I'm bummed that the 3G is either Verizon or AT&T. I was hoping for a universal GSM & CDMA. Looks like I'm sticking with AT&T so I can travel outside of the US. It doesn't look good for a universal iPhone this year either.
Other than that, the iPad 2 looks fantastic. I'll need to see how much I can get for my old iPad if I want to upgrade.
Incremental? NOT! This thing is re-designed with all-new guts. Looking at the specs this beast is AT LEAST 2X faster than iPad 1. Up to 9X better graphics. I skipped iPad 1, I'll definitely picking up one of these & the cool new smart cover they showed off.
In the computing world, faster processing is indeed incremental improvement. Arguably, it is expected improvement, since many other tablets will have two-core processing.
Having said this, this is a very nice increment.
Apple engineers are no smarter than those from RIM or Motorola. How is it they can squeeze similar guts into a smaller package? At the end of the day, electronic miniaturization is about all about SOC (system-on-a-chip) innovation. Apple does not have magic in this technology inaccessible to others. What they have is a CEO who pays attention to design. When Jobs talks about the liberal arts DNA at Apple, he is referring to his own. RIM, Motorola, HTC and HP don't have this DNA at the top, because the likes of Sanjay Jha, Mike Lazaridis, Jim Balsillie are either traditional engineers or business execs. Steve is neither - just a renaissance man not tied down by his roots.
So yeah, a nice increment. Can't wait to hold one!
I was hoping for Thunderbolt. But as someone mentioned on one of the many Thunderbolt threads, the iPad doesn't use PCIe so it can't support Thunderbolt. Also, I think it might be too thin for an mDP connector!
If the A5 has the same power consumption as the A4, then what's to prevent Apple from putting the A5 in the iPhone & touch?
The new Garage Band app is going to kill the sales for a bunch of the virtual instrument apps.
And this is a classic Apple quote: "This is worth repeating. It's in Apple's DNA that technology is not enough. It's tech married with the liberal arts and the humanities. Nowhere is that more true than in the post-PC products. Our competitors are looking at this like it's the next PC market. That is not the right approach to this. These are post-PC devices that need to be easier to use than a PC, more intuitive."
This is why the Android, RIM, Windows, etc. tablets will not catch the iPad. It's not the hardware. It's not the software. It's both - together. Plus a liberal helping of "secret sauce".
The upgrades on the new iPad are very nice indeed. I am almost tempted to buy one next Friday, BUT I simply refuse to buy any iPad as long as it MUST be tethered to another computer. When Apple decides to allow the iPad to stand autonomously then I will pick on up. Until then I will keep using my laptop.
I say this because I was out travelling with my original iPad and something screwy happened with the OS and I was forced to reset the entire device. I accepted I would lose the data (backed up at home), but I could no longer even use the device for email or web browsing. I tried AT&T and asked if they would let me reinitialize the iPad (3G model) at their store and they refused. There was not an Apple store nearby, nor a Best Buy, etc.
IF Apple allows a future iPad not require an initial connection to an iTunes account, I will pick one up in a heartbeat to replace the 3G model I sold after that trip. Maybe I missed this and the new model allows this. Can anyone confirm, one way or another?
Comments
Overall looks great, but still a few unanswered questions:
512MB or 1GB Ram?
Any improvement on the display?
Resolution of front facing camera?
http://www.apple.com/ipad/specs/
No mention of RAM
Same display resolution
Front cam is VGA, rear cam does 720p video but no mention of how many MP for still shots
Pretty much what was expected" - An incremental 'Update'.
It would have been nice to have:
- A higher resolution display
- A bump to 128gb at the high end
- Higher resolution cameras
- Built-in Stereo speakers
- An SDHC/XC card slot for transferring pictures etc.
- A dock port that allows the connector to sit flush writhe the device.
- A design that didn't force one to buy all new cases/accessories.
Overall, this really is what the device should have been at the beginning, and I'm sure it will sell very well.
-We knew this wasn't going to happen
-This is true (I can't believe I agreed with you
-Not needed
-Not needed (seriously, you ever heard of earphones?)
-camera/usb accessory says hello
-wtf?
-enjoy your serial ports.
Other than that, the iPad 2 looks fantastic. I'll need to see how much I can get for my old iPad if I want to upgrade.
It looks like 2011 will be a year of Android tablets after all.
Incremental? NOT! This thing is re-designed with all-new guts. Looking at the specs this beast is AT LEAST 2X faster than iPad 1. Up to 9X better graphics. I skipped iPad 1, I'll definitely picking up one of these & the cool new smart cover they showed off.
In the computing world, faster processing is indeed incremental improvement. Arguably, it is expected improvement, since many other tablets will have two-core processing.
Having said this, this is a very nice increment.
Apple engineers are no smarter than those from RIM or Motorola. How is it they can squeeze similar guts into a smaller package? At the end of the day, electronic miniaturization is about all about SOC (system-on-a-chip) innovation. Apple does not have magic in this technology inaccessible to others. What they have is a CEO who pays attention to design. When Jobs talks about the liberal arts DNA at Apple, he is referring to his own. RIM, Motorola, HTC and HP don't have this DNA at the top, because the likes of Sanjay Jha, Mike Lazaridis, Jim Balsillie are either traditional engineers or business execs. Steve is neither - just a renaissance man not tied down by his roots.
So yeah, a nice increment. Can't wait to hold one!
I guarantee you that on Ipad 3 the first bullet point will be display quality change. I was hoping to see that today.
Why? The rumor mill had pretty much dispelled all hope for an improved display for this release.
If the A5 has the same power consumption as the A4, then what's to prevent Apple from putting the A5 in the iPhone & touch?
The new Garage Band app is going to kill the sales for a bunch of the virtual instrument apps.
And this is a classic Apple quote: "This is worth repeating. It's in Apple's DNA that technology is not enough. It's tech married with the liberal arts and the humanities. Nowhere is that more true than in the post-PC products. Our competitors are looking at this like it's the next PC market. That is not the right approach to this. These are post-PC devices that need to be easier to use than a PC, more intuitive."
This is why the Android, RIM, Windows, etc. tablets will not catch the iPad. It's not the hardware. It's not the software. It's both - together. Plus a liberal helping of "secret sauce".
Let the bitching begin...
It's gonna be great.
Surely we'll see:
Toy!
I'm so disappointed.
Deal breaker!
The competition is already miles ahead!
What no HDMI, SD reader, Flash, blah blah blah?
Very disappointing - not nearly as good as Motorola Xoom.
It looks like 2011 will be a year of Android tablets after all.
How droll .
They'll have to drop the price on the "old" iPads now.
In the refurb store they are currently $399.
I say this because I was out travelling with my original iPad and something screwy happened with the OS and I was forced to reset the entire device. I accepted I would lose the data (backed up at home), but I could no longer even use the device for email or web browsing. I tried AT&T and asked if they would let me reinitialize the iPad (3G model) at their store and they refused. There was not an Apple store nearby, nor a Best Buy, etc.
IF Apple allows a future iPad not require an initial connection to an iTunes account, I will pick one up in a heartbeat to replace the 3G model I sold after that trip. Maybe I missed this and the new model allows this. Can anyone confirm, one way or another?
http://www.apple.com/ipad/specs/
No mention of RAM
Same display resolution
Front cam is VGA, rear cam does 720p video but no mention of how many MP for still shots
I don't think they ever say how much Ram, it's always through ifixit teardowns.
that said, expect 512mb.
very disappointing - not nearly as good as motorola xoom.
It looks like 2011 will be a year of android tablets after all.
yea right
Very disappointing - not nearly as good as Motorola Xoom.
It looks like 2011 will be a year of Android tablets after all.
Yes, an overpriced, buggy tablet with no apps and similar specs to the iPad 2 is better.
You trolls are hilarious (and delusional).
Very disappointing - not nearly as good as Motorola Xoom.
It looks like 2011 will be a year of Android tablets after all.
Let's check back at the end of the year.
subquestion 2: with the new digital video adapter (HDMI)
At the same price points? Get real.
"Get real" ??? Tech has improved in the last year. So the same price point is to be expected.
They'll have to drop the price on the "old" iPads now.
"Refurb" WiFi iPad is selling for $349 at the Apple online store...