I am a self confessed technological magpie – I love shiny things, and the shiniest of shiniest products out there  at the moment is the iPad 2, so naturally I had to have it. Even before I had returned home with my shiny new purchase I was similar to a child at Christmas wanting to open it in the store, in the car – but alas the fact that it had to be charged forced me to behave like an adult and wait until I had brought it safely home.
When I first opened the Apple box which was holding my new technological baby I will deny anyone to say that the iPad 2 does not have the wow factor – and the difference between the original and the iPad 2 is dramatic. The iPad 2 is thinner and lighter than the original, and although only 100 grams lighter, the slim design makes it feel lighter still. The four flat edges of the original have disappeared allowing the back surface to transition from curve to flat seamlessly. If you have has the pleasure of owning the original you will quickly recognize the difference of weight and size in the slimmed down, lighter ipad2. What you will also realize is that it is much easier to handle due to this scaling down of size and weight.
Think the iPad was fast? Well with the iPad 2’s A5 dual core processor, the original iPad has been left way behind. Graphics performance runs nearly nine times as fast and the iPad 2 in general runs twice as fast as the original. The speed at which the ipad2 worked delighted the child within me when angry birds installed in no time at all! And as for the graphics, on nearly all the apps you will be sure to see a markedly improved difference, with app games coming up sharper than ever before.
After reverting to my child self and playing on a multitude of apps I then started playing with the two other major additions to the ipad2 – the cameras. I have to admit I was a little disappointed that Apple had kept the rear camera as a stills only camera despite improving the picture quality with a camera capable of 720p HD video. The front camera is a video conferencing camera and although the picture quality could be improved upon as it was not razor-sharp, one can appreciate the ease and simplicity Apple has given to FaceTime. Now, Apple lovers, please beware – do not get over excited and immediately try the video chat – I called a colleague who I knew also had an ipad2, only to interrupt a presentation he was giving on said iPad. Whoops....it worked well though!
Along with the easier handling, slimmer and lighter design, what makes the ipad2 truly great is that it has a use for almost anything – checking emails, reading books, playing games, watching movies, surfing the web, and the list goes on. It is also not exclusively for the tekkie, kids to the elderly can use it with ease due to its design and handling. And yes there are other tablets out there on the market, some reported to be better than the iPad, and they might well be but the iPad not only has the software, but it also has the looks.
The day after my purchase I was one of those annoying train commuters staring proudly at my new iPad, secretly smirking at other passengers struggling to read the metro in the packed carriage whilst reading at ease on my new shiny thing. However, to my shock and dismay, a glance to my left saw a fellow iPad 2 user, but with one difference – he had iPad 2 accessories, namely the wireless keyboard. Call me irrational, and many of you will, but my fellow passenger completely upstaged my new purchase and not only did he ruin my morning but I also had to make another trip to the Apple Store, giving more money to Mr Steve Jobs.
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