iPad Vs. iPad 2

Critics couldn’t praise it more, and users couldn’t love it more. Such is the magic that iPad withholds. And its successor, the iPad 2? It leaves you bemused the moment you hold it in your hand. Today, in this comparison, lets unleash all those areas where both the Apple treatises outrun each other. Lets figure out which’s the big Daddy.

I wonder, how easy would’ve it been to compare apples with oranges. But an Apple vs Apple? Boy! Now that’s intriguing, since both make you wish you just had more fingers. The tapping, it gives your fingers a new reason to exist. The multimedia, it makes you give up on all your friends, now that your new best friend is in your hands, lit with pride, and looking back at you with affection. The looks, they make heads turn and how. Oh, if you’re a proud owner of either, I consider you as one of the luckiest people alive on the face of this earth, and I’m not prettying up, mind you.

Ever since the iPad 2 hit the market, it was as if the iPad first generation never existed. As if it was the second generation iPad which became the next best thing after sliced bread and Lady Gaga. Clearly, that explains the fact that the iPad market has grown, and it has grown humongous. Doesn’t come as a surprise to me if you find yourself so enchanted by the beauty that the king-of-tablets is, that it’s hard to figure out which one to buy, the iPad or the iPad 2. Well, consider me your techie-guide for a while, for I’m soon going to tell you which one should you tip your hand upon, literally. Allow me to put some words to life over the ubiquitous iPad vs iPad 2 comparison. Here goes.

The iPad: An Introduction

Release Date: January 27, 2010
So, the rumors were true. There had been something like a tablet without any physical buttons that Apple was making, and Mr. Steve Jobs weighed every word before speaking. And when it released, people danced in merriment. It was a one-of-its-kind device, with a puh-fekt combination of Internet access, music, videos, books, and not to forget, gaming. They called it both an evolution and a solution. Seemed like the Apple guys knew they were going to be rich.

The iPad 2: An Introduction

Release Date: March 11, 2011
Just when the Apple devotees thought life couldn’t be better, Apple announced the second installment of the tablet which was as successful as the Harry Potter series, perhaps more, because you could watch all Harry Potter movies on the iPad (bah, bad joke!). There arrived the iPad 2, sleeker, thinner, faster, and undoubtedly, a sight. And its magnetic cover? It’s the new fad! You open it, and the iPad 2 wakes up. You close it, and the iPad 2 goes back to sleep. And hey, we haven’t discussed the specs of both editions yet. Before we latch into that, there’s one thing I would like to share. Both the iPad as well as the iPad 2 are enough to outperform any tablet available in the market. But has the successor outperformed the predecessor? Take a look at the following section to know that.

That brings us to talk about both the similarities and the differences between the two tablets. To start with, the screen size, battery life, Bluetooth service, storage, and Wi-Fi connectivity are same in both. However, the iPad 2 wins hands down in terms of Camera availability, sleekness, and not to forget, the upgraded Apple A5 dual-core processor, which ensures superb processing. But when it comes to price, the iPad 2 is a wee bit towards the higher end (wee?). While the base price of iPad 2 is similar to the original iPad, that is $499, if you’re eying for the 64 GB iPad 2 with 3G connectivity, you might as well shell out $829. That’s one major difference between iPad 1 and iPad 2 when it comes to price.

The new thing about the iPad 2 is that it lets you choose between two carriers: AT&T and Verizon’s 3G, whereas, with the first edition of the iPad, you just had one career choice, AT&T. Yes, those earnestly waiting for the iPad 2 hoped that it’d come with 4G connectivity, but what the heck? 3G ain’t that bad! More to it, one of the chicest feather additions to the iPad 2’s hat is its Smart Cover which is lusted by everyone who sees it. It automatically puts the iPad 2 to sleep, and wakes it up, all with a flip. Well, it becomes a dock-like stand too if you want! Even though the first generation iPad owners can have the Smart Cover for their device, they’ll be disappointed for the cover cannot put the device to sleep or wake it up.

As for the verdict, despite the teeny-weeny shortcomings that the iPad 2 has, such as the absence of Adobe Flash Player, the ‘closed’ ecosystem, and most importantly, customer reviews, the iPad 2 is worth a grab. Not only is it beautiful, it’s way better than the original, or so the critics claim. However, there’s a warning, if the iPad 3 rumors reached your ears, perhaps, it’s time to stick to your original iPad, and wait for a few more weeks to let the Apple guys get a bit candid about what’s shakin’. As for the buying decision, you could grab the first generation iPad at a hundred dollars less, courtesy the stock clearance treat that Apple’s currently offering. On a concluding note, I’d just say that whichever of the two you end up buying, a jealous bunch of friends and colleagues definitely comes for free along with the package!