Hello everyone, long time lurker decided to make an account. Let me start off buy saying im in the windows camp. And the Ipad was my first Apple product. Allthough i am a Systems Admin, and have used apple equipment in some manner for a long time. So i know allot about the company and their products.

On to my semi review
- Screen is much brighter than my Ipad 1 at the same settings(edit: more vibrant as well). But this could have been an issue with my Ipad 1 i never knew about.

- Safari is the exact same speed as on Ipad 1(patch update i presume)...except sites with heavy graphics. Then it kicks its ass.

- Apps like The Daily and Elements and John Stewart on Ipad 2 are HUGE improvement (these are the ones i put time into testing). No lag, no waiting...bam ready to rock.

- No typing lag....

- Speaker......blows ipad 1 out of the water. When layed on a flat surface it amplifies the volume. I got very frutrated with podcasts and netflix on Ipad 1 because most the time it was not loud enough. Im surprised this was kept quiet by apple, i was worried about it. Big win for me.

- The way they impliminted facetime is pretty cool, i didnt care about this feature. But now i realize i may actually like using it.

- Now to my biggest problem with the Ipad 1 Weight and how uncomfortable is to hold for long periods. The weight the Ipad 2 brings it down just enough do away with the issue. Of course that along with the MUCH easier to hold design. Make holding it with one hand a non issue.

Thats my thoughts on it so far. No complaints or regrets after about 2 hrs of use (except i should have waited). Imo its a huge step up, ipad 1 is going to ebay. I was worried i was buying into the hype and wasting my money. As my Ipad 1 is only three months old. But after using the Ipad 2...it makes the Ipad 1 look like a beta build, if you want to wait for Ipad 3 stay away from trying an Ipad 2, you'll want it. That my honest opinion.

Safari is the same speed? How is that even possible? That is what I expected the biggest improvement to be.

Originally Posted by Thphilli

Safari is the same speed? How is that even possible? That is what I expected the biggest improvement to be.

Check this video out iPad 2 kicks butt

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

Originally Posted by Thphilli

Safari is the same speed? How is that even possible? That is what I expected the biggest improvement to be.

Yea ive tried a bunch of sites. somthing like a wiki page was just a little faster. but loading a site like ign or ebaums is where the Ipad 2 shines.

Interest is high ... comments in abundance ... many viewpoints. Three of the best reviews I have found are:

Slashgear.com (straight forward, well written)

daringfireball.com (John Gruber) this is lengthy, but really informative... highlights the essence of the new market ...compares key comments by others. At the end "The Chair" notes what the true personal computer really is.

iFixit. com (opens the case and shares findings

I am so glad that I upgraded. The increased speed is great. For the sites that I use, the speed increase in Safari is noticeable. I like the size and weight but the speed increase and potential for development of more power intensive apps is what I find I'm the most excited about.

Also, I needed to get my girlfriend an iPad. So it worked out for me to get the new one and give her my first iPad.

I notice a big speed increase in apps like Steel HD and a few of the apps I use for PDF viewing and annotation.

That being said, the first iPad is a great device and if you're happy with it and don't have a need for the new features, then you may want to hold off on replacing it. I love my iPad 2 and made use of the first iPad. I would recommend spending some time hands on if you are on the fence, either with a display or one that belongs to friends or family.

I will be posting reviews of the iPad 2, my opinion on the iPad vs iPad 2 question, and reviews of several accessories in a few days. I got my iPad Friday at 5, and I like to have some time with a device before writing a full review.