Official March 2nd iPad Event ANNOUNCEMENTS and Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[Sam Posten]

Matt, previous rumored chassis designs showed the thunderbolt connector at the top edge, and a huuuge speaker grille on the bottom. Neither of those happened.


So, I've come down off my coffee a bit and have weighed it out:


-No Thunderbolt

-No Retina display (the display IS improved tho guys, they took 2 layers out of it!)

-No bigger storage option

-No price drop

-No stereo speakers

-No universal 3G, still carrier specific models

-No LTE

-Unclear that there is more RAM or not


But you do get a faster CPU and graphics in a smaller form factor. I'm not seeing anything I gotta have here. And the improved graphics will only really matter for those apps written to take advantage of it.


I'm getting my MacBook Pro this week with a clear conscience and when I find some compelling reason to upgrade my iPad I might do it down the road, but not going to be there on day 1.


For those who will get in on the iPad train at this station there's a lot to like here. For those of us on since the beginning, not so sure.

 

[Carlo_M]

Clearly an evolutionary upgrade. Apple is not quite as reliable as Intel's "Tick-Tock" strategy of upgrades (one revolutionary, one evolutionary). Apple tends to have anywhere from 1 to 4 evolutionary upgrades before a revolutionary one, at least for their computers. Their mobile devices though have been going more tick-tock though, so I'm very hopeful for the iPad 3 being revolutionary.


I have to hold off now. With a new desktop Mac coming for me in the next refresh, I'm "all-in" with regards to Thunderbolt, and that will hopefully be on their next iPad.


And having traded in my 3GS for a 4, I am never going back down from a retina display on a mobile device. My flatmate still has a 3GS and it's hard for me to look at the thing. Not sure how I lived with that for nearly 18 months!

 

[KeithAP]

I just noticed on Apple's site it says "Order starting March 11 and get free, fast shipping." However, they also said you could buy it at an Apple Store on March 11. I am being cynical to think Apple is holding up online orders to drive traffic to the Apple Stores?


-Keith

 

[DaveF]

Originally Posted by Sam Posten

-Unclear that there is more RAM or not

It's almost inconceivable that Apple would shackle the A5, running multitasking iOS 4.3, with a puny 256 MB RAM. It's got to at least match the iPhone 4's 512 MB RAM


I was hoping for a 96 GB or even a 128 GB ipad. (sigh) 64 GB will still work well for me.


I plan to buy a 32GB 3G model as close to Mar 11 as I can. You know, for my wife I want to buy on Verizon, but I need to know Verizon won't have any pricing shenanigans. If I can wrest if from my wife's grip, I'll take it on business a week later. Depending on how much we fight over it and rumors about iPad 3 this Fall, I'll buy a second iPad sometime later this year.

 

[Carlo_M]

Ifixit will get to the bottom of it!

 

[mattCR]

The faster processor to me seems like a "neat" but not a must have as people think. I understand people say "it turns it into the ultimate gaming device" but I don't think so. I think the issue you'll run into is that games will come out and they will have to anticipate the speed and timing of an iPad, not an iPad2 to work on both. So while you may get more functionality and some better looking graphics, game play will stay largely the same because you can't rework an app twice for the same platform. Apps will load faster and have less lag for sure, but I dont' think we'll be quick to see any apps that are "Ipad2 Exclusive". Sure, facetime, but the big other add on is HDMI. Which is interesting but I still can't get over how strange it is.



I will be interested to see the adoption rate. If you had an iPad1, I don't know if there is a huge compelling "Must have" here to jump to iPad2. The camera is a nice touch and I'm sure if you were buying for the first time it'd push you to the ipad2, but I don't see a "OMG I have to upgrade now!" type ability.


I've been playing with the 15" MBP w/Thunderbolt, and it really is a "OMG, I should consider upgrading" (I also played with the 13", and I'm sorry, I don't care about new features that thing is NOT a good upgrade). But the iPad2 just doesn't have that function that screams "MUST UPGRADE"


It's a good announcement, but there isn't anything here that is incredibly compelling as a means to go up

 

[Sam Posten]

I was wrong, the speaker grille did change. Need someone to confirm:

-How much louder it is

-If it is indeed on board stereo speakers


My thoughts pretty much parallel this:

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/apples-ipad-2-an-incremental-upgrade-enough-to-kill-the-competition/45532


I was all set to skip iPad2 after being initially for it, but the speed really does seem incredible, especially for web pages, which is one of my biggest beefs with iPad1:

http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/02/ipad-2-first-hands-on/

 

[Sam Posten]

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/02/apples-digital-av-adapter-also-works-with-iphone-4-fourth-gen/


iPad, iPhone 4 and Touch all get HDMI support. Capped at 720p (iPad2 does 1080p) but still, SOLD.

 

[DaveF]

Originally Posted by mattCR

The faster processor to me seems like a "neat" but not a must have as people think. I understand people say "it turns it into the ultimate gaming device" but I don't think so. I think the issue you'll run into is that games will come out and they will have to anticipate the speed and timing of an iPad, not an iPad2 to work on both. So while you may get more functionality and some better looking graphics, game play will stay largely the same because you can't rework an app twice for the same platform. Apps will load faster and have less lag for sure, but I dont' think we'll be quick to see any apps that are "Ipad2 Exclusive". Sure, facetime, but the big other add on is HDMI. Which is interesting but I still can't get over how strange it is.

That's a fair assessment, I think. While Apple touted this as a major upgrade, it feels like a speedbump to me. Not to disparage it, since it's better in all ways from the first and is competitive with all the other tablets coming out. But it's doesn't have the ZOMG! appeal that an eventual RetinaDisplay will have to me. And I think many Christmas buyers will look at #2 and be fully content at what they already have.


As a new buyer, I am looking forward to getting an iPad 2.


But, to contradict myself, there is something that could drive upgrades: multitasking. My guess is that multitasking is going to be Smoooooth! on the Two. Much faster CPU with (assumed) more RAM and apps will switch with the greatest of ease. And when an iPad owner demos flipping between Safari and Twitter and Pages and Evernote, and there's no delay, no hiccups, they'll be impressed. And not because they'll explicitly think, "Hey! Multitasking works better!" But because the whole experience will be more Apple-like. The iPad 2 will be closer to the Apple ideal experience, I think.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Buying my Mom her first iPad. iPad 2 on March 11th.


Me? Gonna wait for iPad 3 at the end of the year -- rumor

or not.

 

[DaveF]

Ron - if no iPad 3 comes out this Fall, will you buy the current one, or just go 'round the horn and buy the 3 next March?

 

[Dave Scarpa]

I Doubt we'll see another refresh or version of the Ipad this year the retina display will come, more than likely for next Feb

 

[Dave Scarpa]

I'm on the Fence I have a 64gb 3g right now. I wish we had seen at least a jump to 128gb. I'd be tempted to get a new 64gb 3g just to go to Verizon, there are alot of places here I can only use edge and the Ipad is virtually unusable on Edge. Does anyone know what the verizon plans are going to be and are there any caveats going with verizon over AT&T ? I know for the phone you cannot surf and talk at the same time, not an issue on the Ipad.


Finally anyone try out the Xoom, I know Android doesnt have the apps nor the stability, but it looks interesting

 

[DavidJ]

Originally Posted by Ronald Epstein


Me? Gonna wait for iPad 3 at the end of the year -- rumor

or not.

Me too. While I like a lot of what they did with the iPad 2, it is not a must upgrade for me from the original. I'll happily recommend the iPad 2 to others like my sister who has been thinking about getting an iPad, but I'll wait for version 3.

 

[DaveF]

Dave, I'm also curious if the Verizon 3G plans are different than AT&T's.


As for the Xoom: there's a winding and argumentative thread about Honeycomb and the Xoom here

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/forum/thread/307559/android-honeycomb-tablet-os-is-official-this-does-not-suck


Sam and I have done demos at Verizon. We're waiting for someone, like Man or Hanson, to buy a Xoom and give us a more detailed experience.

And there are a number of reviews at places like Engadget and Chicago Sun Times (Andy Ihnatko's column).

 

[DaveF]

Need a bit of help: Are photos sync'd to the iPad "optimized" and reduced in size, as they are for the iPhone? Or does it transfer full-size photos?


I'm determining what capacity iPad to buy my wife

 

[DaveF]

The view from the other side.



http://blogs.computerworld.com/17907/motorola_xoom_versus_the_ipad_2_the_xoom_is_a_clear_winner

Apple's revamped iPad, the iPad 2, is certainly an improvement over the original iPad. But when compared head to head against the Motorola Xoom, the Xoom still wins. Here's why.

 

[TonyD]

What reason would there be to buy one that is only wifi? Are people around hot spots that often that it wouldn't need to have 3g?

 

[dmiller68]

Well I started off excited with the new processor.... Then thud. I was very underwhelmed with it, however 128GB storage option and I would have been in line to buy it day one. While I think it is a nice package it doesn't inspire a current user to upgrade. I think even adding an SD slot could have made it more interesting. So now instead of buying that I think I'll look at getting on of the new Macbook Pros. Nice high res 15" should do the trick now to convince the wife.

 

[DaveF]

What reason would there be to buy one that is only wifi? Are people around hot spots that often that it wouldn't need to have 3g?

To save $129. I might get a wifi model for myself. I'd mostly use it at home or business travel. That's almost always wifi.