Apple claims the iPad 2 is lighter, thinner and much faster than the original – and it really is. One of the key reasons why the brand continues to dominate gadget charts is because it keeps things simple yet effective, and the iPad 2, launched inthe UAE this month, reflects that even more. If you’ve never used a tablet before, you’ll be navigating like a touchscreen pro and downloading Angry Birds from the Apple App Store (aka App Paradise) in minutes.
There are now a number of apps pre-installed too, including PhotoBooth – this enables you to apply fun effects to photos taken on the device’s built-in cameras, which weren’t available on the original iPad (there’s one in the front and another at the back). However, picture quality is disappointingly basic and looks pretty bad on the iPad’s super-sharp display. Speaking of bad, there’s still no USB port, so you can’t indulge in that flash drive habit we all picked up some time around the turn of the millennium.
Plus points? You can use still the iPad to browse the web, watch movies, play games and generally have a good time. While it’s never going to replace your smartphone or your computer, it’ll carve a whole new place in your digital heart.
From Dhs2,149 for 16GB Wi-Fi only-models; from Dhs2,649 for 16GB Wi-Fi/3G models. Available at. iStyle, various locations including The Dubai Mall, www.istyle.ae (04 434 0440).
