iPad 2 Review: Hands On, First Look, Features

If you have seen a version of iPad 2 in white, make no mistake, it's true. If you have heard that it will now be thinner than its predecessor and all other tablets, don't doubt it, it's also true. If you remember hearing that the iPad 2 will remain at the same, affordable price (or now even at a cheaper price!), don't think twice, all is confirmed. But the question is, will it live up to our expectations?

White and Black
Wait, before you think that i'm talking about Pokemon Black and White, pause, think again, it's the iPad 2. Though some of us may prefer to stick to black - the original colour, Apple has decided to take a twist in what they are doing and launch the iPad 2 in both black and white; Steve Jobs even quipped that the white version of it will be shipped from day one when he unveiled the device in San Francisco!

Thinner & Lighter
Boasting a sexier, slimmer and slender device - supposedly 33 percent thinner and 15 percent lighter, the iPad 2 will only be 8.8mm thick, which means that it is even thinner than the iPhone 4! Though honestly, the thickness of the first iPad wasn't really a concern, the thinner version would mean that it is lighter and can you possibly imagine how crazy this evolution will mean!? It will just be like computers and tablets will simply shed its weight and become flat screens pretty soon.

Faster & Greater
Integrated with the latest version of Dual-Core A5 chips, iPad 2 is able to work up to nine times the graphics performance and do twice the work at once as it is clocked at 1GHz. While we were playing with this beautifully designed device, it is apparent that the chips gave what it promised - efficiency, speed and simply, smoothness ~ Name anything, multitasking, or even gaming (we were playing infinity blade) while surfing the web with music on, the iPad 2 naturally presents at its peak. Also, though it doesn't feature a retina display (such a pity), the power of its processor still enabled the gadget to perform with faster, smoother and more realistic graphics. This, turned out rather appealing as we didn't encounter any lag, neither did we need to wait for it to process the graphics, it was simply smooth ~ xD



Awesome-r & Sexier
Front and rear-facing cameras for FaceTime and HD videos, built-in accelerometer and three-axis gyroscope (nevermind these complicated terms) for awesomer 'intelligence' while rotating/twisting, smart covers specially created for the iPad 2, what more can we demand for? and as greater graphics are presented, the integrated cameras on both sides of the device allows clearer FaceTime, but using it for taking videos...maybe it's abit overboard, don't you think so?Anyways, enhanced built-in accelerometer was interesting to have as when we rotated or turned the gadget, it was more 'intelligent' to sense which direction it's heading, understand what we wanted and accurately measured the orientation to adjust accordingly. The feature came in handy for gaming (Real Racing HD) and also various other apps (maps and compasses) to function more smoothly as it understands what the user is doing.

iPad 2 in the beautifully-designed Smart Cover

Besides these integrated, advanced features which make the product shine again, Apple unveiled the Smart Cover, which is specially deviced to work side-by-side with the iPad. It is built with smart magnetic technology to work hand-in-hand with the  device and falls perfectly in place to protect the screen. Though these suggests that it will be rather bulky or thick, fear not, because remember, it is specially designed; thus, it will still be light and thin, just like the iPad 2! With the ability to literally wake up, stand up and light up the gadget, it surely is an ingenious creation.

**iPad 2start retailing at an affordable price of RM 1500 in Malaysia or $500 in the US! :D

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