Life is the art of drawing without an eraser.: Inspire Learning

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

    一、講出來
    尤其是坦白的講出來你內心的感受、感情、痛苦、想法和期望，但絕對不是批評、責備、抱怨、攻擊。

    二、不批評、不責備、不抱怨、不攻擊、不說教
    批評、責備、抱怨、攻擊這些都是溝通的劊子手，只會使事情惡化。

    三、互相尊重
    只有給予對方尊重才有溝通，若對方不尊重你時，你也要適當的請求對方的尊重，否則很難溝通。

    四、絕不口出惡言
    惡言傷人，就是所謂的「禍從口出」。

    五、不說不該說的話
    如果說了不該說的話，往往要花費極大的代價來彌補，正是所謂的「一言既出、駟馬難追」、「病從口入，禍從口出」甚至於還可能造成無可彌補的終生遺憾哩！所以溝通不能夠信口雌黃、    口無遮攔；但是完全不說話，有時後也會變得更惡劣。

    六、情緒中不要溝通，尤其是不能夠做決定
    情緒中的溝通常常無好話，既理不清，也講不明；尤其在情緒中，很容易衝動而失去理性；如：吵的不可開交的夫妻、反目成仇的父母子女、對峙已久的上司下屬，尤其是不能夠在情緒中做出情緒性、衝動性的「決定」，這很容易讓事情不可挽回，令人後悔！

    七、理性的溝通，不理性不要溝通
    不理性只有爭執的份，不會有結果，更不可能有好結果，所以，這種溝通無濟於事。

    八、覺知
    不只是溝通才需要覺知，一切都需要…如果自己說錯了話、做錯了事，如不想造成無可彌補的傷害時，最好的辦法是什麼？《我錯了》，這就是一種覺知。

    九、承認我錯了
     承認我錯了是溝通的消毒劑，可解凍、改善與轉化溝通的問題；就一句：我錯了！
    勾銷了多少人的新仇舊恨，化解掉多少年打不開的死結，讓人豁然開朗，放下武器，重新面對自己，開始重新思考人生，甚至於我是誰？在這浩瀚的宇宙洪流裡，人最在意的就是「我」，    如果有人不尊重我、打壓我、欺負我或侮辱我時，即使是親如父子，都可能反目成仇，偏淚一點的，離家出走還算什麼，死給你看的例子都屢見不鮮哩！

    十、說對不起！
     說對不起，不代表我真的做了什麼天大的錯誤或傷天害理的事，而是一種軟化劑，使事情終有「轉圜」的餘地，甚至於還可以創造「天堂」；其實有時候你也真的是大錯特錯，死不認錯就是一件大錯特錯的事。

    十一、讓奇蹟發生
    如今自己願意互相認錯，就是在替自己與家人創造了天堂與奇蹟；化不可能為可能。

    十二、愛
    一切都是愛，「愛是最偉大的治療師」。

    十三、等待轉機
    如果沒有轉機，就要等待；急只會治絲益棼；當然，不要空等待，成果就會從天下掉下來，還是要你自己去努力，但是努力並不一定會有結果，或捨本逐末；但若不努力時，你將什麼都沒有。

    十四、耐心
    等待唯一不可少的是耐心，有志者事竟成。

    十五、智慧
    智慧使人不執著，而且福至心靈。

    心靈妙方：
    找一個良辰吉時開始，不論發生什麼事，你都要「講出來」、「表示意見」、「跟他溝通」，如此一個星期，你會有意想不到的收穫。

    純真！不一定懵懂、不一定裝傻，而是人與人之間相處的透澈程度。

    當我們多了一點年紀，少了一些脾氣，漸漸明瞭，有些事是可以懂一輩子的，有些事要用一輩子去懂。

    也許，世界太大了，人太多了，心太亂了，來不及看、來不及想、來不及懂　。

    在著重五顏六色的人際包裝時代，情感的外放，感覺的內歛。
    我們需要多一點的純真，多一點的透明感。