The Apple iPad 2

A personal review of Apple’s latest iPad.


Apple’s new iPad 2 is a great tablet computer for both creators and consumers of content. It is a device essentially built for consumption of all forms of media (music, videos, reads and much more).

The iPad comes in two versions – the first is a Wi-Fi only version that connects to the internet through a wireless network and the second is a Wi-Fi + 3G version that connects to the internet through wireless networks or via a 3G network (that enables you to access the internet wherever you go).


Both these versions come in three capacities – 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB. The iPad starts at $499 on the official Apple online store, this basic price being for the 16 GB Wi-Fi only model.

The latest version of the iPad has two cameras for the FaceTime application and for creating HD video content. The device comes with many in-built applications like Mail and the mobile Safari web browser. One of the finest in-built applications is the Photo Booth, where pictures can be taken in fun ways. [Read more on Apple’s website]

Apart from these default apps, you can always explore Apple’s exhaustive App Store for new apps. Here are the best iPad apps, based on personal experience.

The Best iPad Apps

Flipboard


This app is a free download from the App Store. It is easily one of the best iPad apps around. It combines personal feeds like Facebook, Twitter and Google Reader with several other choicest feeds from around the web and makes them viewable in a magazine format. You can even share what you read, instantly. [Similar: Pulse News Reader, Zite]

Twitter for iPad


Twitter for iPad is the official app of the popular social networking website, Twitter. The app is available for a free download. It was originally available on the iPhone and other devices as Tweetie. While there are other Twitter apps like Twitterific, Twitter for iPad remains the simplest app around.

Friendly for Facebook

The iPad doesn’t have an official app for Facebook yet. While users await the release of an official app, Friendly for Facebook is a useful app. The app is available for free and covers most of the features available on Facebook. Alternatively, you can create a Home Screen bookmark for Facebook web.

Reeder for iPad

This is a reading app that synchronizes with your Google Reader feeds. It is one of the best RSS feed reading apps in the App Store and is priced at $4.99. You can check the screenshots of Reeder by clicking the title link, above.

Dropbox


Dropbox for iPad is a free app that allows you to access your Dropbox files. You can access your documents, PDFs, photos and videos from your Dropbox account and share with your friends and family.

AppShopper

AppShopper is a free app for the iPad, that offers you the latest offers, price reductions and information on apps from the App Store. Basically, AppShopper is a portal for apps. It will even inform you of highly-rated apps and updates on old apps.

Garage Band for iPad


Garage Band is a wonderful collection of tools that allow you to compose your own music. Create and record music through Garage Band’s collection of instruments. A full-fledged recording studio is created for you in Garage Band. The app is available from the App Store for $4.99.

Instapaper

Instapaper is a great way to save reading for later. This app is also a $4.99 download. It is very useful for avid readers. It downloads pages to the app, and they can even be shared via social media. [Similar: Read It Later]

What to do with the iPad?

The iPad, as has been stated earlier in this post, is primarily a device for consuming content. Games, videos, music, photos and apps that allow you to keep up with news and information clearly indicate that the iPad is primarily for reading, personal media consumption and entertainment.

On a personal note, the iPad is generally used for reading news, Twitter and other social media, emails, movies and videos, web browsing and blogging.

Verdict

The iPad is a wonderful device to own. With an advanced microprocessor, the iPad 2 has improved upon the performance of the first generation iPad and is even thinner than the first one. It has several competitors in the market, ranging from the Samsung Galaxy Tab to the Blackberry Playbook. But none of them compare to the iPad because they do not boast an extensive App Store, the brilliant LED display or a microprocessor like that of the Apple gadget.

[More on Apple at Internet Simplified]