iPad 2 So Far

It's been a month and a half since I picked up a white 32GB Wi-Fi iPad 2 and that means that it's time to do a quick report on the device!

Ergonomics

One would not think that a small trimming of weight and overall dimensions of a device would make such a large difference in how a device feels in the hand compared to its predecessor but with the iPad 2 such is very much the case.  For those not keeping track Apple trimmed the weight of the device by a few ounces and shaved a few tenths of an inch in thickness, height, and width of the iPad 2 when compared to the original iPad.  The back of the iPad 2 is also flat whereas the original iPad had a more rounded back.  Other changes are edges to the device that are more rounded that quickly taper off to that flat back and a front glass panel that sits directly on the back case.

All of those changes really make the iPad 2 seem like a completely different beast than its older brother.

In my experience in using the device every day since I first got it there is less hand fatigue and it's much easier to hold at different angles such as when reading in bed.  Further the combination of thinner body, trimmed bezel, and lighter weight make it feel much lighter than the less than an ounce that Apple shaved off showing that someone there really paid attention to the ergonomics of the tablet.  Kudos to Apple!

Performance

The new dual-core A5 CPU and updated graphics hardware in the iPad 2 really shine.  There are a few apps, mainly games, that have been optimized to take advantage of the new internal hardware and I had already purchased both of them for the first iPad.  Infinity Blade and Real Racing 2 HD look and perform like two completely different games than how they did on the original iPad.  Overall responsiveness of other apps have really improved with The Daily now being something that is quite usable rather than something that was a frustration to even think about launching.  I've not noticed a real difference in how video plays on iPad 2 but I bet that when I get around to purchasing that HDMI adapter that allows one to mirror their screen to a HDTV and play 1080p video I'll really see something nice.

The Smartcover

One thing I purchased at the same time as I did the iPad 2 as one of the new smartcovers that Apple created to go with the device.  So far it's not a decision I regret but I do wish that Apple would have thought about the back of the device as well.  It does the job of protecting the screen and doubling as a stand but does nothing as far as keeping the back of the device safe from scuffs and scratches.  I'm currently looking for something that will provide more protections to the back of the device, preferably that integrates with the smartcover.

All The Other Stuff 

As you can see from the pictures I took last month and the one above I opted to try out the white iPad 2.  My reasoning was to try something other than the standard black, after all I had the black iPad and a black iPhone 4 (that was only because the white iPhone 4 didn't come out until yesterday and I would have purchased it back in February if it was out back then).  Some out there in the tech community have said they feel the white bezel detracts from the screen when they are playing games or watching video.  In my personal opinion this is not the case but that is just my thoughts on the subject.  One thing I will say about the white bezel that I really like is that it doesn't show fingerprints like the black one did on the original iPad.  I hate smudges and fingerprints on my touch screen devices and I'm so OCD about the whole matter that every morning I polish my iPhone before going out the door.  Even the back of the phone hidden by the case.  When the screen of the iPad 2 is in use it hides any but the most persistent  smudges and actually helps me focus on the content I'm consuming.  That and I think it looks cool.

Another niggly thing about iPad 2 is the speaker.  Frankly, it sucks when compared to the one in the original iPad.  I have a feeling it has more to do with the new placement on the back of the device and perforated speaker grill over the original placement at the bottom of the first iPad.  As I inferred it's just a minor annoyance and it's easily remedied by either using headphones or plugging in my Logitech computer speakers.

I will not discuss the cameras, both front and back, that are built into the iPad 2 except to say they such.  There is no polite way to say this.  I can see having a front facing camera on a tablet but I just can't see why a rear mounted camera needs to be there at all.

Conclusions

With all that above being said would I still have traded up from the original iPad knowing what I know now?  Heck yes!  The ergonomics alone made it worth the upgrade with the improved internal hardware just being gravy on the biscuit!  Would I recommend an upgrade for other people who already have an original iPad?  That's a question they just have to answer for themselves but my guess would be that for the average person who owns an original iPad they would be able to make do with what they have.  The main reason for some might be just having to have the latest piece of kit to come from Apple or who want that extra few percent of performance that come from the combination of a dual-core CPU and double the memory.  Would I recommend the iPad 2 to someone who has never owned a tablet, especially over an Android tablet?  Yes!  Android is a fine platform for a smartphone but the tablets that have come out running that OS just can't compare to the iPad 2, especially at the price points that Apple sells the things at.

Overall this is a great tablet and really sets the standard on what a tablet computing device should do.