iPad 2 Really is Awesome

iPad 2

This afternoon I was over at my neighborhood Best Buy and I got a chance to play with an iPad 2 demo unit. It wasn’t until today that I realized just how much nicer they are than the first-generation model that I have.

Although the iPad 2 is only 15% lighter than mine, I could feel the difference. It wasn’t a huge difference, but it was noticeable. What was more apparent is the difference in thickness, or should I say thinness. The iPad 2 is 33% thinner, and the difference in how it feels is dramatic. I also think the new, more tapered bevel around the edge tends to emphasize this difference, making it feel even thinner.

Although the screen has the same resolution as mine, it actually did seem more clear and crisp. I’m not sure why that is – did they change the display?

Although I’ve told myself I don’t need a new iPad, it did take some willpower to walk out of the store without one. Even though I was tempted, there’s no getting around the fact that mine still works fine. As proof, I used it to compose and publish this post.

Stream your iTunes music and videos to your iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch

One of the big new features in iOS 4.3 is the ability to use Home Sharing to stream content from your iTunes library on your Mac or PC to your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch over a Wi-Fi network.

It’s a cool feature, but the process to set it up is not terribly intuitive. I was actually going to write up a little tutorial, but Macworld beat me to it. Check out their tutorial, here.

Apple Releases iOS 4.3

This morning Apple released iOS 4.3 for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, with some nice enhancements including, AirPlay Enhancements, Faster Safari, iTunes Home Sharing, and Personal Hotspot (for iPhone 4). Read all about the new features, here.

You’ll want to download iTunes 10.2.1 before updating, for full compatibility. And, as always, I suggest syncing your device before applying the iOS update in iTunes to make sure everything is backed up.

Business in Bloom: Producing Martha Stewart Living’s iPad edition

Speaking of Adobe, I do really like this promotional video they did for the production of Martha Stewart Living digital magazine.

Although this video was intended to promote Adobe’s Digital Publishing Suite, it’s every bit (and possibly more) a video about how cool the iPad is. In fact, the very first words you hear are Martha Stewart saying, “When I saw that iPad, I wanted a digital issue of the magazine… immediately!”

YouTube Link

Get $100 back from Apple if you just bought the original iPad

When Apple announced the iPad 2 this past Wednesday, they lowered the price of the original iPad by $100. If you just bought the original iPad, don’t fret… you have the option of getting $100 back from Apple, or returning it entirely in favor of buying the new iPad 2. You just need your original receipt, and the return must be made within 14 days of purchase.

iPad 2: Thinner. Lighter. Faster.

iPad 2: Thinner. Lighter. Faster.

iPad 2: Thinner. Lighter. Faster.

Despite being on sick leave, Steve Jobs took center stage today to unveil the all new, iPad 2. The new model has been totally redesigned, and will be available March 11th.

  • Available in black or white. Unlike the (mythical) white iPhone, the white iPad will be available from day 1.
  • New 1GHz dual-core A5 chip. Apple says it will have the same 10 hour battery life, but have double the overall performance, and 9-times the graphics performance as the original iPad.
  • 33 percent thinner and up to 15 percent lighter.
  • Front and rear-facing cameras.
  • HDMI-out through a $39 adaptor.
  • Same price and storage-capacity options as the original iPad
  • Same 9.7 inch, 1024×768 display

Apple also announced a nifty new Smart Cover, and versions of Garage Band and iMove for the iPad. There’s a couple of great videos on Apple’s iPad page that really give a sense of just how cool the iPad 2 and Smart Covers really are.

I would be a liar if I said I didn’t totally want this! But, I already have the original iPad (and I love it), and I just can’t justify the upgrade right now. I can’t say I’ll be able to resist upgrading until iPad 3, but I probably won’t be running out anytime too soon.

iPad Wallpapers at iPad Flava

iPad Flava

I recently came across iPad Flava, a site that showcases images that have been pre-formatted for use as iPad wallpapers (1024px x 1024px). Some of them are a little lame, but they do have some nice ones too. Check it out if you’re tired of your current iPad wallpaper.