Tech Drunk Staff 
Here’s another reason for gadget lovers to smile about. Apple has unveiled the iPad 2. This second generation iPad flaunts dual cameras facing front and rear, an upgraded A5 CPU and an improved graphics processing, an innovative smart cover, more apps and many other features. It will be up for sale on March 11 in the US, and the rest of the world will be able to buy it by 25 March, the date of its international launch.
To some, who have been anticipating it, the iPad 2 is in every way a befitting reward. It is lighter, faster and thinner. However, there are some who consider it as just the evolution of its predecessor. If there was a next model of iPad to come, it just had to be better. Also with the rumors of iPad 3 already doing the rounds (expect to come in the next few months approximately 6-9), there might yet be some who wouldn’t mind waiting a little further before investing. Well, iPad came, iPad 3 will come but the iPad 2 is right here. Let us take a look under the hood.
The iPad 2 is also available in Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi + 3G enabled models, size and weight differs accordingly. The Wi-Fi only model a dimension of 9.50”x7.31”x0.34” (HxWxD) and weighs 1.33 lbs (601 g). The Wi-Fi + 3G model’s dimension is 9.50”x7.31”0.34” (HxWxD) and weighs 1.35 lbs (613 g) while the Wi-Fi + 3G for Verizon model weighs 1.34 lbs (607 g). At&T and Verizon are the current carriers in the US.
Honey! they shrunk the iPad
If the previous iPad’s looks had impressed you, then this one might stun. Calling it slim would be no longer appropriate, it is thin. The iPad 2 is 33 percent thinner than iPad and thinner than the iPhone as well! It is also lighter than its predecessor. The aluminum case gives you a sturdy built although it is now 8.8mm as compared to the original iPad’s 13.4mm. The smart cover does more than just covering the screen. It is a part of the tablet itself, open and your iPad 2 wakes up, close it and iPad automatically goes to sleep mode. It also serves as a stand and comes in 10 different colors.
Does it work?
Apple further raises the bar for tablet PCs with this one. With the 1GHz dual-core Apple A5 custom-designed chip, on which the iPad 2 runs, Apple assures that it will run twice as fast as the original iPad. Hence you can expect a high-performance system. Even more, the iOS 4.3 will be available for download on 11 March. Buyers can choose from the three storage size options of 16GB, 32GB and 64GB.
Display and camera
The iPad 2 has a 9.7-inch (diagonal) LED display with Multi-Touch and IPS technology. It has a resolution of 1024×768 pixels at 132 ppi, it also features a support for simultaneously displaying multiple languages and characters. Both the rear and front cameras record video with audio, the rear camera records 720p in HD, up to 30 frames per second. The rear camera has 0.91 megapixel with an impressive 5x digital zoom for still image capturing while the front one has 0.3 megapixels and snaps VGA quality still images. You can use the tap to control exposure for video or stills and also photo and video geotag over Wi-Fi.
Audio, video and connectivity
It supports the HE-AAC, AAC, protected AAC, MP3, MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX, and AAX+), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV audio formats. The iPad 2 delivers Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound with Apple digital AV adapter which can be bought separately. Video formats supported includes H.264, Main Profile level 3.1 with AAC-LC, mp4, mov, MPEG-4, m4v, Motion JPEG and more. Audio and video experience seem to be good as well. The 3G model has a 30-pin dock connector port, 3.5-mm stereo headphone minijack, built-in speaker and a microphone for input and output requirements. The 3G + Wi-Fi has an additional micro-SIM card tray. The iPad 2 is HDMI compatible, so you can have more fun plugging it in to other devices with larger screens.
Wireless, navigation and sensors
The Wi-Fi model iPad 2 features Wi-Fi and digital compass, and the Wi-Fi + 3G model has assisted GPS with Cellular. The bluetooth 2.1 comes with an EDR technology. Sensors include a Three-axis gyro, an accelerometer and an ambient light sensor.
Power and battery
The built-in 25-watt-hour rechargeable lithium-polymer battery brings the same 10 hours of usage. You can use the power adapter or the USB (to a PC) to charge it. In case of the Wi-Fi + 3G model, 9 hours is the maximum surfing time using 3G.
What more?
In addition, the iPad 2 also features mail attachment support a large number of document types including jpg, .tiff, .gif, .doc, .docx, .htm, .html, .pdf, vcf, .xls, .xlsx and many more. It also has built in apps including the AirPlay, Photo Booth, FaceTime, Video mirroring, AirPrint, Find My iPad, iBooks, Safari and so on. If you want more, you can go ahead and choose from over 65,000 apps from the App Store. For the Go Greeners, iPad 2 is BFR and PVC free. It has an arsenic-free display glass, a Mercury-free LED-backlit display and a recyclable aluminum and glass enclosure.
And the letdowns are…
First of all, a 0.91 megapixel rear camera is not exactly what you would expect a gadget like iPad 2 to house. Also, no flash support is another setback, no matter how much unnecessary Apple think it is. The display quality of 1024×768 pixels resolution could also have been improved instead of keeping it just the same as it was in iPad. Perhaps the retina display would’ve been perfect. Multi-tasking features are also limited and plus it is reported that iPad 2 will not get all the features of the iOS 4.3
Ok… How much?
The price of the iPad 2 is another factor that will appeal to you (given the improvements). The basic 16GB Wi-Fi version is priced at $499 and the 3G model with 64GB at $829. Call it a mere evolution with few tweaks or the next best tablet in the world, one thing seems for sure – the iPad 2 will look at other tablets in the rear view mirror. So, if you like it, iPad 2 is worth every penny.
