I love my iPad, though it’s far from perfect, so like lots of others I eagerly awaited the release of Apple’s iPad2 specification, haunting the blogs and leaks by manufacturers of cases and other accessories. At first the possibilities were very exciting; a Retina display (like the iPhone4), to improve the already excellent display on the iPad, the hope for a direct USB port, and SD card slot, and dual cameras all had us eagerly awaiting the next generation.
As time passed, items got checked off the list as confirmed or denied, so that by the March 2nd, when time Apple made its announcement, the most exciting part was the March 11th delivery date, moved up from an expected April launch.
I’ve got to admit it’s getting better, a little better all the time.
The iPad2 is an improvement over the first iPad, but only a little one. With the exception of the front and rear facing cameras, there’s nothing really new about it, only stuff that’s a bit better. There’s no USB port, but there is an SD slot, so you only need to carry one accessory adapter not two. It’s slimmer and lighter, but if anyone was really having trouble carrying the original around they’re in desperate need of some exercise.
The best thing about the launch of the iPad2 is actually a secondary effect in the used gadget market, where the cost of a used iPad has fallen in recent days in anticipation of the release of the new device. Since there’s nothing wrong with the original iPad, and since it runs the same software as the new unit, this means that the iPad eco-sphere is about to expand significantly as second tier adopters pick up the now affordable devices.
Which is a win for everyone. This new population will drive a whole new set of applications geared to their needs, and establish a deeper tablet user base ready for advances by competitors to Apple’s products.
Meanwhile, I’ll be hanging onto mine, which goes pretty much everywhere with me, and keeping an eye out for the next real advance in tablet technology, be it the iPad3, an Android device, or something from the lads in Redmond.
Links:
- Apple: March 2, 2011: iPad 2 Press Release
- Newsfactor: March 3, 2011 9:18AM: Pad 2 Buyers May Offer Old iPad for Sale at a Lower Price
- The Week: March 3, 2011, at 12:41 PM: Is the iPad 3 the one to wait for?
- TechRevu: March 3, 2001: I’m Keeping My iPad — When Is The New iPad 3 Coming Out?