Is iPad 2 worth the upgrade?

David Swan
Sunday, 27 March 2011 10:59

Your IT - Mobility

The iPad. Few other products have the ability to cause fans to queue up for hours on end, discussing endlessly their colour preference, how many gigabytes they need and that one time they spotted Steve Jobs.

 

OPINION Diehard Apple fans come out of the woodwork around twice a year, and the iPad is in some ways eclipsing the iPhone as the must have device for any true Apple fan, especially given the ubiquity of Apple's iPhone.

So, is it worth upgrading, and am I happy with my purchase?

Yes, to a degree.

There seems to be significantly more anti-Apple sentiment this time around, perhaps due to the heavy number of competitors now on offer, but mostly due to the lack of 'revolution.' iPad 2 is better, but in small, subtle ways that make the upgrade somewhat hard to justify, especially to naysayers.

To some, the new iPad and the fact it commands loyal followers from all over the world represents what's wrong with society, our consumerist nature overpowering any logic or reason. Images of swarms of fans mobbing Apple stores at 5pm on Friday do draw likenesses to flocks of sheep; there because everyone else is, but not really sure why.

But we are sure why.

The device is good, and worth purchasing, even if you own the first edition. It just happens to also be incredibly sexy, and, importantly to some, 'cool'. Some buy it for business, and the ability to send and receive emails without the bulk of a laptop or desktop computer.

Others buy it for the games, with the iPad's touchscreen offering ease of use not seen on other gaming devices.

Musicians buy it to create music, photographers to keep and edit photos. It can be anything to anyone, and that's why it is so damn successful.

The new and improved iPad 2 doesn't do enough in terms of re-inventing the wheel, which Apple could've (and should've) done. The wheel is just now sleeker and a little bit lighter.

This change, like all of Apple's changes, will come gradually and over time. It may be years before we see another revolution. For now, we're forced to put up with slight cosmetic and speed upgrades. And isn't it a hell of a lot of fun.