Tuesday, March 15, 2011

iPad 2 Tech Review - G4tv.com

What You Need to Know
  • It really is thinner than the iPhone 4 and about 30% thinner than the original iPad.
  • A lot of people didn't like how heavy the first iPad was, so this one is about 4 oz. lighter.
  • The newer dual core processor is supposed to double performance, and provide up to nine times better graphics when you're playing games and it's noticeably faster.
  • Launching applications or loading web pages is definitely quicker than the original, which we expected, but the system itself is also peppier.
  • Some games are already optimized for the iPad 2, like Infinity Blade and Real Racing 2; these look and play fantastic, and they really lend credence to the claim that the iPad is a full-fledged gaming device.
  • Apps like iMovie and Garage Band are designed for the iPad 2 because of its speed and they're killer apps.
  • iMovie runs better than it did on the iPhone 4, but the larger screen is really what makes this app a useful tool; it wasn't the easiest thing to use on the iPhone's small screen.
  • Garage Band is a ton of fun on the iPad.
  • We finally get front and rear cameras on the iPad.
  • The rear camera takes good enough pictures and records 720p video, but it's not even close to the quality of the iPhone 4; it also doesn't have a flash.
  • The front camera is only VGA quality, but of course, it works just fine with FaceTime; we liked FaceTimeing on the iPad more than the iPhone because of the huge screen.
  • Apple also added video output, but you have to buy an HDMI adapter for an extra $40.
  • Everything you do on the iPad 2 is mirrored through HDMI, whereas before, the original iPad would only have video out of certain apps.
Price
  • $500 for the 16 GB Wi-Fi version
Overall Rating
  • 5 Seals of Approval Out of 5 (How do we rate gadgets?)
  • At that price, this is the best tablet on the market.
  • Original iPad owners don't need to upgrade, but if you waited to buy, now's the time.





iPad 2 Tech Review - G4tv.com
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