Review roundup: Apple's iPad 2 is best tablet yet, but cameras disappoint

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Comments

  • Reply 101 of 117
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Andykemp View Post


    1GB RAM minimum should be in this Tablet. Its going to be running Garage Band. I've seen desktops that didn't run Garage Band well without lots of memory. Good luck multi tasking. I don't buy anything first day especially an Apple product. Give it a month of so and let the suckers buy it first. Always seems to be something wrong with the first run.



    That is because desktop system use a lot more memory just for loading the OS.



    I dont understand why people keep comparing Desktops with Tablets... 512MB is plenty of RAM for the iPad 2.
  • Reply 102 of 117
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Don P View Post


    I agree with most of the comments regarding the quality of the cameras. I have a Nikon D5000 for picture taking. For Skype though I would like a quality image. Without seeing for myself what the front-facing image looks like it's hard to have a factual opinion. I would like to know how the IPad2 front-facing camera compares to the camera in any of today's laptop or desktop computers. Anybody have any factual information regarding this?



    Yep have the same Nikon D5000, I love it



    About the VGA camera, is perfect for skyping. You dont need anything more than that. Mega pixels are overrated, especially on such a small camera.



    No one will run around with an iPad 2 taking photos of buildings and nature. For that you can use a compact camera or a professional Nikon or Cannon DSLR
  • Reply 103 of 117
    nasseraenasserae Posts: 3,167member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by d-range View Post


    The way iOS implements multitasking there are few reasons to have more than one full application resident in RAM at the same time, and it makes it completely and utterly useless to keep around background tasks in whole. Which is why multitasked applications in iOS register for background services and only keep those running, instead of keeping their whole UI and everything related to it in RAM. Also, the NAND memory in an iPad is many many more times faster than a PC hard drive, and has almost zero random access latency. Which makes paging to NAND fast enough to prefer it over keeping stuff in RAM as long as possible. Everything in iOS that deals with application and process management is built around this principle, where applications are either active, inactive in the background (RAM) or frozen to NAND by the OS, and every application is written in a way that going from background/RAM to frozen/NAND can happen automatically on request of the OS, so it can always free up all the RAM and make it available to the active application.



    Any comparison to desktop OS's is useless because they don't use a modal user interface where 1 application is always taking up the whole system, they don't have crazy fast NAND for swapping, and, in general, the applications running on them are often very wasteful with memory, simply because RAM is so abundant on PC's. Just to put things into perspective: an Xbox 360 or a PS3 also have only 512 MB RAM, but they still manage to pull out some pretty impressive stuff out of them.



    Also, iOS does not have the beach ball, and when you see the spinner icon, 9 out of 10 times it means an application is trying to access the network or is doing some kind of computation, not that it has run out of memory. If that happens and no other applications can be unloaded from RAM, you'll get a low-memory popup first and if the application will go on eating more RAM, it will simply terminate eventually.







    I agree that it would be dead-easy and cheap to put 1 GB in. Then again, 2 GB would be just as easy and only a little bit more expensive, because RAM is dirt cheap. Point is that it is simply not necessary, since no iOS programs use more than 512 MB RAM. Even on PC's a single application using over 512 MB RAM are rare, and they are typically not the kind of programs you would use on a tablet anyway.



    There is no paging nor virtual memory in iOS. Frozen apps stay in the RAM until the memory runs low. If this happens then the OS will terminate the oldest nonactive app in the RAM. If that didn't help then it will keep terminating the oldest nonactive apps until it gets the memory the active app needs.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mstone View Post


    I thought there was no paging or virtual memory in iOS. I bolded the reference in your text.



    You are correct. There is no paging or vm in iOS.
  • Reply 104 of 117
    I have been playing with GarageBand on my iPad 1...



    Long story, short -- it's amazing.



    Creatives: musicians, composers, singers will buy the iPad so they can run this app.



    Can't wait to see what a touch interface brings to Mac GarageBand and the Pro apps including Logic.



    related rant:



    Gonna' buy 2 iPad 2s tomorrow.



    If it is as good as they say then MSFT better bust it's butt to get Word and Excel on the iPad -- likewise Adoobie-Doo with photoshop, and Autodesk...



    All 'board, this train's leaving' the station and goin' to glory.



    .
  • Reply 105 of 117
    bigpicsbigpics Posts: 1,397member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mac Voyer View Post


    Wait! I thought using a dinner plate to take snapshots was stupid, and no one would want to do it. Why, all of a sudden is the biggest negative against the iPad 2, the fact that it does not take high-quality stills? Did I miss something, or are reviewers just trying way too hard to find something to pick apart?



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nkhm View Post


    They haven't "lowered the res", they've put the best cameras in place for the device for the suited purpose - this is for video chat, not still photography - I mean SERIOUSLY - how stupid would you look using this thing as a camera. It's about processing power, battery life, unit cost - so many factors.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mac-sochist View Post


    Well of course I know the reason they didn't put a higher-quality camera in it is because it's too thin—focal length is the limiting factor. That being said, could it be they wanted to minimize the number of people holding one of these up and trying to use it like a point-and-shoot? Can you imagine how idiotic that would look? People would say: "Boy, these iPad users are some stupid-ass gomers! No way I'm buying one!"



    Being thinner then the iPhone 4, Mac-sochist is right about the physics/engineering of gathering and capturing light entering the equation at some point. I'm not personally sure it's this point, or whether cost, margins and other factors were also in play, as with all the horizontal room in the device, the light path might have been able to be reflected around a corner and lengthened. (Casio's done this in some slim cams as I recall).



    However it's always worth re-mentioning that the best cam you have is the best one you have with you, and if fear of looking dorky will keep you from capturing, say, your daughter's first steps, or some other unique moment or view, your egos are too fragile. (PS: half the pop thinks we techies look dorky anyway, even when equipped with the latest and greatest used in the "coolest" ways. D'ohh.)



    And higher res pics can be downsampled for electronic transmissions relatively easily, whereas lower res one scale up poorly, so I'm always for the best possible cam (on a cost-effective basis, natch, which doesn't take away other critical functionality) in any device I'm likely to have at hand.



    Plus Apple just released FaceTime HD on Macs....



    PS: the whole history of Apple, post Steve II is that they do depend on the faithful upgrading regularly for a good chunk of rev - with the paradox being that Apple products generally last (much) longer than the clone industry products, so without being a fly in their strategy sessions, I still infer that their incremental iterations do have an eye towards stimulating that part of their customer base to feel a need to upgrade more frequently than the useful product life would otherwise indicate - specifically to get those one or two new capabilities Apple doles out so carefully.



    This works out partly, tho', because Apple products not only last longer, but hold their resale better, making upgrading not quite as painful as the raw prices indicate. People post about how much they got for their old units here all the time, as do those who hand them down to family members to create more Apple users in their communities.



    PPS: Gruber's just made much the same point (and more), only more completely and elegantly - http://daringfireball.net/2011/03/the_ipad_2
  • Reply 106 of 117
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bigpics View Post


    Being thinner then the iPhone 4, Mac-sochist is right about the physics/engineering of gathering and capturing light entering the equation at some point. I'm not personally sure it's this point, or whether cost, margins and other factors were also in play, as with all the horizontal room in the device, the light path might have been able to be reflected around a corner and lengthened. (Casio's done this in some slim cams as I recall).



    You're right of course?I was just being a smartass. The optical path could obviously be folded. In the iPhone I can't imagine there being enough real estate (horizontally) to do that, but in the iPad, who knows? I doubt if there are any off-the-shelf camera modules that would be suitable, but maybe that's what Apple's new partnership with Canon is all about?
  • Reply 107 of 117
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bigpics View Post


    This works out partly, tho', because Apple products not only last longer, but hold their resale better, making upgrading not quite as painful as the raw prices indicate. People post about how much they got for their old units here all the time, as do those who hand them down to family members to create more Apple users in their communities.



    Of course in the Mac world you have the advantage that it's legal to sell a used Mac with the OS still on it. Microsoft would have you believe that you're legally required to wipe the hard drive and sell the new user a new copy of Windows. I know most people don't adhere to this, but shops who refurbish and upgrade computers have to. We could keep a lot of e-waste out of the landfill if it wasn't for that.



    People are always on here complaining about Apple's EULA, which says you're not supposed to install OS X on non-Apple hardware (even though they've never interfered with individuals doing so), but nobody's called Microsoft out on this.
  • Reply 108 of 117
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by NasserAE View Post


    You are correct. There is no paging or vm in iOS.



    On rare occasions I get something right.
  • Reply 109 of 117
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mac-sochist View Post


    See, nobody here believes you've owned an iOS device, because of the Spinning Beachball of Death? comment. You're just reading that off of some cheat-sheet of Apple-bashing boilerplate your employers gave you. Kind of like if I wanted to insult Microsoft by saying: "Yeah, that XBox is a piece of junk! I get the Blue Screen of Death? all the time! LOL!!"



    The spinning beachball of death is from the desktop OS moron. Beachball, spinning circle whatever same thing different flavor.



    OMG you must be some wackjob. Apple-bashing boilerplate your employers gave you? My employer has nothing to do with me being here. Wow you're delusional. I keep trying to be nice but get people like you popping up all over this site. Trying to start an argument. I feel so lucky that I was able to use Apple products and not become a slobbering zombie fanboy.



    Fanboys are a festering sore on the a$$ of technology.



    Thats all I have to say. I'm done. No way to have a conversation here unless you drool over everything Apple does. You should take your meds.
  • Reply 110 of 117
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Andykemp View Post


    The spinning beachball of death is from the desktop OS moron. Beachball, spinning circle whatever same thing different flavor.



    OMG you must be some wackjob. Apple-bashing boilerplate your employers gave you? My employer has nothing to do with me being here. Wow you're delusional. I keep trying to be nice but get people like you popping up all over this site. Trying to start an argument. I feel so lucky that I was able to use Apple products and not become a slobbering zombie fanboy.



    Fanboys are a festering sore on the a$$ of technology.



    Thats all I have to say. I'm done. No way to have a conversation here unless you drool over everything Apple does. You should take your meds.



    Really hit a nerve there, didn't I? Your contempt really bolsters my self-esteem. Thanks! You paid FUDsters are so funny!
  • Reply 111 of 117
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by samwell View Post


    Coming from someone with "apple" as their screen name.







    Imagine that, somebody choosing an Apple product as their screen name on a site that is about Apple products. What was I thinking ?



    The Apple ][ is the first Apple product that I ever used, almost 30 years ago. I am no fanboy who blindly follows anybody. My appreciation for Apple comes from decades of experience with their products. I will criticize them when I think they make a mistake, which they sometimes do, and I will praise them when they get it right, which they often do.

  • Reply 112 of 117
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by samwell View Post


    Coming from someone with "apple" as their screen name.







    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DJinTX View Post


    It's not "Apple" it's "Apple ]["

    They are two totally different things. Duh!



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Apple ][ View Post


    Imagine that, somebody choosing an Apple product as their screen name on a site that is about Apple products. What was I thinking ?



    The Apple ][ is the first Apple product that I ever used, almost 30 years ago. I am no fanboy who blindly follows anybody. My appreciation for Apple comes from decades of experience with their products. I will criticize them when I think they make a mistake, which they sometimes do, and I will praise them when they get it right, which they often do.







    .... I don't understand????



    .
  • Reply 113 of 117
    sipsip Posts: 210member
    Getting back on track: iPad2 cameras.



    The front facing camera will mostly be used for Facetime like calls, and at some point the iPad2 will allow conferencing between 3 or 4 people (if it is not already available) -- the resolution of the camera becomes crucial, because both the transmitting and receiving devices will need a minimum upload/download speed otherwise the device becomes useless. 3G networks in Europe have offered video calls for years, but the speed of the networks meant that you'd get artifacts and blocky video.



    Why use a high-res camera that produces large files (how many fps do these devices produce video?), then either downsize them before transmission (resulting in loss of quality) or try and transmit the high-res video over variable internet speeds? My 6mp Nikon D40 produces amazing images, sometimes much better than some 12mp cameras using the same (physical) size sensor.



    Rear facing camera: we already know that Apple has done amazing things with the camera sensor on the iPhone4 in that it processes light much better than comparable sensors in other hand-held devices. In my view, these cameras are okay for images and videos that you want to instantly load to places like Youtube and Facebook -- iMovie offers the ability to edit, add effects and produce a final cut before uploading. You could archive these images and videos but in twenty years time they'll look like stuttering home-movies produced on 8mm film.



    If you want to produce a photo and video library of your kid(s) life, from birth to graduation, use a "proper" camera or camcorder, not a poxy camera on a phone.
  • Reply 114 of 117
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Apple ][ View Post


    Imagine that, somebody choosing an Apple product as their screen name on a site that is about Apple products. What was I thinking ?



    The Apple ][ is the first Apple product that I ever used, almost 30 years ago. I am no fanboy who blindly follows anybody. My appreciation for Apple comes from decades of experience with their products. I will criticize them when I think they make a mistake, which they sometimes do, and I will praise them when they get it right, which they often do.





    You said on the forum that you have turned down jobs simply because they use Windows systems that makes you not only a fool you are most certainly a fanboy that blindly follows Apple. You talk about everyone else being haters and angry yet you seem like you could use a good shot of an antipsychotic. You are one of the most bias pure fanboys on this site and that's saying something for this forum.
  • Reply 115 of 117
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by extremeskater View Post


    You said on the forum that you have turned down jobs simply because they use Windows systems that makes you not only a fool you are most certainly a fanboy that blindly follows Apple. You talk about everyone else being haters and angry yet you seem like you could use a good shot of an antipsychotic. You are one of the most bias pure fanboys on this site and that's saying something for this forum.



    You don't know what kind of work I do. I have even gotten a client to buy a Mac on the spot when they wanted my services before, because that's what I like to work on. I don't just prefer it, I demand it. I am a picky person, and there's nothing wrong with that. That doesn't make me foolish.



    And I do criticize Apple sometimes. On another thread earlier today, I was bashing the white headphones that comes with iPods, because of their poor sound quality.



  • Reply 116 of 117
    djintxdjintx Posts: 454member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by cgc0202 View Post


    I am not sure if it is the correct term, but what I associate as retina display is the option to enlarge spefic portion of a line or a word (as opposed to global zoom of the page) akin to enlargement achieved with a glass lens.



    I heard about the feature, but I never used the feature myself, when I tried the iPhones whenever I go tot he Apple Store. I have never considered the screen size of iPhone to be convenient for reading the standard format of the New York Times, for example. The iPad on the other hand is ideal for newspaper reading.



    I opted not to buy the first generation (I never do) but now considering seriously whether to buy the iPad2. For now, most of the work I do involve accessing several external disk drives (with terabyte data) plus using applications that may not run well on the, some may not even work, using the iPad, even the iPad2. I will ask them when I get a chance to visit the store.





    She just uses the "default settings", she is in another state (I am now in Boston) so I have not seen here recently use her iPhones (she already had three upgrades) since my last visit.



    I usually request her to try something that I created, particularly because of her poor eyesight. I am interested to know, if the images I am creating with standard or slightly larger fonts included would be readable in the iPhone. Since the text are actually part of the image, they are proportinately resized. I am trying to find a compromise font size to include in the image that would be readable in both the iPad and the smalller IPhone (or iPad touch).



    CGC



    I'm surprised no one else here posted a reply to your post to let you know what a retina display is. Although maybe they were ignoring you because they belive you to be a troll. In any case, the little magnifying glass that comes up on the screen to magnify a particular area of the screen isn't a retina display.



    The retina display is the entire screen on the iPhone 4, so your friend has most definitely used it. You should google "retina display" as you seem to have been living under a rock for the last year or so.
  • Reply 117 of 117
    alfiejralfiejr Posts: 1,524member
    well, it's Saturday now. it turns out - as evidenced by the unexpected huge lines at Apple stores - that consumer reaction to iPad 2 is far more enthusiastic than all the pundits/reviewers, except a few.



    the best way to sum up most of those reviews is "faint praise." and the accompanying continued hype of as-yet-unreleased competing tablets as "real competition" continues in the blogsphere.



    reminds me of decade-long "great white hope" among the sports press early in the 20 Century for a white boxer who could beat Jack Johnson. it took 12 years. while in his prime, it was impossible. he was just the best, period.
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