Apple iPad 2 Review
The box of the second iPad is somewhat thinner than the first one - I would not be surprised if this is part of Apple’s sly marketing policy. After all, so much more boxes will fit into one big black bag, which are waiting for SO in forgotten Russia before they go on sale) At Habré, only the lazy one didn’t speak about the new version of the tablet, however, I don’t miss can.
Surprisingly, the customs officer Ivanov managed to earn 25 thousand dollars just by closing his eyes!
')
Okay, let's get serious. So, last year I reviewed the Apple iPad - if you haven’t had time (and what, and it happens) to hold this device in your hands, I recommend reading the article. Why? Because most of the information from it is largely true for the released Apple iPad 2 and a second time to retell the same thing just does not make sense. It will also be useful in order to make it easier to estimate the length of the step that the company took by releasing a novelty.
By the way, remember what's new in the Apple iPad 2 compared to the old one? I will remind you. The first thing that catches your eye is an updated design, more compact dimensions. Unwittingly pay attention to the cameras on both sides of the device. If you dig a little deeper, then inside of the tasty - the new dual-core ARM-processor Apple A5 (running at 0.9-1 GHz and increasing the performance of the graphics subsystem, allegedly up to 9 times) and increased to 512 MB of RAM. Well, if you dig very deep, then we have an updated version of iOS 4.3, which I will briefly describe. There was also a three-position gyroscope and an expensive HDMI adapter) Here, in principle, all the changes.
OS : iOS 4.3
Processor : Apple A5, 0.9-1 GHz
Memory : 16/32/64 GB
RAM : 512 MB
Display : 9.7 ", 1024 x 768, IPS
Wireless communication : UMTS / HSDPA / HSUPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM / EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), Wi-Fi 802.11b / g / n, Bluetooth
Connectors : Dock, 3.5 mm, HDMI via adapter
Camera : video recording in 720p format at 30 k / s + camera for calls on Face Time
Work time : 10 hours with a screen, up to a month in standby mode
Dimensions : 241.1 x 185.7 x 8.8 mm
Weight : 601 g
In details
In addition to size, the list of changes in the box can be attributed to the new pattern - it has become 40% more attractive. The package bundle is traditional for Apple devices - there’s nothing but an AC adapter (with a European plug) and a connecting cable. Although I lie - there is still a “manual” from one sheet and a small “konevertik” (in case it is a 3G model).
Inside the envelope, the most valuable clip is a specially trained clip, the only function of which is to help open the SIM card slot. Therefore, you need to take care of it - I would not be surprised if, like all Apple accessories, it costs 30 bucks, and the usual clip will be incompatible.
It is a pity that even unpretentious headphones, such as complete with iPods, were not put to the heap.
Most of the time when working with the tablet, the user will see its front side - in this case there are practically no differences from the first version. Unless a front camera appeared (640x480 @ 30; for FaceTime conversations and to function as a mirror), the shape of the corners was slightly changed (apparently, the old screen films did not fit) and, subjectively, the Home button became softer (although this may be already grown up and became hardened). The frame around the display can be of two colors - white (girl version) and black (boy version).
The screen is glossy and, like last time, damned mark (also flashes at every opportunity), but I have already said that this problem is solved with a sticker of a matte film (we have 1000 rubles for us, they have $ 3 or less). The image is gorgeous - IPS-matrix, after all. The diagonal and resolution remained the same - 9.7 ”and 1024x768 (132 dpi), respectively.
Behind, in fact, changes too little. All-metal (aluminum) case with a black glossy apple inside, rubberized black insert on top (if it is a 3G model).
If before the edges were rectangular and fairly obvious, now smooth lines and shapes prevail. It looks no less elegant than the first time, but I found the only drawback for myself - if you take a protective film on the back side (if you have a small child, this is necessary), then it will be more difficult to stick it on.
This is also because the speaker, because of the small slots on the bottom, hid behind a multitude (308, to be more precise) of the holes on the back side - not to glue it now.
The power button also moved to the back side - now it will not be pressed if you put the tablet edge to the wall. Headphone jack (3.5mm), port for charging and syncing, camera for photos - all this is also at the back. For those who are particularly inattentive, I’ll write separately that there are still no USB connectors - if I used to get upset about it before, now I understand that it is not needed here.
On the right are the volume rocker and the switch (it has become tighter), which can now return the screen rotation lock function (which was removed for some reason in iOS 4.2).
The left is completely empty, although the 3G version has a slot for a SIM card there. It is metallic and it does not accidentally open it - this is good. Inside, I discovered the AT & T microsynthesis - a sure sign that the device is “white”)
In general, the iPad 2 creates an extremely pleasant experience - no one else has anything like the quality of workmanship and assembly. The dimensions have become even smaller (just 8.8 mm thick, which is smaller than the iPhone 4) and lighter (600 grams - the first ipad weighed 700) - when you take it in hand, you can’t even believe that it is almost a full-fledged computer. But even more I can not believe that all this quietly works autonomously right up to 10 hours! But this is the case.
As I said, iPad 2 comes with a new version of the operating system, iOS 4.3. It is also available for several other devices - iPhone 4 and 3GS, iPod Touch 3G / 4G and iPad. Innovations were not as many as we would like, but they are)
In one line:
Safari browser got the Nitro JavaScript engine from the desktop version, thanks to which the pages began to open twice as fast;
ITunes Home Sharing, which allows Wi-Fi access to all iTunes content on a desktop computer;
Improved AirPlay - technology for streaming audio, video and photo content;
On devices, a hotspot function has appeared to distribute Wi-Fi to other devices;
You can reassign the side-switch action from “Mute” to a screen lock, as before. Until recently, this could only be done with a jailbreak.
I can’t say anything about jailbreaking now - I don’t keep track of this topic, as an honest and decent citizen lives in me)
When the device came to visit me, there were only a few new applications on it - FaceTime, Camera and PhotoBooth. The first is useful for communication between owners of compatible iDevice (actually, this is what the front-facing camera is intended for), two other programs are needed for photographing something. And if the Camera application only allows you to take ordinary pictures on any of the cameras, then PhotoBooth allows you to apply various effects to them, the most interesting of which are X-rays or a thermal imager. Otherwise, the quality of camera shots leaves much to be desired - a lot of noise, even in good light.
Everything works very quickly and without the slightest hint of brakes - be it fast scrolling hundreds of photos in the album or loading in the browser a multi-megabyte review of the next useless piece of iron from Bumburum on Habré. Honestly, I didn’t even know what I should check the “new performance” of the novelty ... but then I remembered that I have Infinity Blade game in the bins, which is currently one of the most demanding applications demonstrating the graphic capabilities of the device. In general, as they say, it's easier to see once (you can watch in HD):
The rest is all the same as before.
This is generally a brilliant two-way. The new tablet has become more compact, because of which the whole army of old covers and cases have become incompatible with it - it will dangle in them like a pencil in a glass. Accordingly, an amazing amount of money can be earned on this - they thought at Apple and, before the official announcement, didn’t tell anyone about the device being prepared (the knowledge that there would be two cameras in it didn’t change anything). Therefore, none of the manufacturers before the time did not do anything. But then all the events began to develop rapidly rapidly - the announcement, after which sales began almost immediately, so no one would be able to do anything simply and do not have time. And Apple is already done - a high-tech “skin” called Smart Cover , which sells for between 39 and 79 bucks. However, it is on this accessory, I would not spare the money.
It would seem, well, what can you think of in such a simple thing as a tablet case? More precisely, there is not even a cover here - rather, a cover covering only one side of the device. It turns out that everyone who saw Smart Cover for the first time and tried to use it, was delighted.
The “cover” consists of four plates arranged in parallel and having flexible connections - all of which can be of different colors and with a texture, for example, leather.
On the one hand, there is a cunning metal construction with a movable mechanism, allowing this very cover to be thrown back as you like, at least 360 degrees. Thanks to the plates inside the cover, it can be folded in different ways - for example, to create a convenient angle for printing, or even to set the tablet vertically for a FaceTime video conversation.
What is important - it is also a good protection for the screen, and even in this armor, the new iPad remains thinner than its predecessor.
But the interesting thing is how this Smart Cover works. When my friends first saw a tablet with an attached cover, they almost in one voice said something like “but they attached this thing in vain, fall off in a week” ... without even knowing that “this thing” is being removed. At the request of “try to remove it?” A timid attempt was made to pull it away ... and in just a couple of seconds “wow” was heard)) In general, the design of the cover is such that you can easily detach it from the iPad and just as easily attach it back - it's easier for me to demonstrate it's on video, rather than trying to describe.
That is, as you can see, the installation and disassembly of the “smart carpet” does not require any titanic efforts - on the contrary, it is very pleasant to sit and tear off and attach the cover during any conversation, overcoming the forces of the magnetic field) The whole process lasts an instant, and everything is possible and blindly - every time the mat will join perfectly smoothly. Smart Cover easily keeps the weight of the tablet itself in limbo - something like this was born another way to use the tablet:
But there is another nice moment. As soon as you start to open the cover, the screen of the device immediately turns on - no need to press the power button, as in the first model. Accordingly, closing the “book”, the screen just goes off automatically. It's comfortable.
How does all this work, why is the cover not attached to the old version of the tablet or even to the opposite side of the new one? The brave guys from iFixit wrote about it in detail, but if in brief, everything ingenious is simple. There are magnets on different sides of the cover - some are attracted to the tablet, others are responsible for its awakening and light sleep (well, or for pinching to the refrigerator, as in the photo above). Inside the iPad, there are also magnets (to keep the cover on), and next to them is a special sensor (a Hall sensor? Very much like old anti-theft secrets), which is responsible for the screen.
I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t have thought of such a thing - to expand the functionality of a primitive thing so much ... it’s like trying to improve, for example, a nail. Well done, not otherwise.
Better than what? At the moment - than anything else.
Probably, you think that since I write all this and so emotionally, then I became “another” Apple fan? In part, this is the case - in the new job, we have solid, half-eaten apples, and I really begin to like it all. But no more than that - I am writing this article on a newly assembled monster , who is unlikely to ever change anything.
I understand that many people for some increasingly muddy reasons do not like Apple, and from the principle they expect some decent devices from competitors, so I propose not to arrange a holivar - the uniformity of the arguments of both sides has long been tired. Nevertheless, let's take a sober look at what we have and think about what will happen.
One of the first to appear was the Samsung Galaxy Tab , a pretty nice machine that still costs unreasonably expensive. Unfortunately, there are enough shortcomings - what is the cost of slowing down Android, short battery life and a plastic case. I have seen the android tablet from Rover - here I’ll keep silent, but about the same quality there will be so many handicrafts from the “dial-up”, if not worse.
Later, something called the Odeon TPC-10 got into my hands - a 10-inch tablet ... with a cooler, damn it! Thick and cumbersome, with a ridiculous battery life for a tablet and a disgusting, unoptimized one, under which Windows 7, which has enough conscience to boot for half a minute. This is where my tablet experience is over, but I'm not very worried about this - I look at the range of upcoming new products and I understand that in the near future I will not have to wait for a miracle.
All devices on Windows can not be considered at all until a really convenient and fast finger optimized interface appears - ideally, if made by Microsoft themselves, so that everyone can take it as a “starting point”. But even if this happens, the weather will not do much - do not buy the same tablet just to look at this interface. After all, it implies the use of many programs, but their "redrawing" is already on the conscience of developers. In general, in Windows 7, such reincarnations will most likely not happen, so only those who need some specific tools from Windows are included in Central Asia.
I will not write off MeeGo for the time being, although the time goes and it is not clear why they pull so long with the release of the OS sharpened under the tablets. Total of promising operating systems remains only Android, which also still does not normally release the tablet version, optimized for finger control. When this happens, the iPad will be knocking for a year, and thousands of applications have already been written for it (much less good ones, but this is another question), and they will only begin to be written for android. But, in fact, what will the arrival of Android give? In my opinion, it really won't do anything - it’s just the only competitive hope of geeks who don’t want to take Apple from principles or because of a lack of money. My “old” HTC HD2 has a processor with a clock speed of 1 GHz and a lot of memory, while Android ported to it manages to slow down, and the 4.3 ”screen diagonal barely allows you to lie in your pocket for at least a day. So manufacturers will have a hard time finding the right balance between users for performance, uptime and all the charms of this operating system.
Motorola Xoom, HTC Flyer, MSI WindPad, ASUS Eee Pad Slider, Eee Pad Memo and Eee Pad Transformer, Eee Slate, Acer A500 and W500 ... well, nothing like this will shoot the same way and will not change anything globally! Although, I agree, in some places the technical characteristics are very attractive and in many respects surpass the iPad.
But let's say a more advanced device will appear - I even admit that it will not be from cheap plastic, more compact, and so on - hooray, applause. But something tells me that this will be only a one-off craftwork, which will very quickly become morally obsolete and is guaranteed not to gain the same speed as the pioneer tablet; On the working computer, there will still be another operating system, largely disagreeing with what the mobile device offers. Apple in this regard impresses with its ecosystem - there are a number of devices (computers, laptops, TV set-top boxes, nettops, all-in-one computers, phones, players and tablets) that interact with each other as one big and single whole - regardless of the version of the device or operating systems on it. But at the same time, you can use one single device. And it is much more important, more convenient and more often applicable in everyday life than some abstract non-primary advantages (megapixels-gigahertz-gigabytes, etc.) of other devices. Therefore, here you need to find the strength to decide what you want - a certain device for some specific tasks, or all at once, but for big money. Honestly, I slowly begin to fluctuate) Despite the fact that for all the time I tried a huge number of various devices. Whatever it was, and all manufacturers will have to VERY hard to bite off at least a small piece of this big cake, not to mention “catch an express train on foot”.
Another important criterion. Often, add the desired chic and glitter can only various accessories with which you can do exactly as you want. Will all these devices have the same number of various accessories? I assure you not. And what do you think, will the support of the same Galaxy Tab or new tablets from ASUS be warm in my beloved BMWs? Alas, and oh - if somewhere it comes to supporting mobile devices, then you will not find anything except this unloved apple. Everything else is beautifully displayed in this video:
Well, the last. I bought the first iPad almost immediately after the start of its sales - then my son was 1.5 years old. Then I stumbled upon the SoundTouch baby development app, for which I spent $ 3. The profit did not take long to wait - any tantrums immediately stopped, and a week later the child knew about 100 different words (objects, animals, vehicles, etc.) and the sounds that they make - some of them he could even repeat. Another couple of bucks - and in the current 2+ years, the child knows almost the entire alphabet, knows how to count, knows colors, and recognizes about 20 brands of cars by the logo. When I get tired, I can turn on some interactive fairy tale that will help me out.) However, now the child can do it himself - sometimes I give him a tablet for a short time, where there are two whole pages of various applications and games for him; sometimes it frees up valuable moments so that you can safely do your work. If you want, I can somehow write an article “iPad for children” at my leisure, because the topic is rather unusual, but there are a lot of clumsy applications.
Do you think it's bad that the child is from childhood right behind the screen? It is possible, although there is hardly any significant harm from the good IPS-matrix of the iPad, exceeding the harm from the same TV.Do not think bad - of course, he is full of ordinary toys and hobbies, ipad as a bonus ... but it’s still nice that the child is ahead in development of all its peers who know little and know how. So I believe that the earlier a child masters one of the main skills of our time, the better. In any case, if the father of the iPad did not exist, there would still be an interest in something else “bad” - now everyone has a solid technique, from which one cannot escape.
This is what I am talking about. The fact that a 1.5-year-old child mastered a technically complex device speaks volumes. Finger optimized interface, in which there is nothing superfluous. Awesome ergonomics - low weight, no sharp corners and extra buttons ... try to give your netbook for this role) Do you see a picture with an instantly broken screen before your eyes? Then, at the same time, imagine what would happen if the child gets a tablet on the android or, worse, on Windows. I agree that it is foolish to buy a device, looking so far ahead ... nevertheless, this is another non-obvious point, which means quite a lot to me. Will it all be in Android? I doubt it.And if there will be, then I hardly go for it.
Since I started talking about children, I will write about another plus, no less unobvious. You all swear at the fact that almost any more or less decent application in the AppStore wants money - this is correct, because any work (of the same programmer) must be paid. Another thing is that in this case it rarely comes up with amounts over $ 5 (150 rubles). And now look at some “Biblioglobus” or “Children's World” and look at the prices of educational games for children and really high-quality books - you will not find anything cheaper than 1000 rudders. So my ipad “beat off” myself almost instantly, while in the corner there are no mountains of abandoned toys lying around. Although no, lying around)
As for me, more recently, I flaunted with an “atomic” netbook, which gave me a lot of inconvenience, but at the same time allowed me to keep up. Now absolutely all the functions delegated to him are performed by a tablet, which I take almost everywhere with me and which I can uncover without any problems on the bus or in the subway. ICQ, mail, twitter, news and websites, 2do and notes, calendars and contacts, work with texts, reading books, maintaining a budget and payments, traffic rules and maps, photos and presentations, music and videos, games and developing children's tricks - all of this He lives on the iPad, and it could have been more if I hadn’t rested on the internal memory (I have a 16 GB version). This is just a small list of possible options for using the device, although there will always be snobs who will consider it a real joke about the “photo frame”.
In general, something like that. And on this, perhaps, all)
Aluminum housing, two colors to choose from, high-quality assembly;
Compact size, stylish appearance;
Great battery life;
One can find hundreds of uses;
Excellent performance;
Bright high-quality screen;
SmartCover surprised;
Mark and glare screen (treated with a matte film for $ 3);
The official start of sales in Russia is not soon, and before that the price will be very high.
The separation of the models remains the same - there is a Wi-Fi version of the tablet (with a memory capacity of 16/32/64 GB) and there are versions with the same memory sizes, but also with a 3G module (as in my review). All this costs $ 499/599/699 and $ 629/729/829 respectively - that is, the price for the new product turned out to be exactly the same as it was for the first model (now the official prices for the first model are reduced by $ 100). But all these price tags are fair, unfortunately, only for foreign countries - in the harsh Russian realities, the numbers are at least twice as high. I advise you to wait - after March 25, the device will begin to be sold in Europe, which will cause prices to drop in ours too.
A revolution did not happen, but no one expected it - by and large, now Apple has nothing to do except to maintain the set bar. And compared to the first model, the novelty has raised it even higher - the new iPad has evolved, resulting in an even more attractive result, so want it even more, including those who already have the first version of the tablet. However, it is very apple-ovski.
However, there is no need to change the first iPad to the second one, although it can definitely be said that many subsequent applications will be optimized for the performance of the new product. In general ... I wish everyone to wait for adequate prices. To everyone else - I want to wait for something steeper, which they have been waiting for so long)
I express my gratitude to the store “ Computer Plaza ”, Which promptly provided the device for testing.
Surprisingly, the customs officer Ivanov managed to earn 25 thousand dollars just by closing his eyes!
')
Okay, let's get serious. So, last year I reviewed the Apple iPad - if you haven’t had time (and what, and it happens) to hold this device in your hands, I recommend reading the article. Why? Because most of the information from it is largely true for the released Apple iPad 2 and a second time to retell the same thing just does not make sense. It will also be useful in order to make it easier to estimate the length of the step that the company took by releasing a novelty.
By the way, remember what's new in the Apple iPad 2 compared to the old one? I will remind you. The first thing that catches your eye is an updated design, more compact dimensions. Unwittingly pay attention to the cameras on both sides of the device. If you dig a little deeper, then inside of the tasty - the new dual-core ARM-processor Apple A5 (running at 0.9-1 GHz and increasing the performance of the graphics subsystem, allegedly up to 9 times) and increased to 512 MB of RAM. Well, if you dig very deep, then we have an updated version of iOS 4.3, which I will briefly describe. There was also a three-position gyroscope and an expensive HDMI adapter) Here, in principle, all the changes.Specifications
OS : iOS 4.3
Processor : Apple A5, 0.9-1 GHz
Memory : 16/32/64 GB
RAM : 512 MB
Display : 9.7 ", 1024 x 768, IPS
Wireless communication : UMTS / HSDPA / HSUPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM / EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), Wi-Fi 802.11b / g / n, Bluetooth
Connectors : Dock, 3.5 mm, HDMI via adapter
Camera : video recording in 720p format at 30 k / s + camera for calls on Face Time
Work time : 10 hours with a screen, up to a month in standby mode
Dimensions : 241.1 x 185.7 x 8.8 mm
Weight : 601 g
In detailsEquipment
In addition to size, the list of changes in the box can be attributed to the new pattern - it has become 40% more attractive. The package bundle is traditional for Apple devices - there’s nothing but an AC adapter (with a European plug) and a connecting cable. Although I lie - there is still a “manual” from one sheet and a small “konevertik” (in case it is a 3G model).
Inside the envelope, the most valuable clip is a specially trained clip, the only function of which is to help open the SIM card slot. Therefore, you need to take care of it - I would not be surprised if, like all Apple accessories, it costs 30 bucks, and the usual clip will be incompatible.
It is a pity that even unpretentious headphones, such as complete with iPods, were not put to the heap.
Appearance
Most of the time when working with the tablet, the user will see its front side - in this case there are practically no differences from the first version. Unless a front camera appeared (640x480 @ 30; for FaceTime conversations and to function as a mirror), the shape of the corners was slightly changed (apparently, the old screen films did not fit) and, subjectively, the Home button became softer (although this may be already grown up and became hardened). The frame around the display can be of two colors - white (girl version) and black (boy version).
The screen is glossy and, like last time, damned mark (also flashes at every opportunity), but I have already said that this problem is solved with a sticker of a matte film (we have 1000 rubles for us, they have $ 3 or less). The image is gorgeous - IPS-matrix, after all. The diagonal and resolution remained the same - 9.7 ”and 1024x768 (132 dpi), respectively.
Behind, in fact, changes too little. All-metal (aluminum) case with a black glossy apple inside, rubberized black insert on top (if it is a 3G model).
If before the edges were rectangular and fairly obvious, now smooth lines and shapes prevail. It looks no less elegant than the first time, but I found the only drawback for myself - if you take a protective film on the back side (if you have a small child, this is necessary), then it will be more difficult to stick it on.
This is also because the speaker, because of the small slots on the bottom, hid behind a multitude (308, to be more precise) of the holes on the back side - not to glue it now.
The power button also moved to the back side - now it will not be pressed if you put the tablet edge to the wall. Headphone jack (3.5mm), port for charging and syncing, camera for photos - all this is also at the back. For those who are particularly inattentive, I’ll write separately that there are still no USB connectors - if I used to get upset about it before, now I understand that it is not needed here.
On the right are the volume rocker and the switch (it has become tighter), which can now return the screen rotation lock function (which was removed for some reason in iOS 4.2).
The left is completely empty, although the 3G version has a slot for a SIM card there. It is metallic and it does not accidentally open it - this is good. Inside, I discovered the AT & T microsynthesis - a sure sign that the device is “white”)
In general, the iPad 2 creates an extremely pleasant experience - no one else has anything like the quality of workmanship and assembly. The dimensions have become even smaller (just 8.8 mm thick, which is smaller than the iPhone 4) and lighter (600 grams - the first ipad weighed 700) - when you take it in hand, you can’t even believe that it is almost a full-fledged computer. But even more I can not believe that all this quietly works autonomously right up to 10 hours! But this is the case.iOS 4.3
As I said, iPad 2 comes with a new version of the operating system, iOS 4.3. It is also available for several other devices - iPhone 4 and 3GS, iPod Touch 3G / 4G and iPad. Innovations were not as many as we would like, but they are)In one line:
Safari browser got the Nitro JavaScript engine from the desktop version, thanks to which the pages began to open twice as fast; ITunes Home Sharing, which allows Wi-Fi access to all iTunes content on a desktop computer; Improved AirPlay - technology for streaming audio, video and photo content; On devices, a hotspot function has appeared to distribute Wi-Fi to other devices; You can reassign the side-switch action from “Mute” to a screen lock, as before. Until recently, this could only be done with a jailbreak.I can’t say anything about jailbreaking now - I don’t keep track of this topic, as an honest and decent citizen lives in me)
When the device came to visit me, there were only a few new applications on it - FaceTime, Camera and PhotoBooth. The first is useful for communication between owners of compatible iDevice (actually, this is what the front-facing camera is intended for), two other programs are needed for photographing something. And if the Camera application only allows you to take ordinary pictures on any of the cameras, then PhotoBooth allows you to apply various effects to them, the most interesting of which are X-rays or a thermal imager. Otherwise, the quality of camera shots leaves much to be desired - a lot of noise, even in good light.
Everything works very quickly and without the slightest hint of brakes - be it fast scrolling hundreds of photos in the album or loading in the browser a multi-megabyte review of the next useless piece of iron from Bumburum on Habré. Honestly, I didn’t even know what I should check the “new performance” of the novelty ... but then I remembered that I have Infinity Blade game in the bins, which is currently one of the most demanding applications demonstrating the graphic capabilities of the device. In general, as they say, it's easier to see once (you can watch in HD):
The rest is all the same as before.
Smart cover
This is generally a brilliant two-way. The new tablet has become more compact, because of which the whole army of old covers and cases have become incompatible with it - it will dangle in them like a pencil in a glass. Accordingly, an amazing amount of money can be earned on this - they thought at Apple and, before the official announcement, didn’t tell anyone about the device being prepared (the knowledge that there would be two cameras in it didn’t change anything). Therefore, none of the manufacturers before the time did not do anything. But then all the events began to develop rapidly rapidly - the announcement, after which sales began almost immediately, so no one would be able to do anything simply and do not have time. And Apple is already done - a high-tech “skin” called Smart Cover , which sells for between 39 and 79 bucks. However, it is on this accessory, I would not spare the money.
It would seem, well, what can you think of in such a simple thing as a tablet case? More precisely, there is not even a cover here - rather, a cover covering only one side of the device. It turns out that everyone who saw Smart Cover for the first time and tried to use it, was delighted.
The “cover” consists of four plates arranged in parallel and having flexible connections - all of which can be of different colors and with a texture, for example, leather.
On the one hand, there is a cunning metal construction with a movable mechanism, allowing this very cover to be thrown back as you like, at least 360 degrees. Thanks to the plates inside the cover, it can be folded in different ways - for example, to create a convenient angle for printing, or even to set the tablet vertically for a FaceTime video conversation.
What is important - it is also a good protection for the screen, and even in this armor, the new iPad remains thinner than its predecessor.
But the interesting thing is how this Smart Cover works. When my friends first saw a tablet with an attached cover, they almost in one voice said something like “but they attached this thing in vain, fall off in a week” ... without even knowing that “this thing” is being removed. At the request of “try to remove it?” A timid attempt was made to pull it away ... and in just a couple of seconds “wow” was heard)) In general, the design of the cover is such that you can easily detach it from the iPad and just as easily attach it back - it's easier for me to demonstrate it's on video, rather than trying to describe.
That is, as you can see, the installation and disassembly of the “smart carpet” does not require any titanic efforts - on the contrary, it is very pleasant to sit and tear off and attach the cover during any conversation, overcoming the forces of the magnetic field) The whole process lasts an instant, and everything is possible and blindly - every time the mat will join perfectly smoothly. Smart Cover easily keeps the weight of the tablet itself in limbo - something like this was born another way to use the tablet:
But there is another nice moment. As soon as you start to open the cover, the screen of the device immediately turns on - no need to press the power button, as in the first model. Accordingly, closing the “book”, the screen just goes off automatically. It's comfortable.
How does all this work, why is the cover not attached to the old version of the tablet or even to the opposite side of the new one? The brave guys from iFixit wrote about it in detail, but if in brief, everything ingenious is simple. There are magnets on different sides of the cover - some are attracted to the tablet, others are responsible for its awakening and light sleep (well, or for pinching to the refrigerator, as in the photo above). Inside the iPad, there are also magnets (to keep the cover on), and next to them is a special sensor (a Hall sensor? Very much like old anti-theft secrets), which is responsible for the screen.
I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t have thought of such a thing - to expand the functionality of a primitive thing so much ... it’s like trying to improve, for example, a nail. Well done, not otherwise.
Why iPad is better
Better than what? At the moment - than anything else.
Probably, you think that since I write all this and so emotionally, then I became “another” Apple fan? In part, this is the case - in the new job, we have solid, half-eaten apples, and I really begin to like it all. But no more than that - I am writing this article on a newly assembled monster , who is unlikely to ever change anything.
I understand that many people for some increasingly muddy reasons do not like Apple, and from the principle they expect some decent devices from competitors, so I propose not to arrange a holivar - the uniformity of the arguments of both sides has long been tired. Nevertheless, let's take a sober look at what we have and think about what will happen.
One of the first to appear was the Samsung Galaxy Tab , a pretty nice machine that still costs unreasonably expensive. Unfortunately, there are enough shortcomings - what is the cost of slowing down Android, short battery life and a plastic case. I have seen the android tablet from Rover - here I’ll keep silent, but about the same quality there will be so many handicrafts from the “dial-up”, if not worse.
Later, something called the Odeon TPC-10 got into my hands - a 10-inch tablet ... with a cooler, damn it! Thick and cumbersome, with a ridiculous battery life for a tablet and a disgusting, unoptimized one, under which Windows 7, which has enough conscience to boot for half a minute. This is where my tablet experience is over, but I'm not very worried about this - I look at the range of upcoming new products and I understand that in the near future I will not have to wait for a miracle.
All devices on Windows can not be considered at all until a really convenient and fast finger optimized interface appears - ideally, if made by Microsoft themselves, so that everyone can take it as a “starting point”. But even if this happens, the weather will not do much - do not buy the same tablet just to look at this interface. After all, it implies the use of many programs, but their "redrawing" is already on the conscience of developers. In general, in Windows 7, such reincarnations will most likely not happen, so only those who need some specific tools from Windows are included in Central Asia.
I will not write off MeeGo for the time being, although the time goes and it is not clear why they pull so long with the release of the OS sharpened under the tablets. Total of promising operating systems remains only Android, which also still does not normally release the tablet version, optimized for finger control. When this happens, the iPad will be knocking for a year, and thousands of applications have already been written for it (much less good ones, but this is another question), and they will only begin to be written for android. But, in fact, what will the arrival of Android give? In my opinion, it really won't do anything - it’s just the only competitive hope of geeks who don’t want to take Apple from principles or because of a lack of money. My “old” HTC HD2 has a processor with a clock speed of 1 GHz and a lot of memory, while Android ported to it manages to slow down, and the 4.3 ”screen diagonal barely allows you to lie in your pocket for at least a day. So manufacturers will have a hard time finding the right balance between users for performance, uptime and all the charms of this operating system.
Motorola Xoom, HTC Flyer, MSI WindPad, ASUS Eee Pad Slider, Eee Pad Memo and Eee Pad Transformer, Eee Slate, Acer A500 and W500 ... well, nothing like this will shoot the same way and will not change anything globally! Although, I agree, in some places the technical characteristics are very attractive and in many respects surpass the iPad.
But let's say a more advanced device will appear - I even admit that it will not be from cheap plastic, more compact, and so on - hooray, applause. But something tells me that this will be only a one-off craftwork, which will very quickly become morally obsolete and is guaranteed not to gain the same speed as the pioneer tablet; On the working computer, there will still be another operating system, largely disagreeing with what the mobile device offers. Apple in this regard impresses with its ecosystem - there are a number of devices (computers, laptops, TV set-top boxes, nettops, all-in-one computers, phones, players and tablets) that interact with each other as one big and single whole - regardless of the version of the device or operating systems on it. But at the same time, you can use one single device. And it is much more important, more convenient and more often applicable in everyday life than some abstract non-primary advantages (megapixels-gigahertz-gigabytes, etc.) of other devices. Therefore, here you need to find the strength to decide what you want - a certain device for some specific tasks, or all at once, but for big money. Honestly, I slowly begin to fluctuate) Despite the fact that for all the time I tried a huge number of various devices. Whatever it was, and all manufacturers will have to VERY hard to bite off at least a small piece of this big cake, not to mention “catch an express train on foot”.
Another important criterion. Often, add the desired chic and glitter can only various accessories with which you can do exactly as you want. Will all these devices have the same number of various accessories? I assure you not. And what do you think, will the support of the same Galaxy Tab or new tablets from ASUS be warm in my beloved BMWs? Alas, and oh - if somewhere it comes to supporting mobile devices, then you will not find anything except this unloved apple. Everything else is beautifully displayed in this video:
Well, the last. I bought the first iPad almost immediately after the start of its sales - then my son was 1.5 years old. Then I stumbled upon the SoundTouch baby development app, for which I spent $ 3. The profit did not take long to wait - any tantrums immediately stopped, and a week later the child knew about 100 different words (objects, animals, vehicles, etc.) and the sounds that they make - some of them he could even repeat. Another couple of bucks - and in the current 2+ years, the child knows almost the entire alphabet, knows how to count, knows colors, and recognizes about 20 brands of cars by the logo. When I get tired, I can turn on some interactive fairy tale that will help me out.) However, now the child can do it himself - sometimes I give him a tablet for a short time, where there are two whole pages of various applications and games for him; sometimes it frees up valuable moments so that you can safely do your work. If you want, I can somehow write an article “iPad for children” at my leisure, because the topic is rather unusual, but there are a lot of clumsy applications.
Do you think it's bad that the child is from childhood right behind the screen? It is possible, although there is hardly any significant harm from the good IPS-matrix of the iPad, exceeding the harm from the same TV.Do not think bad - of course, he is full of ordinary toys and hobbies, ipad as a bonus ... but it’s still nice that the child is ahead in development of all its peers who know little and know how. So I believe that the earlier a child masters one of the main skills of our time, the better. In any case, if the father of the iPad did not exist, there would still be an interest in something else “bad” - now everyone has a solid technique, from which one cannot escape.
This is what I am talking about. The fact that a 1.5-year-old child mastered a technically complex device speaks volumes. Finger optimized interface, in which there is nothing superfluous. Awesome ergonomics - low weight, no sharp corners and extra buttons ... try to give your netbook for this role) Do you see a picture with an instantly broken screen before your eyes? Then, at the same time, imagine what would happen if the child gets a tablet on the android or, worse, on Windows. I agree that it is foolish to buy a device, looking so far ahead ... nevertheless, this is another non-obvious point, which means quite a lot to me. Will it all be in Android? I doubt it.And if there will be, then I hardly go for it.
Since I started talking about children, I will write about another plus, no less unobvious. You all swear at the fact that almost any more or less decent application in the AppStore wants money - this is correct, because any work (of the same programmer) must be paid. Another thing is that in this case it rarely comes up with amounts over $ 5 (150 rubles). And now look at some “Biblioglobus” or “Children's World” and look at the prices of educational games for children and really high-quality books - you will not find anything cheaper than 1000 rudders. So my ipad “beat off” myself almost instantly, while in the corner there are no mountains of abandoned toys lying around. Although no, lying around)
As for me, more recently, I flaunted with an “atomic” netbook, which gave me a lot of inconvenience, but at the same time allowed me to keep up. Now absolutely all the functions delegated to him are performed by a tablet, which I take almost everywhere with me and which I can uncover without any problems on the bus or in the subway. ICQ, mail, twitter, news and websites, 2do and notes, calendars and contacts, work with texts, reading books, maintaining a budget and payments, traffic rules and maps, photos and presentations, music and videos, games and developing children's tricks - all of this He lives on the iPad, and it could have been more if I hadn’t rested on the internal memory (I have a 16 GB version). This is just a small list of possible options for using the device, although there will always be snobs who will consider it a real joke about the “photo frame”.
In general, something like that. And on this, perhaps, all)
Check weighing
Aluminum housing, two colors to choose from, high-quality assembly;Compact size, stylish appearance;Great battery life;One can find hundreds of uses; Excellent performance;Bright high-quality screen;SmartCover surprised;Mark and glare screen (treated with a matte film for $ 3);The official start of sales in Russia is not soon, and before that the price will be very high.The separation of the models remains the same - there is a Wi-Fi version of the tablet (with a memory capacity of 16/32/64 GB) and there are versions with the same memory sizes, but also with a 3G module (as in my review). All this costs $ 499/599/699 and $ 629/729/829 respectively - that is, the price for the new product turned out to be exactly the same as it was for the first model (now the official prices for the first model are reduced by $ 100). But all these price tags are fair, unfortunately, only for foreign countries - in the harsh Russian realities, the numbers are at least twice as high. I advise you to wait - after March 25, the device will begin to be sold in Europe, which will cause prices to drop in ours too.
The end
A revolution did not happen, but no one expected it - by and large, now Apple has nothing to do except to maintain the set bar. And compared to the first model, the novelty has raised it even higher - the new iPad has evolved, resulting in an even more attractive result, so want it even more, including those who already have the first version of the tablet. However, it is very apple-ovski.
However, there is no need to change the first iPad to the second one, although it can definitely be said that many subsequent applications will be optimized for the performance of the new product. In general ... I wish everyone to wait for adequate prices. To everyone else - I want to wait for something steeper, which they have been waiting for so long)
I express my gratitude to the store “ Computer Plaza ”, Which promptly provided the device for testing.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/115863/
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