Apple Reveals the iPad 2

[Geoff Grace]

For those who were waiting for the next generation, here you go:

 

Apple reveals iPad 2

 

Apple says the iPad 2 will be available on March 11.

 

Best,

 

Geoff

[16251]

The video about the iPad ends with "it will define computing for years"... at least until next year when iPad3 is released.

 

I'm a PC guy and have a tablet for .pdf music. I'm considering and iPad for this function. Anyone care to chime in about using .pdf's, which Apple doesn't support but there are some apps that seem to work with.

[Song80s]

For those who were waiting for the next generation, here you go:

 

Apple reveals iPad 2

 

Apple says the iPad 2 will be available on March 11.

 

Best,

 

Geoff

 

I use my iPad about 10 hours per day in my business , as my mobile PC , so to speak. It is awesome & has paid for itself 100's of times over.

 

I have been waiting for 1080p video and there it is on iPad2.

 

I will be on the iPad2 waiting list later this month.

 

[zephonic]

It is pretty much as expected, but the smart cover is surprisingly nifty!

[eric]

I just about bought an iPad this past fall and decided to wait. It does not appear to have any major game changing features, but happy with the slimmer dimensions and cameras. I'll be ordering one for my March birthday.

[GovernorSilver]

I'm getting one too. I want to play with Dingsaller, iMS-20, Mugician, and other iPad-only apps.

 

It's also a lot lighter than my Macbook Pro, for travel purposes (I travel to see family - almost never for gigs ).

[J. Dan]

I have been waiting for 1080p video and there it is on iPad2.

 

I got the VGA cable for my iPad, hoping to be able to hook it up to my entertainment system to watch the movies I bought. Unfortunately, videos purchased through iTunes don't show up at the video output. It doesn't display what's on the screen, what shows up is application dependent. YouTube videos, non-purchased videos, and pics show up, but basically nothing that I actually would want to watch outside of my iPad. Just an FYI.

[Joe Muscara]

Anyone care to chime in about using .pdf's, which Apple doesn't support but there are some apps that seem to work with.

What do you mean by that? iBooks handles PDFs just fine. You can even tap a PDF in Safari and add it to your iBooks library, or any third-party app that displays PDFs.

 

PDF viewing has been seamless on iPad for a while now.

 

(Where do people get this misinformation?)

[Dana.]

It does not appear to have any major game changing features

Drink!

 

 

[Jamie Finstad]

I have been waiting for 1080p video and there it is on iPad2.

 

I got the VGA cable for my iPad, hoping to be able to hook it up to my entertainment system to watch the movies I bought. Unfortunately, videos purchased through iTunes don't show up at the video output. It doesn't display what's on the screen, what shows up is application dependent. YouTube videos, non-purchased videos, and pics show up, but basically nothing that I actually would want to watch outside of my iPad. Just an FYI.

 

It looks like they've removed that restriction and what you see on the iPad can be displayed through their new adapter. I'll believe it when I see it, but it looks promising.

 

http://www.apple.com/ipad/features/mirroring.html

 

Jamie

[kanker.]

I have been waiting for 1080p video and there it is on iPad2.

 

I got the VGA cable for my iPad, hoping to be able to hook it up to my entertainment system to watch the movies I bought. Unfortunately, videos purchased through iTunes don't show up at the video output. It doesn't display what's on the screen, what shows up is application dependent. YouTube videos, non-purchased videos, and pics show up, but basically nothing that I actually would want to watch outside of my iPad. Just an FYI.

 

It looks like they've removed that restriction and what you see on the iPad can be displayed through their new adapter. I'll believe it when I see it, but it looks promising.

 

http://www.apple.com/ipad/features/mirroring.html

 

Jamie

Also, it's pretty sweet the things you can do with a $99 AppleTV

[Joe Muscara]

AFAIK, that VGA adapter is pretty limited. The new HDMI one fully mirrors.

[Marzzz]

There is already an Omnisphere app for it, and it looks like they will integrate it with Logic (10?) and MainStage. My wife has an iPad and I envy her, especially when traveling. Looks like the time for me has come!

 

I am thinking of getting a Wi-Fi only one, as I have unlimited 3G data on my iPhone. Can anyone think of a reason why 3G would be a good version to have?

[Joe Muscara]

I am thinking of getting a Wi-Fi only one, as I have unlimited 3G data on my iPhone. Can anyone think of a reason why 3G would be a good version to have?

The only reason I can think of is convenience, but then you'd be paying for 3G on two devices.

[zephonic]

I am thinking of getting a Wi-Fi only one, as I have unlimited 3G data on my iPhone. Can anyone think of a reason why 3G would be a good version to have?

 

iOS 4.3 now turns your iPhone in a mobile hotspot. So no need for 3G on your iPad as long as you have your iPhone with you.

 

[GovernorSilver]

I am thinking of getting a Wi-Fi only one, as I have unlimited 3G data on my iPhone. Can anyone think of a reason why 3G would be a good version to have?

 

iOS 4.3 now turns your iPhone in a mobile hotspot. So no need for 3G on your iPad as long as you have your iPhone with you.

 

Is that true only for iPhone4? I have a 3GS.

[Josh Paxton]

I just about bought an iPad this past fall and decided to wait.

 

Same here. And as such, I've been drooling for one for (what seems like) ages, to the point where now I'd probably be saying "Yes, it's the awesomest thing ever, gimme one now!" even if it were exactly like original except 3% lighter or something.

 

So yeah, I'll definitely be getting one ASAP, and likely using it regularly in my rig assuming they've got the latency issues worked out. GarageBand looks pretty sweet, and once they get Logic incorporated into it, fuggedaboutit.

 

Prediction: a year and a half from now, a significant percentage of us will have a 128GB iPad3, with about 64GB used for piano samples.

[Marzzz]

I am thinking of getting a Wi-Fi only one, as I have unlimited 3G data on my iPhone. Can anyone think of a reason why 3G would be a good version to have?

 

iOS 4.3 now turns your iPhone in a mobile hotspot. So no need for 3G on your iPad as long as you have your iPhone with you.

 

That and not having to pay for the G3 subscription would pretty much decide it for me.

[Geoff Grace]

Also, if you're an Omnisphere fan, you'll want to check out its new iPad controller interface. Spectrasonics has created a new way to interact with Omnisphere, and its free at the App Store.

 

Things get especially interesting just after the 5:00 minute mark of the video below:

 

[video:youtube]

 

Best,

 

Geoff

[JimboK]

I know many folks who have iPads (myself included) and several have iPhones with a wifi only iPad. Making the iPhone your hotspot will slow the connection relative to a 3G iPad. Bonehead testing seems to bear it out.

 

I bought 3G because I use a company provided (aka free) blackberry with unlimited internet so I had no real choice.

 

iPad's are amazing things. My main warning to potential new users is "prepare to spend a lot longer on the toilet now". Surfing while dropping a deuce is the best! (not doing it now, but next time, who knows)

 

 

 

[Aidan]

TMI, Jimbo!

 

The 2 is a nice upgrade but really doesn't add anything I'd drool over enough to make me sell my Mk 1 for now.

[therealvicz]

....Anyone care to chime in about using .pdf's, which Apple doesn't support but there are some apps that seem to work with.

 

In fact Apple pioneered the use of PDFs, and Postscript before that, which is one reason Macs dominate the printing/graphics industry. For a long time all Mac applications can 'print' to a PDF file without any other software being needed.

 

As well as iBook reader on the iPad there are some great PDF file readers and annotaters, such as Goodreader, and specialist sheet music readers such as those reviewed here http://techinmusiced.wordpress.com/2010/07/11/a-comparison-of-five-ipad-sheet-music-readers/

[Mark Zeger]

Is there any way around the lack of Flash support? I'm assuming that's still an issue with iPad2 or we would have seen something in the news release.

 

This isn't a criticism. I planned to get an iPad2 but am still torn about spending $500 for that vs a $300 netbook vs an Android tablet vs a laptop (which I don't have).

 

[Dana.]

http://media.techeblog.com/images/steve_jobs_flash.jpg

[GovernorSilver]

Is there any way around the lack of Flash support? I'm assuming that's still an issue with iPad2 or we would have seen something in the news release.

 

I've had my iPhone 3GS for over a year and the Flash issue has been nothing more than a very minor irritation. It has no effect on the operation of the apps I use, other than, obviously, the Safari web browser.

[kanker.]

Is there any way around the lack of Flash support? I'm assuming that's still an issue with iPad2 or we would have seen something in the news release.

 

This isn't a criticism. I planned to get an iPad2 but am still torn about spending $500 for that vs a $300 netbook vs an Android tablet vs a laptop (which I don't have).

It's not that it's an issue as much as Apple recognizes that Flash is an unnecessary part of the internet, particularly with HTML 5. Flash eats way too much processor (and therefore battery life), leads to inherent instability (like any plugin in any environment), and will hopefully go the way of Realplayer - a veritable internet dodo.

 

There is this - http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/11/skyfire-ios-app/

 

I haven't tried it. Maybe someone else has.

 

Anyway, I sincerely hope the continued success of iOS devices does put the nails in the Flash coffin. Flash sucks.

[Jim Alfredson]

Flash does suck. I'm happy Apple is taking a stand against it.

[Theo Verelst]

I tried the ipad but didn't know it had no flash, but then again I worried wether my own server page would work ok (they appear nice enough). Linux had no flash, but there are Open Source replacements, I suppose not available on the ipad, nowadyas there's official 64 bit linux flash, but the previous version had severe sound problems. So even if some app would replace the playing of swf files, there might still be problems. Maybe it plays open source replacements, like youtube is going to support html5 (with video/sound) but that was about patented codecs which probably isn't so with the apples.

[Song80s]

Is there any way around the lack of Flash support? I'm assuming that's still an issue with iPad2 or we would have seen something in the news release.

 

This isn't a criticism. I planned to get an iPad2 but am still torn about spending $500 for that vs a $300 netbook vs an Android tablet vs a laptop (which I don't have).

It's not that it's an issue as much as Apple recognizes that Flash is an unnecessary part of the internet, particularly with HTML 5. Flash eats way too much processor (and therefore battery life), leads to inherent instability (like any plugin in any environment), and will hopefully go the way of Realplayer - a veritable internet dodo.

 

There is this - http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/11/skyfire-ios-app/

 

I haven't tried it. Maybe someone else has.

 

Anyway, I sincerely hope the continued success of iOS devices does put the nails in the Flash coffin. Flash sucks.

 

I dislike flash as well. If there are sites where u have to have flash, there is an app called CloudBrowse. Its not a very good solution, but it might suffice.

There is similar app on iTunes but it was even worse.

[HammondDave]

I put my name on a waiting list for a 64GB non 3GS Ipad today... I get it next Friday... Pretty soon we will be taking our IPads and a keyboard controller to gigs...