The Experience of iPad 2

After a series of morning setbacks on Friday, the day the iPad 2 was released, I finally managed to begin my hunt in earnest by the early afternoon. Going to an Apple store was right out: the lines stretched around the block at every location. Secondary locations like Target, Best Buy, and the Verizon and AT&T stores proved just fruitless, if not more frustrating.

Best Buy sold "reservations" for the devices in the lines themselves, prior to the 5 PM debut time. This meant the units were sold out before they even went on sale, to the chagrin of those in line. Target received a grand total of 5.....that's FIVE.....units per store. In calling to Target locations in DC, Virginia, and Maryland, I can confirm that each store received 5 WiFi-only, black, 32 Gb iPad 2 units. I know this after having traveled to one, counting myself lucky to find a place at 6th in line. Calling other stores proved the same thing.

By Saturday, the chaos has subsided, with every iPad 2 within 100 miles of where I live being sold out. Online ordering had 2 to 3 weeks before shipment. Apple, in short, had a very good opening day for their new "precious".

Then, Sunday morning, I decided to call another Target after hearing they received their weekly shipments on that day. The clerk told me they had 1.....that's ONE....unit in the entire store, a result of an inter-store transfer: black, WiFi-only, 64 Gb. No holding it aside, no phone credit card purchase, first come, first serve. I was in the truck and moving before even hanging up with the store.

Finding the location some 9 miles away, I likely broke several traffic laws and had the churches not been full of people merely praying for an iPad 2 rather getting out and hustling like me, the crowds might have been thick enough that I caused an accident. AS it happened, I arrived at the Target, entered the store at a trot, and breathlessly asked the clerk if they still had it. They did. As I paid my $699 plus tax, the man behind me was asking if they still had the iPad he had called about. Sweet justice.

How do I like it? In short, it's a marvelous evolution of the iPad from Apple. I hadn't realized how much I had come to rely on mine until doing without it in anticipation of this event. Getting it in my hands, particularly with the luxury of all that space to play with was nothing short of amazing.

A few quick things I have noticed:

1. The iPad now appears to charge from a standard USB 2.0 port. Can anyone else confirm?

2. It's not only thinner, but slightly narrower. The unit fits into my iCapsule keyboard case without raising the clip.

3. The USB connector cord appears to be using the same ones as the original iPad. The curved nature of the bottom of the iPad 2 practically screams for a more contoured connection.

I will have more details later, after having put it through its paces. By the way, this entry was written on it. Works like a charm!