We love Apple, and Apple loves us. So we’re privileged to try out a lot of their products just after release to determine which ones are worth recommending. You may remember our dismay when they sent us the first iPad for a 90-day trial and the intense sadness we had knowing that our love affair was brief.
Yes, Apple is a first-class tease. Why else would they seduce us again with a three-month foster program with an iPad2?
At first we felt like they loved us less because they sent us a Wi-Fi version, not the fancier 3G model we sampled last year. That meant we couldn’t use the Internet features in our car, in a park during our elaborate noon-time picnics, or anywhere that doesn’t have a public wireless network.
But all our griping ceased the day we upgraded our iPhone to enable the Personal Hotspot feature. Thanks to this great iPhone innovation, our iPad is now more powerful. Not only can we connect our laptop to our hotspot, we can tether our iPad to it, as well. That’s great news because the day we finally go out and buy our own iPad, we can save money by buying the less-expensive Wi-Fi version.
Of course, the real reasons to love the iPad 2 are even better. It’s thinner, weighs less, and it’s much, much faster. This one has a camera, too, so FaceTime video calls are bigger and better than ever – and feel right out of a sci-fi movie. It still won’t play Flash web sites, which continues to frustrate, but it’s only a small complaint by comparison.
So here we are in familiar territory. Deeply, madly in love with a sexy, nine-and-a-half inches destined to break our hearts. But while we have it in our hands, we’re going to make the most of it. But when the time’s up, please invite us over to play with yours.
Starting at $499
www.apple.com/ipad
