Apple iPad 2 buyers and owner's thread (1 Viewer)

[Joseph Bolus]

Nelson,


Let us know your opinions when you get one!

I'm sticking with my first-generation iPad for now since:

1. I don't feel like I need the cameras since I have an iPhone 4 with me at all times.

(Of course, this could change if some cool new app comes out which utilizes the iPad cameras in a unique way.)


2. About all I do with it is surf, watch rented/streamed movies and TV shows, and read books, magazines, and comics. And, oh yeah: I *love* the free IMDB app. It's a movie lovers' dream come true! And it runs *so* much better on the iPad than it does on the iPhone 4. But the only game I've played with it is "Angry Birds HD" -- and I don't feel as though that particular game is crippled in any way by a speed limitation. And my iPhone 4 is a better "portable office" for my Exchange email -- so I don't use the iPad for that.


But if you tell me that the iPad 2 is fast enough and lighter enough to make a difference, I think I could probably be swayed over ...

 

[DaveF]

One of my colleagues that ordered yesterday and was quoted 2-3 weeks for delivery got a shipping notification this morning.

What time did he place the order? I ordered about 8pm and still have an april 1 ship date. Fingers crossed it's faster than 2 weeks

 

[Michael_K_Sr]

Originally Posted by DaveF /forum/thread/309358/apple-ipad-2-buyers-and-owner-s-thread/90#post_3789786

I don't know the exact time, but she showed me the e-mail from Apple around 2:00 yesterday afternoon, so it was before that.

 

[DaveF]

Thanks. I feel better; your friend was much earlier in the day --and queue--than me.

 

[Sam Posten]

Joseph it's fast enough IMO that if you are using an iPad daily that it will make a tremendous difference. Sorry


Also, nobody has mentioned this yet, but it lives up to the name 'PAD' a lot more than the first one did.


It's more pad-dy =)


I was a huuuuge fan of the Apple case on the iPad1. I'm not used to 1 handing the iPad2 yet, and I feel it's a lot more likely to fall out of my hands and be damaged. Time will tell if that stays or goes.

 

[Jason Roer]

I didn't go for the iPad1 because I really wanted the cameras and figured it would be coming with gen 2. And so yesterday, I bought my first of what I presume to be many iPads, as further generations come out.

I am so in love! I read tons of books (I'm an author), draw all the time, write (obviously) - and this device has completely revolutionized my process. Everything from sketchpad pro to note maker HD, to quick office - just getting ideas down has never been easier to do or organize. And I've only had the thing for 26 hours!


It feels incredible in my hands. Just an hour ago, I went for a quick run to the grocery market (live in NYC, so walking). I always read while walking, but even with a few bags in one hand, I had zero trouble holding the iPad in the other, and was able to flip through the pages easily enough. I could do that with my iPhone before, but never with a print book.

Needless to say I can recommend the iPad without hesitation to just about anyone! Everything is simple to do, there's apps for absolutely everything, it's SO lightweight you barely notice you're holding anything, it's gorgeous, and as Peter says, "It's freakin' sweet!"


Cheers,


Jason

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Got my polyurethane case in just 2 days.


Found out Apple is shipping stuff out of

Pennsylvania which is why my Macbook

case and iPad 2 cover were here in a mere

2 days using FedEx and UPS Ground.


My Mom's iPad 2 is still 5-7 days away

from being shipped. I am in the second

wave of iPad shipments since I ordered

online at 7:30am Friday.


I am still going to wait for iPad 3 before

I upgrade my original iPad.

 

[Nelson Au]

Hey Joseph,


I'll be sure to post my impressions. But as others have said, it sounds like it's pretty fast!


I remember now when I tried the iPad 2's at the Apple Store, I did launch Safari and the pages did load fast!


I also tried the camera. The last person to use it must have had it set for Facetime, as I was shocked by the sight of me on that big screen! So I flipped the camera around. Here's something that was unexpected for me. When I set the camera mode on, the image of what the camera sees is huge! It fills the entire screen. So it's sort of like the old 4x5 cameras from the olden days of film photography, but the viewfinder is much bigger!


Jason, I love Sketchbook Pro. I use the full version on my Mac, but I really like sketching on the iPad with it. If you're not aware of it, get the stylus from Targus at Best Buy. It works great for sketching and writing. And you can use it to tap on the keyboard or other things on screen.


Well, hopefully the initial crush of demand will ease off in a few days and I can get one at the Apple Store. As nice as ordering on-line is, I always enjoy the experience at the store.

 

[Jason Roer]

Nelson, I've heard the capacitive styra from box wave was the stylus to beat these days. Have you used it? Right now I have the pogo from the apple store, but I don't love it. You really need to dig in with pressure and I feel that sketching for a few hours would result in some serious wrist pain. I'll also look into the targus. Cheers, Jason

 

[Nelson Au]

Jason, I'm not familiar with that stylus. I'm always curious to learn of others, thanks! I got the Pogo too when I first got the iPad. Worked okay, but yes, it does require more pressure to work. The Targus requires less. And slides much nicer! I also find that I can draw a line and repeat the same line on top of it . That was almost impossible with the Pogo. Hope you like it.

 

[DaveF]

We've got the boxwave stylus and it's nice. Takes minimal pressure. Works with leather gloves. It's a wintertime helper for us.

 

[Jason Roer]

Thanks guys. I think the best thing for me to do is to try both the targus and boxwave and see what works better for me. Best buy doesn't carry the box wave and neither does the apple store, so I'll try pc Richards and sons tomorrow. I'll let you know which I prefer when I get to try them for a few days.

 

[DaveF]

Since I was passing by it, I stopped into the Verizon store. Any new stock was gone; they had only white 64 GB left. But, the guy said he could order for me, two days shipping. Yes, I say, but how long until it does ship? Oh, certainly this week, he tells me. Really, I asked my eyes squintly dubiously. Sure. They're in the warehouse. Since it's a Sunday, so you might not get it until Wednesday, but this weekly for sure.


So I ordered a second iPad from Verizon


So it's a race between Apple and Verizon, and I'll cancel or return the order of the slower party. (And probably miss out saving $20 from my EPP Apple discount)




When did I become that guy who prioritizes "soon" over "savings"? It's my wife's fault. I blame her for bringing her Mac into the marriage.

 

[Sam Posten]

With my house on the market I've decided not to keep this Verizon ipad2. Anyone interested in it in jersey today or MD tomorrow shoot me a pm. It's wonderful and I'd keep it if it were AT&T but not worth keeping it from someone who wants vz in the meantime.

 

[Nelson Au]

Jason and others, I've started a Stylus thread so this topic would not hijack this thread.

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/forum/thread/309623/stylus-for-the-ipad-iphone-ipod-touch

 

[Joseph Bolus]

Thanks for the info ...


I have to admit I'm already wavering on my decision to wait ... And, ya' know, what's wrong with having *two* iPads??

I might just get the iPad 2 for my daughter (she needs the cameras); and that way I can exclusively use the first-gen model. [/url]

Hey Joseph,


I'll be sure to post my impressions. But as others have said, it sounds like it's pretty fast!


I remember now when I tried the iPad 2's at the Apple Store, I did launch Safari and the pages did load fast!


I also tried the camera. The last person to use it must have had it set for Facetime, as I was shocked by the sight of me on that big screen! So I flipped the camera around. Here's something that was unexpected for me. When I set the camera mode on, the image of what the camera sees is huge! It fills the entire screen. So it's sort of like the old 4x5 cameras from the olden days of film photography, but the viewfinder is much bigger!


[/quote]

 

[DaveF]

Originally Posted by Sam Posten

With my house on the market I've decided not to keep this Verizon ipad2. Anyone interested in it in jersey today or MD tomorrow shoot me a pm.

It's wonderful and I'd keep it if it were AT&T but not worth keeping it from someone who wants vz in the meantime.

If it were 16GB or 32GB, we could likely come to an agreement. I can't justify a 64GB for my wife.


Pity about you wanting AT&T, that's what we could get here. Verizon's been the hard-to-find model.

 

[DaveF]

Originally Posted by Joseph Bolus

Multiple iPads in a family seems a winning idea: it's affordable compared to multiple computers, and seems to fill many of the needs a netbook would, and even less bother about battery life.


But don't buy it for her if she wants to be a photographer. It's an inferior camera for stills.

 

[Nelson Au]

Go for it Joseph! Regarding the camera and stills. If the iPhone 4 is any indication of the camera quality on the new ipad 2, I would have to raise my hand. I took a couple of quick point and shots yesterday with my iPhone 4. I had it set to HDR. And I also shot the same shot with out. The HDR setting produces a very pleasing image. The exposures are a compilation of several so you get the shadows filled in a bit and color is richer. I think there was a camera review on the iPad 2 linked above, I'll have to check that out.

 

[Joseph Bolus]

Originally Posted by DaveF



Multiple iPads in a family seems a winning idea: it's affordable compared to multiple computers, and seems to fill many of the needs a netbook would, and even less bother about battery life.


But don't buy it for her if she wants to be a photographer. It's an inferior camera for stills.

Dave,


That's good advice about the camera ... But NO: She doesn't need the cameras for photographs: She needs it for Facetime/Skype sessions. She would also be using the GarageBand app; and I know it also runs on the first-gen iPad, but I can definitely see where the A5 processor and additional RAM in the iPad 2 would be useful with such a graphics-intensive app. We're probably going to be doing this in the next week or so ... and I'm looking forward to having more-or-less exclusive use of the first-gen iPad!


*** Edit ***

Nelson I just saw your post: There is no question but that the cameras in the iPhone 4 are far superior to the iPad 2's camera -- and especially so for still photography. There is no question but that I'll be using my iPhone 4 for all of my photographs/movies.