2011 – Year of the iPad 2
Steve Jobs was on stage last week to announce the next iPad, simply called iPad 2. Much had been speculated on what it will have and how it will look, with some getting close while others missed by miles. But it is here and iPad 2 will be available in the US from March 11 and another 26 countries from March 25. Unfortunately, Singapore is not in that 26.
It took more than 6 months last year before iPad officially hit our shores and hopefully for iPad 2, the wait will be shorter. But don’t be surprise as you will probably see them in your neighborhood electronic stores at extremely cut-throat prices.
Prices remain the same as the original iPad when it was first launched and you will have the options of WiFi or WiFi+3G at 16GB, 32GB and 64GB and also a choice between White or Black. See below for the SG prices from last year.
iPad pricing for Singapore from last year
In a nutshell…
The iPad 2 will have a new tapered, slim design with the same screen size as its predecessor. It is lighter than the original iPad and even thinner than the iPhone 4 (8.8mm vs 9.3mm). There are also TWO color options – White or Black…which kinda means Apple has solved the White case problem that had plagued the iPhone 4.
There are two cameras on the front and back of the iPad 2 (VGA and 720p respectively) which you can use to record HD videos and also use it for FaceTime with other iOS devices or the Mac.
FaceTiming with the iPad
Internally, it has a new duo-core processor, A5, which Apple claim to be double the speed than before. They also stated a 9 times improvement in graphical performance which will come in useful with some of the new apps announced (more on that later).
With the slim design, powerful processor and graphics chip, one might think that battery life will be affected. Nope. Apple somehow managed to squeeze more battery in the iPad, so much so it will still have 10 hours usage using WiFi (9hrs with 3G).
The “soft” side
The iPad 2 will come with iOS 4.3 installed, which Apple had just made available for everyone. This comes with improvements to AirPlay, Safari and the new iTunes Home Sharing that allows you to watch all your media on your PC via iTunes wirelessly.
As mentioned previously, with the two cameras in iPad 2, you can start doing FaceTime video chat with someone on another iOS device or your Mac. With the front camera at the top of the iPad while held in portrait mode, the camera will be closer to you but I am still not convinced if one will be comfortable doing FaceTime with the iPad 2, or be happy with how one will look on screen when the camera is looking up …
Another software that comes new with iPad 2 is Photobooth which you should be familiar if you owns a Mac. But with the touch interface, you can even manipulate some of the effects to give yourself that unique special look.
During the event, Apple also demoed two new apps that will be coming to the App Store which utilize the features of the iPad – iMovie and GarageBand.
Make a movie? Now you can with the HD cam on the iPad
The iMovie app for the iPhone currently is a much stripped-down version of what you get on the Mac. But with this update (it will be an Universal app), the iMovie on the iPad works closer to how iMovie works on the Mac, taking full advantage of the increase screen and touch gestures. You can import directly from what you shoot with the HD back camera, and activate the Precision Editor to fine tune your edits. There are multiple audio tracks overlay which you can add music, sound effects or even record voice over directly. When done, you can share it out to your favorite video sites or watch it on the iPad. Watch the demo here
Fancy being the next singer/songwriter with the GarageBand on iPad 2?
As for the GarageBand, Apple has create an app which makes making music much more accessible to anyone. On a Mac, GarageBand requires you to have a keyboard/guitar to make music. But on the iPad, using touch interface, GarageBand lets you play and record music like the real instrument – be it a drum, guitar or a grand piano. It also comes with an 8-track recording suite that lets you import music from your iTunes library, or record straight off an instrument or via the built-in instruments. Watch the demo here
Accessories me
With Apple, you know that everything they put out will have been carefully thought through and they usually don’t produce something just for the sake of that. Take for example the Smart Cover they announced together with iPad 2. This is basically a harden piece of cover made of Polyurethane or Leather, that when laid over the iPad 2, holds itself steadfastly onto the iPad with magnets and protects the screen when closed, or when folded, becomes a stand – both vertically or horizontally. To add to its functions, when you lift the lid off the cover, the iPad will switch itself back on from sleep mode. There are 5 colors to choose for either the Polyurethane or the Leather cover. I think this will be a hot-seller.
See it in action in the video below.
Apple also announced a new adapter (Apple Digital AV Adapter) that will allow you to mirror your iPad 2 screen onto a display with HDMI on both landscape and portrait mode at 1080p (movies at 720p). This works across all apps on the iPad 2. You can also connect your 30pin cable to charge your iPad at the same time. When used with other iOS device, you can display slideshows or movie on the big screen at 720p, with audio support.
So what else is there – the question of should I buy one?
It will be another post to give you the reasons to buy or not, to upgrade or not, WiFi or 3G, white or black…etc. But thankfully someone else has done it – read this thorough should I buy article by Marco Arment.
With regards to the choice between WiFi or WiFi+3G model, it depends how and where you see yourself using it. As mentioned in the article by Marco, the WiFi+3G model includes a GPS module which you will need if you require your iPad to give you decently accurate location. Also now with iOS 4.3, if you have iPhone 4, you can use the Personal Hotspot feature to connect your WiFi iPad onto the net
But if you are still looking at the WiFi+3G iPad, besides the price difference between a WiFi and a WiFi+3G model, you need to factor in the additional cost to of getting the 3G connection.
There are two options: MultiSim or iPad package. MultiSim is a value-added service tagged to your mobile post-paid plan. Assuming you already have a phone plan with 3G data, you can get another SIM card with the same account and use that card in your iPad. Monthly charges for all 3 telcos for a MultiSIM VAS with at least one MicroSIM card, is S$10.70. (If you are a SingTel customer, get a normal SIM card for MultiSIM VAS and get it cut to size to use in iPad, saves you S$5/mth, assuming both SIM cards you have are not MicroSIM)
Alternatively, you can get a separate post-paid plans for iPads, ranging from S$21.40/mth from M1 to S$36.40/mth from Starhub (S$34.50/mth from Singtel).
.h3 So now we wait.
While we wait for Apple to release the launch date of iPad 2 to come out, take this time to think about your usage need and see whether the iPad will fit into your life. Alternatively, like some of us, shape your life with an iPad instead… 
And for those who are contemplating waiting for the next iPad…
You can argue that there might be another one coming out within the next 8-12 months… but that’s always going to be the case. And unlike a lot of other electronics, the retail price of any given Apple product will probably never change over its lifespan. Therefore, the best time to buy an Apple product is right when it’s released or updated ~ Marco Arment
Share with us your thoughts on the iPad 2.
The updated softwares – iLife’09 and iWork’09 – are definitely worth looking into. Again, these are not revolutionary changes to the two application suits, but a maturing of softwares that targets the general consumers, but sprinkled with professional features that are made easy to use. Yes, even your grandma can definitely do those edits with these new tools.
They have included Basic Lessons, using videos and interactive features on GarageBand to teach you piano and guitar lessons. For more advance classes, you can even enlists help from famous artists like Sting, Sarah McLachlan and Norah Jones to teach you how to play their tunes. Though you will need to pay for these Artists Lessons via GarageBand’s built-in store.