iPad 2: Successor to success.

Let's start with this: The iPad 2 is not a super departure from the original model to try and 'wow' the crowd.  The iPad 2 is a calculated and carefully designed successor to the most successful computing product ever released(it surpassed the DVD player in first year sales). This year's model, which comes in 18 variations between the size, networking and color choices is poised to take that to the next level. The basic concept of the product is the same. However, there are some big changes.

Let's start with the body. The iPad 2 is now thinner than the iPhone 4-and with it's lighter weight and flat back, it's a joy to hold and use. The color choice is nice as well(I picked up the white model). The screen of the iPad 2, while unchanged resolution-wise, does seem to look better, and of course, the touch response is second to none. The battery life of the new iPad is also consistent with the first, even with the weight loss(10 hours of use, 30 days standby). Now, on the inside, the iPad 2 has had some good changes. The processor is now a dual-core Apple A5 processor, and provides at least twice the power of the original. This is great for your multitasking and for having more windows loaded in Safari. The graphics chip, though, is where things really shine. The iPad 2's graphical powers are 9 times that of the original. Where this is really evident is in games that have been optimized for the new model, such as Infinity Blade. These graphics look great even mirrored with Apple's new AV cable to my HDTV(they look like a launch Xbox 360 title, roughly.) Impressive, coming from a mobile device.

Now, hardware doesn't make a product a success. This is proven by all the incoming tablets that are trying to take the spotlight away from the iPad. I've had the chance to play with some, like the Galaxy Tab, and while nice, hold no candle to the iOS experience. The number of apps for the iPad are skyrocketing, and are currently somewhere in the 65,000 range. That, combined with the ease of use, stability of iOS and the hardware make the iPad 2 quite a winner.
The iPad 2 is available in 18 models (White and Black Wifi 16,32, and 64GB, AT&T 3G and wifi 16,32,and 64GB, and Verizon 3G and wifi 16,32, and 64GB. The wifi models are $499,599, and 699, and the wifi+3G models are $629,729, and 829.

Let's get ready to rock....the Audyssey South of Market iPhone Dock

So...here we go. This is the new Audyssey South of Market Audio Dock for your iPhone, iPod, etc. This one is quite a winner. Anyone who's an audiophile will recognize Audyssey's name for their work in audio calibration. Now they bring some absolutely winning hardware to the table. The SoMa dock consists of a very interesting design, with the speakers facing the sides, and the dock right there in the front. How to put the description of the sound quality....well, let's see....let's just say that this little dock can rock my entire apartment at mid-level volumes. The speakers in here are second to none and you can tell as soon as you take your first listen. But that's not all. Audyssey has crammed in a few more features for us to look at.

For one, this puppy can be hooked into your computer via USB and function as your charging/syncing solution for your iPhone/iPod as well. This eliminates the need for those extra cables hanging around. You can also hook it up to the headphone jack and actually use it as the speakers FOR your computer as well. My MacBook Air really appreciates this feature. They've also got Bluetooth in there, so you can rock your tunes while you keep on texting your friends, and playing games on your phone as well. This is a nice functionality, and is greatly appreciated when you want to walk around the house but still hear some music while using your phone. Another great feature of this dock is the Audyssey app for your iPhone/iPod touch. This app allows you to create your own custom EQ's for the SoMa dock and rock it out.

All in all, the SoMa dock is a winner. I have had a few connection issues with the Bluetooth, but nothing a simple reset didn't fix, and I'm sure they will issue updates in the future as well. I'm quite amazed by the quality of the sound on this dock, and it rivals or beats everything else, including Bose, and even Bowers and Wilkins.

I'd give this one a solid 5/5. The Audyssey SoMa dock is available from Audyssey.com or at your favorite Apple store for $399.

The HP Envy 100 Printer...This is how it's supposed to work.

So I got my hands on HP's new Envy 100 series printer. This thing is good. I mainly got it because of the small footprint and the fact that it's got wireless, Airprint, etc. After playing with it for a bit, I'm quite impressed. It's got ePrint, which allows you to basically send the printer an email(the printer has it's own email address via HP's ePrint server), and have it print out. It's also AirPrint capable, which makes printing emails or webpages from your iPhone or iPad simple.

You can't see it in the picture, but the leg that holds the paper up after it prints actually moves in and out of place automatically, and it also features auto-duplex printing. The touch panel above the paper also auto-moves in and out of the way when printing. This means simple, no-hassle or involvement printing. The touch screen is very responsive and sensitive to the touch. It's also loaded with web apps that can be changed or updated and new ones can be downloaded, such as apps for movie tickets, coupons, and recipes. I managed to print myself a daily sudoku puzzle(in 4 difficulty levels, nonetheless), with a few simple touches on the screen.

The scanner on the Envy is a decent 1200 DPI. Nothing to write home about, it just works. This is obviously not a printer for those that need lab-quality prints at home, but the photos it puts out look very nice. Of course, it, like most printers these days, does borderless printing and direct prints from memory cards.

All in all, this one's a winner so far. As always, the cartridges are what get you on a printer, and this one's no different, using the usual HP 60 cartridges. If you're in the market for a wifi or AirPrint-enabled printer, though, this is definitely the way to go if you don't need fax capability. (I'm not sure when the last time I used a fax machine was, myself...)

The HP Envy 100 runs $249 retail, with a $30 instant rebate from HP.com, making it $219, or if you want to save a bit more, Amazon currently has it for $191.17.


Russ

Here we go...

Alright, so this is my first post to my new blog. This is a place for me to talk about everything technology related, and do things like reviews, previews, discussions, and all sorts of things. I'll enable comments so others can talk about it too. Let's get it started!