In March, 2011, Apple released the new iPad 2. At that stage, according to The Economist, Apple had already sold over fifteen million iPads.
One of the most remarkable features of the new iPad 2 is that, for a machine so powerful, it is incredibly thin and unbelievably light. It weighs only 601 grams, or 1.33 pounds, and is just 8.8 millimetres, or 0.34 inches in depth. It is hard to imagine that a device of such small dimensions can hold entire books, provide access to movies and surf the internet with a speed to impress the most impatient of users.
The iPad 2 runs on the iOS 5 operating system. Extremely advanced, the iOS 5 has at least two hundred software features not previously released and is able to host any of the 140,000 iPad applications now in existence. As far as mobile devices go, the iOS 5 is about as clever and efficient as it gets.
The dual core A5 chip contained in the iPad 2 is, according to Apple, twice as powerful, in terms of CPU, and seven times as powerful, in terms of GPU, than the A4 chip. You have all this power without facing the inconvenience of short battery life. The A5 and the iOS function mutually to maximize your battery and provide you with ten hours of time from each charge.
The iPad 2 has two cameras – one on the front and one on the back. They record videos and photographs in High Definition and enable you to FaceTime video call your friends and family. Even when you are a long way from home or away from the people you love for an extended period, you can make up for the distance by seeing and hearing them in real time. The screen is LED-backlit and features high-resolution graphics in 9.7 inches.
With iCloud, you can keep all of your well-loved photographs, videos, music, information and documents and, without even a wire, send them to your other related devices, such as your Mac, iPhone and iPod touch. That way you can both back up and access your personally selected content with ease. This capacity to send information wirelessly also applies to printing. With AirPrint, you can send your messages and photos to your printer within moments.
Finally, the iPad 2 enables you to connect through both Wi-Fi and 3G. It contains 802.11n wireless technology, which locates nearby Wi-Fi networks and allows you to connect instantaneously. Plus, 3G means you can join cell phone networks. Wherever you go, the iPad 2 will help you to remain connected.