back to article iPad 2? Let's be kind and call it iPad 1.5

When introducing the iPad 2 on Wednesday, Apple CEO Steve Jobs referred to it as an "all-new design." That assertion could kindly be called debatable. More accurately, the iPad 2 is a refinement and speed bump to the original iPad. Its new higher-performance processor and improved graphics are, to be sure, welcome upgrades. …

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  1. P Zero
    Alert

    Gosh

    Apple won't be doing you guys any favours. Not that I mind, if I wanted wank, I'd be reading elsewhere.

    1. J. Cook Silver badge
      Jobs Horns

      @P Zero, re: Gosh...

      Apple has traditionally never done El Reg any favors, and in fact actively snubs them, IIRC. (And I'm pretty certain a staff will either back me up on this or correct me if I'm incorrect.)

    2. Fred Flintstone Gold badge
      Thumb Up

      Actually, I prefer that..

      Personally, I think the snub status of El Reg re. Apple is only positive - there are enough fawning mags begging for advertising revenue out there.

      It shows that the Apple marketing droids are not that clued up - their snubbing of El Reg only enforces their status as independent thinkers.. Think of it as a sort of secondary Streisand effect :-).

      Go El Reg!

      1. dave 93
        FAIL

        Apple is good for El Reg

        Endless Apple non-stories milking the hype. The Register is shameless in it's faux Apple abuse to lure in viewers and puff up the ad revenues. 'Independent thinkers' is stretching it a bit, IMHO. It would be interesting to know how many Apples are in use at the Register offices, including iPhones...

        The Financial Times report dubbed Apple as the masters of the 'Goldilocks' update - i.e. not too much, not too little, but just right. It is a fine line between enthusing users to upgrade and pissing off early adopters and Apple actually understand this. USB, SD card, and now HDMI are available with an adapter, but some people won't be happy until it comes with a bridge for them to live under!

  2. John Molloy
    FAIL

    Here's the thing...

    Rik, when you have a product that comes from nowhere and ships 15 million units in nine months then maybe you'd have a point. Until then keep your smarm to yourself.

    This is going to sell shedloads and the rest of the pack very little indeed.

    It's not about specs it's about function. At the moment the highly spec'd Xoom has no actual functions. There is very little you can do with it. Meanwhile... there are tons of things you can do with the iPad.

    1. Rick 17
      Thumb Down

      Oh, the new one catches up?

      Still no SD expansion, still no (proper) multitasking.....

      Maybe that'll be in number 3...

      In the meantime I'll be happy with my galaxy tab thanks (I'll be fair, IF the new camera is 5mp, then that beats the 3mp from the old galaxy tab - but still missing the flash and the 1.3mp front camera)

      1. Giles Jones Gold badge

        Multitasking

        Erm what is this "proper" multitasking you speak of? Perhaps you don't know what multitasking is? multitasking is nothing to do with the interface, it is at the kernel level and iOS and Android both have it since they are based upon fully capable kernels.

        I suspect you're referring to the user interface, just because you can't see two applications at the same time does not mean there's no multitasking going on.

        What have you tried to do and found that you couldn't? Oh you don't own one, so you have no licence to comment on how well it works. As for Android's multitasking, the way iOS does it is very similar actually.

        The iOS multitasking has templates for various scenarios, music in background, networking in background and games. These templates determine what to do in the event the application becomes idle. So a music player would carry on playing, a game would pause and a network enabled application would carry on downloading.

        What isn't multitasking about that? do you really want a game to carry on playing when you change applications?

        That said, I'm not impressed with the iPad 2, despite the fact that the hardware hasn't really improved much (although I'm sure it now has more RAM) it is the software I wanted to see improved. iOS5 should have been previewed and iOS4.3 doesn't add anything I really want.

        1. Dimitri
          FAIL

          Multitasking is about what the user wants to do

          What you say is sophism. Of course iOS has the ability to Multi-task, but it doesn't let me do it unless if its an apple app and still it does it the way apple wants.

          E.g. when downloading a podcast to my iPad, if I leave the application (e.g. because I wanted to start the iPod player, or check the sports scores), the download stops because although it can multi-task, it won't let me. The fact that I can resume when I return to the app is little help since I have better things to do, than look at a downloading progress bar.

          If I want to enable real multi-tasking I have to Jailbreak the machine with all the headaches that entails because Holy Cupertino, doesn't want me to be able to choose what I want to do.

          So yes you're right but actually you're totally wrong.

          1. ThomH

            @Dimitri

            You've obviously got broken software. Multitasking is extended to third party applications, in much the same way as it is in WebOS, which appears to have been the model.

            While it's always possible to pick apart the specs, and find something to claim a distinction on, no objective definition of multitasking would exclude what third party software can do on the iPad.

          2. Campbeltonian

            Downloading your podcast

            Obvious question number one: I take it that you're downloading podcasts using a third party app, and not the iTunes app (which does allow it to run in the background)?

            Obvious question number two: I take it you've upgraded your iPad to 4.2, which adds multitasking support?

            If yes, then you *should* be able to leave the app and have the download continue in the background, at least up to a maximum of 10 minutes. That is, if the app developer has written the app to take advantage of the Task Completion API that appeared in iOS 4.

          3. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            @Dimitri

            I've just downloaded a podcast in the background using my iPad, so I'd say you are the one who is totally wrong.

            Do you actually own an iPad or do you just have a set world view based on how things used to be on iOS 3.x?

            Next you'll be telling us that the iPhone doesn't allow any third-party apps and only works on EDGE.

            Hang on... you're not Dr John Smith are you? Your TARIS clock is wrong, you're posting on the forums about a year late.

          4. Dimitri
            Paris Hilton

            What a bunch of Fanbois...

            OK to answer all the smart alecs who think I can't tell the difference between multi-tasking and task switching...

            1) My iPad is running iOS 4.2.1, which contrary to your statements only does "proper" as you call it multi-tasking for some (mainly Apple) apps.

            2) Correct, I'm not using iTunes to download the podcast. I thought I made it clear when I said that only Apple apps enjoy full multi-tasking support.

            3) That was just one example - this is not specific to the podcast app I was using. I have a number of other apps that experience similar limitations:

            - The app that streams music from my NAS server stops playing when minimized.

            - The web browsers I use that can download files from the web (perfect browser, Atomic and iCab) also have their downloads frozen when minimized. Anyone who thinks differently and owns an iDevice is welcome to try. Safari can't download anything so it won't tell you.

            - The various file browsing apps I have from the app store also do the same (AirSharing, Filer etc)

            - The book reader I use when downloading books from my PC.

            4) I did manage to get real multitasking after I jailbroke the iPad. That allowed me to install Backgrounder which allows you to set different multi-tasking profiles for any app you want, so that you can have some things (e.g. mobile terminal and Cydia shut down fully, others to use native multitasking, and the ones that need it to use Backgrounder which runs them as if they were in foreground even if minimized.

            5) @Anonymous Coward: You're a twit. I've been using apple (and non-apple) hardware for years. My opinion is based on actual technical knowledge and understanding, something you seem to lack and think you can make up for by being a smart a*se.

            Paris because you share an IQ with her - all two digits of it.

            1. ThomH

              @Dimitri

              - amongst others, Spotify can continuously stream music; streaming and playing audio from the background is one of the specific types of multitasking Apple explicitly wanted to allow. A direct quote from their documentation: "Applications that play audio can include the UIBackgroundModes key (with the audio value) in their Info.plist file to register as a background-audio application. This key is intended for use by applications that provide audible content to the user while in the background, such as music player or streaming-audio applications. When this key is present, the system’s audio frameworks automatically prevent your application from being suspended when it moves to the background."

              - "Any time before it is suspended, an application can call the beginBackgroundTaskWithExpirationHandler: method to ask the system for extra time to complete some long-running task in the background. If the request is granted, and if the application goes into the background while the task is in progress, the system lets the application run for an additional amount of time instead of suspending it." That's how a well-written browser can continue downloading files when in the background.

              - there's an execution mode, designed with VoIP clients directly in mind, that allows a piece of software to connect itself to a socket and subsequently wake on demand. That's how a file store-type application could accept and transmit files without having to be kept in the foreground.

              - I'm counting this as the same problem as the file stores on a technical level, though I appreciate it much better demonstrates how the alleged deficiency can directly a task that's an upfront promoted feature and a reason that non-technical people will possibly buy the device, whether rightly or wrongly.

              So: yes, the request to continue arbitrary task processing may be denied. Yes, the best support is for event based tasks, and it's a simple fact that the number of permissible event hooks is small.

              No, that doesn't mean that multitasking isn't supported, or that it isn't 'real' multitasking. Multiple tasks can run, simultaneously. That's multitasking. Your complaint, taking it at its strongest, is that Apple will sanction only certain types of multitasking, which cuts to issues of approval and control rather than technical software issues.

            2. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              @Dimiti @5)

              Yeah, thanks for that, I too have been using Apple kit for years and have actual technical knowledge and understanding based on actually working for several companies writing actual OS code.

              There are many types of multi-tasking, but they broadly fall into two camps: Pre-emptive and co-operative.

              Generally speaking, for end-user systems you would want to use pre-emptive multi-tasking so that the OS controls the amount of time each process is actually running - bare in mind that in a single CPU system only one task is actually running at any one time, it's just the fact that the switch between running tasks happens so quickly and frequently that everything appears to run simultaneously.

              Windows 3.x used co-operative multi-tasking and while it didn't matter for 90% of the time you would always manage to find at least one program that didn't release the CPU regularly enough or at appropriate places.

              Apple's iOS has always been a pre-emptive multi-tasking OS, but prior to iOS 4 they only allowed some of their own programs to do it and prevented third-party ones by the fairly straightforward method of having the OS kill the foreground task when the home button is pressed.

              At iOS 4 Apple created a framework where programs could register to perform specific activities in the background (e.g. playing music, downloading) and they changed the default action of the home button to put a program to sleep instead of killing it.

              Backgrounder doesn't enable "real" multi-tasking, that already existed, it intercepts the OS calls and applies a different model, clearly that model is more appropriate for the way you want to use the device, but they are just differing solutions to the same engineering problem of how to balance battery life and user experience.

              I would also suggest that if you can't download a podcast in the background on your jailbroken device, but I can on my vanilla device then there's a reasonable chance that your jailbreak or one of the jailbreak apps is the cause of your problem, not the OS.

    2. JEDIDIAH
      Linux

      Spin spin spin...

      > ...when you have a product that comes from nowhere

      It's an overpriced iPod.

      It didn't just "come from nowhere". It's the culmination of Apple's entire non-computer product lines.

      "specs" are what allows "functions" to work.

      1. Ammaross Danan
        Boffin

        Replies

        Since this response thread is getting a bit long, and has some incomplete comments, lets go over a couple things:

        iOS has multitasking, yes, but only for Apple apps, such as iTunes (plays music in the background) for instance. Android 3.0 (on the Xoom) has full multitasking (allows any 3rd party app to run in the background [such as your alternate favorite mp3 player] while surfing the web [on say, Firefox or Opera]). Android 2.x has had partial multitasking (similar to iOS) which allowed some apps such as the music player to run in the background.

        As far as the iPad being some product that "came out of nowhere" and sold 15mil units, that's "shipped" 15mil units. Likely most all will be sold (or returned/RMAed). Apple doesn't release its actual floor-sell numbers. Also, tablets have been around for ages. Most used a stylus or the like due to not having capacitive screens (at least at affordable prices) until recently, and resistive screens had a hard time on the uptake. It was pointed out recently that the first "iPad" actually appeared in some episodes of "The Tomorrow People," a show that aired several decades ago. Granted, it was just a stage prop, but it functioned the same as a current-gen iPad (fingers to gesture and interact with the screen, same case design even, but likely used USB to interface with :P). So no, not "out of nowhere," just a better take on what was currently being offered (the iPod Touch).

        As for "not being able to get Honeycomb or the Xoom," this is false. The Xoom is on the shelf of my Verizon store as of last week confirmed. Likely longer. It was sitting on the shelf doing its song and dance right next to the iPad1. The salesperson actually pointed out a funny incident about why the Xoom was better than the iPad: the websites used, by default, to do certain actions. She tried to use an iPad to look up a local chinese restaurant. It gave her a small handful on a map, which she could click on it it would take her to fullscreen website for the business (opens Safari to do so). On the Xoom, she showed me, the Google Maps came up with more eateries, and when touched, would provide an info bubble containing address, phone number, and a few links, one of which was their menu from allmenus.com. This would pull up in the browser, sure, but the MOBILE version, so it was clear to read and you didn't have to navigate around on the website. These little nuances are what is making Android a better platform. There are a TON, as I'm sure iOS has many as well. I just know that Android is likely going to have more over time, simply due to the nature of its driving force: Open Source and Google. Google does great for giving you the information you want as quickly and easily as possible (hence the embedding of allmenus.com in their business results). Apple has no such hooks (for better, likely worse).

        Likely, the market will tip to a similar ratio we currently see of Apple vs Microsoft, but in the tablet market of iOS vs Android. Android will proliferate merely because it costs less, and supports more things. Apple will continue selling their products to those willing to pay the markups, and they'll be perfectly content with it. Why? Their markups. They were never a volume company. I doubt they know how to be, as proven by their marketplace (oh, "App Store," as they're trademarking...) that they've severely mismanaged. (argue against this point, and I'll simply posit "then why do they have the DoJ sniffing around about monopolistic practices?").

        As for why I won't be buying an iPad2:

        No SD card.

        Requires iTunes, which means it can only "sync" (receive files/music/etc) from one computer and you can't "restore" the files back out the computer if your computer goes down, so even though you have a copy, it's not a "backup" copy. That is, unless you jailbreak/hack/etc, but those should be unnecessary....drag & drop please.

        Really, those are the only two arguments (besides MAYBE cost) that would hold water, as arguments such as "functionality" and "true multitasking" go both ways. If you use an Apple piece of hardware, expect to be forced to use their Apps too. iBooks, The Daily, iTunes, et al. They're the only non-neutered, or "tax"-free options.

        1. aThingOrTwo

          How to construct a bad arguement

          Step One: Get the multi-tasking situation on iOS wrong.

          Step Two: Compare one non working stage prop is equivalent to making an 15 million working product with real world cost, engineering and production constraints.

          Step Three: Complete ignore that Apple use Google services as well. Also ignore that although Android is open source, it is developed in secret. And the Google apps aren't open source.

          Full of holes. You can make some good cases for Android, but you hardly make any.

    3. Shane Menshik
      WTF?

      Android is innovating faster..

      The iPad didn't have any real apps built for it either outa the gate.. But it didn't take long for those to start showing up - and I bet in 3 months you will see quite the offerings.. Android does however do a better job of making use of existing widgets and apps built for the phone version by taking advantage of the desktop space.. not to mention Honeycomb/android already has better notifications and has done more faster than apple in terms of turn around time to market for new features.. Here we are a year later with the iPad 2 and its demo'd with the features it should have had outa the gate and still nothing fresh and exciting. If you ask me - Apple is stuck in neutral now that the competition has arrived.. and its just going to look even worse 3 months to 6 months from now.. iOS needs an overhaul.

      1. RichyS
        FAIL

        @Shaun Mensdick

        How exactly is Android innovating faster?

        The Tab has been out for several months now, and exactly zero innovation has occured to it or the oversized phone apps that run on it.

        Despite all the good talk, you still can't a Honeycomb tablet, and the Xoom hardly brings anything to the game that the iPad doesn't.

        If the iPad should have had all see features out of the box (how many dual core mobile processors where there in April 2010), then it would have made the Tab and Xoom look like even more pathetic catch up devices.

        The best you can come up with is a notification system. Don't count out this being sorted with iOS 5 which will no doubt be announced with the next iPhone. See, I can do speculation on how things will be in 3 months too...

        When the competition eventually arrives (can anyone yet buy a Xoom, 10" Tab, PlayBook or HP TouchPad yet -- will any of them be available before the iPad 2?), then we'll see. Personally, I don't give any of these pretenders much chance.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re

          "If the iPad should have had all see features out of the box (how many dual core mobile processors where there in April 2010), then it would have made the Tab and Xoom look like even more pathetic catch up devices."

          Uh, how could the Tab and Xoom be catch up devices to a product that came out after them? The iPad 2 is a catchup device because the market surpassed the original iPad in the spec department. Apple is trying to catch up to the better hardware that is out there.

          Your comment shows that the reality distortion field is apparently alive and well.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Grenade

        Android is innovating faster..

        250 000 virus-ridden apps served from its app store, thats pretty damned innovative!

      3. JohnDoe1
        FAIL

        Android isn't innovating but it needs to

        Shane Menshik, as much of a android fan I am I would have to say that the android is still not innovating but merely drafting. When the iPhone came out, everyone followed suit and began making more and more smart phones; when the iPad came out, everyone followed suit and began to make tablets. "Innovation means to begin or introduce something new." At the moment Android is just following whatever Apple sets, and they have no idea what to do next unless Apple makes a move. That clearly is no way in shape or form innovating. I do agree that Apple currently is in neutral, but Android needs bring some actual innovative ideas to the table to make any sort of noise. Also next time do not use "innovating" so casually(makes android supporters look bad).

    4. Fuh Quit

      Fanbois versus The World

      Surely the iPad is based on the Newton?

      Apple wanted to deliver years ago but the stylus-hating lot that we consumers are made it a failure (albeit loved). Other OEMs have tried and found the same issues

      Let's face it, technology has begun to catch up with what people want...

      1. Instant-on. You cannot understand how important this is

      2. Support for grubby digits and not pricky things

      3. Natural gestures

      4. It has to look nice

      5. It must be priced high enough to appeal to the well-off folk and not the Oiks

      6. Oiks will be allowed to have one if they save up pocket money

      I think undoubtedly that the iPad is a success. I don't, however, feel the urge to buy into the Apple version of Utopia (and that's including the free 3g iPad I could have had from work).

      Also, I do have the feeling that an iPad Nano, 7" screen version, would fly off the shelves like hotcakes. Unless it was released at the time the clocks go backwards or forwards and all the alarms fail to go off ;-)

      A big question will be how many iPad owners "upgrade". Given the camera, I think a lot.

    5. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Here's the thing...

      Yeah, and until you're a pro writer you should keep your snark to yourself.

      Or something.

      I've always had problems getting any enthusiasm for this argument. The whole "don't criticise unless you can do better" thing is so stupid that I always suspect perpetrators of trolling.

    6. tomsk
      WTF?

      bah

      "Rik, when you have a product that comes from nowhere and ships 15 million units in nine months then maybe you'd have a point. Until then keep your smarm to yourself."

      This kind of gibberish is the last line of defence of clueless fanboys/girls of all kinds everywhere. Don't like Justin Bieber? Have you had any international mega-hits? Do you have a vast following among teenaged girls? If not, WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE? WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT IT, EH? Bit disappointing it's coming out this early in the game…

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        @tomsk

        You couldn't be more right.

        If it made any sense at all it would mean that nobody was ever allowed to criticize anything that they hadn't already done better themselves.

    7. frank ly

      When Two Tribes Go To War

      Actually, it's one tribe against a loosely knit coalition of anarcho-syndicalist collectives.

      1. Steve Ives
        Paris Hilton

        @frankly, When Two Tribes...

        Old woman - it may be, but that would require a simple majority when voting on non-executive matters but a full 2-3rds majority...

        Or something like that.

        Paris - because she likes majorities too.

    8. MrXavia
      Jobs Horns

      no function? What w

      @John Molloy

      have you ever used an android device?

      Mine came with wordprocessor & spreadsheet that syncs with my online office choice,

      yet I have to buy it for the ipad.

      My android phone will run remote access programs in the browser, I have to spend $30 to get similar functionality with my remote destop provider on the ipad.

      I can copy any files to and from my android phone, can I do that with my ipad? fat chance.

      I can play ANY media file i have tried on my android phone, it takes me hours to convert for itunes to bother to take them.

      I can run java apps on my phone, I can access ANY web page on my android phone.

      and this is a PHONE not an ipad, not a tablet, just 2.2 android.

      If your in any kind of business you would realise the ipad is just a toy not a tool.

      And with apples locking down of apps, it means many apps will just never appear on it.

  3. mike_anderson25

    an EA parallel?

    So effectively the iPad 2 is the equivalent of FIFA 11.......same game but a little more shiny.

    1. Jodo Kast
      Pint

      No way

      As a gamer, I'm going to have to say No way. There are a lot of good games out there that will run a lot better on the iPad 2. The 9x graphics upgrade will make games like Amazing Blue Fugu and Angry Birds that much smoother!

  4. Tom Samplonius
    Thumb Up

    @P Zero

    Actually, The Register has been banned from Apple press events already. If you want to get on the list, you have to print only positive things.

    And the run down of the hits and misses for the iPad2 is accurate, and not certainly not positive. The fact that memory isn't disclosed, is the biggest concern for me. I have an original iPhone 3, and it is getting worse and worse, because new apps require so much memory. I'd only consider the iPad2, if it has 512MB.

    1. Ted Treen
      Unhappy

      Poor Tom...

      "...I have an original iPhone 3, and it is getting worse and worse, because new apps require so much memory..."

      I know what you mean - new apps strain my Amstrad 1640 to buggery.

      Some won't even run...

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      memory...

      Memory is sort-of a moot point.

      If the iPad is only every going to have 256MB of memory then what difference does it make as all apps will be written within that constraint.

      When you say that you want 512MB what you're *actually* saying is that you want an amount of memory which a machine three years from now may have (as you're trying to future-proof your purchase). Who's to say how much memory a future machine will have? However, with that sort of logic you'd never buy one as there'll always be a better one out next year.

      1. Jinxerfelix
        FAIL

        ...3 years from now?

        @the guy above me

        You sir a sadly mistaken, the Xoom already has 1 gig of ram.

  5. Sead Alispahic
    FAIL

    Don't get it?

    So different processor, diferent graphics, cameras, sound, new operating system, case... I would really like to know, what was apple supposed to do for you to say, it is iPad 2, not 1.5. Get real, ppl, if you got PC with different graphics, different CPU, different case, new OS... different EVERYTHING, would you say it is the same, or would you say it is new?

    Maybe they could have switch from tablet, to air conditioning units, then it would be redesign? Right?

    1. bolccg
      Stop

      Hmm

      I think that you may be conflating two things here. Nobody is saying that the iPad 2 uses secondhand parts or anything so it's clearly "new" in that sense.

      But if Dell were to tout a computer as "completely new" and you found out that it had just a slightly faster graphics card, or cpu or whatever but all still from the same generation of tech then would you not say that they were being a bit excessive in talking up the innovation? To justify the stuff that Apple have been saying you'd need some sort of generational shift, not just an iteration on the tech that was there before. From the stuff that I've read, maybe only the move to dual core fits that description? And that's just one part. Yes most things have been upgraded a bit but that doesn't a priori justify the hype.

      Look, Amazon put out new kindles, with upgraded components under the (tweaked) case and (I'm sure) firmware upgrades along the way. I've not heard them touting every new version as if it was the second coming.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Design at the bleeding edge

        @bolccg: " if Dell were to tout a computer as "completely new" and you found out that it had just a slightly faster graphics card, or cpu or whatever but all still from the same generation of tech then would you not say that they were being a bit excessive in talking up the innovation"

        You - and the author of the article - are taking a lot for granted. You don't just toss a lot of extra components into a box (especially ones that can easily consume a lot more power) and expect everything to work in the same way. It doesn't matter so much for a desktop - just suck up whatever power you need from the mains. But this device is running from a battery. They also wanted to make a very small device significantly smaller... and lighter... with more components... and make it faster... and keep it running for 10 hrs under normal load. I bet the designers were sweating blood to make that work.

        Great design always presents itself in a way that seems conceptually simple - far simpler than a crap design usually. Good designers often face the paradox that their extra efforts are perceived to entail less work. It can take many more design iterations to refine a product from "functional" to "a joy to use". If the new iPad was simply a faster version of the old one, I'd be sceptical too. But this release fully deserves the v2 moniker.

        1. James Hughes 1

          @Ralph 8

          You are right of course - an awful lot of development effort has gone in to this device to make it smaller, lighter, add cameras (I work with mobile device cameras, and I know what a pain they are to get going and working), make the battery last longer. That is, no doubt, a lot of effort.

          However, from the point of view of the end user, all they see is something that looks the same, and has a couple of cameras on it. (Camera they already have in their cheap as chips mobile phone.). So from a designers POV - it's completely new, from a customers pov, it's much the same as the last one.

          1. danny_0x98

            User Goggles

            I would say the POV of most end users, and more importantly, potential customers, is that it is faster, thinner, a little lighter, has cameras, and for $500, they may get all the power, but less storage and no 3G. It's us techies who sniff and parse each element with derision and condescension in order to prove our crabbed view of the world.

            Looking at the bright side of this burgeoning versioning debate, at least Mr. Myslewski didn't dub it iPad 1.0.1, i.e., he recognizes that some non-trivial evolution took place.

            Different outside shell and and advancement in the hardware. FWIW, I think Dell bumps up the major number, or gives a product a new name, when that happens.

      2. Conner_36
        Jobs Halo

        the design process.

        You would be correct if they kept the same physical specs, but Im pretty sure everything in the new ipad is different from ipad one. This isn't just swapping a cpu and gpu. it redesigning the logic board and processor to fit in faster specs while using less battery (the ipad 2 has a physically smaller battery). If you dont see that redesigning the shell to decrease weight and still fit 10 hours of battery life is a technical challenge than I dont know how to convince you otherwise.

        The hype I agree with you is a bit out of proportion, but theres nothing anyone can do about it. Apples a big company and financial reporters have to report on it or they loose big bucks. This isn't a spectacular release, but its an entirely new inside out design.

  6. Gene
    Happy

    Can't wait to get mine!

    I passed on the original because of the lack of cameras. When my next grandchild arrives in a few weeks, my daughter and I will each have one. The hospital has wi-fi. Worth the price of admission right there. Mr. Molloy is correct. it IS all about function. I've already selected quite a few apps I will be purchasing. This device (wi-fi only) has exactly what I am looking for.

    1. Pfirsche
      Thumb Up

      Hospital WiFi

      You're going to spunk a grand on the 12-24 hours that your daugther will get to spend in the maternity ward before she gets ushered out the door? Crikey..

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Joke

        That'll just be the wifi bill!!!

        You need to add the iPad cost to that!

      2. amanfromearth
        FAIL

        spark*

        I think you'll find that it will work after they have left hospital...

      3. Anonymous Coward
        Stop

        This is criticism?

        He's got the money. Not everyone has to have a wallet like a nun's proverbial.

    2. pan2008

      what?

      So you have been waiting for this to have a device with a camera and there is wi-fi? How about your laptop, or netbook or mobile? Another apple customer, very little brains.

    3. Lamont Cranston

      Or,

      you could buy a camera, which would probably fit in your pocket and be relatively unobtrusive when in use, and a book to pass the time.

      What's that? You're made of money? OK, carry on.

  7. Stewart Stevens

    1.5? Is that the best you can do?

    Call it what you will, v1.5 or v 2, calling it a FondleSlab is more amusing though.

    I for one want one. Thing is Apple products do the job. Its not just talk, they do just work.

    It'd be better if El Reg's criticism of Apple focused on the more constructive side - like the rigidity of the requirement to use Apple's distribution channels and philosophies to deploy software. There is an argument for keeping abominations like Flash off people's devices - it is partly the reason why said devices do just work. Given the right constructive criticism Apple may be kept honest and provide mechanisms that allow openness without compromising functionality for unwitting users.

    1. Fuh Quit
      Thumb Up

      NobSlab / iNob?

      Just trying to help you there buddy :-)

    2. bolccg
      Stop

      Just work, huh?

      I had an iPhone 3G and by no stretch did everything about it "just work". Initially I loved it - with the touchscreen ushering in practical mobile browsing, that particular product genuinely deserved to be called revolutionary. But by the end of my contract I was sick of it - many of the lockdowns were almost abusive in their restrictions and, god, what a mess iTunes is. You want to tell me I could connect the phone via a normal usb cable, drag and drop a divx video file to it as if it were a normal external drive and then play it on the iPhone and it will "just work"? Not on the 3G I had and not on the current generation, I'd bet.

      Seriously, just try managing your collection manually on iTunes through a pc rather than this syncing madness (if you have a media collection of any size the syncing concept is just most hassle than it is worth and if you turn off syncing it wipes (wiped?) the media on the phone, which is absurd) and say it just works.

      1. bygjohn

        Close enough for jazz...

        Current iOS programs can use iTunes file management/sharing/whatever it's called, so while the iPod app can't play divX, several other players can, and you just connect the device to iTunes via the cable and drag and drop files into the relevant app's file store.

        It's not quite the same as mounting as an external drive, but pretty close in terms of operation.

        Actually syncing isn't bad: on my iPod classic I just sync everything, but for my iPhone I have a collection of ordinary and smart playlists which sync to the device. Adding/removing stuff is simply a question of editing said playlists before syncing, a lot of which is drag and drop, too. Only difference in practice is dragging to a playlist in iTunes before syncing instead of dragging to a device icon in Finder/Explorer once the thing is connected.

        1. bolccg
          Happy

          Synching

          Interesting comments bygjohn. Basically my phone had 8GB of storage and I have about 1TB of media. My music collection, which is smaller than most people I know, is about 6GB. So synching with any given folder on my pc was obviously a non-starter (unless I set up a crazy segregation whereby I had different folders to sync to the phone). The inability to play any of the formats I actually held my media files in was also an absolute arse. While I had the 3G I never once found an app that would expand the formats available - I ultimately had to just convert a bunch of tv shows into iTunes friendly formats and have duplicates. This is very much suboptimal - for my Desire I have a free Android media player app and can just put whatever movies or TV shows I like on there from my normal collection. Having basic drag and drop means I can do it from my work laptop without installing anything, too. *That's* "just working".

          Synching to a playlist sounds better but by the sounds of it that's just dragging and dropping to a playlist and then synching the playlist through iTunes. Why the extra step?

          Just as a last slap to iTunes; it seemed like every time I plugged the phone in I had to sit through a tedious and huge download of an update and yet it never seemed to get any better. I have no clue how they acheived that feat :)

          1. Mark Serlin
            IT Angle

            Re: Syncing

            Why don't you just drop the new things you want onto the phone icon in the sidebar? How hard is that?

          2. ThomH

            @bolccg

            It would therefore appear you plugged in an average of five times a year, that being the iOS release average for the two years immediately following the release of the 3G. You couldn't perhaps be exaggerating, could you?

            I'm not one to claim that Apple's kit "just works". But I do think the Mac is the only device that properly talks to the outside world in terms of file formats. The iPod, iPad and iPhone seem to be very iTunes dependent. Suffice to say, if you'd kept all your media in the formats Apple supports (which are all standards from other industry bodies, so not proprietary — they've just been selectively chosen), in iTunes, then the autosyncing is a great boon. It turns a common manual task into an automatic one and makes moving between devices immeasurably easier. However, that comes at the cost of, as you found, about a million hours more work if you've decided e.g. that WMV and OGG are the things for you.

            There's not really an extra step because the assumption is that you're already using iTunes. So you already have your favourites in playlists.

            So I'll say that it works very, very well if you stick to the rules. I won't say that it "just works".

      2. Steve Ives
        Paris Hilton

        itunes Just works for me

        Define what you want on you iPad / iPhone /iPod by setting up the necessary playlist etc - takes 10-15 minutes. Then connect the cable, leave it for however long it takes to transfer the stuff and you're done.

        Manually dragging and dropping every single bit of media/book/apps etc you want on it? Who on Earth would do that? Probably the same sort of people who had to set alarm clocks to tell then when to switch the video on and off.

        Paris - 'cos she'd do it manually as well.

    3. Whitter
      Troll

      why said devices do just work...

      iTunes "just works" does it?

      Seriously?

      1. Dimitri
        Thumb Up

        Yes it does!

        Just barely that it!

    4. EyeCU
      Jobs Horns

      They do just work?

      Evidence please and not just a url to Apples marketing blurb.

      I can give you many links that will show just how many failures, errors and downright fuck-ups Apple are responsible for.

      Hmmm, no icon for spinning beach-ball of death so Evil Jobs will do

      1. Stewart Stevens

        Not saying its bug free.

        The SBOD has annoyed me for time to time over the last few years of using a Macbook. No one is trying to make the claim that Apple software is bug free.

        I'm not sure if there has been an attempt to meaningfully compare bug lists and how they are dealt with in operating systems and associated applications. I've never used a system that didn't have bugs. My feeling is that Apple does a really good job.

        The point is the design philosophy. That is what makes it just work. Apple software pays a lot of attention in design to the user experience. For a desktop / laptop or handheld system that really matters. Other companies have a lot to learn from Apple's attention to design - I think Google is succeeding there. Apple aren't the only ones making good software.

        The other point of course is the hardware. The workmanship and design are simply outstanding. If someone can't see the quality and utility then I can understand them not wanting to pay the extra.

  8. JaitcH
    WTF?

    Never buy anything early in a production cycle ...

    as you don't know what problems will be experienced. Just like the Lemon 4 problems didn't surface for a week or two after release. Given that there have been wholesale hardware changes in this latest Jobs tablet, caution is warranted.

    Then there is a new OS and we all know what happened last time!

    No one mentioned what screw heads are used, either. And a cover which uses magnets sounds like a recipe for disaster and frustration and only USD$39 yet. But it does have the nibbled fruit logo on it!

    Let others be the guinea pigs.

    1. david 63

      The industry needs the early adopters...

      ...and they are usually prepared to take the pain of doing the real stress testing in return for having the latest bling.

      Good on them. I'll check it out in 3 months.

    2. Antidisestablishmentarianist
      Stop

      Another Lemon 4 rant?

      Seriously, give it up. It's getting embarrassing (for you).

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      @JaitcH

      Luckily for us the iPad2 is released in the US a couple of weeks before it is released in Blighty - plenty of time to find out about the problems without the angst of deciding which is more important - waiting until you are sure it will work or being the first in your playground to own one.

    4. Anonymous Coward
      FAIL

      Keep up, will you

      The screw head thing turned out to be scaremongering bollocks designed to sell useless overpriced kits. And no I'm not linking because you aren't worth the trouble.

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    Outstanding

    It just gets better & better. We'll be taking two engraved in White, ASAP.

    Hope iMovie will immediately recognise an SD Card with H.264 MOV files without

    having to go the PC/Mac/iTunes Sync route.

    Plus I'll get an HTC Flyer 7inch for true portability just as soon as it's here & works.

    Some of these Android announcements look very promising.

    A terrific performance from Apple. Also good to see Steve Jobs walking unaided.

    Apple Keynote now available as an iTunes Podcast for those who are interested.

    My wife's iPad 1 has been faultless.

    Big reductions on iPad 1 in the UK Apple Store.

    No, I don't work for Apple.

    Have masses of Windows PCs, Macs, Fujitsu Tablets, you name it.

    Last years comments are below:

    Post to The Register

    28/01/10

    Spectacular

    A sensational announcement and just the beginning of a whole new range.

    It will take a while to sort out the kinks and international launch of iBooks.

    A year from now, we'll all have them.

    Where is Zinio.com ?

    Look to Amazon to port Kindle iPhone across.

    What a great chess board.

    Sure beats the EO440.

    Apple's iPad Video says it all.

    I might just come out of retirement.

    Roll on UK availability.

    1. Tim Parker

      Re : Outstanding

      "Hope iMovie will immediately recognise an SD Card with H.264 MOV files without having to go the PC/Mac/iTunes Sync route."

      iMovie may recognise the MOV files, and the iPad2 may recognise the SD Card, at least from a distance, but i'm buggered if I know how it'll read it..

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Re: Outstanding

        http://www.apple.com/ipad/accessories/

        That is too difficult, is it?

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Happy

          Re: Outstanding

          Mea Culpa for being so brief.

          Of course, I've had the Camera Accessory Adapter for iPad 1 from day 1.

          H.264 MOV files on SD Card import into iPad 1 but do not display.

          These are from a Kodak Playstation Zx3.

          So I'm expecting iMovie for iPad 2 to open these files.

          Ditto for Flip Mino & H.264 from Pentax DSLR.

          Don't really want to lug a PC/Mac Notebook around.

        2. Tim Parker

          @AC re : camera kit

          "That is too difficult, is it?"

          No, no - and I didn't mean to suggest that it is absolutely impossible to connect the two - I was merely attempting to highlight the fact that some bits of kit can read SD cards without shelling out another 25-30 quid... it's not beyond the wit of man to think of reasons out why Apple might want to stop easy connection to mass storage - but makes for amusing watching the hoops that are required...

          ..and yes, I *do* like the iPad and indeed nearly all of Apples kit, but i'm not blind to some of more irritating points either, that's all.

      2. ThomH

        @Tim Parker

        The camera accessory kit includes an SD card reader. You can use it to transfer photographs directly onto the iPad without a computer in between. So it's not crazy to think they may use that route for importing video too, especially as they're seeming to want to pitch the device as something creatives can use out in the field.

  10. Tony Paulazzo
    Happy

    Title

    >what was apple supposed to do for you to say, it is iPad 2, not 1.5. Get real, ppl, if you got PC with different graphics, different CPU, different case, new OS<

    Faster graphics, faster CPU, updated os, for it to be worthy of the 2 monicker I would expect higher res screen (and let's face it, why nine times the graphic oomph? Unless to drive a retina screen - he's certainly not going to be selling ipad2 only games on iTunes, unless he wants to send the ms that the iPad 1 is now obsolete - which it won't be until 3 is out of the gate).

    The camera is a sop to marketing forces more than customer demands.

    Personally speaking, I'm glad the new one is more of an update, because by the time 3 rolls around, there should finally be a good assortment of other tablets about and the issue of mobile flash should be sorted one way or t'other - Zero Punctuation and channel 4od are the only video streams still shown in flash only format that I'm forced to watch on my pc, but that is annoying. I'm guessing USB and SD will never grace the iPad, and the walled garden will become ever more draconian, but so long as I can read my ecomics, ebooks, PDFs, surf and watch porn one handed, the iPad 1 will suffice.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Grenade

      Flash sorted???

      What makes you suppose that Flsh will be sorted any time soon. We are at Version 10.x, a new patch kit is released every other week, and it still manages to crash or debilitate browsers and/or operating systems constantly.

      Her on my Win7 office machine, running FF 3.6.14, I just killed the plugin-container.exe process, because the flash crap was consuming 100% of the available CPU. That is the current state of play, it is a bloated, CPU hogging slug with no place on any device, never mind a portable device with low power requirements. SJ is, IMHO, doing the world a service by keeping it as far away from the iPad/iPhone ecosystem as possible.

      Adobe are incompetent as a development organisation. I mean seriously, is there a buggier more bloated piece of software made than Adobe.Anything?

      Dweeb

  11. Mikel
    Pint

    Looks like nice gear

    May get one. Or one of the G1 iPads, now that they're $350 as "refurb" from Apple or even less used on Ebay.

    Beats waiting for the Windows Slate Forever vaporware.

  12. Rolf Howarth

    Shouldn't have bothered

    Twice as fast a processor, up to 9x faster graphics for games, 1080i HDMI video out, lighter, much thinner, CDMA or GSM, two cameras... all why maintaining the same price point that other manufacturers are struggling to match with their version 0.5 offerings? It's such a lame update one wonders why they even bothered to release it! Apple must be getting desperate.

  13. hammarbtyp
    Jobs Horns

    Version 1.5 more like version 1.0

    Thanks must go to the 15 million beta testers that have enabled Apple to build the device that should of the been the one that launched in the first place.

    Steve would like to say thanks to you guys and oh, its £500 if you wish to upgrade to the first release

    1. John Molloy
      WTF?

      15 million beta testers...

      @hammarbtyp

      Which manufacturer recently released a product that was missing 3 of its advertised features on day one?

      No Flash. An SD card slot but nothing can actually access it as of yet. Promised 4G but you have to ship it back to the factory to get it upgraded when they make it available. Yes, Motorola, shipping vaporware promises where it counts.

      And you are claiming that the iPad was a Bete? I think you should get your facts sorted sonny.

      1. hammarbtyp

        15 million beta testers..

        Just because the original IPad came as specified doesn't mean it wasn't a Beta modeldesigned to test the market. Things showed it was rushed out. The OS was not complete not providing multitasking etc. Acceptable on a phone but on a tablet ?.... Examinations of the innards showed a space for a front facing camera, surely a killer feature for such a device, however this was not included.

        It was put out incomplete in the knowledge the usual fanbois will buy them and then they would have enough time to smooth the edges so to speak. They did exactly the same with the iPhone 3G, with the same result.

        Now I am not saying this is bad and probably better some others who always produce prototypes with no product, however personally I am glad I am not one of the 15 million, who is trying to work out how to maximise their resale value today in order to get an iPad that functions like it should of when it came out.

        I don't buy into the hype but I'm very glad of the people who do since it means I have a better chance of getting a good product.

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Dead Vulture

    Big Picture

    I have used Android and Nokia devices before I decided to get an iPad.

    Now I have an Android Phone+iPad. The single most impressive feature is the battery life of the damn thing. If that means on a spec list, it does not look technically sound to engineers/geeks, IMO that is a reasonable compromise. (Flash/True Multitasking) - both battery hogging features.

    Also ironically, unlike the iPhone, the iPad is actually also price competitive this time round, now that the Android competitors have been announced.

    As for the article, seriously? Pretty shallow article, unless you also say what was needed for the extra 0.5.

    The rumour list was pretty stupid, a 10 GBps interface for a Tablet?? Some understanding of BOM costs, chip/die areas and supply chain challenges when dreaming up a wish list would have been nice.

    Otherwise I can ask a 15 year old geek what he or she would like it to be. Which is what this article looks like, inspite of most of it being "hit".

  15. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    It is version 1.5 because...

    Apple shoot themselves in the foot with their spin. The talk was rampant before this announcement that there will be a new version in September. This version would have a new screen, SDRam slot etc.

    If these rumours are true, and I cannot believe that Apple aren't behind some of them, then for me to go from my current iPad to the iPad 2 would be like going to version 1.5, it isn't different enough. This alledged September model is what I would call iPad 2 and it'll take until September for the developers to make use of the upgrades anyway...

    I somehow doubt that the september rumours are true though... I think it is more likely a year from now and by then I'll hopefully have a Windows 7 tablet like my old HP TC1100 (which runs Win 7 fine, does everything I want but needs a pen which is annoying).

    (mines the one with the iPhone, iPad and MacBook in the pocket, next to the Omnia 7)

  16. Bub
    Jobs Halo

    Not magical and revolutionary

    Just practical and evolutionary. Which is fine.

  17. Si 1
    Unhappy

    I was slightly disappointed

    I was hoping for some form of high pixel density display like the iPhone 4. If I were a betting man I'd say the rumours of production issues were true and the "real" iPad 2 will be the upgrade they announce next March.

    Which begs the question of where the hardware design for the iPad 2 came from on short notice. I bet when the iPhone 5 is announced later this year it's the same dual-core "A5" hardware but slightly downclocked to suit the smaller battery. Which would mean this time the iPad 2 really is a giant iPhone. ;)

    Either that or the rumours of a 7" iPad were true and the hardware from that was scaled back up to the 10" case. It would make some sense as a 7" 1024x768 screen would have a pretty high pixel density...

    Anyway, all speculation for now. And why did Apple take the UK web store offline for all of yesterday when they aren't even selling the iPad 2 yet? Do they need to take the whole thing offline to adjust a few prices???

  18. Joey
    FAIL

    What????

    First, you point out that the iPad2 only does video, not stills, than you bemoan the fact that there is no built-in flash like the iPhone4. WTF! The Register is to technology publishing what Top Gear is to motoring!

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      @Joey

      But that is why we love the Register - because it is to tech what Top Gear (a most entertaining and popular program) is to motoring.

      That no-one with any sense would use either Top Gear as a car buying guide or El Reg as a tech buying guide is rather a given - you may as well complain that you were disappointed with the results when you tried to use BBC News at 10 as a travel guide or Fox News for any news.

  19. nichomach
    Grenade

    Biggest problem I have...

    ...isn't hardware related anyway (and it IS a biggish problem in the case of the one fondleslab that we have in service here, though it's thankfully not my slab); it's the inability of third party apps to use the USB connection to sync. Case in point - Documents To Go. Sold via Apple's store, so it's an approved app. Has the facility to synch documents between slab and PC. Except that Apple won't allow use of the USB connector for synching, forcing you to use WiFi. This requires me to set up a WiFi network - completely unnecessary for ANY other purpose in the area concerned - purely to service that overpriced, underspecced Jobsian abortion. That's just shit. The next person who tells me "but Apple stuff just works...", I swear...

    1. Dimitri
      FAIL

      You sound like an IT guy...

      Are you really one? then get a clue. One of the biggest complaints against apple is that they can't do wifi sync, only via USB and the horrid iTunes.

      Syncing over WiFi until now at least requires jaiblreaking the device or using a messy solution based on some pathetic file sharing apps from the apple store where amateur developers have written their own lame implementation of SAMBA or WebDAV.

      The iPad only needs WiFi for internet connectivity/email etc. Do your homework next time.

      Having said that, I do feel sorry for your users if your attitude to setting up a WiFi network is that it's SO bothersome. Obviously easing their work and increasing their productivity means nothing to you.

      I've met admins like you and always had to fight off an intense desire to kick them.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Thumb Down

        HAH!

        Dimitri, you sound like a tool. If the only reason to set up a wireless network is to work around a ridiculous constraint on a stupidly constrained device, then it IS a pain in the arse, because proper network maintenance is a non-trivial amount of work. Not to mention that any claim of wireless networking "improving productivity" is shaky at best...

        I've met users like you and manage, with a bit of effort, to maintain the professionalism required not to throttle them. It's a daily struggle, mind you.

        1. Dimitri

          Except that you don't have to...

          ...because the device isn't stupidly constrained this way! It is stupidly constrained in that as of iOS 4.2.1 you CANNOT use WiFi for synching, you can only use USB.

          Which you would know if you had actually understood my comment i.e. read it properly...

          As for proper network maintenance being a "non-trivial amount of work" I suggest you go back to the BOFH cartoons you came from...

      2. nichomach
        FAIL

        Dimitri, you are a tool

        The ONLY way third party apps are allowed to synch (e.g. Documents To Go , a pretty prominent application for business users) is WiFi. Read http://support.dataviz.com/support.srch?docid=14362 or http://help.coradine.com/discussions/problems/1747-ipad-sync-will-not-work-via-usb or https://mentalfaculty.tenderapp.com/kb/mental-case-for-ios/can-i-sync-my-mac-and-iphoneipad-via-usb . Smash your stupid, ignorant, sanctimonious, patronising fucking face into the screen if that's what it takes to get the point. I'll help you do it, no charge.

        Then STFU, and fuck off back under your rock.

        And having to put into place a WLAN to get around the fact that Crapple disable synching over USB, because that's what you have to do, is nearly as stupid as you. Nearly. Now I HAVE put a WLAN into place in an area that does not need it for any other reason, because I LIKE making my users' lives easier. Even though it is for just one guy and his fondleslab. That doesn't change the fact that Crapple are tools for requiring it, and that you are a tool for attempting to justify them doing so. And I've met people like you, too, and only hope that you never breed.

        1. Dimitri

          Thanks - you must be right!

          Dear nichomach,

          So your point is I'm a tool because your user is using a poxy little app that doesn't sync over iTunes?

          Thanks ever so much for the kind words. I actually took a minute to check the link you posted. I can see why you're confused. Its because of two reasons:

          1) These documents do say that "Apple does not make USB synchronization available to third party applications".

          2) You're a fool. You've read all this and not managed to understand that you *can* sync over USB and you *can* sync multiple files and folders, you just can't do it *without* iTunes.

          All apps downloaded from the apple store can sync via USB. VLC syncs movies, Stanza syncs ebooks, I have at least three apps that sort and sync folders (e.g. Filer), even my web browsers sync their downloaded files and bookmarks.

          The difference which you could have picked up on if you had learned to read in whatever 3rd rate school you attended, is they *only* sync via iTunes. You can can even export directories from the iTunes sync store to elsewhere on disk.

          The developers of the apps you are using don't support this because they want to sync filesystems, not just files which is a different thing altogether.

          Check http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1386 which tells you all about syncing straight from the source - you could have googled it, if you didn't have the IQ of a lima bean.

          Now I do agree that its horribly stupid that iDevices don't give you access to their filesystems unless jailbroken.

          But not as stupid as you for going apeshit, just because your little app doesn't play the way you want. Your guy could have figured out a way to get his documents into his PC using iTunes, he could installed another office suite, or hell just jailbreak the damn thing and do whatever you want with the filesystem.

          Since you don't want to do this and you DO want to make your users' life easier, how about YOU STFU and stop wasting our time with your b*tching?

          I dislike defending apple but aggressive twits like you just need to be put down.

          Talk about people who shouldn't breed - that clearly applies to your parents but sadly it's too late for that now.

          1. nichomach
            FAIL

            So, shearing

            the irrelevant crap, bluster and obfuscation from your post:

            1. I was right and you were wrong about third party apps being restricted from using USB to synch.

            2. I was right and you were wrong about WiFi being not only supported but required for synch in such circumstances.

            3. I was right and you were wrong about it being an Apple restriction.

            In fact, on every substantive point of fact, I was right and you were wrong.

            4. Calling me an aggressive twit is the utterest height of hypocrisy, and leads me to another substantive point

            5. I'm right about you being a tool as well.

    2. bygjohn

      You're a little out of date

      That used to be the case, but current iOS apps can transfer files via iTunes/USB.

      1. nichomach

        Nope

        You can synch individual files via iTunes. This is useless when the person needs to synch across multiple files and folders. You can argue all you like, but I suggest BEFORE you do, you read http://support.dataviz.com/support.srch?docid=14362 and take into account the fact that I've tried it, researched it, and it doesn't work.

  20. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Oh come on...

    It really isn't so bad. Apple do what they do best and that is producing an integrated solution. The competition really has not caught up yet, if it ever will. Naturally you'll find a few people who will buy other company's tablets, just as some people bought Zunes? Just as John Molloy says its not about spec. Its not about whether the camera is better or worse than the others? It is what you can do with it, and how easy it is to use its "output" Some people just want to use a product, not constantly fiddle with it's workings.

  21. Shonko Kid
    FAIL

    Multicore...

    "...assuring better performance on apps that can take advantage of that extra core."

    If it's up to the application to make use of the extra core, then that is a massive FAIL for iOS. Even the 'obsolete' Symbian OS can manage multicore effectively and efficiently without any real changes to the application code.

    1. chuckc
      Happy

      Re: Multicore...

      Symbian and multicore? You gotta be kidding, Symbian hasn't even been shipped on any multicore device and they started implementing SMP support just a couple years back, when OS X and Linux have had it for a decade, and it's something that is not easy to get right.

      Multicore support in OS X, just like in Linux, does not require the app to support it directly. The kernel will evenly distribute threads (kernel and user space ones) between cores, so if two apps are running, or an app and a kernel task, those will make use of the multiple cores automagically. If your app uses more than 1 thread, those will also be load balanced between the cores, and even if it only uses the single runloop thread, other threads in the system will make use of the other cores.

    2. Doc Spock
      Boffin

      Re: Multicore...

      There is this little thing called "Grand Central Dispatch" which was introduced to iOS in version 4.0 (and OS X 10.6 prior to that). Many of the API functions were modified to make use of it. At the same time, developers were encouraged to begin using "blocks" to encapsulate code that can be run in the background.

      As such, even old applications that don't use "blocks" may still see a benefit simply because of the updated API code. This is in addition to any apps that will have been explicitly multi-threaded (i.e., most, if not all, games).

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Central_Dispatch

  22. ttuk
    Grenade

    3rd party suppliers

    "Not that Apple has ever worried too much about pulling the rug out from under it's third-party partners"

    indeed.. from Bloomberg: "Zagg Inc. which sells accessories such as iPad cases, plunged 24% after Apple introduced its own magnet case for the tablet."

    1. Kebablog
      Badgers

      Eat more Kebab

      The Apple case wont appeal to all, sure it looks nice. But most people want to protect the whole device not just the front.

      Zagg probably didn't have anything new in the pipeline for iPad2.

  23. Andy Farley
    Thumb Down

    Tablet

    plus eye tracking for mouse movement + voice recognition = winner, and Google have the edge in VR.

    Until then I'll keep hold of my money ta.

  24. Bilgepipe
    Troll

    Yawn

    I guess the trolls needed /something/ to criticise about the new iPad - "it's not different enough" will have to do I suppose.

    1. Rafael 1
      Happy

      "Not different enough"

      Let's see if I got it:

      1) "Unnamed insiders" spread lots of lies^H^H^H^H facts about features for the new, improved iPad.

      2) Some of those facts are supported by badly photoshopped pictures leaked from Chinese makers.

      3) iPad fails to deliver all those reported improvements. How DARE they?

      4) The Reg complains because the iPad is not what they (we? who?) expected.

      OK, people, let's play the iPad 3 Game. Spread facts/wish lists about the iPad 3 and let's help with the writing of the next year's report on how it failed to live up to the rumours. I'll start:

      The iPad 3 will be released on June 1st, 2011. At the same time the iPad 2 will start selling for 50 bucks, with that fancy cover for free. It will have four -- nay, 16 times the resolution, weight 100 grams (102 for the 3G/4G model), a full telepathic interface, Bose speakers, 1Tb of RAM, ports for SD, Memory Stick, USB 3.0, Firewire, eSata and Thundercats or whatever the name of the new port is, a *physical* keyboard, a carbon fiber body, non-reflective screen, two 14Mp back-facing and two 8MP front-facing cameras and will be, from day one, available in black, white and Ferrari red.

      It will still run iOS (version 7.0) so people can still complain about the lack of whatever they want.

      Here's a photo of it, got it from a neighboor's dog, which owner, I am quite sure, eats in a Chinese restaurant whose owner is cousin with someone that may or not be a worker in a Chinese company on something that may or not be related to Apple. There are some teeth marks on it, but if you squint really hard you can recognize the features and endlessly (or at least until June 1st) speculate on them.

      +----+

      | |

      +----+

      (ok, I am a bad photoshopper).

  25. andy gibson

    Why the obsession with making things thinner?

    I can't see the point for the obsession for making things thinner. I'd be happy with it to be the same size but have loads more power, ports and battery life.

    I'm looking at my current tower PC, the size hasn't changed much in 20 years. In fact, flicking though my latest vendor catalogue they're all the same standard size.

    Yes, those little shuttles came along but didn't really change the world.

    1. Dimitri
      Terminator

      It's beacause there's this thing...

      ...called portability! It makes no difference to your tower PC (which incidentally, unless if it has really monster hardware, really could be shrunk down to the size of a book ala the mac or dell minis), but it does matter to portable devices that people CARRY and HOLD.

      Then they can do cool things, like take them to the park and work from there, or take them on vacation, or just use them in bed. Granted not the most fun you could have in bed, but I digress.

      Anyway for these types of uses, it helps if things are slimmer and lighter. That's because bigger and heavier things are harder to CARRY and HOLD. Get it?

      Next time you're in town, walk into a computer shop and ask them to show you a "Lap-top" or a "notebook PC" or even a "net-book". I think you'll be amazed at what miniaturization has done in the last 20 years :-)

      Terminator icon, because future tech is coming to get you!

      1. andy gibson
        FAIL

        @ Dimitri

        Perhaps you should re-read my post. It was about why make the device thinner, when they could have kept it the same size, but threw in a few more ports and batteries for longer life.

        The original iPad is already portable, and not necessarily cumbersome, heavy or unusable. In what way does making it thinner make it *more* portable?

        The PC reference wasn't anything to do with portability, but to do with an optimum size has been reached.

        I've been collecting portable computers (Epson, Amstrad, Tandy, Cambridge, NEC, Olivetti) for decades and with the exception of the Tandy 102 and the Epson HX20, the thickness of the device has pretty much remained the same.

        1. Dimitri
          Happy

          Chill out Andy...

          ...perhaps you should re-read my post which was rather clearly tongue in cheek. And incidentally my PC is a massive full tower (but then I do like monster hardware, otherwise I'd get a mini).

          I agree that they could have added things like USB or MicroSD ports, that would have been nice but not a game-changer.

          But battery life was already fine. I get a solid 9+ hours out of mine and recharge nightly with heavy 3G use and usually less.

          The weight however is a real problem. if you use the device for reading your hand does fall off after a while and I for one would complain they didn't make it thiner and especially lighter still.

          Smiley face because let's make peace, OK?

    2. rikik

      Tower PC?

      Umm, just out of interest, do you often carry your Tower PC with you on a train so as to read the latest news etc? Just wondering.

    3. Alex McKenna

      Alex McKenna

      ... yes but that's because you're a techie. A fiddler. A car-mechanic type with greasy fingers.

      That's fine. A great hobby. I used to take things apart when I was a kid too, to see how they were put together. Clocks. Radios. Gramophones. Watches. Toy trains.. you name it. But I grew out of that eventually :-)

      The rest of us just want something that works.

      Smaller and lighter is better, in this case.

  26. Risky
    Paris Hilton

    Question Remains

    Still very pretty. Still don't what I'd need one for.

    (Paris - I'm sure she's got one /rolleyes)

    1. Dimitri
      Paris Hilton

      And I'd like one...

      ...Paris that is. Oh and an iPad 2. Or better Paris with an iPad2. Or even an iPad 2 to check out Paris on youtube ;-)

  27. Richard Scratcher
    Coat

    I was impressed by the improvements and hardware additions...

    ...enough to call it the iPad 3!

    I think the only reason Apple gave it the lesser title of iPad 2 is because it's their second version of the product. Those crazy guys eh!

    Mark my words, this product will crash and burn in exactly the same way as its predecessor didn't.

  28. Mark .

    Behind the competition

    Has it been released yet? Or just announced? Or is this just yet another announcement of an announcement?

    1GB of RAM has been standard on devices like the ASUS Eee PC and Samsung netbooks for years, plus you get a real OS (not one designed for phones), multitasking, and a physical keyboard, and they're cheaper too. (Can it do copy/paste yet?)

    For smaller devices, plenty of Nokia etc phones will have the Ipad's capabilities, with more portability, and the ability to make phone calls. And there are devices like the Samsung Galaxy tab too if you want something bigger.

    ("Tablet" is just an arbitrary category that ignores the far more popular devices with keyboards, and any smaller device, just to inflate Apple's share. You might as well say that Apple have 100% market share of Ipads...)

    "The Tab has been out for several months now, and exactly zero innovation has occured to it or the oversized phone apps that run on it."

    Innovation doesn't occur on a single product once it's released - what innovation occured to the Ipad 1 during its released? And how wasn't that just a brick-sized phone?

    "do you really want a game to carry on playing when you change applications?"

    On a phone, no. On anything larger that's competing with actual computers, yes I want that choice. If not, I might as well just buy an actual computer (especially as they're cheaper anyway, and come with keyboards).

    @Ralph 5: Er, why are you assuming that he meant a desktop? Dell make laptops and netbooks, and last time I looked, they had to run off a battery too. My Samsung N220 goes for 11 hours, by the way.

  29. Matt Bridge-Wilkinson
    Thumb Down

    Ipad 1 was fine

    What an empty upgrade.

    I can't say in my 10 months with an Ipad 1, I've ever thought oh I wish it was a little faster, because the performance is great. I hardly ever use my laptop anymore, its just too slow comparitively. I never wished the graphics power was higher, as it does the job I need it to. I wished it had Flash plenty of times though. ;)

    I do like apple but I dislike their constant replacement and upgrades of devices that havent even settled in, and in many cases dont even need upgrading. Have they even started to get the most from the current hardware before they are replacing it with another set? If Sony or Microsoft replaced their games consoles every year the market would be a mess.

    I can't help feel that Apple are in some ways alienating their own customers by constantly making them feel pressured to get the next one for fear of it being obsolete. The OS then gets updated to make it slower and slower and you're expensive device gets pushed out. Apples market share will no doubt reduce because of Android but also because their constant goal post moving will just put off consumers from getting on board, and leave only the loyal fans buying.

    These constant upgrades are good for Apple and not really the consumer.

  30. TheOtherHobbbes

    So who

    wants to bet that iOS 5 won\t run on Mk 1 iPads?

    Good to see from the keynote that the iPad does brain surgery and is kind to widows and orphans.

    It was a nice postcard from Planet Apple, where everyone has smiling kids and goes mountain biking *all the time.*

  31. Mark .

    Re: Why the obsession with making things thinner?

    I agree, I thought the same about the Apple Air laptops. If I want smaller, I'd rather my netbook. Being thinner is almost always completely useless, and just something to put on the blurb.

    Worse it comes at the expense of functionality - the Airs only have 2 USB sockets, presumably because that's all that will fit...

  32. TheOtherHobbbes
    Troll

    I think

    too few people understand that the iPad isn't a computer, it's a personal brand management solution.

  33. hexx

    it's iPad2 and it deserves it

    it's proper upgrade, what else do you want?

    it has new dual core cpu

    it has 2 new cameras

    it has new iOS

    it has 2 new brilliant applications (iMovie, GarageBand)

    it's thinner

    it's lighter

    added gyroscope

    not enough for an upgrade? are you insane?

    1. Dimitri
      Boffin

      No, you are...

      Really its just a hardware upgrade, like a this year's new ford focus - an evolution over last year's model.

      And yes many of us do think it's a minor upgrade:

      - Dual Core CPU is nice but not game changing (not like it'll run flash any faster)

      - Faster graphics is nice but watching 1080p on a 1024x768 9.7" screen is lamer than lame

      - 2 Cameras - OK, those are nice. Wish the iPad1 had it.

      - A bit thinner, cool

      - A tiny bit lighter - not enough to make a difference

      - Gyroscope - did I need one? What for?

      - iOS 4.3 - my iPad1 has 4.2.1 - what's the big deal? It's a point release...

      ...and so is the iPad2, hence the 1.5 monicker.

      Or to put it another way, I was thinking of upgrading my iPad but now I'm struggling to convince myself.

      1. hexx

        I see what

        you mean. Nah, don't see this as an upgrade path for existing users, unless you need camera(s).

      2. hexx

        re

        "- Faster graphics is nice but watching 1080p on a 1024x768 9.7" screen is lamer than lame"

        you can't, it's video output via HDMI which offers 1080p, you have mirror mode too, so good for schools, presentations and so on.

  34. Rob - Denmark
    Troll

    So Apple finally found out how to make a white iP***

    Just leave out the flash!

    Never mind it has proven very usefull on my last 4 or so camera phones.

  35. Christopher Cowan

    Garageband was very good in the podcast

    I watched the keynote and the version of Garageband demoed was very impressive, they had smart instruments and used the accelerometer to change the sound of instruments, some very smart programming. It is an 8 track recording studio for £3. I dare say the improved A5 chip and video processing will make it run very smoothly. IMovie looked pretty good too.

  36. AlexS
    Dead Vulture

    Whatever.

    FFS how many articles on the iPad 2 do you need?

  37. General Pance
    Thumb Down

    Can't even plug in a pen drive, let alone portable HDD

    Thunderbolt?

    Would a simple USB 2.0 be too much to ask?

  38. wolfmeister

    htc? iphone? ipad? tablets? decisions decisions!

    jeez. surely we all know how marketing works? "new"? not "new"?

    I remember a very old cartoon from MAD magazine in the early 70's - Thomas Eddison is in his workshop with a freind; the friend is admiring a 'seperates' hi-fi system on the workbench

    "What's this thing for Thom?" he asks

    Eddison is standing next to an old wind up gramaphone and replies "Oh that. that's something I'm working on, but THIS! This is what we need to push now!"

    ish i could get a copy of that cartoon, but anyway...that's life. and as for the argument about whether it is 'new' or not?; also remember with the yanks we have to re-define English words.. "FREE" for yanks means: "download it, install it, then find out you must pay for it to work" - Well it seems to whenever i try and find a simple "free" app to do an odd task on a windows machine.

    BTW; briefly skimming the comments i must i was gobsmacked to read a man was planning to use the camera on this iPad device to capture the one-time only event of his daughters birth!! - Why not get one of those disposable cardboard tourist cameras eh and go the whole hog? blimey!

    Also i have to say the idea one would use a 'camera' (the iPad) bigger than the best compact you could get circa 1910 is amusing. Can you imagine standing holding one of those bloody great iPads in front of you like a camera? Lol, it'd be like being a video-cam tourist from 1980.

    i dunno anyway, i'm dithering what to buy having held out for a good 12 months on any tablet or new phone - a mate came round today with an HTC Desire and Samsung tablet - plonked the HTC by the windows as a wi-fi web connection device (gingerbread), connected his Tablet to the web via wi-fi on the HTC and he was off and browsing on the tablet in about 30 seconds!! Then we logged my iPod touch into his HTC and that too was online (and quiet fast actualy)!

    All in all that was quite impressive, and i beleive this is not possible with an iPad and iPhone together?

  39. Mr Floppy

    environment monitors

    Damn, I thought there would be some environment monitors. I thought there was an API for a barometer, hygrometer and thermometer in IOS4.3. Or was that the Xoom?

  40. Grubby

    Still

    Cameras - So now you can record yourself thinking of a reason to have paid £600 on something you don't need.

    Dual core - Now it can do all those useful things twice as fast... there will be a LOT of redundant CPU.

    Thinner & Lighter - You've just shaved a few mills off it, but still need a laptop bag to put it in...

  41. Erwin Hofmann

    iPad2

    iPa(i)d2

  42. Anonymous Coward
    Jobs Halo

    Fashionistas

    It's amusing how The Register and the majority of it's members have adopted this fashionable, but extremely superficial hatred for all things Apple. It's equally amusing how this same group fawns all over anything Google! lol.

    They are both essentially the same thing except in name.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Grenade

      Re: fashionistas

      "It's amusing how The Register and the majority of it's members have adopted this fashionable, but extremely superficial hatred ..."

      Youve got it all wrong - its not superficial - its deep down intense hatred for a poxy piece of overpriced crap (refers to any Apple product as they all fir that seimple description)

  43. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Who cares what it can do, it's cool!

    Truth is, most of the people who will buy the iPad really don't give a toss if it does this or that or anything useful or not, as long as it has a list of things they can say it does and looks nice & flashy to show off to other people.

    It's become a fashion statement more than anything else - Christ I was even sat behind a women in the Theatre at the weekend who had her iPad out before the performance showing (or rather boring) her friend (and all of us behind her) with photo after photo. You could tell dam well her friend really didn't care for seeing a thousand photos of her posing and it was blantently a act of 'look at me, I have an iPad'. I thought she was going to orgasm from fingering the bloody thing!

  44. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    quit fighting

    the ipad is a lovely device albeit aimed for those who value functionality and are ok with being told what they can and cannot do.

    android is for those who either are too pig headed to accept the straitjacket imposed by apple or simply do not see the point in paying extra just because...

    at the end of the day, if you like what you bought, what does it matter what the rest of the world + dog feels?

  45. Patrick 8
    Happy

    droid users are living in a wild west fantasy

    the android ecosystem is the wild west. Freedom to do anything you want but the same for everyone under the sun so lawlessness, scams and danger are more ever present and mortality high for those unmotivated and uneducated souls who dont take responsibility for knowing everything going on and doing all their own policing, firefighting and militia work themselves.

    The apple ecosystem is the modern city / social construct where citizens give up portions of anarchical freedoms for a central police system which creates a safer place to live and improved chance to not become a casulty.

    Fantasizing about the wild west is tempting but ultimately like fantasizing about the good old days. Anyone can pick apart at least one sticking point in modern society and pine for the wild days but their human nature glosses over all the pitfalls and bad points of the past while having memories of good points that are better than they were in actuality.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      except that

      going with apple is like *NOT* a "modern city / social construct" as you described. it's more like opting to live in a large walled cult complex. albeit one with plenty of pretty flowers and nice gardens and fountains and stuff to keep you feeling happy and blissful.

  46. Alex McKenna

    Alex McKenna

    Given the shape of the thing has changed - rather than just the front elevation - I would think a great deal of work has gone into making the innards fit. They started from scratch, so it's a LOT more than just a fiddle with the original iPad.

    I think you deserve a bit of WHACKO from my trusty number 4 cane, me lad...

    Bend over boy.

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/Design/graphics/icons/comment/headmaster_32.png

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