Coming a year after the original, the second generation iPad came with almost the same hysteria and intrigue as the first; the iPad brand has sold around 15 million tablets overall. However, what was the purpose of the iPad 2? Did it offer an extensive upgrade from the original incarnation or was it merely a ploy to generate even more sales?
Cosmetically speaking, the iPad 2 is much slimmer and lightweight than its predecessor; the thickness has almost halved. However what is inside the box is generally more important to the consumer in this day and age and, in a way, it is its technological features that mean the iPad 2 really delivers. It features a much stronger processor for a start – a dual-core 1GHz A5 chip – however storage wise it is unchanged given that you can get a cheap iPad 2 in a 16 GB version while the 32 and 64 GB ones are slightly more expensive.
The iPad 2 comes with a camera (both front and rear facing) which was missing from the original and it also has the ability for HD output. Wi-FI is still present on both devices however Apple has significantly updated the cell radio that was onboard the original iPad; while the first generation only came with the sluggish EDGE feature and the triband HSPA, the new Apple iPad 2 comes packed with EDGE plus quadband UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA; meaning that non-Wi-Fi internet will be somewhat faster and more efficient than before.
Does the iPad 2 warrant an upgrade from the original? In many ways it does; the addition of a camera is a big advance in the iPad series as is the more powerful processor that makes the system seem sleeker and certainly much faster in comparison. Given that there are many cheap iPad 2’s to be found on the net, an upgrade is well worth your while.