I have been a little disappointed with the Air 2 (Wifi) battery life on mine. (Unlike my 6 Plus which has been nearly unreal, it's that amazing) Granted my previous iPad was old but I would have thought this should have been as good or better and so far it's not. Standby is fine, but in actual use, even basic web browsing it drains faster. Maybe a few more charge cycles will help, and again it's not poor, but a little disappointing, especially if this is just due a thinness 'war'.
Everything else about it is completely 11/10. Can't put it down.
That's why I'm inclined to wait for the 13" iPad next year. I think it will have a much better battery life.
First of all, I agree that the iPad Air 2 gets five stars! I've had mine since day one, and it is indeed a powerhouse. I've been running some CPU intensive tasks and apps on it and it screams.
One thing that I don't see mentioned much anywhere is that the display doesn't just look better, because it's now bonded, but I also read that the touch sensors in the display are new and improved, so the iPad Air 2 is even more responsive and accurate, not that it was bad before!
Just about every single damn thing in the iPad Air 2 has been improved!
(1) Improved and more powerful CPU
(2) Improved and more powerful GPU
(3) Thinner and lighter. It's awesome for holding and reading now, crazy thin.
(4) Improved display, because it's now bonded and has anti-reflective coating
(5) Improved Touch sensors in the display
(6) iPad now has Touch ID!
(7) Increased RAM to 2 GB!
(8) Improved front camera
(9) Improved back camera
(10) iPad now has Apple Pay (online only!)
(11) iPad now has camera features from iPhone (Slow mo,time lapse, Panorama etc.)
(12) Sound is louder and better than before!
(13) Improved and faster WIFI!
I'm probably forgetting a thing or two here, even though that list is long!
The bottom line is that the iPad Air 2 rules! I bet that it's selling in huge numbers!
(1) Removal of mute/rotate switch.
(2) Substantially worse battery life than the Air.
(3) 18% thinner yet virtually the same weight as the iPad Air.
(4) No bigger screen than the Air. In a few months, there will be a 13" iPad.
(5) Unpleasant vibration.
(6) Two speakers, yet they are in portrait mode, when they would be most useful in Landscape Mode. Dumb Apple.
(7) Inferior display to Kindles and other comparable tablets (thanks melgross).
(8) No Instore Apple Pay.
(9) Safari tabs still reload, despite the 2GB of RAM.
That's why I'm inclined to wait for the 13" iPad next year. I think it will have a much better battery life.
The Air2 has a legit 10 hours battery life. Do you really use your iPad more than 10 hours a day?
My Air1 lasts 3 days.
The battery life of my iPad is excellent, but some apps can still drain it, so I would still appreciate a few more hours. 10 hours is light to moderate use, but it can be half that with some use cases. Still in a different league to my iPhone 5, that's for sure.
(2) Substantially worse battery life than the Air.
(3) 18% thinner yet virtually the same weight as the iPad Air.
(4) No bigger screen than the Air. In a few months, there will be a 13" iPad.
(5) Unpleasant vibration.
(6) Two speakers, yet they are in portrait mode, when they would be most useful in Landscape Mode. Dumb Apple.
(7) Inferior display to Kindles and other comparable tablets (thanks melgross).
(8) No Instore Apple Pay.
(9) Safari tabs still reload, despite the 2GB of RAM.
(10) Bends easily (thanks Relic).
Sorry to burst your bubble.
(1) I don't mind! The thinness is worth it. And I hardly ever used that switch before to begin with. No big loss here!
(2) I believe that saying substantially worse is a bit of an over exaggeration.
(3) 32 grams is 32 grams, and not to be discounted.
(4) Perhaps there will. We shall see. In a few months though? I doubt that. More like a half a year, if there is even to be an iPad Pro.
(5) Matter of opinion.
(6) I agree that the two speakers would be better in landscape.
(7) The display is great and most reviews have stated that also.
(8) Yes, it's only online. Who's going to pay with their iPad in a store?
(9) So the people who were whining about 2 GB were absolutely clueless then.
(10) I wouldn't know about it, I'm not a retard, and mine seems more than sturdy enough.
My bubble has not been burst.
I have the best and most powerful tablet in the world.
Ha!
Thanks for the restrained reply. I was, dare I say it, being slightly provocative with my negatives. Perhaps Slurpy will reply with one of his usual outraged ripostes.
The Air 2 sounds amazing and I'm glad you're enjoying it. I really want it to be bad because I need one, but want a bigger one more. I just don't want to go bestowing affection onto it only to have to transfer that affection in six to twelve months' time onto the big iPad.
Thanks for the restrained reply. I was, dare I say it, being slightly provocative with my negatives. Perhaps Slurpy will reply with one of his usual outraged ripostes.
The Air 2 sounds amazing and I really want it to be bad because I need one, but want a bigger one more. I just don't want to go bestowing affection onto it only to have to transfer that affection in six to twelve months' time onto the big iPad.
Nothing is perfect of course, and if one looks hard enough, there will always be a few minor negative things to point out.
I bet that even if the mythical 12.9 iPad comes out next year, one can easily type a long list of negatives about that, if one looks and tries hard enough to find them.
As for me, I am loving my iPad Air 2. It is indeed the best tablet on the planet as of right now.
If something amazing comes out next year, like the mythical 12.9 iPad Pro, then perhaps I will love that too. Just like with women, I am capable of loving more than one thing.
This to me is the best iPad ever since iPad 1 (and I 've only skipped a couple of iPads or so).
As thin as it should be.
Super powerful cpu and gpu and ample ram.
Great storage (and an option for a "cheap" terminal model)
Great display, glass bonded and antiglare treated. (and I 've figured out why apple has kept the pixel count the same, besides not messing up 600,000 apps, to be able to have third party display+glass after sale options sold cheaply so that makes this iPad easily repairable)
Almost enterprise secure with Touch ID.
Great double microphones for communication, great cameras for creativity and communiation.
Super connectable with great wifi and cellular.
A FULL productivity device with the best mobile OS on the planet (not just for content, but for getting work done), and the best looking OS on the planet, and the best development tool on the planet.
Backed by the best Cloud service on the planet.
To me this is the culmination of what Steve was after, for stage I of its product phase and size, at least.
We 've heard the age old adage about apple being expensive, I don't think there ever was a better bargain than the top of the line iPad or a more usable, powerful, personal, secure, fun, productivity enhancing computer than this iPad, not until the 12.9 one that is. It's the Mac of tablets.
Thanks for the restrained reply. I was, dare I say it, being slightly provocative with my negatives. Perhaps Slurpy will reply with one of his usual outraged ripostes.
The Air 2 sounds amazing and I'm glad you're enjoying it. I really want it to be bad because I need one, but want a bigger one more. I just don't want to go bestowing affection onto it only to have to transfer that affection in six to twelve months' time onto the big iPad.
I don't find your lists provocative. To be provocative, it has to feel like they are real issues. Other than the slightly shorter battery life, I thought the rest of your lists are more comical then practical. I was looking for the /s at the end of the post but couldn't find it.
Thanks for the restrained reply. I was, dare I say it, being slightly provocative with my negatives. Perhaps Slurpy will reply with one of his usual outraged ripostes.
The Air 2 sounds amazing and I'm glad you're enjoying it. I really want it to be bad because I need one, but want a bigger one more. I just don't want to go bestowing affection onto it only to have to transfer that affection in six to twelve months' time onto the big iPad.
feel free to shower your affection as often as needed.
Why not praise the Air2 and then the Pro 6 months latter? Both will be best in class.
I'm still deciding whether to get one. I'm trying to see all the arguments for and against before deciding. I really do use the mute switch all the time.
Just got my Air 2 set up. I'm liking it so far. Super fast, no safari tab reloads (so far). Screen feels much better too. With the 1st gen Air it felt a bit hollow, almost plasticky when you tapped on it, I'm assuming because of the air gap. Air 2 feels much more solid in that respect. Speakers are a bit louder but still nothing to write home about. Glad I have my Bluetooth Soundlink Mini. Overall I think I will be happy with my purchase. Need to use it more to know for sure but I like what I see so far.
First of all, I agree that the iPad Air 2 gets five stars! I've had mine since day one, and it is indeed a powerhouse. I've been running some CPU intensive tasks and apps on it and it screams.
One thing that I don't see mentioned much anywhere is that the display doesn't just look better, because it's now bonded, but I also read that the touch sensors in the display are new and improved, so the iPad Air 2 is even more responsive and accurate, not that it was bad before!
Just about every single damn thing in the iPad Air 2 has been improved!
(1) Improved and more powerful CPU
(2) Improved and more powerful GPU
(3) Thinner and lighter. It's awesome for holding and reading now, crazy thin.
(4) Improved display, because it's now bonded and has anti-reflective coating
(5) Improved Touch sensors in the display
(6) iPad now has Touch ID!
(7) Increased RAM to 2 GB!
(8) Improved front camera
(9) Improved back camera
(10) iPad now has Apple Pay (online only!)
(11) iPad now has camera features from iPhone (Slow mo,time lapse, Panorama etc.)
(12) Sound is louder and better than before!
(13) Improved and faster WIFI!
I'm probably forgetting a thing or two here, even though that list is long!
The bottom line is that the iPad Air 2 rules! I bet that it's selling in huge numbers!
Another major plus which is not realised yet, there is so much untapped power in iPad Air 2 that I think we will see more powerful and innovative apps going forward. Apple packed so much power in the form of A8X and 2 gb RAM probably because they have plans in store for power and corporate users.
By the way I'm not having an issue with Safair tab reloads so if it's still a problem then clearly it isn't a hardware issue. As far as the physical mute switch, the Air 2 has toggles for both rotation lock and mute switch in control center so I don't know what the issue is. Are there that many people who need to use the mute switch and dong have access to control center? For me the only legitimate criticism of the Air 2 is that it doesn't use the same retina HD display as the iPhones and the speakers could be better.
There are use cases, I'm sure, where Touch ID will be worth a lousy $100 to have on your hand-carried or jacket-pocketable go-everywhere device. Not every buyer will have a recent iPhone. That's a possible buyer's point of view. A hundred bucks is a parking ticket.
You are thinking that the cost of adding Touch ID is a matter of adding a few dollars worth of hardware, and that leads you to say unkind things about someone who would pay the price. That strikes me as arrogant, unfair, and worse. You don't have any idea about the hidden costs of adding Touch ID (R&D writedown, sapphire sourcing, Secure Enclave support, etc.), nor any idea about other corrections they might be adding to the mini's price at this point after a year of running the production of this platform.
In other words, don't call people buying new minis "suckers"—there's no way you can justify that kind of slur. But you did manage to get pazuzu's agreement.
I'm not worried about offending many people as I suspect not many will be purchasing the mini 3 as the mini 2 is a much better deal, imo. I still think it's possible the current mini 3 is a placeholder and will get upgraded with A8 when iPhone demand dies down. If that doesn't happen then iI think Apple will soon kill off the mini and if you want a smaller device you'll have to buy the 5.5" iPhone.
Some people are just upset that they wont be able to get the Mini with the same exact specs as the larger iPad anymore and for $100 less!
To those people I say too damn bad!
Last year was a fluke!:smokey:
Except you can't take away what Apple did last year. I would be nice if they would be consistent. Oh and A5 and non-Retina screens should be gone by now, I don't care what price point Tim Cook thinks he needs to hit. I would never recommend the 1st gen iPad to anyone right now and I predict it will be gone within 6 months as they clear out any remaining inventory. But I'm sure Apple doesn't care as Phil "upsell" Schiller will be happy to sell you a mini 2 "for only $50 more".
Except you can't take away what Apple did last year. I would be nice if they would be consistent. Oh and A5 and non-Retina screens should be gone by now, I don't care what price point Tim Cook thinks he needs to hit. I would never recommend the 1st gen iPad to anyone right now and I predict it will be gone within 6 months as they clear out any remaining inventory. But I'm sure Apple doesn't care as Phil "upsell" Schiller will be happy to sell you a mini 2 "for only $50 more".
I wouldn't recommend the first gen Mini to anybody either! Especially when the the retina Mini is only slightly more!
But it doesn't bother me that it's still available! If somebody wants to buy it, then go for it!
Comments
I have been a little disappointed with the Air 2 (Wifi) battery life on mine. (Unlike my 6 Plus which has been nearly unreal, it's that amazing) Granted my previous iPad was old but I would have thought this should have been as good or better and so far it's not. Standby is fine, but in actual use, even basic web browsing it drains faster. Maybe a few more charge cycles will help, and again it's not poor, but a little disappointing, especially if this is just due a thinness 'war'.
Everything else about it is completely 11/10. Can't put it down.
That's why I'm inclined to wait for the 13" iPad next year. I think it will have a much better battery life.
First of all, I agree that the iPad Air 2 gets five stars! I've had mine since day one, and it is indeed a powerhouse. I've been running some CPU intensive tasks and apps on it and it screams.
One thing that I don't see mentioned much anywhere is that the display doesn't just look better, because it's now bonded, but I also read that the touch sensors in the display are new and improved, so the iPad Air 2 is even more responsive and accurate, not that it was bad before!
Just about every single damn thing in the iPad Air 2 has been improved!
(1) Improved and more powerful CPU
(2) Improved and more powerful GPU
(3) Thinner and lighter. It's awesome for holding and reading now, crazy thin.
(4) Improved display, because it's now bonded and has anti-reflective coating
(5) Improved Touch sensors in the display
(6) iPad now has Touch ID!
(7) Increased RAM to 2 GB!
(8) Improved front camera
(9) Improved back camera
(10) iPad now has Apple Pay (online only!)
(11) iPad now has camera features from iPhone (Slow mo,time lapse, Panorama etc.)
(12) Sound is louder and better than before!
(13) Improved and faster WIFI!
I'm probably forgetting a thing or two here, even though that list is long!
The bottom line is that the iPad Air 2 rules! I bet that it's selling in huge numbers!
(1) Removal of mute/rotate switch.
(2) Substantially worse battery life than the Air.
(3) 18% thinner yet virtually the same weight as the iPad Air.
(4) No bigger screen than the Air. In a few months, there will be a 13" iPad.
(5) Unpleasant vibration.
(6) Two speakers, yet they are in portrait mode, when they would be most useful in Landscape Mode. Dumb Apple.
(7) Inferior display to Kindles and other comparable tablets (thanks melgross).
(8) No Instore Apple Pay.
(9) Safari tabs still reload, despite the 2GB of RAM.
(10) Bends easily (thanks Relic).
Sorry to burst your bubble.
That's why I'm inclined to wait for the 13" iPad next year. I think it will have a much better battery life.
Keep in mind that it will also most likely have an increased resolution, which will require more power.
That's why I'm inclined to wait for the 13" iPad next year. I think it will have a much better battery life.
Keep in mind that it will also most likely have an increased resolution, which will require more power.
True.
But looking at the iPhone 6 Plus, the extra power needed will be plentifully outweighed by the extra space available for the bigger battery.
That's why I'm inclined to wait for the 13" iPad next year. I think it will have a much better battery life.
The Air2 has a legit 10 hours battery life. Do you really use your iPad more than 10 hours a day?
My Air1 lasts 3 days.
The battery life of my iPad is excellent, but some apps can still drain it, so I would still appreciate a few more hours. 10 hours is light to moderate use, but it can be half that with some use cases. Still in a different league to my iPhone 5, that's for sure.
(1) Removal of mute/rotate switch.
(2) Substantially worse battery life than the Air.
(3) 18% thinner yet virtually the same weight as the iPad Air.
(4) No bigger screen than the Air. In a few months, there will be a 13" iPad.
(5) Unpleasant vibration.
(6) Two speakers, yet they are in portrait mode, when they would be most useful in Landscape Mode. Dumb Apple.
(7) Inferior display to Kindles and other comparable tablets (thanks melgross).
(8) No Instore Apple Pay.
(9) Safari tabs still reload, despite the 2GB of RAM.
(10) Bends easily (thanks Relic).
Sorry to burst your bubble.
(1) I don't mind! The thinness is worth it. And I hardly ever used that switch before to begin with. No big loss here!
(2) I believe that saying substantially worse is a bit of an over exaggeration.
(3) 32 grams is 32 grams, and not to be discounted.
(4) Perhaps there will. We shall see. In a few months though? I doubt that. More like a half a year, if there is even to be an iPad Pro.
(5) Matter of opinion.
(6) I agree that the two speakers would be better in landscape.
(7) The display is great and most reviews have stated that also.
(8) Yes, it's only online. Who's going to pay with their iPad in a store?
(9) So the people who were whining about 2 GB were absolutely clueless then. I have read in reviews though that more tabs can be had now.
(10) I wouldn't know about it, I'm not a retard, and mine seems more than sturdy enough.
My bubble has not been burst.
I have the best and most powerful tablet in the world.
(1) Removal of mute/rotate switch.
(2) Substantially worse battery life than the Air.
(3) 18% thinner yet virtually the same weight as the iPad Air.
(4) No bigger screen than the Air. In a few months, there will be a 13" iPad.
(5) Unpleasant vibration.
(6) Two speakers, yet they are in portrait mode, when they would be most useful in Landscape Mode. Dumb Apple.
(7) Inferior display to Kindles and other comparable tablets (thanks melgross).
(8) No Instore Apple Pay.
(9) Safari tabs still reload, despite the 2GB of RAM.
(10) Bends easily (thanks Relic).
Sorry to burst your bubble.
(1) I don't mind! The thinness is worth it. And I hardly ever used that switch before to begin with. No big loss here!
(2) I believe that saying substantially worse is a bit of an over exaggeration.
(3) 32 grams is 32 grams, and not to be discounted.
(4) Perhaps there will. We shall see. In a few months though? I doubt that. More like a half a year, if there is even to be an iPad Pro.
(5) Matter of opinion.
(6) I agree that the two speakers would be better in landscape.
(7) The display is great and most reviews have stated that also.
(8) Yes, it's only online. Who's going to pay with their iPad in a store?
(9) So the people who were whining about 2 GB were absolutely clueless then.
(10) I wouldn't know about it, I'm not a retard, and mine seems more than sturdy enough.
My bubble has not been burst.
I have the best and most powerful tablet in the world.
Ha!
Thanks for the restrained reply. I was, dare I say it, being slightly provocative with my negatives. Perhaps Slurpy will reply with one of his usual outraged ripostes.
The Air 2 sounds amazing and I'm glad you're enjoying it. I really want it to be bad because I need one, but want a bigger one more. I just don't want to go bestowing affection onto it only to have to transfer that affection in six to twelve months' time onto the big iPad.
Ha!
Thanks for the restrained reply. I was, dare I say it, being slightly provocative with my negatives. Perhaps Slurpy will reply with one of his usual outraged ripostes.
The Air 2 sounds amazing and I really want it to be bad because I need one, but want a bigger one more. I just don't want to go bestowing affection onto it only to have to transfer that affection in six to twelve months' time onto the big iPad.
Nothing is perfect of course, and if one looks hard enough, there will always be a few minor negative things to point out.
I bet that even if the mythical 12.9 iPad comes out next year, one can easily type a long list of negatives about that, if one looks and tries hard enough to find them.
As for me, I am loving my iPad Air 2. It is indeed the best tablet on the planet as of right now.
If something amazing comes out next year, like the mythical 12.9 iPad Pro, then perhaps I will love that too. Just like with women, I am capable of loving more than one thing.
This to me is the best iPad ever since iPad 1 (and I 've only skipped a couple of iPads or so).
As thin as it should be.
Super powerful cpu and gpu and ample ram.
Great storage (and an option for a "cheap" terminal model)
Great display, glass bonded and antiglare treated. (and I 've figured out why apple has kept the pixel count the same, besides not messing up 600,000 apps, to be able to have third party display+glass after sale options sold cheaply so that makes this iPad easily repairable)
Almost enterprise secure with Touch ID.
Great double microphones for communication, great cameras for creativity and communiation.
Super connectable with great wifi and cellular.
A FULL productivity device with the best mobile OS on the planet (not just for content, but for getting work done), and the best looking OS on the planet, and the best development tool on the planet.
Backed by the best Cloud service on the planet.
To me this is the culmination of what Steve was after, for stage I of its product phase and size, at least.
We 've heard the age old adage about apple being expensive, I don't think there ever was a better bargain than the top of the line iPad or a more usable, powerful, personal, secure, fun, productivity enhancing computer than this iPad, not until the 12.9 one that is.
It's the Mac of tablets.
6/5 for me. This thing will kill.
Ha!
Thanks for the restrained reply. I was, dare I say it, being slightly provocative with my negatives. Perhaps Slurpy will reply with one of his usual outraged ripostes.
The Air 2 sounds amazing and I'm glad you're enjoying it. I really want it to be bad because I need one, but want a bigger one more. I just don't want to go bestowing affection onto it only to have to transfer that affection in six to twelve months' time onto the big iPad.
I don't find your lists provocative. To be provocative, it has to feel like they are real issues. Other than the slightly shorter battery life, I thought the rest of your lists are more comical then practical. I was looking for the /s at the end of the post but couldn't find it.
Ha!
Thanks for the restrained reply. I was, dare I say it, being slightly provocative with my negatives. Perhaps Slurpy will reply with one of his usual outraged ripostes.
The Air 2 sounds amazing and I'm glad you're enjoying it. I really want it to be bad because I need one, but want a bigger one more. I just don't want to go bestowing affection onto it only to have to transfer that affection in six to twelve months' time onto the big iPad.
feel free to shower your affection as often as needed.
Why not praise the Air2 and then the Pro 6 months latter? Both will be best in class.
I'm still deciding whether to get one. I'm trying to see all the arguments for and against before deciding. I really do use the mute switch all the time.
Here's a "review"of the new tablets screens by Displaymate.
http://www.displaymate.com/iPad6_ShootOut.htm#Table
And this piece of data, just about sums it up why on a display front it's such a great tablet (emphasis is mine).
Very Low Reflectance
2.5 percent
Very High Contrast Rating
for High Ambient Light
166 Excellent
First of all, I agree that the iPad Air 2 gets five stars! I've had mine since day one, and it is indeed a powerhouse. I've been running some CPU intensive tasks and apps on it and it screams.
One thing that I don't see mentioned much anywhere is that the display doesn't just look better, because it's now bonded, but I also read that the touch sensors in the display are new and improved, so the iPad Air 2 is even more responsive and accurate, not that it was bad before!
Just about every single damn thing in the iPad Air 2 has been improved!
(1) Improved and more powerful CPU
(2) Improved and more powerful GPU
(3) Thinner and lighter. It's awesome for holding and reading now, crazy thin.
(4) Improved display, because it's now bonded and has anti-reflective coating
(5) Improved Touch sensors in the display
(6) iPad now has Touch ID!
(7) Increased RAM to 2 GB!
(8) Improved front camera
(9) Improved back camera
(10) iPad now has Apple Pay (online only!)
(11) iPad now has camera features from iPhone (Slow mo,time lapse, Panorama etc.)
(12) Sound is louder and better than before!
(13) Improved and faster WIFI!
I'm probably forgetting a thing or two here, even though that list is long!
The bottom line is that the iPad Air 2 rules! I bet that it's selling in huge numbers!
Another major plus which is not realised yet, there is so much untapped power in iPad Air 2 that I think we will see more powerful and innovative apps going forward. Apple packed so much power in the form of A8X and 2 gb RAM probably because they have plans in store for power and corporate users.
I'm not worried about offending many people as I suspect not many will be purchasing the mini 3 as the mini 2 is a much better deal, imo. I still think it's possible the current mini 3 is a placeholder and will get upgraded with A8 when iPhone demand dies down. If that doesn't happen then iI think Apple will soon kill off the mini and if you want a smaller device you'll have to buy the 5.5" iPhone.
So security and convience isn't worth $100?
Plus cheaper ram upgrades for 64 and 128 GB models?
Some people are just upset that they wont be able to get the Mini with the same exact specs as the larger iPad anymore and for $100 less!
To those people I say too damn bad!
" src="http://forums-files.appleinsider.com/images/smilies//lol.gif" />
Last year was a fluke!
Except you can't take away what Apple did last year. I would be nice if they would be consistent. Oh and A5 and non-Retina screens should be gone by now, I don't care what price point Tim Cook thinks he needs to hit. I would never recommend the 1st gen iPad to anyone right now and I predict it will be gone within 6 months as they clear out any remaining inventory. But I'm sure Apple doesn't care as Phil "upsell" Schiller will be happy to sell you a mini 2 "for only $50 more".
I wouldn't recommend the first gen Mini to anybody either! Especially when the the retina Mini is only slightly more!
But it doesn't bother me that it's still available! If somebody wants to buy it, then go for it!