I was bought the new ipad 2 for my birthday and christmas present as i am a huge apple product fan. Even so, i had been skeptical about getting an ipad2 as i didn't want it to effectively nullify my macbook and my ipod (as it is in-between the two).

Suffice to say once i got it out of the box, i was delighted with the design and the functionality of the Ipad 2.

Functionality:

To start with, the screen is just a bit bigger than a normal reading book size which is ideal if,like me, you were thinking of using it for reading books/newspapers on. The touchscreen is highly responsive to gestures made with your fingers however this can sometimes be a little bit annoying if you don't mean to double tap the screen... You also get two cameras - one at the front and one at the back with the back camera being able to zoom in on objects and able to record HD video. The 64GB storage is more than ample for most needs even if you wanted to use this as your ipod too. The battery life provides several hours of web browsing and is a great object for catching up on programmes on bbc iplayer. It makes next to no noise whatsoever.

There is a lock button on the top of the device and volume control buttons, including a silence/screen lock button, on the side of the Ipad 2 for ease of use as well as a headphone jack on the top. It also has built in Wifi, built in speakers and a built in microphone so it can be used without headphones if you don't have them to hand. This model doesn't have 3G but if you feel like you would be doing a lot of travelling/commuting and wanted internet then the extra hundred pounds for the 3G might be worth the investment.

In terms of apps the basic ones such as safari, apples' web browsing programme, which offers multi-tab browsing and address book, itunes, maps, ical, notes, mail, newstand, facetime, app store and photobooth. These basic apps provided give the Ipad 2 usability straight out of the box. You can then download other apps including games, weather, reference.. the list is pretty big so i won't bore you but check it out if you're thinking of buying one beforehand. It might just sway you.

The multi-task feature has to be the best part about the Ipad 2. You can several apps open at once and with the multi-task feature, you can flick between the different apps as though it was turning a page. Absolutely fantastic if you are doing homework or whatever.

Now the cloud has been introduced you can sync all apple devices together so if you were on your Ipad 2 and you downloaded a song from the itunes store, then (providing your computer was on and connected to the internet) it would automatically be added to your itunes library on your computer.

Downsides:

There aren't many but here they are -

The glare off of the screen if in the wrong light can be very off-putting. This is the big difference between a kindle and an Ipad 2 for reading books.
The price is hefty if you are just looking for something to use for web browsing or if you want something that will process pictures/videos. For £600 there are a lot of good desktop/laptops out there which will do it faster but of course it's not as portable.
Compared to other tablets which may use android, you are restricted as to what software you can use.


Overall this is fantastic product that is of great benefit to me and like all apple products, you pay for the quality and durability at that price. This will last several years if treated properly so a worthy purchase in my view.