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Jacoblee23

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Nov 10, 2011
1,510
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That always for some reason bugged me about the air 1. I'm glad that this has been fixed.
 
Yup.. I noticed that back on my Air1 on Day-0 when I bought it.. It was the only thing I felt Apple cheaped out on on an otherwise perfect at-the-time tablet.. Glad they fixed that with a laminated display.. It's back where the iPad2/3/4 felt again.. Like glass!
 
It's definitely improved, and time will tell how much for my usage.

I was more concerned about the reduced angles, and internal reflection distortion than the tap.

Actually, it was a bit shocking to me when I realized they downgraded from the previous generations, when the nice iPhone was superior this way.

So they fixed it now.
 
That always for some reason bugged me about the air 1. I'm glad that this has been fixed.

The Air 1 screen feels really like plastic when you tap on it. The Air 2 completely fixed this issue and I like it so much!
 
The Air screen felt fragile, I always felt I would break it. The new laminated screen on the 2 is just stunning. The colours are amazing.
 
Noticed same on Mini 2 after coming from an iPad 3. iPad 3 felt pleasingly glassy, Mini felt plasticky.

Yet to get an Air 2, couldn't preorder as nobody in lately. Waiting fro cellular, which seem non existent at retail in the UK at the moment.
 
Noticed same on Mini 2 after coming from an iPad 3. iPad 3 felt pleasingly glassy, Mini felt plasticky.



Yet to get an Air 2, couldn't preorder as nobody in lately. Waiting fro cellular, which seem non existent at retail in the UK at the moment.


If you have one nearby, you can get the cellular versions at an Apple retail store. John Lewis is currently sold out on those (at least 64 and 128 GB) but get new ones in daily.
 
I noticed the solid screen on the Air 2 compared to the Air 1 as soon as I took it out of the box. It's much nicer for typing on now.
 
If you have one nearby, you can get the cellular versions at an Apple retail store. John Lewis is currently sold out on those (at least 64 and 128 GB) but get new ones in daily.

Cheers, but my local store Manchester Arndale appears to have had virtually none so far. What time do they get deliveries do you reckon? Typically, I can be there for 9am opening to see if they've any stock but Thu/Fri they had none. Didn't go Saturday.

I've been keeping a close eye on John Lewis for a reserve and collect but not seen the one I want available, Space Grey 128gb cellular.
 
Cheers, but my local store Manchester Arndale appears to have had virtually none so far. What time do they get deliveries do you reckon? Typically, I can be there for 9am opening to see if they've any stock but Thu/Fri they had none. Didn't go Saturday.

I've been keeping a close eye on John Lewis for a reserve and collect but not seen the one I want available, Space Grey 128gb cellular.


Sheffield Meadowhall gets deliveries at different times each day apparently. They had an embargo until Fri afternoon before they were allowed to sell the cellular iPad Air 2. Arndale is quite busy, so I don't know. If you don't get it tomorrow morning I would be surprised if you don't get it in the late afternoon... Good luck!
 
One of the reasons I returned it after owning it after only a few days. The main reason though is you get better portability with the Rmini in the same package except screen size.
 
Sheffield Meadowhall gets deliveries at different times each day apparently. They had an embargo until Fri afternoon before they were allowed to sell the cellular iPad Air 2. Arndale is quite busy, so I don't know. If you don't get it tomorrow morning I would be surprised if you don't get it in the late afternoon... Good luck!


Thanks, I'll persevere.
 
That always for some reason bugged me about the air 1. I'm glad that this has been fixed.

Agreed, I actually returned my original Air last year and bought another iPad 4, that plastic feel and hollow noise it made when tapping on it was just too annoying.
 
Some more detail peeping

iPad Air (1): When I tap on the screen it sounds (and maybe feels) a little "hollow", call it plasticky if you want, especially compared to the iPad Air 2.

BUT if I press on the screen (displaying a bright, high-contrast photo, text, or a checkerboard-like graphic) firmly, looking from an extreme side angle: The Air 1 seems more sturdy, nothing to see at all (by pressing way too hard there will be some "lcd waves" showing up—I won't make this very hard test too often, not recommended). On the Air 2 you can see from that viewing angle a little bagging, buckling/bulging even on slight pressures (on ANY place, even near the bezel). You can't see that when you watch the screen normally (from above).

Nothing groundbreaking, but it seems to be another "disadvantage" (not really…) for thinness.

When the screen is switched off (blank, black) and you watch against something bright mirroring on the glass surface (no need for an extreme angle), the bulging on pressure is almost identical on both iPads. So I'm guessing that the surface material is the same.

More comparing side by side: Brightness, colors and sharpness are exactly the same. The color temperature of the Air 2 is a tiny bit warmer altogether (this effect changed a bit with every new iPad—and I had them all). Viewing from side angles (landscape): Left/right: Air 2 a tiny bit better. Above/below: Air 1 a tiny bit better.
 
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