In the arena of tablet computers, the Apple iPad has to be considered the champion. The existing generation (the iPad 2) made a number of gains over the original iPad, particularly adding two cameras and a better processor to give a faster experience. Additionally, it’s slimmer and slicker than ever – but does that make it the right tablet Pc for you?
Key Specs For The Apple iPad 2
Buy the iPad 2 now at Amazon.com
Good Points about The Apple iPad 2…
Looks: Let’s begin with just one of the iPad’s most elite points: the design. There is no question that the iPad 2 looks amazing and feels wonderful in your hands. You can now choose between white or black editions of the tablet and its new smart covers (more below) can help you to customise the look even more.
Apple definitely lead the pack regarding build quality. There are other tablet PCs which approach the iPad 2 design-wise, but it can’t be denied that the iPad is way ahead of the curve in terms of overall quality and desirability.
Weight: The new edition iPad 2 is even lighter than the first generation, weighing in at just 1.33lb. In comparison to other tablet PCs on the market this beats all of them except the Samsung Galaxy Tab. this is a major step forward as it not only makes the iPad more easily portable but it also improves user comfort, especially if you’re going to be using it for extended periods of time.
Processor: The new ipad 2 has a dual core processor which now puts it on a level with all other high-end tablets on the market. Surfing the internet or loading apps is now a lot quicker than the original ipad 1.
Games: a lot of people use the iPad specifically for gaming, and the iPad 2 is a big step forward in graphics. Pictures are sharper and clearer, making for a much sleeker gaming experience. PLus of course the amount of games (free and paid) available in the app store make this tablet a real first choice for gamers.
Apps: As just noted, the Apple App store is the largest on the market, certainly much bigger than Android (althougn Android Market is catching up.) There are hundreds of thousands of apps available, both free and paid. this gives the iPad a massive advantage over other tablets. With Android Market accelerating, this should have a good effect to stimulate even more growth in the App store, so it’s really an app-junkie’s paradise right now!
Operating System: The iPad 2, like its predecessor, runs the proprietary Apple iOS system. It’s usually considered to be the best interface of all the tablets due to it’s slick look, user-friendly system, and reliability (the iPad very rarely crashes.)
The only drawbacks are for people who are used to Windows PCs or Android phones and prefer to have continuity. Other people have mentioned that the multitasking (or lack of) on the iPad is an issue. (For example, you can’t stream music from the YouTube app and surf the web at the same time.)
Keyboard: The inbuilt ipad keyboard works very well and is responsive and comfortable. The auto-correct function can be somewhat annoying but can be turned off in settings. The keyboard is obviously not as comfortable as a full-sized one, but is a massive step forward from using a smartphone onscreen keyboard.
Accessories: Due to the popularity of the iPad 2 at the moment, there is a massive range of accessories, both from Apple and third parties. Car chargers, docks, speakers, headphones, bluetooth keyboard and mouses, stylus pens, cases… the list goes on and on.
Apple have released the Smart cover for the iPad 2. It’s pricey, but uniquely it attaches to the iPad by magnets and automatically puts the tablet in sleep mode when you cover it, or wakes the iPad when you remove it. It’s very robust, and comes in a range of colours.
Battery Life: The iPad 2 battery life is excellent, rated at 10 hours for normal usage. There are very few tablet PCs which can match this (the Samsung Galaxy Tab and the Motorola Xoom would be two that come to mind.) so you can take your iPad out and about with you without having to worry about carting a load of chargers with you.
Bad Points about The iPad 2…
No Flash: a massive complaint for many users is the lack of support for Flash. the official line from Apple is that it’s because Flash is too resource-heavy and would slow down the user experience and drain battery too fast. There is also an awkward history between Adobe and Apple, dating back to when Adobe decided not to make a Mac version of one of their video products, and instead pushed their users towards buying a PC instead. since then, relations have been strained, to say the least.
You’ll still be able to view YouTube content, and in truth many websites are moving away from Flash toward HTML5 (including YouTube, reportedly.) But if you enjoy playing a lot of Flash-based online games, the iPad 2′s lack of Flash could be a deal-breaker.
Screen: The screen quality is good, and is clearly visible from a good variety of angles. The brightness can be adjusted manually or automatically in response to ambient light. But the screen size is still the same 9.7 inches, with a maximum resolution of 1024×768, no improvement over the first generation ipad. The camera is capable of recording video in HD, but the screen can’t render in HD – which seems strange, to say the least.
Cameras: The lack of camera in the original iPad was a notable complaint which is no doubt why Apple chose to add TWO cameras to the ipad 2. this is a welcome addition, but the quality is still well below other tablets on the market. The front camera, designed to be used for video chats using the Facetime app, is particularly poor. The rear camera, designed to be used for recording video and taking photographs, is not a lot better. You can use it for snapshots, but don’t expect to capture the subtle play of light and shade.
No USB or memory: most other tablet Pcs on the market include at least one USB port. Apple have chosen not to include one, which means you are stuck with using the proprietary Apple cables to connect your iPad to anything else. it also means you can’t attach external storage devices such as USB sticks. also missing is a memory expansion slot, and some see this as a deliberate marketing tactic on Apple’s part to push consumers towards the more expensive editions of the iPad with 64gb inbuilt memory.
Conclusion
As you will have gathered, even the “Champion” of the tablets is a long way from being perfect. Of course reastically there is no such thing as a perfect tablet PC – at least, not yet 
But for many people who are happy users of the iPhone or iPod Touch, the iPad will come close to that perfect dream. Certainly it’s hard to match the iPad in terms of its look and feel and its iconic style. If you’re looking for Flash gaming or a large memory capacity though, you’ll need to look elsewhere.
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