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macdud

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 16, 2011
66
0
Specs and weight put aside, what are your thoughts on the new design?

I actually find myself liking the ipad1 design better, the ipad2 reminds me of the iphone 2/3G design which is my least favorite of the iphone designs, whereas the ipad1 looks more similar to the iphone4 and macbook pros. I am really not a fan of the smooth curvy angles of the back design, but also it looks like the they might have changed the aluminum texture, or maybe its just the different form factor, but it seems less matte?
 
Specs and weight put aside, what are your thoughts on the new design?

I actually find myself liking the ipad1 design better, the ipad2 reminds me of the iphone 2/3G design which is my least favorite of the iphone designs, whereas the ipad1 looks more similar to the iphone4 and macbook pros. I am really not a fan of the smooth curvy angles of the back design, but also it looks like the they might have changed the aluminum texture, or maybe its just the different form factor, but it seems less matte?
I like the way the first gen looks more.

but I like the thinness and the flat back of the iPad 2
 
The iPad 1 looks more industrial in a way...morel like a Macbook like you said, with the hard edges. It probably does look better than the iPad 2 but I think the iPad 2 will feel a lot nicer to hold. From the reviews I'm reading, even though it's only 0.2lbs lighter, it feels a lot lighter than the iPad 1 in your hand due to the reduced thickness.

Here are some good comparison photos here:

a3.jpg


a15.jpg


a14.jpg


a13.jpg


a8.jpg
 
While I appreciate the improvements on the weight and thinness of the ipad 2, I am worried about its edges, which may make it more uncomfortable to hold than the ipad 1.
 
Why? The edge actually looks rounded off, unlike the sharp edges of the iPad 1. Look at the pictures above.
 
^^ i think it's a matter of taste but i prefer hard edges

also i hate the white ipad2.. so 2001 tacky and makes it look like a cheap copy imo!

of course i will probably end up getting a black ipad2 as the improvements far outweigh the design problems i have with it, although the current ipad1 deals are really tempting!
 
Okay, I haven't touched an iPad 2 yet, or seen one in real life. That being said:

the 1st gen looks like it has some style, and a "design" to it.

2nd gen just looks like a small box around a screen.

I like the design of the iPad 1.
 
I think I prefer the look of the first iPad too. But iPad 2 looks far more practical, since you can rest it on a flat surface without it wobbling around.
 
Myself, I actually think that I really like the look of the new iPad. That's not to say that I don't like my first gen iPad, too. But seeing the images of the two of them sitting side by side on a table, it's stunning to me how flat the iPad 2 looks.

Also, I've never been greatly fond of the rounded back of the iPad 1. So, from the get-go, I liked the fact that they were saying that the iPad 2 was going to have a flat back. Of course, the curved back didn't bug me that much as I keep mine in a folio case most of the time...

As to the curved edges as opposed to walled edges, this is simply a functionality aspect of the design. If you're going to be able to pick the thing up off a table with one hand, then there has to be a bevel and it has to be a certain depth. Given the desire to reduce the thickness of the iPad, they couldn't really reduce the depth of the bevel, so the had to simply remove the vertical wall.
 
I hope the iPad 2 can handle bumps and small drops on the edges. It looks more fragile than the iPad 1 simply because of the thin tapered edge.
 
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