Apple iPad 2 - A Quality Device With Noticeable Improvements on its Predecessor

Fans of the Apple iPad will be pleased to learn of its predecessor the Apple iPad 2. Featuring a smaller, thinner new body, a responsive screen, and a nicely user friendly interface, there are plenty of improvements to note. However, some users may frown at its Apple-centric nature and others may find themselves disappointed in its lack of customisation options. Is it for you? Read on to find out.

When it comes to its appearance, the iPad 2 is notably tinier, at only 601g. It is also incredibly thin. Its 9.7 inch screen is nicely responsive, with a bright LED backlight, multitouch technology, and it's fingerprint resistant to boot. It also comes with a protective aluminium case that can be folded into a stand for propping the device on. All in all, there is nothing flashy or new about its looks; it's the typical white casing with an apple symbol motif. However, hardcore Apple fans will find themselves drooling at this revamped device.

Its iPhone 4.3 operating system is refreshingly simple. Those who have used the iPad will welcome its familiar grid of icons. However, for many its simplicity is misleading. For example, its multitasking is quite fiddly indeed. You can't open a document and a browser side by side, for example, and simple tasks like pasting text is made an enormous ordeal simply because you have to jump through a dozen hoops in order to switch between apps. However, this is not so confusing or complicated that it interferes significantly with navigation. Those used to computers, however, will find themselves frowning at the idea of not being able to perform these basic tasks. At least with its 1GHz processor, you're guaranteed a speedy experience.

We were also impressed with its sound related features. Combine a 3.5 mm headphone jack with Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound and you have a sound system that can't be beat. Its media player is superb, able to support lots of different song formats. The only real downside to it is that transferring songs from one device to the iPad 2 is a bit convoluted.

Its pair of cameras were a nice surprise as well. The front is three megapixels and its back features 9.1 megapixels. Features include a basic photo tweaking program called Photo Booth, Facetime Chat, and 720p video shooting capabilities for both cameras. However, as you can imagine, wielding a large iPad makes it somewhat difficult for capturing snapshots or videos.

Staying online is easy, as you get wi-fi, Bluetooth, 3G, and more to keep you connected. While this still fails to support Flash, its browser is top notch and we were impressed overall with its email client and wealth of widgets and apps available at the Apple Store.

With up to 64GB, you have plenty of storage space as well. Its ten hours of battery life means you'll get a decent amount of use between charges.

All in all, the iPad 2 has a few significant changes, but it's not terribly distinguishable from the original iPad. If you're a stickler for upgrades, feel free, but in the long run you won't be getting a whole lot that is new and shiny. However, its slim size, giant, responsive screen, and wealth of enticing features makes it a credible deal indeed especially if you it is gotten through mobile phone contracts with free gifts.