Have you bought your Apple iPad? If not, you are late. Apple iPad 2 has already boarded the rumors. And before you know it, store shelves will be clearing the way to Apple’s 2nd take on its hot and happening Tablet PC. So get ready to join the iPad generation if you haven’t already.
Now what iPad 2 will be like is anybody’s guess. Obviously it will have something that its predecessor lacked and it will leave something out for iPad 3. Going by the rumors on the Apple hounding web, one thing that will be new in iPad 2 is the addition of cameras – one on the front and other on the rear. Front camera will allow iPad users to enjoy video conferencing with their friends, family, and colleagues, while the rear one will enable video recording. And I don’t think anyone is surprised by this introduction. Who hasn’t been missing camera in iPad? Every single iPad user I have spoken to wished having it. Rival tablets, that are a lot cheaper, already offer camera so Apple better includes it to justify its price tag.
Other advancements that iPad is rumored to have include sleeker design. The new iPad is slightly thinner and lighter than the current version in the market. If you have been buying iPad accessories such as uniquely designed cases for future version you would be better putting that on hold as the dimensions of the iPad 2 are said to have changed slightly if not significantly. It’s hard to tell how much truth is in the rumors but it’s safer to wait for the official announcement by Apple.
There are still many unknowns about the new tablet. The big one is price. The popularity of tablets is growing – the market is predicted to grow at least three times in 2011. The competition is on the rise and understandably driving the prices lower. For iPad 3G you have to pay about $900. Wonder how much iPad 2 will be priced at. In growing markets such as India, there are many rival tablets (read Samsung Galaxy Tab, Olive Pad, Dell Streak etc.) that will give Apple a tough fight due to pricing.
It will also be interesting to see technologically what improvements Apple will bring forth in its second tablet. If you ask me, I would expect it to give serious consideration to handwriting recognition. May be that’s an iPad 3 thing but when you are offering a large screen ultra mobile computing device, you better solve the typing puzzle as well. It would be so much more fun if you didn’t have to poke some onscreen keys as much.
Apple may start shipping iPad 2 as early as February. Excitement among Apple fans is running high. And other brands viz. RIM, Motorola, Samsung, Dell, etc. are also loading their guns to prepare for the tablet war of 2011.
Tablets are the new computers – they have arrived cutting right through the Netbooks and uniquely filling the gap between smartphones and laptops. Apple iPad, whether we like it or not, has given way to an all new market. While Apple is certainly not the first one to offer a tablet it deserves credit for popularizing it. Today, consumers have choice – they can buy a tablet and look stylish. They don’t have to buy an expensive laptop if all they need is a small tablet. They can also choose from a variety of brands, compare prices and buy something that suits their budget. That’s what 2010 has done to tablet business and 2011 is only projected to make it better for everyone!
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Ajay503 days ago
