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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > iPhone, iPad & iPod > Ode to iPad 2

Ode to iPad 2
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subego
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Mar 12, 2014, 09:26 PM
 
I remember when the iPad 2 originally came out I was grumpy it didn't have retina. Though I enjoyed the light weight, I hopped on the retina iPad immediately.

That retina was probably the closest iPad to being a dog. The only iPad I've sold rather than saddle a friend with it when I traded up.

The person I gave my old iPad 2 to got an Air, and gave me back my old 2, which I've been using at work as a "radio".

I totally see why Apple still sells this. What a great tablet. Light, runs iOS 7 fine, and has something which all the other iDevices seem to lack... ****ing epic battery life.

Good show, Apple. I completely misjudged you on this one.
     
ghporter
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Mar 13, 2014, 06:48 AM
 
I use my iPad 2 far more than my iMac, and tons more than my MacBook Pro. I'm using it now. While I'd say the battery on mine is starting to show its age, it's still a great device. If I'm not using WiFi, I can keep the thing running for hours and hours reading and even playing games.

My wife's Mini has a clearer screen, but I'm not sure that it's clearer enough to make me jealous about its Retina screen. Overall, I completely agree that the iPad 2 is a great device.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
P
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Mar 13, 2014, 04:50 PM
 
Originally Posted by subego View Post
I totally see why Apple still sells this. What a great tablet. Light, runs iOS 7 fine, and has something which all the other iDevices seem to lack... ****ing epic battery life.
There is one more with that: The iPad 4. That battery life is actually even better, pushing close to 15 hours in regular use. It is too heavy, though.

I have to say that I like my first-gen iPad mini, but if I were to buy one now, it would be the Air.
The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
     
subego  (op)
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Mar 13, 2014, 06:24 PM
 
The 4 is forever tarnished by being what the 3 should have been.
     
HamSandwich
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Mar 14, 2014, 04:44 AM
 
Wanted to mention iPad 4, too, I'm on one now... Dunno about the original retina iPad, was it really so slow? Maybe. I only remember good reviews. I am also a bit surprised, I thought no one knew tablets would receive retina screens back in the day. Totally wrong !?
     
P
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Mar 14, 2014, 06:42 AM
 
The original Retina iPad has lower effective graphics performance than the iPad 2 (it has twice the processing power but needs to run four times as many pixels), it's closer to 1 than 2. The CPU performance is "fine" - it's the exact same as the iPad 2, which is not all that impressive. The combination of no CPU boost, lower GPU performance, worse battery life, and a heavier slab to hold with the only improvement being a Retina display turns out to be a bit of a dud in the long run. Impressive in that it was first, but it is not a lasting success.
The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
     
subego  (op)
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Mar 14, 2014, 03:39 PM
 
Originally Posted by PeterParker View Post
Wanted to mention iPad 4, too, I'm on one now... Dunno about the original retina iPad, was it really so slow? Maybe. I only remember good reviews. I am also a bit surprised, I thought no one knew tablets would receive retina screens back in the day. Totally wrong !?
Not only were they planning retina early on, they started remaking assets in retina resolution before the iPad 2 was released.

Someone was noodling around in the original iPad OS and found those remade graphics, like for the bookmark in ibooks. That led to people like me hoping the iPad 2 would be retina.

The general consensus on that rumor however was "iPad 2 will be non-retina, they're just doing this now so they don't have to do it later". That analysis seemed to turn as correct.
     
DCJ001
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Mar 14, 2014, 04:17 PM
 
I bought a refurbished iPad 2 from Apple's online store, about two years ago, for a good price. The box had the original shrink wrap and everything in the box looked brand new.

If you are interested in an iPad Air at a good price, they are in Apple's online store, refurbished, for $419:

http://store.apple.com/us/product/FD788LL/A
     
sunman42
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Mar 14, 2014, 07:43 PM
 
....and was perfectly happy with my iPad 3, including battery charge lifetime, until last weekend, when I left it in a supermarket cart. I'm now really happy (when I'm not kicking my egregiously dumb ass) with the iPad Air I ordered that evening and picked up at a not too distant Apple Store. Guess tastes differ.

Now, my younger son will be happy with the 3 (he's said so, anyway) to replace his iPad 2. It was found by honest people, who for some reason never responded to the tones and messages I had it display via Find My iThing. They did Google my name, etched on the back, though, and found my work phone phone number.

But.... so many Lightning cables (sync desktop, bedside charger, Road Warrior cable bag, office, car....). Guess I had to bite the bullet at some point. At least Amazon's new "Basics" cables are a tad cheaper than Apple's, and I'll see if they're any more reliable.
     
subego  (op)
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Mar 15, 2014, 04:13 PM
 
I've used the Amazon "shorty" lightning cable with no issues.
     
subego  (op)
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Mar 15, 2014, 08:41 PM
 
Originally Posted by P View Post
There is one more with that: The iPad 4. That battery life is actually even better, pushing close to 15 hours in regular use. It is too heavy, though.
I put in the iPad a week ago, it was at 74%. Now it's at 52%.

I don't remember my 4 getting standby time anywhere close to that.
     
P
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Mar 18, 2014, 05:20 AM
 
In an interesting development, Apple just replaced the iPad 2 with the iPad 4, and apparently added an 8 GB iPhone 5c, although that last has not shown up everywhere yet.
The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
     
subego  (op)
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Mar 18, 2014, 01:08 PM
 
Feel free to change the title of the thread "Eulogy for iPad 2".

😢
     
subego  (op)
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Mar 25, 2014, 01:26 AM
 
That iPad 2 didn't need to get plugged in until today. First time since I've gotten it.
     
andi*pandi
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Mar 30, 2014, 11:57 AM
 
that's ridiculous.
     
mindwaves
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Mar 31, 2014, 08:08 AM
 
uhh, I loved my iPad 3. Great display, super fast. Much faster than my iPad 1. I traded up for my iPad 5 (air).
     
RobA5
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Mar 31, 2014, 10:44 AM
 
My iPad Air is my first but I did hear great things about the iPad 2
     
subego  (op)
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Mar 31, 2014, 03:12 PM
 
Originally Posted by andi*pandi View Post
that's ridiculous.
I'd agree. That's a launch model too, so not exactly a fresh battery.
     
subego  (op)
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May 26, 2014, 02:04 AM
 
Needed a new iPad for work. Went iPad 2 without a second's hesitation. It's going to have a "mission critical" job, too.

Tells you something a 16GB model still goes for over $300.
     
   
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