iPad 2 first impressions: Mel Martin

I was able to grab the new iPad 2 at my local Best Buy yesterday. I arrived about an hour before 5 PM and wound up number 13 in line. I knew the local Apple Store would be a zoo, so the Best Buy worked out well.

I asked the people in line with me if they were previous iPad owners. Everyone in line said yes. That may or may not reflect the larger reality, but my guess is most of these buyers are looking for faster, thinner, camera, etc.

What are my out of the box impressions? Overall, good. The first thing that struck me is the size. It's really thinner than the original iPad. As my colleague Steve Sande noted, the thinness is easily apparent. It's easier to hold, especially with one hand, and it approaches a kind of Kindle-like feel, even though it is heavier than most unitasking e-readers. The Kindle Wi-Fi is 8.5 ounces versus the iPad Wi-Fi at 1.33 pounds. I don't think the weight reduction is a big deal, but the slimmed thickness does make a world of difference.

Setup is easy enough. I had synced my old iPad to iTunes, then plugged in the new one and selected that previous backup to restore. Pretty much everything made it back, but Kindle books had to be downloaded again. Most apps, even Netflix and others that required an account, were good to go with no fussing.

The iPad 2 is faster, no question, but in my tests, the speed differences didn't jump out at me. Safari was faster, partly because it's a new version of the browser, partly because of the faster chip in the iPad 2.

The camera is sub-par. I didn't expect to use the iPad as a replacement for my iPhone camera, or my big honking 14 MP Canon, but I would have liked to see Apple do better here. The forward facing camera is fine for video conferencing, but it is still on the low end of acceptable.

If you're coming to the iPad 2 as a new customer, it's a winner in terms of speed. Performance seems laptop-like. If you've moved over from the original iPad, the speed increase is perceptible but not dramatic. I expect we'll see a basketful of new apps that take advantage of the dual core processor. iMovie and GarageBand are just the start. Note: I was pleased to see that since I already had iMovie on my iPhone, and it's a universal app, I was ready to go with the iPad version at no additional cost.

I passed on the Smart Cover. It's a clever idea, but provides no protection for the sides and back of the iPad 2. I'm looking for the perfect solution, but I haven't seen it yet.

Bottom line: If you're happy with your current iPad, don't let the iPad 2 gnaw at your conscience. It's a nice upgrade, but not essential unless FaceTime is important to you. If you're looking for a tablet, the iPad 2 is the most attractive option out there so far. In terms of price, hardware, app availability, and Apple's attention to detail and reliability, the iPad 2 stands alone.

What are your impressions? Did you upgrade, or is this your first dance with an Apple tablet?