Life is the art of drawing without an eraser.: 2011

Now that Apple CEO Steve Jobs has officially announced the iPad 2, we can take a new look at whether current users should get an upgrade.

What's New

As rumor had indicated, the second-generation iPad will have an Apple A5 dual-core processor that Apple claims will provide more speed and power while not consuming more power than the original iPad's A4 chip. This will give it faster performance than its predecessor, as well as support for high-definition video out thanks to a new adapter. It will also be thinner and lighter than its predecessor.

But Apple's current tablet already has excellent performance, and is relatively thin and light.

What's Not New

As everyone was expecting, the iPad 2 has a front-facing video camera with FaceTime support, plus a new rear-facing one.

None of the radical predictions about new features panned out -- the screen resolution and size are the same and there's no SD card slot.

In addition, the iPad 2 is gaining support for for Verizon's 3G data network and keeping its AT&T data support.

Bottom Line

I stick with what I originally said: there's nothing in the iPad 2 that's going to make the original model obsolete. The only current iPad owners who should be seriously considering an upgrade are ones who really want to do video conferencing.

Currently, the Motorola Xoom Honeycomb tablet is the iPad 2's chief market competition. See how they compare head to head in a Xoom and iPad 2 comparison. Also, check out a detailed look at the iPad 2, including the updates to iOS shipping with Apple's tablet.

The Apple iPad 2 is widely expected to be released in April, and there have been a number of unconfirmed reports supposedly revealing the new features in this model. While all of the changes I've read about will be welcome, I don't expect them to be dramatic improvements.

Screen

Reports supposedly coming from parts suppliers say that Apple's next tablet is going to have a display with twice the resolution: 2048 × 1536, up from the current 1024 × 768.

There's a great deal of skepticism about these reports, mostly because such a move would significantly increase the cost of this product. Personally, I can't really see any need. A screen with twice the resolution as the iPad would be "gilding the lily" -- that is, making something that's already great unnecessarily better.

SD Card Slot and Video-Out Port

People who claim to have already gotten their hands on an outer casing for the iPad 2 say that it has a number of new openings...openings that are for an SD card slot and a video-out port. I'm willing to believe that the iPad 2 is going to to have these, but I don't think they are going to be as significant as they might appear at first blush.

You can already get adapters that let the original iPad use SD cards and connect to external monitors. It seems likely to me that Apple is just building these directly into the next version.

I don't believe that Apple's next tablet is going to give users full access to an SD card for storing any types of files -- instead, the slot will simply make it easier for users to transfer their photos from their card onto their tablet.

As it stands now, the video-out adapter has generally been a disappointment because it is supported by so few apps. Here's hoping Apple will bring more functionality to this in future versions of the iOS, but I'm not holding my breath.

Dual-Core Processor

There have been a number of unconfirmed reports indicating that Apple is going to use a dual-core processor in its future mobile devices. This includes the iPad 2 as well as the 5.

This would significantly increase the speed of the iPad...if it really needed it. This tablet already does everything almost instantaneously. In the short term, this is going to be another example of gilding the lily.

In the long long term, however, owners of this model are sure to be pleased with this chip. Each new version of the iOS has required more horsepower to run than the last. This generally means that last years' model has been fine, but performance on the device from two years ago can be a bit marginal. So iPad 2 owners are going to be happy to have that dual-core processor when iOS 7 comes out in 2013.

Dual Cameras and FaceTime

The iPad 2 is going to debut running iOS 4.3, an operating system that's already available to developers in beta form. This beta has made it clear that there are going to be camera and FaceTime apps in the iPad version, which means that Apple's next tablet is going to have front- and rear-facing cameras.

We've finally reached a feature that I undoubtedly feel is going to be a real enhancement. Since Skype began supporting the iOS, video conferencing has become a useful tool on the iPhone 4 and iPod touch 4. The same will be true on the iPad 2.

Better Support for Verizon

In addition to getting the iPhone, there's also going to be a version of Apple's tablet that supports Verizon's cellular-wireless data network.

This is good news for current customers of this carrier. Heck, it's good news for everyone who is considering an iPad. Verizon has the most widespread network in the U.S. It gives great service to everywhere I've ever been, even in some fairly remote locations. It's certainly not the cheapest, but it's there when you need it.

Should You Upgrade? No

Based on what we know right now, the enhancements in the upcoming iPad 2 aren't going to be enough to make it worthwhile to put down another $500 or more for the latest model if you're happy with the current one.

I'm sure a bunch of "early adopter" types who simply must have the latest and greatest will eBay their iPad and get the new one, but the average user won't.

Of course, there are always exceptions. If you really want to start doing video conferencing with your family or co-workers, or absolutely need a version that supports Verizon's data network, then there's an upgrade in your near future.

But for most current iPad users, you should save your money until next year and buy the iPad 3, which will really be noticeably better.

Should You Wait? Yes

At this point, I wouldn't recommend anyone buy an iPad today. The new model is just a couple of months away -- we're expecting a launch in early April, and it's worth waiting that short amount of time for. The faster processor makes it worth the wait.

It's likely that the current iPad will start to become noticeably out-of-date by next year, while the iPad 2 probably won't reach that point until 2013.

Apple.com touts iPad 2 design

iPad 2 has two cameras

iPad 2 has a dual-core A5 chip

iPad 2 adjustable "Smart Cover"

iPad 2 is thinner and 15% lighter

"Smart Covers" for iPad 2

iPad 2 video mirroring

iPad 2 rear-facing camera

iPad 2 back view

GarageBand on iPad 2

iPad 2 release date in U.S.

iPad 2 pricing

Steve Jobs

iPad 2 front view

Steve Jobs

iPad 2 specifications

Steve Jobs

iPad 2 Invitation

Apple has released the first major software update for the iPad. The 4.2 version of iOS brings a slew of new capabilities to the iPad, including many that will be of interest to business professionals and to IT departments that have deployed or are considering a deployment of the iPad.

The update, which is available as a free download through iTunes, is the first jump to iOS 4 for the iPad. The iPhone got iOS 4 in the spring but the iPad has been stuck on iOS 3.2 until now. With iOS 4.2, the two devices are now unified on the same operating system (along with the iPod Touch as well).

Below is my list of the 10 most important iOS 4 updates for iPad business users, along with my screenshot gallery that gives you a quick peek at the new features.

1. Multitasking

The biggest factor holding back the iPad has been its lack of multitasking.

With the 4.2 update, multitasking has finally arrived. It works the same way as iPhone multitasking, which arrived earlier this year. To be clear, iOS 4.2 multitasking is actually more like quick-switching between apps while saving the state of open apps. But, at least it changes the iPad from being a one-app-at-a-time experience. This is especially important for workers who need to copy-and-paste between apps and do other types of multi-app integration. To access multitasking you simply double-click the home button.

2. AirPlay

AirPlay is the flashiest new feature in iOS 4.2. It allows you to quickly stream media from an iPad (or iPhone or iPod Touch) to an Apple TV. The functionality is in its infancy and it may not sound like it has much use for business, but it could be huge. Today, once you have video or photo open, it only takes two taps to throw it up on the big screen. Plus, you can almost-instantaneously switch between different presenters. In the future, imagine hooking up an Apple TV — a tiny $99 box not much bigger than a smartphone — to a projector or a 60-inch LCD TV in a conference room and being able to quickly and easily share charts, graphs, media clips, and presentations straight from your iPad. Look for lots of apps to find ways to take advantage of AirPlay.

3. Wireless app distribution

With 4.2, enterprises can push out their own custom business apps to corporate iPad users over Wi-Fi or 3G. The apps don’t have to go through the

Apple App Store and users don’t have to sync through iTunes or a computer in order to get the company apps.

4. AirPrint

Another one of the most talked-about features of 4.2 is AirPrint, which lets you print wirelessly from the iPad. The implementation on this is pretty good. A print option is added to the menu for printing documents, photos, and web pages and the iPad automatically recognizes compatible printers nearby. Unfortunately, the list of compatible printers is very small for now, and apps will need to add this functionality to their software so that printing will be possible in more places on the iPad.

5. Find My iPad

This was previously part of Apple’s paid MobileMe service but with iOS 4.2 it is now a free option. Once you activate this on your iPad you can go to the Apple website to locate your lost iPad on a map, send a message to display on the iPad screen (”I lost my iPad, please call 987-654-3210″), set a remote passcode to lock out prying eyes, or even remotely wipe the device and all of its data.

6. Folders

You can now create folders on the iPad to organize your apps into groups, tuck away the apps you don’t use as often, and save yourself from having to flip through an endless number of screens to find the app you’re trying to locate.

7. Unified inbox

The Mail app offers an improved interface that reminds me of the terrific email functionality on the Palm Pre. It gives you a quick jump directly to the inbox (new messages) of each of your multiple email accounts, or to your list of folders for those email accounts, or into a unified inbox where you can see all of your latest messages threaded together by timestamp. The 4.2 upgrade also now supports multiple Microsoft Exchange mailboxes.

8. Remote device management

Another development on the enterprise front is that the 4.2 upgrade offers Mobile Device Management APIs that allow companies to wirelessly push out configuration changes, monitor compliance with policies, and lock or wipe an iPad managed by the IT department. These features are aimed squarely at the companies deploying fleets of iPads to workers.

9. Web browser search on page

The web browser on the iPad has always had a search box for searching the Internet, but now Apple has added functionality to that box that allows you to use it to search for text on the current web page as well. This is especially useful when you do a web search and land on a page but can’t find the reference to the keyword you were looking for.

10. New quick controls console

If you click the Home button twice to go into multitasking and swipe to the panel on the left you’ll find a new quick control console that has a play/pause button and forward/back buttons for the iPad app, a volume control slider, a brightness slider, and a new virtual orientation lock setting. The old physical orientation lock button (on the right side above the volume buttons) has now been converted into a mute button.