Today Apple announced the iPad 2, available in March 11th here in the US. I’ve been waiting quite anxiously for the announcement, mainly because my wife’s laptop battery is completely dead. A new one would cost around $80-$100 (new battery, that is–not a new laptop), but all she really uses her laptop for could be accomplished with my current iPad.
See where I’m going here? 🙂
So what extras are on the new model? For one thing, the price is the same–that’s nice. It’s got front and rear facing cameras, and you can buy a slick movie editor for the thing for $5. I could see me taking video of events and then editing it and posting that video online, all from the same easy to use device. It’s twice as fast–graphics are nine times as fast. It’s got the ability to do HDMI out, so you can hook it up to your big screen TV and stream Netflix or whatever you want in full 1080p goodness. You still have a 10 hour battery, even with all the extra features. It’s 1/3 slimmer, 1.3 pounds (.2 less than iPad 1). A new operating system is coming out for it, too.
Honestly, there’s not a ton of new features that blow me away. It looks like it’ll be a faster device that has cameras, so it does video conferencing, etc. Of course, since I often have my iPad but don’t have my camera of video camera, this could be a good thing for me. On the other hand, if I get an iPhone through Verizon and use it as my main phone, then I’ll have that camera, instead. So I’m not sure if I’ll end up getting one of these or not. I’ll likely upgrade my current iPad to the latest OS, then see if I’m still missing the extra features. It’ll help to read some reviews when they come out, too.
Of course, if I didn’t already have an iPad, I’d jump all over this new one. I love mine, and I use it more than I ever thought I would. Best piece of technology I’ve ever bought. Period.
What do you think? Care to chime in?
I’d agree 100%, the only drawback to the iPad 2 is that I already happily own an iPad, which goes everywhere with me except the shower. Maybe with that new case…
Hm. I don’t completely get the ipad thing. Seems like a really big phone to me — without the phone. Please enlighten me. If I want to do computer stuff, like prepare my Sunday School lesson, seems like my laptop would be the way to go. If I want to make a call, use a video camera/camera, use my grocery list app/ play games, calendar, etc, seems my iphone would be the way to go. What do you use your ipad for that you can’t do on your iphone, or wouldn’t be easier on a macbook?
Joshua–It’s further complicated by the fact that I’ve been hearing rumors that the iPad 3 might be coming along in September. Then again, I wonder what new features would have to be present for me to decided another $500-$700 is justified.
Susie–You be surprised how useful a big iphone can be. There are so many things you’re just used to doing on a small screen that work so much better on a large screen. Think about it like this–if you had a book the size of a postage stamp, you’d have all the information in that book, sure. But how much easier to use is a book the size of a book? I have a bluetooth keyboard for my iPad, for when I want to do a lot of typing, but I don’t have to use it that often. I use my iPad for browsing the internet, checking the news, following sports scores, playing games, watching movies, watching Netflix, showing other people my pictures, writing my journal, doing Facebook and Twitter, reading books–sure, a lot of that can be done on an iPhone, but it’s easier and more enjoyable on the larger screen. I can watch a movie on a 13″ TV or a 52″. I know which I prefer.
If you have an iPhone and MacBook, then do you need an iPad? Maybe, if you do a lot of commuting or travel. But if you’re at home most of the time . . . probably not.