Assignment 4-1 weekly analysis

The wait is over and the iPad 2 is officially here. No more speculating what changes has decided to make. Two weeks ago I posted about the release announcement for the iPad 2 and mentioned that they were going to include the Retina display, and it appears that Apple has opted to not include this in its newest incarnation. I find this an unfortunate decision because I was really looking forward to a high definition screen on the iPad 2. Another much-anticipated feature that was left out of this version was the USB connection. The choice to not include these features may be a deal breaker for many. We probably won’t know the specific reasons for these omissions, but sometimes with technology a developer has to make compromises in their designs to release the best and most reliable product they can. We can hope that in later generations that they will be able to incorporate these features, but for now we will have to appreciate some of the other exciting components that Apple has included.

For one, Apple has supplied a beefy new processor. It is the A5 1 GHz dual core, which is an upgrade from its A4 single core processor of last year. Apple has included 512mb of memory with this version, bringing it up to standards with the iPhone 4 specs. The iPad 2 in general is much smoother and quicker than the original version of the iPad. This should make gaming and applications run much better and make for an enhanced overall experience.

With the market starting to become saturated with tablet PC’s, it would have been nice to see Apple really push the market. I believe Apple may have played it a little too safe with the iPad 2. They had a prime opportunity to push the market and encourage more growth in this sector of technology. A few cosmetic changes have been made to offer a sleeker and thinner product than the original, but I’m not sure that it is enough for me to consider purchasing the iPad 2. If you are in the market for a tablet PC you may want to consider this but from my standpoint I believe a laptop is still the way to go. A consumer can purchase a laptop or iPad 2 for as little as $600-$700 dollars, but the laptop will give you a greater range of functions you can perform, while still having a portable device. I’m excited for this technology but I don’t think it is fully realized yet. Maybe in a few more years we will have a tablet that is able to compete with a laptop or even a desktop PC, but as of right now we will have to wait and see how things progress from here.

Reference:

Topolsky, J. (2011, March 9). iPad 2 review -- Engadget. Engadget. Retrieved March 12, 2011, from http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/09/ipad-2-review/