subject: IPad 2 is a sports car parked next to the family sedan [print this page] IPad 2 is a sports car parked next to the family sedan
When it was launched, Steve Jobs said the new iPad 2 would be lighter, thinner and faster than the original iPad, and it is, though the improvements are more subtle than obvious. The iPad 2 has a slightly more solid feel to it, and programs load Toshiba pa3356u-3brs Battery and function with a little more zip.
Compared to the Motorola Xoom, the latest Android tablet that I reviewed March 12, the iPad 2 is a sports car parked next to the family sedan.
Apple pretty well got it right the first time. The iPad 1 had almost
everything you would want in a tablet computer, including a large and attractive screen, a responsive on-screen keyboard and a huge library of applications.
Critics focused on a few missing elements: no camera for snapshots or video conferencing, no flash support for video and animations, and no slots for a USB connection, SD memory card or HDMI video link.
The upgraded version meets those critics halfway. It has front and back cameras that work well enough for live video chats, but aren't great for snapshots. And you can buy a $39 adapter to connect the iPad to a digital monitor or TV.
But there's still no flash, no standard USB port and no support for external memory.
The faster processor in the iPad 2 makes it more usable for demanding software like the music-creation program Garage Band or video editing with iMovie. iTunes has a whole new section devoted to games and other apps that have been enhanced to take advantage of the more powerful iPad 2.
Apple also expanded its reach by making the iPad Toshiba pa3285u-3brs Batteries available through Verizon Wireless as well as AT&T. The base price of $629 for a model with 16GB is the same no matter where you buy it. AT&T offers a data plan starting at $14.99 for 250MB of data. Verizon's plans start at $20 a month for 1GB.
Wi-Fi-only versions cost even less, as do the few original iPads that are still around. And for core activities like reading electronic books and magazines, playing music or movies, working email or surfing the Web, the iPad 2 isn't much different Toshiba pa3533u-1brs Batteryfrom its predecessor.
