Surprise! 10 Ways iPad 2 Feels Different

[Tomsguiderachel]

[citation][nom]thlillyr[/nom]Wow just wow. You were really scraping the bottom of the barrel on this articale. Really the typing seems better? Its the exact same keyboard on the exact same screen. I type 80wpm on the ipad 1 and i type 80wpm on the ipad 2. It's the same keyboard stop reporting progaganda and get back to the facts. Apple and all other companies decive the customers enough as it is. We turn to toms to get cold hard unbiased facts. Not to read sponsered advert bs reviews. The device had 2 things changed thats it. It's not a new revolutionary device like the first ipad. In my opinion if you don't have one get an ipad 2. If you already have an ipad. Don't bother until you break it. Then sell it on ebay for full price. (Seriosuly they sell for full reatail even with shattered screens.) Then buy an ipad 2. I have yet to see a compelling feature that necessitates an upgrade.[/citation]
Hey--stop saying that our articles are paid or sponsored. I'm really sick of readers saying that, it is so insulting and uneducated. I really value all of your comments but that type of comment gets so old, I don't even know what to say anymore.

My experience typing on the iPad 2 was that there was a noticeable reduction in latency with the key clicks. If you didn't experience that, well, thanks for your input. That doesn't invalidate my experience, however.

I completely agree with you that the iPad 2 is merely evolutionary and NOT revolutionary as a product. However, the change in the form factor (size, weight, industrial design curves) changed the experience for me. If that's B.S. to you then you don't have feelings like most people do. My testing experience was aiming to replicate what an average consumer would feel upon trying out the product. Ask most people who are looking to buy a tablet and they will tell you that a certain list of features is important to them, but the experience is most important...I'm not sure which cold hard facts you think are missing from this particular article but I'm interested to know what you think.

Thanks for reading,
Rachel Rosmarin

 

[bejabbers]

You should make a point of writing more balanced articles. I find it disappointing that so many of the articles on here seem to be so biased towards apple products. Perhaps an article titled "10 ways the iPad 2 hasn't changed" or :10 reasons not to get the iPad 2". Tom's Guide seems to go through great effort to make sure that Apple's polished turds always sound more appealing than their competition ("10 ways the iPad 2 feels different" vs. "6 reasons not to get the xoom" and "6 reasons to get the xoom"). As soon as the average person sees that first review on the xoom, you've already created a bias towards the product, regardless of the second review title.

But I guess the article did hit the nail on the head. The iPad 2, like other apple products, is great for people who don't know anything about computers and if given something with real functionality and a real OS would surely be screwing it up. This is certainly a product for the average idiot, since someone with any technical knowledge would be able to see it for the overpriced, underpowered (especially software), and underwhelming product that it is.

I can accept that Tom's Guide is the apple version of Tom's Hardware, but I really with these "opinion" based articles would be posted as news on a real computer review site, especially when they are creating such a biased perspective.

 

[Tomsguiderachel]

[citation][nom]bejabbers[/nom]You should make a point of writing more balanced articles. I find it disappointing that so many of the articles on here seem to be so biased towards apple products. Perhaps an article titled "10 ways the iPad 2 hasn't changed" or :10 reasons not to get the iPad 2". Tom's Guide seems to go through great effort to make sure that Apple's polished turds always sound more appealing than their competition ("10 ways the iPad 2 feels different" vs. "6 reasons not to get the xoom" and "6 reasons to get the xoom"). As soon as the average person sees that first review on the xoom, you've already created a bias towards the product, regardless of the second review title.But I guess the article did hit the nail on the head. The iPad 2, like other apple products, is great for people who don't know anything about computers and if given something with real functionality and a real OS would surely be screwing it up. This is certainly a product for the average idiot, since someone with any technical knowledge would be able to see it for the overpriced, underpowered (especially software), and underwhelming product that it is.I can accept that Tom's Guide is the apple version of Tom's Hardware, but I really with these "opinion" based articles would be posted as news on a real computer review site, especially when they are creating such a biased perspective.[/citation]
I think an article about the way a product has "stayed the same" would be incredibly boring. Maybe an article about "10 Ways To Make the iPad 2 Not Suck?" I'd click on that. Are you interested in that kind of an article? If so, send me a message through the forums and we can talk about it.

Why is Tom's Guide an Apple version of Tom's Hardware?
Also, please specify exactly how the iPad 2 is underpowered. When you respond, please make sure to list what products you are comparing it to, for reference.

And finally, please tell me what you meant by this: "but I really with these "opinion" based articles would be posted as news on a real computer review site, especially when they are creating such a biased perspective."

That doesn't read quite right and I'm not sure what you're saying. This was not a news article, number one, and what is a real computer review site? Certainly not Tom's Guide--we don't focus on computer reviews here. I'd like to think that this article couldn't be found on a generic, typical web site.

Looking forward to your feedback,

Rachel

 

[cursedwarrior]

[citation][nom]Tomsguiderachel[/nom]This is not a Tom's Hardware review--look up: you're at Tom's Guide. We are a little bit different, here, but most people who find us seem to like it.My perspective on the speakers: change to make the speakers emanate from the back of the iPad 2 instead of the bottom grill is an improvement. Audio has more of a sound bar effect (quasi-surround) this way, and it can still get quite loud. I personally don't miss tabs when I'm using the iPad 2 iOS 4.3 version of Safari--it is very easy to switch between open windows, and many apps have navigation from within inside the app. I'm interested to see how Apple implements tabbing, because I do assume it is coming soon.



Tom's Guide? i guess that would put more responsibility in making this an actual guide, we dont question this as being paid or sponsored guide, i guess we wanted a cons and pros guide, although 9 pros and 2 cons (one is not even apple fault) makes this guide feels biased.

1- If you tried to hear music from a Nokia N95 the music seemed much deeper and not just louder due to dual speakers. at least this is what i felt compared to this ipad2.
2- The "magical cover" ....!aside from being magical, is it practical for day to day using?, the old ipad1 covers helps in protecting the back of the ipad as well as the front, does this mean i need to keep the ipad upside down to keep it scratch free?
i do understand that they minimized the cover to the front so you can "feel" the ipad, but when you finish feeling it, is it useful? did your ipad2 got fine scratches on the back in those few days or were you keeping it on front all the time?
3- HDMI mirroring, i may not understand the rational behind this but i don't believe it is of great value, charging your laptop is not a problem and will not stand in the way of watching a movie why? Many laptops (aside from MBPs) have already an HDMI slot to connect directly to, has a larger capacity of HD to keep your HD movie (unlike the ipad), DVD or blueray if you wanna watch on the big screen (unlike the ipad), and if your a tech savvy (or not) you can have a network connection to your HDTV. I am not saying it is totally useless to be fair, i am just saying "its not magical"

If this is "a guide", it is not the Ipad2 guide since this is not apple ,It is not about what i want, it's about how useful things are, i am not an apple hater, i do believe the Ipad2 is the best Tablet in the market hands down, but i do believe that much improvement could've been done, and like some readers of this guide , this guide feels like it was written by steve jobs himself.

Thanks[/citation]

 

[Tomsguiderachel]

[citation][nom]cursedwarrior[/nom][/citation]
Hi. Thanks for your detailed response. I really disagree that having 8 pros and 2 cons, as you call it, is biased. Why should a writer be forced to present an equal number of criticisms and compliments? That isn't bias. When you read a traditional review, for example, are you upset if the writer gives a product 8 out of 10 points or stars? Isn't that just as biased? Many of those types of reviews to don't explain exactly how the product earned exactly 8 stars, etc.

To your points: Unfortunately we haven't tested the Nokia N95 here in the office so I don't have a basis for comparing the speakers with the iPad 2.

The cover--is NOT practical as a protective case--it will not protect the back of the iPad 2, nor will it protect it from spills or drops on the floor. As I said, it is enjoyable for its aesthetics as well as for its "book-like" feel when it turns on the device as you open it.

HDMI mirroring: I find putting my laptop near the TV to be super annoying, but maybe I'm the only one. Putting the iPad there is so much easier.

Thanks for the intelligent conversation!

Rachel

 

[the7th_engineer]

I'm pretty surprised at the dumping that's going on to the author of this article. This wasn't a technical review, it was an aesthetic and basic feel article concerning impressions of the IPad 1 vs. IPad 2. Personally I found it an entertaining read. For those attacking the article because of a lack of technical data, you should realize that there are occasional links to Tom’s Guide from Tom’s Hardware (where I originally browsed to) and you should learn the difference. Check your address bar after clicking on a link, and if you’re going to be anal about it, back out before you read. And show a little common courtesy with your posts. Some of you may be adolescences, but you don’t have to act like it.

 

[Tomsguiderachel]

[citation][nom]the7th_engineer[/nom]I'm pretty surprised at the dumping that's going on to the author of this article. This wasn't a technical review, it was an aesthetic and basic feel article concerning impressions of the IPad 1 vs. IPad 2. Personally I found it an entertaining read. For those attacking the article because of a lack of technical data, you should realize that there are occasional links to Tom’s Guide from Tom’s Hardware (where I originally browsed to) and you should learn the difference. Check your address bar after clicking on a link, and if you’re going to be anal about it, back out before you read. And show a little common courtesy with your posts. Some of you may be adolescences, but you don’t have to act like it.[/citation]
Thanks, I appreciate this comment. I would just like to add that I am definitely eager to have a discussion here about technical data--that can be a very important topic. And if there's info that readers are looking for, that they feel isn't already obvious for tech specs from Apple, or benchmarking done by other sites, we can provide that as well. Personally, I felt that the benchmarking angle was covered well enough by other sites so I aimed to provide an angle that wasn't necessarily addressed by other sites out there.

Thanks,
Rachel

 

[Guest]

I'm not surprised by any of this bs.

I buy apple products because they work right out of the box. When I was 20 I could screw around with computers motherboard settings ram and get my jolly's out wringing that last couple of Hz out of the processor. Now? I'm just shy of 40. I have 3 kids. I need stuff that works right out the box, that's intuitive that doesn't have driver problems because some third party manufacturer didn't quite make it to spec.

The only thing I don't understand is why Apple haters hate so much. A WRX probably cost 1/6th of a Ferrari and it can probably keep up in most circumstances. What's the point? None. You want a Ferrari? Go buy one...you want a WRX? Go buy one.

Why do you get yourselves all tied up in a little knot because the world's media lavish attention on anything from Apple while languishes behind cause nobody woves dem?

Grow TFU