More than a refresh for iPad2 but connection issues remain

WITH THE promise of yet another “magical” product, Apple unveiled its second-generation iPad this week, ending months of speculation.

Theatrical as ever, Apple kicked off the presentation with an appearance by chief executive Steve Jobs, currently on sick leave and the subject of much speculation about his health.

Introducing the new iPad, Jobs was typically exuberant in his praise for it, repeatedly describing it as “awesome” and saying he was “blown away”.

You would expect that, given that he still heads the company. Luckily, we didn’t have to just take his word for it. The Apple event in London also gave journalists the chance to get a hands-on demonstration of the device.

First impressions of the iPad 2 are good. It certainly feels speedier than its predecessor.

With the new A5 dual-core chip, you would expect nothing less, although Apple hasn’t given any details on the speed of the chip, or how much RAM the device will have.

The design is altered somewhat too. Jobs was keen to point out this latest iPad isn’t simply tweaked from the first one – it’s been completely redesigned. But the average consumer would probably find very little to support that claim.

Sure, it’s slimmer, by 33 per cent, making it thinner than the iPhone 4. But it’s still clearly identifiable as an iPad – just a sleeker one. The screen size hasn’t altered either, and the predicted high-definition “retina display” for the iPad wasn’t included this time around.

It’s a fraction lighter, and while 1.5lb down to 1.3lb may not seem like such an enormous jump, it could make a lot of difference in everyday use.

The screen remains the same, as does the capacity, with expected improvements in both failing to materialise, to the disappointment of many.

The front and rear facing cameras, a glaring omission from the first iPad, have been included. Facetime works particularly well on the larger screen – a fairly obvious observation much laboured by Apple at the launch.

The iPad may also be about to get more of a foot in the education market. Along with the iPad 2, Apple announced a new accessory for the device – a HDMI output connector. This will allow teachers to connect the iPad to classroom TV. Content will be displayed exactly as on the iPad, including orientation, and that reproduction extends to third-party apps too.

The device will be available in both black and white from launch, managing to go somewhere the iPhone 4 hasn’t even achieved.

There are some things that never change, though. There was little in the way of new connectivity, with the expected Micro USB failing to appear, as did the predicted SD card slot for expandible storage. And Apple is still shunning Flash, although the updated version of its operating system, iOS 4.3, makes great leaps in performance for Safari and Javascript.

The new OS also adds some welcome new features – the ability to use your iPhone as a personal WiFi hotspot, for a start. That the feature has been available for some time on Android – the butt of many of Jobs’s jokes during the presentation – was not alluded to, despite the fact that Jobs was quick to dismiss other tablet makers as “copycats”.

Overall, the new iPad may not have enough to persuade all existing iPad owners to invest in the new version. But where it will probably succeed is in finally pushing those who were holding out to take the plunge.