iPad 2 reviewed
2011-05-23 12:11
Cape Town - The Apple iPad 2 has been in demand in the US and Asia as queues lined up at stores where the tablet device went on sale. In SA, though, the device launched in more muted circumstances.
Retailers did little to advertise the launch of the hot-selling tablet and many were caught off-guard by the announcement that it would go on sale in the country.
After living with the iPad 2, it struck me that it doesn't really require a user manual. The device is designed with an intuitive, simple user interface that allows one to choose what tasks you will use the device for.
That said, in an already cluttered gadget world, finding a specific purpose for the iPad - of which Apple has sold nearly 20 million since the launch - proved tricky initially.
But it grows on you.
When the device is online (connected to a Wi-Fi network or 3G) it comes alive, allowing fast web browsing, and downloading of apps.
Lighter
The Smart Cover on the iPad 2 is clever in that it does more than just protect the screen. It puts the device in sleep mode and wakes it up when the magnetic cover is opened.
The cover also folds, creating an instant stand to watch video or to facilitate easy typing. And it's is designed to fold so that it doesn't obscure the rear camera.
The second generation iPad is lighter and thinner than the previous one and battery life and speed is noticeably better. The touch tablet required a charge once every three days on average, although I wasn't doing intensive work with it. Perhaps spending time playing Angry Birds doesn't consume that much battery life.
You notice how light the iPad is when you go back to using your laptop which by then feels like is weighs a ton. While the iPad weighs the same as a (heavy) book, it has been designed for users to curl up on a couch, rather than at a desk.
There were some getting-to-know-you issues with the iPad 2.
For some reason, it refused to recognise a Wi-Fi hotspot, even though the previous iPad was connected to the network. This was resolved with a 600MB download from Apple.
An intensive test checking of Wi-Fi hotspots at various locations thereafter failed to reproduce the problem.
Robust
The device also failed to rotate the screen with the cover attached, but after a reboot, that problem went away permanently. Even with the cover attached, the iPad happily rotates the screen, except in apps like GarageBand, which is normal.
Despite its light weight, the iPad doesn't feel fragile. The device design is robust and survives, despite travelling and being passed around to teenagers.
In the US, manufacturers have said that the sales of smaller mobile devices like netbooks are down because of the rise of tablet devices like the iPad, but after using the iPad, you realise that it's success is also due to Apple's insight into the market.
Other manufacturers have not been able to bring a competing device to the market which has allowed Apple to reign in this area as they with the iPod before generic MP3 players gained a foothold.
Apple has demonstrated with this iPad that it is not going to sit around and wait for competitors to catch up.
In SA, Samsung has released the Galaxy Tab and BlackBerry maker Research In Motion has been hurt by negative PlayBook reviews in the US.
The front and rear cameras on the iPad 2 are designed for video - particularly FaceTime - rather than still pictures. Still, the quality of the images is comparable with cellphone images and there is a suspicion that Apple will improve this with later editions of the device.
Despite its huge international success, the iPad is relatively unknown among the majority of the population in SA. When the updated device was used in public spaces, few people batted an eye, although a few younger people noticed it.
This may indicate that SA is still perhaps a developing market and high-tech devices may still take time to be widely adopted.
Omission
Synching the iPad with iTunes remains simple: Plug it in and everything is done in one step. Still, I would like to see more tools and controls in the iPod and Photos app.
Also, I miss the inclusion of a card slot or USB to insert content directly onto the device, After all, even the budget cellphones have a micro-SD slot.
This omission is particularly noticeable because Apple has included the industry standard 3.5mm headphone jack, so it is puzzling that an SD slot was omitted.
For the company that brought the GUI (Graphical User Interface) and the mouse to the mass market on the Apple Lisa, and revolutionised portable music with the iPod, Apple has created a device that blows away the competition.
In SA, the iPad 2 retails for between for R4 399 to R7 599 and is available online from kalahari.net.
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