The iPad 2

Technology, specifically in the area of electronics, interests me more than most things and has taken over a large part of my life. If anyone sees me walking around, I am either holding my Macbook Pro or my iPhone 4, and more often than not I am using both of them at the same time. As you can guess I was super excited to hear about the new iPad 2,  as there has been much guessing as to what would be included. Obviously some things were guessed correctly while others were not, but I'm just gonna say what I liked, and what we should look for in upcoming iPad models.

White iPad 2 with selection of Smart Covers

First off, like most of Apple's products, this device is absolutely gorgeous. With a thinner screen, Apple manages to take out the rim that was a part of the original iPad, leaving them with a device that only has a front and back (aka no sides). Combine this with the curved aluminum casing that has become a staple in the new Apple lineup of products, and you have a device that is super easy to hold. In fact, the iPad 2 is 33% thinner than is predecessor, and only weights a mere 1.3 pounds. To put this in simplistic terms, this iPad is thinner than my iPhone. As for the frame of the iPad that surrounds the touchscreen, Apple has finally decided to introduce both a black AND white model - It's about time!

Now not only do people want their tablet to look nice, but they want it to perform well. This is something that, again, Apple took into consideration while they were building this device. They improved the processor, graphics, added a couple new gadgets inside, and presto, better device. Oh, and with all these new features, battery life remains at a still ridiculously great 10 hours. The processor chip that Apple uses in their iPad is called the A5, which really means nothing except for the fact that it is more advanced than the A4 that was previously used. The A5 chip is up to 2x faster than the A4, which translates into a smoother transition between apps, and better performance when running apps, specifically games. Talking about games, the graphics have been improved to be 9x better than the were before - phenomenal. Not gonna be that much better if you are playing Angry Birds, but I'm honestly hoping to see some games that are currently on Nintendo slipping over to the iOS. Seriously, The Legend of Zelda on the iPad would be...I can't possibly describe the elation I would experience. One gadget that could make that experience even better would be the new gyroscope. A better understanding of what you are doing with the iPad can only make games that much cooler...not saying its gonna be like the Wii or anything, but sick nonetheless.

iLife apps come to the iPad and they look great. iMovie and Garageband look to be very productive apps, while Garageband can also be just a really fun app. A cool thing about playing on Garageband? When you tap the screen with more force, the iPad can pick up the difference between the amount of force applied and translates that into a difference in volume. If that's not cool, then I'm not human. Also making its way over from the Mac is Photobooth, which is going to ensure just a few more minutes of getting less done. There are 2 cameras on the iPad, and both can be used with Facetime. The rear facing camera is HD, and the quality is outstanding to say the least.

You know what? Battery life deserves its own special paragraph. WOW! <-- that is how I describe what Apple has done here. No other company at this point in time is able to compete with this in such a thin device, with the output capability that it has. End of story.

There was much grief about the cost of the iPad when it first came out, and people were saying how they would never buy a device that cost that much and did so little. Well, if you compare the price of this device with the other tablets that are coming out, it is actually cheaper. Apple has created their own way to control the market value of their products by creating their own chain of stores, which is obviously the Apple Store. Without having the big box stores taking a chunk of cash out of their profits in order to sell their product, Apple can afford to make a better product and sell it for less, because every other tablet maker sells their product through the big box stores. 50% of iPad sales are reportedly done through the Apple Store and its online equivalent. Without going into detail, that translates in $270 profit on 50% of their sales. That's insane. Oh, and Apple sold approximately 12 million iPads last year, and that was in a 9 month span. 6 million times $270...you get the idea. 

And how could I forget the Smart Cover? Honestly, this one of the coolest accessories I have ever seen with an Apple product. Built specifically for the iPad 2, the Smart Cover is brilliantly designed, as it sticks perfectly to the iPad using magnetism, and has the ability to fold up to be a stand for whatever need you have, whether it be typing, watching a movie, or just not existing, as you can pull it off with a simple pull. Also, when you flip up one of the panels that makes up the cover, the iPad will wake from sleep instantly.

Now those are all great things about the iPad, but there really are a few things that were missing from this model:

1. Better screen. Yes, the iPad screen is already decent, but I look forward to seeing a screen that more resembles the quality of the iPhone. Retina display perhaps?

2. Better I/O. With the unveiling of the new Thunderbolt I/O port that was a part of the Macbook Pro lineup, I was deep down hoping that this might have shown up in the iPad. now although it did not appear on this model, I am almost certain that the standards are changing, and Thunderbolt is going to become the standard across the electronics world due to its advanced nature over every other I/O port. If you want to know how this could be useful, just ask me.

3. At least some form of direct connectivity between the iPad and a screen. I didn't mention this, but the iPad has the ability to mirror what is on its screen onto another screen. Although that in itself is pretty cool, you have to purchase an adapter in order for it to work, and nobody wants adapters.

4. Wireless sync option. Come on, do you really want to connect your iPad to your Computer every time? What if you lose your cable or it breaks? Real questions to a real, solvable problem.

So these are just a few major observations that I had regarding the iPad 2, and I'm super stoked for its arrival. Am I gonna buy one? Well, to be honest I am gonna have to try it out in person before I decide, but ultimately I think it might just replace my laptop in a couple months. I'll let you know what happens. Any thoughts on this device?