Should I Buy an iPad 2?

by Lori Cunningham   

With the iPad 2 recently hitting the market, there was a replay of all the flurry that accompanied the original iPad introduction over one year ago.  Only it’s different this time because it’s the masses (not the bleeding edge tech lovers) that are interested in getting their hands on an updated iPad.   

According to Reuters estimation, nearly 1 million iPad 2’s were sold during its opening weekend.  These numbers are pretty remarkable when you consider that the original iPad sold 1 million units…after 28 days of being on the market!   

Check out all the initial reviews, Consumer Reports, cnet, and techlicious.   All three of them recommend that the iPad tablet is the one tablet to buy.   

I agree that the iPad 2 is a great tablet.  Though it’s not significantly better than the original iPad.  Truthfully, the iPad 2 should have been the first introduction, but Apple wanted to give people a reason to upgrade.  The megapixels on the much awaited dual cameras on the iPad 2 are less than desirable.  Again, probably a part of Apple’s plan to get people to upgrade to the forthcoming (you know they’re already working on it!) iPad 3.   

Do I believe the iPad 2 is preferrable to the Motorola Xoom, Galaxy Tab, Dell Streak, or others?  No.  These Android tablets have a lot to offer consumers and do not suffer from the limitations set forth by Apple.  The main benefit of buying Apple is that there are more apps and accessories available than any other tablet.  If you want the most variety, Apple is your best bet.  However…  

Other Tablets Pack More Punch for Your Money.

They include:   

Upgradeable and Removable SD Memory.  This is a huge benefit for adding more memory without having to buy a new unit.   

Convenience.  Having a tablet that fits better in a pocket or purse is very handy.  It is less of a burden to take along with you on daily errands/lunches/trips. 

Camera Resolution – Many tablets have a better resolution on both their front and rear facing cameras over the iPad 2.   

Customization.  Customizable home pages are nice as well as the flexibility on how you organize your apps. Apple locks these things down.   

Growing Popularity.  Android has now beat Apple in being the most used Operating System got mobile.  The gap in Apples’ massive lead in app development will close within the next few years.   

Openness.  There are a number of apps available in the Android market that Apple refuses to sell in their app market.   

I believe these are very compelling reasons why consumers should feel very satisfied in buying another tablet over an iPad 2.    

What To Ask Yourself When Buying a Tablet:

1.)  Is the convenience of having a smaller size tablet a high priority? (Android)   

2.)  Do you prefer accessible and portable memory such as SD cards in loading and transferring data? (Android)   

3.)  Do you plan on taking a lot of pictures/videos on your tablet and prefer good quality pictures and video? (Android)   

4. )  Do you like to customize your homepage? (Android)   

5.)  Do you like to see webpages with embedded Flash videos and be able to view the videos right on the page? (Android)   

Galaxy Tab

6.)  Do you prefer to have the largest number of apps available so when a need comes up, you’ll know you’re using the right operating system to download it? (iPad)   

7.)  Do you like having the largest number of choices for tablet accessories such as cases, stands, speakers, and most options for connectivity to stereo receivers, pool equipment, video security, etc. in the home, etc.?  (iPad)   

8.) Do you like to be a part of the latest and hottest technology everyone is talking about?  (iPad – the latest status symbol!)   

9.)  Do you already have a large collection of iTunes in your library and prefer the easiest transition to your tablet?  (iPad)   

10.) Is battery power essential for you and you’d prefer the tablet with the best power management?  (iPad)   

Although tablets are all the talk these days, Tablets.com reported that as of the end of 2010, 99.7% of the population still does not own one.  However,  in a report conducted by RBC Capital Markets analyst Mike Abramsky, he predicted that there will be more than   

“400 million tablet users worldwide by 2014, including 185 million tablets sold in 2014. But he thinks Google Android, not Apple, will come to lead the market, representing 40% of the 2014 tablet market, versus 34% for Apple, 13% for Microsoft, 8% for BlackBerry, and 5% for HP WebOS.”   

Motorola Xoom

Tablets aren’t going away.  One thing is guaranteed, the longer you wait, the better the features will get, and the lower the cost.  Since the iPad2 introduction, it’s been reported that Samsung will likely reduce the cost of the Galaxy Tab to $399 for it’s upcoming WiFi version, thus selling $100 less than the new iPad 2.  

Which tablet do you use?  Or which tablet do you have your eye on?  Tell us why you like/picked a particular tablet.  There are still many of us interested in a tablet but sitting on the fence and eager to hear more.