iPad 2 Review
Beautifully slim, the new iPad 2 aluminium chassis is cool and futuristic, while a new graphics chip ups the screen clarity and brightness
Ease of use
Apple’s streamlined iOS 4.3 is intuitive and elegant to use, with a gloriously tactile touch-screen and virtual keyboard making web, email and games a pleasure. Sadly, the bloated iTunes remains a dinosaur of software versions past
Features
Along with a new dual-core processor that has sped up multitasking, there are now dual cameras for video calling and (blurry) photo taking. The rear camera can record HD video though
Performance
Fast, slick and natural, the iPad 2 can’t be faulted on the web, email and gaming fronts. It’s the iconic device for the new-media era – so its lack of support for Flash video is especially glaring
Battery life
Exceptional – despite greater horsepower and a slimmer chassis, the excellent 10-hour-plus battery life of the iPad 1 has been maintained. On non-continuous use, the iPad 2 easily lasts days
Apple iPad 2
Pros: Incredibly sleek look and feel, video calling, tons of apps optimised for iPad, particularly magazines and new media
Cons: Lack of Flash video is galling for a media-centric device, bloated iTunes software, difficult to transfer media without iTunes
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| Performance | |
| Battery life | |
Verdict: Faster and more streamlined, the iPad 2 is a deliciously sleek next-gen gadget – which makes the clunky iTunes software and lack of Flash video even more frustrating.
