I rose Friday morning to a bright, sun-lit room. My better half had decided to open the curtains, because “it looked so beautiful outside.” Naturally, my mind retorted “well, so did the back of my eyelids…” This simple deviation to what some may call a routine wake-up schedule, had caused my morning to become rather unfamiliar. In my state of confusion I forgot to put on my contacts, pour my ritualistic morning cup of tea, and most importantly, grab my iPad from the nightstand.

Not seven-hours ago, I was reading the latest tweets from fanboys and pundits alike, gushing over the new iPad. I had read all of the relevant reviews and re- tweeted some rather comical tweets –  yet I lost sight of iPad 2’s five o’clock launch. Yes, I failed to remember the first product launch of the year.

I believe Trish (said better half) knew something was off; somehow she was able to remind me of Friday’s importance, “I thought you wanted to see the new iPad today?” She even went as far as saying, “I saw a tweet saying it comes out at five…” I am fully aware she had seen a tweet (which I re-tweeted), declaring the iPad would launch at five. This did not matter; it was 4:23.

If this were a typical product launch, I would have been more nervous and impatient. It’s not a pretty sight. I tend to make unnecessary, inarticulate comments while pacing and successfully “laughing out loud” (I do believe LOLing is the correct term). I digress. Normally, I would have been at the Apple store around midnight, when I had gone to bed the night before. Yes, I would have been a camper. Friday, however, was not a typical launch; I had (and have) no plans of buying an iPad 2.¹ I merely wanted to see, hold, and touch² one.

I nonchalantly suggested to Trish that we ought to eat lunch before heading to our local Best Buy. For those of you who don’t know, living in Savannah as an Apple-centric enthusiast can prove rather difficult; the two closest Apple Stores happen to be a 2.5hr drive north (Charleston) or south (Jacksonville). I made the drive to Charleston twice before: first, to see the launch of the original iPad and second, to purchase my current 64GB iPad WiFi + 3G. I surely was not making the trip for a device I had no plans on purchasing. At least, not again.

Trish was able to see through my lie, and insisted we head directly to Best Buy. I smiled awkwardly, like a five-year-old boy receiving a lollipop, after getting a few teeth pulled at the dentist. Having Trish there made me more conscious of my actions. I didn’t want her to see that my “geek was showing,” a constant reminder she is rather uninterested in these sorts of things.

After arriving at Best Buy, we were both dumbfounded by the line. After entering, we were informed there were approximately two-hundred people waiting to purchase the next-generation iPad. The line started inside, which wrapped around a handful of DVD stands, and quickly moved outside, where it extended past Best Buy and subsequently, ten more stores.³

After collecting ourselves, Trisha and I raced to the iPad display, which to our surprise, still featured first-gen iPads. Best Buy had neglected to change all banners, advertisements and even the devices. I approached the closest employee, and questioned whether or not they planned on unveiling the display unit. His answer? “Yeah, I guess we should get-on that…” I did not see him again. You may have seen on twitter where I tweeted:

5:05, and Best Buy still doesn’t have any iPad 2’s on display.

It was true; I still hadn’t seen the infamous iPad 2, though many had successfully purchased one. Trish came over (after leaving me to look at the DVDs), and reminded me of our local Apple Reseller. We left Best Buy disappointed, but still optimistic.

iPad 2

Before entering the reseller, I noticed a white toy-looking device and immediately disregarded it as a dummy display-unit. I turned to Trish and expressed my desire to go home. I was defeated. Opening the door, Trisha questioned, “Why?” It was then I realized, the toy was iPad 2.

Trish took the first stab at the iPad, opening and closing familiar apps. She overlooked all of the new ones: Garageband, iMovie, PhotoBooth, etc.

I stood there, analyzing the iPad, trying to determine whether or not I was making the right decision. I saw how thin the new device actually was; it is thin. Another noticeable addition were the two cameras. The front-facing (FaceTime) camera was the most noticeable; it was a black dot on a white background. The rear camera was still somewhat noticeable; it too was a black dot on a aluminum/grey background.

The thing that stuck me most was how much the new, white iPad, looked like a toy. Trish made the toy-comment first, and it stuck. Surely this was not the same, revolutionary device Steve promised not even two weeks ago. Despite what many will consider a “color-to-perception” issue, seeing iPad 2 in person was a rather nostalgic experience; the back of the device took me back to the days of old, and the launch of the original iPhone. Trish got bored, which meant it was my turn.

Holding the iPad 2 was an experience in and of itself. My first comment had something to do with it’s weight, and probably went a little like, “Wow, it’s light…” I proceeded to hold iPad 2 with one hand – a task many (myself included) deemed too tiresome during the launch of the original iPad. It’s weight (or lack-of) is undoubtedly amplified by it’s slender casing. You truly cannot comprehend how thin iPad 2 is until you hold it with your own hands. The overall feel of the device is different, tipping the scale ever so slightly in favor of iPad 2. The razor sharp edges curve, terminating at a flat back. The initial touch of the sharp edges burrowing themselves into the palms of your hands is jarring to say the least — however, after a few minutes, the peculiarity quickly fades into a distant memory.

Most people writing about iPad 2 have (1) used the device for an extended period of time, and (2) own one. I meet neither of these prerequisites. In my inability to test the device through a plethora of stress tests, I cannot honestly say the speed of iPad 2 has increased so drastically that it renders the original useless. I can, however, prove iPad 2 is in fact, faster.

I use my iPad on a daily basis; it is my laptop. Not once have I begged or whined for a speed improvements. Before the launch of iPad 2, it would be a kin to purchasing an Audi R8 to drive ten minutes north on MLK Blvd. to get to class. Overkill. That being said, there is one place (one app in particular), where the original iPad can use some significant performance-related improvements: Mail.app. If you own a first-generation iPad, you know how incredibly long it can take to delete >5 emails. From a usability standpoint, it takes too long. This is not the case with iPad 2; it can successfully select and delete in excess of five emails, without even breaking a sweat. Yes my friends, iPad 2 can be considered “Faster.”

Smart Cover

Ah, the Smart Cover. Our local Apple Reseller was the first to have the Smart Cover on display. For the launch of the original iPad, the Apple Store in Charleston had four iPad models on a circular display unit, featuring Apple’s polyurethane case. Though I did not make the trip to Charleston this year, I would imagine the same would be done in every Apple Store. This was not the case. It took me the full two weeks to experience the Smart Cover’s  intelligence. Commercials and gimmicky HTML5 animations do not do the cover justice. I was able to tinker with the Black-Leather Smart Cover. Initially, I was led to believe I was using the cheaper polyurethane cover ($39 vs $69). It was, in fact, the more expensive leather option.

Overall, the case felt smooth, soft and most importantly sturdy. There was never a moment where I thought the case would bend in awkward positions, or snap in two. In fact, the cover almost begs you to try. The aluminum-magnetic connection & hinge add to the cover’s overall staunch enclosure. Thankfully, the manager made the astute decision, not to glue the Smart Cover to the iPad 2, and it was available for my childish pleasures. Disconnecting and reconnecting the Smart Cover with the iPad works like –  dare I say – magic. It successfully auto-aligns itself every time, without fail. The aluminum on aluminum connection creates a reassuring “click” when everything is secure and ready for transport. The case features many, many magnets. The most interesting use (as you may have heard) happens to be a sensor, which when activated magnetically, turns-on and bypasses the iPad’s lock-screen completely. It’s a neat party trick, which would be useless for passcode junkies like myself.

End

It would be completely untrue to say I did not want the new iPad –  because, I do. “Starting at $499” is a wonderful, phantasmal advertising slogan. However, as I alluded, it is nonessential. Today, I (like 75% of iPad 2 owners) own a working 64GB Black iPad (first-gen) Wifi+3G, and the next iPad I purchase will be the same. Though many say you cannot use the iPad as a laptop, I undoubtedly disagree, and clearly hold the iPad in the same regard as a MacBook. It is perfectly capable of the most common of daily computing tasks. As with the MacBook, I have no intention of upgrading my computer every year. I am no minimalist; I like the finer things life has to offer –  3G internet and a realistically, unlimited choice in movies are high-up on that list. Both of which I have today. That said, I am 97.3% jealous of all iPad 2 owners.