It's That Time Of The Month: iPad2, For Lighter Days

Now that Apple has announced the new iPad 2, everyone is on the fence on whether or not it lives up to it's original sibling.  Yes and no.  An Apple representative casually mentioned that the iPad 2 is just a minor update to the original iPad, and that the iPad 3 will be the real upgrade.

But is the iPad 2 worth getting?  Yes it is.  Considering there is no price increase from the original iPad, that alone is a great deal.  And for those that don't need FaceTime, or the fancy new magnetic smart cover, the original iPad is now $399 brand new from Apple.

Other updates include a slimmer and lighter profile, although I'm really not fond of the new back design...I don't like it on my iPod Touch 4G, and I don't like it on the iPad.  Does it really matter?  From a design preference, to me, yes.  Now, the new iPad 2 I'd get for it's features alone, not the design.  But considering that it is still the best looking tablet out there, still says a lot for it.  Seeing as how technology is evolving, we may soon just be buying a transparent piece of glass with a little logo on the corner anyway.  And since most people buy a case for their iPad anyway, the back design is an extremely minor gripe, and a personal one at that.

I would've opted for the same design as the original iPad with a 20 hour battery instead.  But that's just me.  I feel that the slight weight reduction isn't enough to be that big a deal, but a 20-hour charge is significant on a long haul flight or weekend getaway.  Again, this is just my take on the new design.

Reasons to buy the new iPad 2:

• FaceTime
• HD Video recording
• Updated processor (although since no apps maximize this, real world improvements will be incremental at best)
• Smart Cover
• HDMI output (via optional dongle)
• and of course... it comes in WHITE. (For some, this alone is worth the update...hehehe)

Reasons to buy the original iPad:

• $100 cheaper
• Still comparable to the iPad 2 in terms of functionality and practicality
• Milled aluminum design (This is only my personal preference in design, and I still say it's the best look iOS device ever.  I wish they patterned all the other iOS devices after the original iPad)

The screen on both the iPad and iPad 2 are the same, so no Retina upgrade there.  For photographers and videographers, either one will serve your purposes just fine, although editing on the new iPad 2 with the updated iMovie app will be faster.

If you're on the market for an iPad, now is the best time to choose.  For the same amount of money, you get the newer one... and if you aren't really keen on the added features, you can have the original iPad for $100 less.

For those with the original iPad, is it worth the update?  Well, that would depend on the health of your gadget budget.  I'm skipping this update to get the new MacBook Pro instead.