but you won't need that power to cut some fresh tracks in the iOS version of GarageBand. For the top stories in tech, follow us on Twitter at @PCMag.

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Five Reasons Not to Buy an iPad 2 | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

· clipped by Filipe Batista

Apple's iPad 2 is thinner, lighter, and boasts more processing power than original, but that doesn't mean you should toss your first-gen iPad.

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Five Reasons Not to Buy an iPad 2 | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

· clipped by Filipe Batista

Apple's iPad 2 is thinner, lighter, and boasts more processing power than original, but that doesn't mean you should toss your first-gen iPad.

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Five Reasons Not to Buy an iPad 2 | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

· clipped by Filipe Batista

Apple's iPad 2 is thinner, lighter, and boasts more processing power than original, but that doesn't mean you should toss your first-gen iPad.

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Five Reasons Not to Buy an iPad 2 | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

· clipped by Filipe Batista

Apple's iPad 2 is thinner, lighter, and boasts more processing power than original, but that doesn't mean you should toss your first-gen iPad.

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Apple iPad 2: Random Performance Tests

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video by PCMagazineReviews

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Tweet by Patrick Haney

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The iPad 2 is so thin, Charlie Sheen could use it to cut lines of cocaine and then FaceTime with Mel Gibson. Winning.
— Patrick Haney (@notasausage)

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Short first look at iPad 2

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video by Scobleizer

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iPad 2: Hands On iMovie Garage Band Photo Booth

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video by NewYorkPixels

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iPad 2 with Smart Cover on back

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photo by Which? Tech

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Early Impressions: iPad 2 Is a Must See for New Tablet Buyers — Apple News, Tips and Reviews

gigaom.com · clipped by Filipe Batista

To upgrade or not to upgrade? That is the $829-dollar question. I mean, if you have an iPad, should you line up outside the Apple store and buy the new iPad 2? Is it worth it?

I mean, it has a faster chip. It has two cameras. It has a new OS. It has a gyroscope. It can do HDMI video out. It can play nice with all iTunes content. It sure is thinner — about one-third thinner than the current iPad — and 0.2 pounds lighter that the current iPad, which weighs 1.5 pounds. (Apple iPad2: What you need to know).

Like many others in the media who follow Apple, I was at the iPad 2 launch event held earlier today. I had a chance to spend some time playing around with the new device and have some quick impressions. Now you have to remember, I’ve had only ten minutes to play with the iPad 2, so take these impressions with a pinch of salt.

The 3.2 ounces in shaved weight actually does feel a lot lighter than one might imagine just from looking at the spec sheet.

The slimmer size makes holding the device a lot easier. It’s very much like the iPod touch vs iPhone comparison.

The screen is no different from the current generation of iPads, except the dual-core processor and additional graphics oomph make it feel livelier and more responsive. Still, I wish Apple offered higher resolution on the screen.

I can’t really tell how other apps — games, for example — perform on the device.

The new Safari is actually pretty fast and handles JavaScript fairly well, which makes sites such as Google Mail and Google Apps quite handy to use.

The two cameras are great addition. I am a big FaceTime and Skype Video user. Facetime looks pretty hot on the bigger screen and makes video calling more useful.

I like that the iPad 2 is more video friendly thanks to cameras, iMovie, and scores of other upgrades like watching iTunes content on it via Home Sharing and sharing videos to big screen televisions via a HDMI adapter and/or AirPlay.

No matter how hard Steve Jobs tried to convince us that the white iPad 2 is cool, I am so NOT into the whole white Apple devices thing, and that means the iPad 2, as well.

That said, being an owner of a 3G iPad, I’m hard pressed to spring for the upgrade. I am still getting maximum mileage out of the first-generation device. The price cuts announced earlier today are only going to devalue the resale value of my top-of-the-line iPad 3G. (Related: How to prepare a used iPad for sale.)

I have a MacBook Air, which does a great job at video conferencing, and now with a Verizon iPhone 4 in my pocket, I can FaceTime anytime. I’m still waiting to see how developers leverage this new hardware.

That said, if you’re a first-time tablet buyer, it’s perhaps your best option on the market right now. It has a fast processor, is light, is ultra thin, is available in a week, and more importantly, it’s far ahead of what else its rivals are selling (or are planning to sell.)

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req’d):

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An iPad Lover's (Initial) Thoughts On iPad 2 | TechCrunch

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“These are post-PC devices, that need to be even easier to use than a PC.”

That was Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ closing remark as he left the stage having just announced the iPad 2 at an event today in San Francisco. And that comment really summed up the vibe of the entire event. When Jobs was on stage, he made it very clear over and over again that the iPad competition out there just doesn’t seem to get it.

And the iPad 2 is really a bet directly related to that. Apple kicked things off by noting that the iPad 2 was about much more than “marginal improvements”, but the reality is that this is what many people writing about the event will see when they look at the iPad 2. And part of that is Apple’s fault: they go out of their way not give much in terms of specs.

Again, that’s all a part of this “post-PC” era. The competition is still focusing on specs in Jobs’ mind. Apple is focusing on the total experience. Does it have a dual-core processor? Yes. But that’s not the important thing. The important thing is that it’s two times faster. That’s something real people care about and can relate to, as opposed to tech journalists.

In fact, I’m quite certain the only reason Jobs mentioned the dual-core chip at all was for those of us in the room who were wondering how it would stack up against the Android-powered Motorola Xoom. ”This will be the first dual-core tablet to ship in volume,” Jobs said, clearly to get a rise out of us in the room.

So how does the iPad 2 stack up?

I got a chance to play with one for a solid half hour after the event today in the hands-on area. It’s great. It’s everything you love about the original iPad, but better. Some will complain that this isn’t a big enough update to warrant an upgrade cost, but I have no doubt that Apple is going to sell millions of these things — and many of them to iPad 1 owners.

When you pick up the iPad 2, it is pretty incredible how much better it feels in your hands than the original iPad. I happened to bring my old iPad with me, so I pulled it out to compare. There is no comparison. The iPad 2 is much, much nicer to hold.

A huge part of this is how thin the iPad 2 is. It has slimmed down from 13.4mm to 8.8mm. It’s now slimmer than an iPhone 4. To be honest, it feels a bit like holding a Kindle now. And that’s a very good thing.

Of course, iPad 2 is still significantly heavier than a Kindle. But Apple has managed to take it from 1.5 pounds to 1.3 pounds. But perhaps just because of the thinness, it does feel significantly lighter to hold. Again, that’s a very good thing.

But another key ingredient of the iPad 2 that’s being downplayed a bit today is the new unibody build. This also helps a lot with the feel of the device. It now feels like more of a singular object, whereas the initial iPad felt a bit like a piece of aluminum build to hold a huge piece of glass. iPad 2 feels quite a bit like one of the newer iPod touches, just larger, obviously.

And despite the aesthetic changes, Apple says it has been able to maintain the excellent 10 hours battery life — which is great.

The new front and rear cameras on the device will obviously be a big selling point for some people. Apple didn’t go into the specs here, but I’m sure the cameras aren’t great from a megapixel standpoint. But again, that’s a spec. The key is that they work well for their intended purpose, which is FaceTime. And yes, they’re very good for that. My initial thought it that the iPad 2 + FaceTime will actually be used a lot more than it is on the Mac, iPod touch, or even iPhone. It seems pretty natural.

In terms of speed improvements of the hardware, it’s too hard to say at this point. I played a few games and everything ran perfect, but I can’t really recall this even being an issue with the iPad 1. Perhaps we’ll see developers create apps that can better utilize the new speed.

Certainly, iMovie and GarageBand for the iPad needs a lot of power. And both worked really well — a few seconds of loading time, but no lag once you’re doing things.

The new color option is nice and will definitely help Apple sell iPad 2s to existing iPad owners. Everyone was crowded around the white ones after the event. It’s pretty crazy that the white iPad will beat the white iPhone 4 to market.

And as crazy as may sound, I still think one of the key highlights today are the new “smart covers”. Simply put: they are awesome.

I hated the original Apple-designed case for the first iPad. I had one for a few days then immediately replaced it with an Incase one. But this new cover was clearly designed from the ground-up to be used with the iPad 2. That’s true even to the point where the cover can replace the sleep/wake functionality of the device itself. (Perhaps another step towards a button-less iPad?)

I can’t imagine anyone getting an iPad 2 without getting one of these covers, that’s how good they are.

Though it wasn’t announced at the event itself, Apple has apparently dropped the price of the original iPad by $100. For some people, that price will be enticing. But I suspect that almost everyone will go for iPad 2 instead — it’s well worth the $100 jump (depending on the model you choose to get, obviously).

“A lot of folks in this tablet market are rushing in and they’re looking at this as the next PC. Hardware and software are done by different companies and they’re talking about speeds just as they would with PCs. Every bone in our body says this is not the right approach,” Jobs said today.

Again, that’s the bet iPad 2 is making. And my initial reaction is that it will pay off. Big time. Yes, even with the potential of another iPad on the not-too-distant horizon. If the market right now is iPad 2 versus the Xoom, let’s be honest, there is no competition.

April 1, 1976

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Started by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne, Apple has expanded from computers to consumer electronics over the last 30 years, officially changing their name from Apple Computer, Inc. to Apple, Inc. in January 2007. Among the key offerings from Apple’s product line are: Pro line laptops (MacBook Pro) and desktops (Mac Pro), consumer line laptops (MacBook) and desktops (iMac), servers (Xserve), Apple TV, the Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server operating systems, the iPod (offered with...

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The Apple iPad, formerly referred to as the Apple Tablet, is a touch-pad tablet computer announced in January 2010, and released in April 2010. It has internet capabilities running on either WiFi or 3G, and offers an optional dock with a full size mechanical keyboard. The 3G is provided by AT&T, but comes unlocked with microsim cards on the GSM network. The 3G does not require a long-term contract. The iPad is a line of tablet...

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Gizmodo, the Gadget Guide

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iPad 2 first hands-on! (update: even more video!) -- Engadget

engadget.com · clipped by Filipe Batista

Well there you have it folks -- the absurdly thin new iPad 2. We just got our hands all over the next greatest tablet from Apple and it's... very much the same, save for that new body. There's no question that the industrial design is top notch, and we did notice some speedier behavior when jumping around -- but the core OS remains unchanged, so this won't be a major shock. We're spending more time with the device and getting impressions, but for now, feast your eyes on the galleries below.
Update: Okay, we've had a chance to play around the with iPad 2 some more, and here are our big takeaways from the experience.

This thing is insanely fast. We're not joking -- it's blazingly fast. Everything the iPad 2 does feels like it's on turbo. We're uploading a video of the some evidence of this, you'll be appropriately stunned.

The design feels great in your hands. Sleek, super thin -- much nicer to hold than the previous version. Definitely has more of a magazine than book feel. Everything is tight and solid. It is pretty amazing how thin they've gotten the device.

Even software made for the first generation device feels better here. Safari is definitely sped up. Games looked great on-screen, though obviously there are no updates to the resolution of screen technology here.

This is an evolutionary step, but we definitely don't feel like it's lacking for features. People are going to gobble these up when they see the new apps.

Update 2: We've got some video after the break!
Update 3: More videos!

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iPad 2 vs. original iPad: what's changed? -- Engadget

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Shockingly enough, Apple found plenty of things to tweak and update on its spectacularly successful iPad. Alright, so the screen resolution didn't improve and we didn't get that ultra-speedy Thunderbolt connector on board, but the iPad 2 is thinner and lighter while somehow becoming more powerful -- a 1GHz dual-core Apple A5 SOC lurks within. Check out our full breakdown of the key spec differences in the chart after the break. It's great fun, we promise!
P.S. - While you're poring over these stats, don't forget that Apple's decided to slap a $100 price cut on the original iPads, making them eminently more desirable today than they were yesterday.

Display 9.7-inch LED-backlit IPS LCD 9.7-inch LED-backlit IPS LCD Resolution 1024 x 768 1024 x 768 Processor 1GHz Apple A4 1GHz dual-core Apple A5 Graphics PowerVR SGX 535 ? Memory 256MB RAM ? Storage 16GB / 32GB / 64GB 16GB / 32GB / 64GB Front camera none VGA Rear camera none 720p Cellular radio EDGE plus triband HSPA EDGE plus quadband HSPA or CDMA / EV-DO Rev. A WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n 802.11a/b/g/n Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR 2.1 + EDR Accelerometer 3-axis 3-axis Gyroscope No 3-axis Thickness 13.4mm 8.8mm Weight 680g (WiFi), 730g (WiFi + 3G) 601g (WiFi), 607g (Verizon), 613g (AT&T)

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