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Apple iPad 2 reviews are popping up around the Internet from tech sites, techies, and media outlets who were lucky enough to get their hands on the new tablet before they go on sale tomorrow. The glowing reviews shed more light on iPad’s potential to outshine its competitors this year, though some reviewers did mention some drawbacks like the poor camera quality. iPad 2 comes with new features, a new body, a new inside, and everybody thinks it will be as much or a bigger success than the first-generation iPad.
Walt likes the iPad 2, calling it the “best tablet for average consumers,” and thinks it makes the old iPad and Xoom look “bloated”. But he’s not happy about the quality of the rear facing camera for taking pictures and lack of 4G support. He suggests not buying the iPad 2 if you have a first-generation iPad as it is “evolutionary rather than revolutionary.”
As new contenders move into the field, Apple isn’t likely to keep its 90% share of the booming tablet market. But the iPad 2 moves the goal posts, by being slimmer and lighter, boosting speed and power, and holding its price advantages, available apps and battery life. As of now, I can comfortably recommend it as the best tablet for average consumers.
For Apple’s competitors in the tablet-device market, the iPad 2 is a bucket of water to the face. After more than a year of struggling to catch up to the original iPad, here’s a new model that addresses many of the iPad’s deficiencies, dramatically improves its speed, and doesn’t cede any ground on price, features, or battery life. The iPad 2 raises the bar Apple set a year ago—and it’s time for the rest of the industry to scramble again to catch up.
For everyone else, the iPad 2 is a triumph, an iPad that’s even more iPad than the original. And the original one was really good. The first iPad was a bolt from the blue, a device that defined an entire category, and a tough act to follow. The iPad 2 follows it with aplomb.
A week ago, after its unveiling, I got some hands on time with the new hardware and my initial assessment was that it pushed a device that already had no true competition, even farther ahead. But now I’ve had the chance to actually use the thing non-stop for a week. Is my feeling the same?
Actually, it’s even stronger.
The original iPad was considered a huge hit — but that was with no real competition. The iPad 2 has some competition — right now, the Xoom, and many more are coming. But I have no doubt that the iPad 2 will be an even bigger hit than the original.
Apple has just released the latest version of its operating software for iPad, iPhone and iPod, iOS 4.3. Its launch was originally set for this Friday when iPad 2 goes on sale.
iOS 4.3 comes with several new updates and improvements. Javascript in the Safari web browser is now faster. A “Personal Hotspot” is now possible in conjunction with iPhone4 using AT&T, but you must purchase a tethering plan. iPad users can take advantage of a 3G connection by being wirelessly connected to iPhone 4. This feature has been available between iPhones and iPads that are jailbroken, but now Apple has sanctioned its use in iOS 4.3.
Users can also now take advantage of iTunes Home Sharing, enjoying shared iTunes content over Wi-Fi. Music and movies can be streamed from a Mac or PC to an iOS device through a local wireless network.
Third-party applications also get support for AirPlay. You can stream audio and video to Apple TV, or audio to AirPort Express. Photos and videos can also be shared.
Apple iPad competitors may be putting too many eggs in their baskets according to J.P. Morgan Research analyst Mark Moskowitz. There is an “increasing risk of a bubble burst” later in 2011 thanks to an over supply of tablets from iPad’s rivals.
“In our view, the technical and form factor improvements of the iPad 2 stand to make it tougher for the first generation of competitive offerings to play catch-up, meaning actual shipments could fall well short of plan,”
Moskowitz predicts 65.1 million tablet devices could be produced in 2011. J. P. Morgan’s own estimates call for 47.9 million tablets to be produced this year. Apple could also see an almost 100% sales growth over the coming year with as much as 29 million iPads sold in 2011.
“Aside from Motorola’s Xoom and HP’s TouchPad (which does not have a price tag yet), the competitive offerings appear to be light on attraction, in our view,”
A report in Forbes surfaced last week suggesting Best Buy was going to purchase and hand out 10’s of thousands of iPad 2’s to its sales associates across the country. The goal was to boost Best Buy’s “Connected Store” program whereby potential customers can try out different devices first-hand with knowledgeable employees. Having these employees be experienced with devices like the iPad would be needed, and therefore a good reason for the rumor to be true.
But Best Buy has just shot down the rumor. In a Wall Street Journal article, a Best Buy representative said the company was still thinking about which devices to give to its employees and that there would only be a limited supply of those devices handed out.
“While we plan in the future to supply each store a limited number of handheld devices to use as sales tools when assisting the consumer, we have not many any final decision at this time,”
“We continue to evaluate all handheld devices and platforms, looking for the best solution to aid our employees on the floor,”
The “Connected Store” program is now testing out different tablets like the Apple iPad, Samsung Galaxy Tab, and Motorola Xoom. Customers will get expert help from staff who are familiar with the devices they’re interested in.
Best Buy is set to sell iPad 2 in their stores this Friday at 5pm local time. Online sales should begin at bestbuy.com some time after Friday. We’ll let you know when. First-generation iPads are on sale now for $100 off their original price.
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The big day for those who want to buy iPad 2 is approaching. iPad 2 will be launched this Friday, March 2011 at 4:00am Eastern time (just after 1am on the west coast) through apple.com and at 5pm Eastern time at Apple retail stores.
Best Buy and Target will also sell iPad 2 on launch day. Best Buy locations will start selling iPad 2 in their stores at 5pm Eastern time this Friday, according to an iPad 2 FAQ on Best Buy’s website. Target will probably follow suit with a 5pm launch as well, though that has not been confirmed.
If last year is any indication on waiting lines to buy an iPad, then you probably will want to line up as early as possible to make sure you can walk out of the store with an iPad 2 in your hand this Friday. Walmart and Sam’s Club are slated to sell iPad 2 as well, but an on sale date for those stores has not yet been set.
Best Buy and Walmart will sell iPad 2 on their websites, but both currently have the availability online as “coming soon”. We’ll let you know when they will be available.
All Things Digital put together a chart to help explain the iPad 2 data plans for AT&T and Verizon:
As with the first-generation iPad, AT&T is offering the same data plan rates – 250MB/$15 and 2GB/$25 with the prepaid option. If you happen to go over your plan rate with data usage, you can order another 250MB or 2GB plan. If you choose the “postpaid” option, AT&T will charge you another $14.99 for 250MB and $10 per 1GB of data transfer should you go over your monthly allotment.
There’s good news for those first-generation iPad users who signed up for the unlimited data plan with AT&T in April of last year, which was canceled a month later. Those users will be “grandfathered” in with the new data plan, according to Engadget, allowing them unlimited data usage for $29.99 per month.
The tablets are coming! The tablets are coming! And in full force.
Steve Jobs mentioned at the iPad 2announcement event last Wednesday that 2011 will be the “year of iPad 2“. That may be true, but there are also a number of other tablets either currently being sold or slated to launch this year like Xoom and Galaxy Tab. All of this is giving PC makers concern as a report from Gartner is saying demand for PCs in the next 2 years will weaken.
Gartner lowered their PC sales forecast for 2011 and 2012 last Thursday. Traditional computers and laptops aren’t in as high demand as they once were due to the Apple iPad and other tablets.
Even though PC shipments are expected to rise to 387.8 million in 2011, a 10.5 percent increase from 2010, a dent in sales will still be felt thanks to the emerging tablet market. Gartner had previously reported an expected 15.9 percent growth of PC shipments for this year. A 14.8 percent growth for 2012 was also expected but that number was revised down to 13.6 percent.
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