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What can do ipad2 that ipad1 can't.

L

lozar

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 6, 2011
17
0
Padova, Italia
What's the differences between the 2 ipad? In other words:

what can do ipad2 that ipad1 can't? It would be useful to write a list... I'll start.

- facetime
- photobooth
- take pictures (crap 0.7 Mp)
- imovie
- smartcovers
- thinner
- lighter
- faster
- gyroscope
- video mirroring (not sure)




for me the only relevant (but not fundamental) things are:
-facetime
-imovie
-video mirroring

So I'll go for the iPad 1...
 
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Not much to reliably mention here. At the moment, it's mainly the cameras that make the difference. So the idea of Facetime, Photobooth, and perhaps stuff like Skype video calling may be something iPad2 would have over iPad1. Also, one feature definitely known specifically for iPad 2 is the precision editor in the new iMovie.

Garageband looks to be an app that will work on both units the same. Maybe it'll run better on iPad2, but knowing them, they'll release it in such a way that it'll seem to run quite comfortably on the original iPad.

Anyway, more or less, it's the built-in cameras that will make the biggest difference, at this time. So in the beginning, there will be very few programs to take advantage of this. Of course, for a number of consumers, this would be a significant step.

The Gyroscope can be significant or not depending on the app you use. The Gyroscope allows much much better orientation and facing logic to be used in programs. May even be used to create even more accurate representation of facing in programs like Starwalk, where if you hold the device up it allows you to spin around and face a direction to get a readout of the star/planet positions as if you were in an observatory of sorts. It as limited use now, but it's a matter of what apps are most important to you.

It's also rumored that the iPad 2 will have better mirroring support. So your *not sure* still holds. Possibly not sure because it may just be an OS4.3 feature, not a specific hardware feature.
 
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We don't really know the coolest stuff yet. The iPad 2 has a huge boost in both CPU and GPU power, and almost certainly at least twice the RAM capacity (in my opinion), so at some point I hope that third party apps will come along that push the iPad 2 hardware as far as they can and those apps, by definition, won't run on the iPad 1.

What those apps will be I don't know yet. Maybe the "(not sure)" entries in lozar's list are the first examples of apps that need the iPad 2's power to be able to run but when third parties start addint to the list then it gets really exciting.

- Julian
 
lozar said:
ok, maybe the ram is the reason...
Click to expand...
No. The 4th gen iPod Touch has only 256MB of RAM, yet it can run iMovie. I think Apple coded something in the iMovie app that requires the existence of a video camera.
 
ClutchThese said:
http://www.apple.com/ipad/from-the-app-store/imovie.html

scroll to bottom.
Click to expand...
That's a very confusing list of devices - iPhone 4, 4th generation iPod Touch, iPad 2 but not the iPad 1.

So it's RAM (like lozar said)? That doesn't stand up because the iPod Touch has 256MB doesn't it? It's CPU? Well in that case the iPad 1 has a faster CPU than the iPod Touch so why isn't it on the list?

All I can think of is back to lozar's theory. Maybe it really does only just fit into the available memory on the 256MB iPod Touch but the 256MB iPad 1 has slightly less available memory due to a slightly bigger screen buffer (1024x768 pixels is more than 960x640 pixels) and the overhead in the 3G version of the extra iOS code to handle the 3G connection and those overheads make the difference between it running or not.

If the above is right then iMovie sure must be a tight fit on the iPod Touch!

- Julian
 
Taking pictures with a 9.7" device? Really? I think the back camera is there for web conferencing..which by the way, it's really the only substantial new feature..
 
iPad will make you happy, iPad 2 will make you happier! Although the iPad 2 will cost you a bit more due to the new rebattes Apple is offering on the old models.
 
lozar said:
for me the only relevant (but not fundamental) things are:
-facetime
-take pictures
-imovie
-video mirroring

So I'll go for the iPad 1...
Click to expand...
... then regret it when the iPad 2 comes out and you realise how naff the old one is in comparison.
 
There are going to be a lot of iPad 2 only games this year. First one is Real Racing 2 HD which base on what it's developer is saying is iPad 2 only.
 
JulianL said:
That's a very confusing list of devices - iPhone 4, 4th generation iPod Touch, iPad 2 but not the iPad 1.

So it's RAM (like lozar said)? That doesn't stand up because the iPod Touch has 256MB doesn't it? It's CPU? Well in that case the iPad 1 has a faster CPU than the iPod Touch so why isn't it on the list?

All I can think of is back to lozar's theory. Maybe it really does only just fit into the available memory on the 256MB iPod Touch but the 256MB iPad 1 has slightly less available memory due to a slightly bigger screen buffer (1024x768 pixels is more than 960x640 pixels) and the overhead in the 3G version of the extra iOS code to handle the 3G connection and those overheads make the difference between it running or not.

If the above is right then iMovie sure must be a tight fit on the iPod Touch!

- Julian
Click to expand...

I doubt that this is the case. All the devices listed have a camera while the ipad 1 doesn't. Apple wants everyone to be able to capture video on the device and edit it there directly. If imovie was available for the ipad 1, users would need to convert the movie to itunes format, sync it to the device, and then edit it. Now why would anyone transfer a movie to edit on a portable device when they could just edit it on the more powerful computer that they are already using?
 
I think except for the camera, the iPad 1 can run all the apps that the iPad 2 will run. There will be an odd app or two but for the most part, why would a developer code an application that would exclude millions of iPad 1 owners?

Even iMovie - while the requirements state the iPad 2, what are the chances that it's a typo or that it will run.
 
The iPad 2 will run more up-to-date versions of iOS than the iPad 1. They'll probably both get the iOS 5 upgrade, but I predict iOS 5 will have a lot of dual core-only features and apps. Then iPad 1 support will be cut in around 15 months time with iOS 6.

Buying an iPad 1 now is like buying an iPhone 3G this time last year. Yes it's a "current" device that works perfectly now, but if the next iOS upgrade pushes things on, it'll feel like a decidedly old hat device.

But if you don't need the cameras and you're happy with the current range of apps that are available (and, probably a large proportion of those being released over the next year apart from games) the iPad 1 is a nice cheap bet.
 
kiranmk2 said:
The iPad 2 will run more up-to-date versions of iOS than the iPad 1. They'll probably both get the iOS 5 upgrade, but I predict iOS 5 will have a lot of dual core-only features and apps. Then iPad 1 support will be cut in around 15 months time with iOS 6.
Click to expand...
but realistically most people will be on the iPad 3 or 4 at that point.

Just look at the folks who sold their iPad 1 in preparation for the iPad2. For intents purposes. The iPad 1 will run the same OS as the 2 will
 
JulianL said:
That's a very confusing list of devices - iPhone 4, 4th generation iPod Touch, iPad 2 but not the iPad 1.

So it's RAM (like lozar said)? That doesn't stand up because the iPod Touch has 256MB doesn't it? It's CPU? Well in that case the iPad 1 has a faster CPU than the iPod Touch so why isn't it on the list?

All I can think of is back to lozar's theory. Maybe it really does only just fit into the available memory on the 256MB iPod Touch but the 256MB iPad 1 has slightly less available memory due to a slightly bigger screen buffer (1024x768 pixels is more than 960x640 pixels)...
- Julian
Click to expand...
Apples and oranges. It's a Universal App (2 programs in one package) so the code is deferent for the iPad program and iPhone/iTouch program.
 
kiranmk2 said:
The iPad 2 will run more up-to-date versions of iOS than the iPad 1. They'll probably both get the iOS 5 upgrade, but I predict iOS 5 will have a lot of dual core-only features and apps. Then iPad 1 support will be cut in around 15 months time with iOS 6.

Buying an iPad 1 now is like buying an iPhone 3G this time last year. Yes it's a "current" device that works perfectly now, but if the next iOS upgrade pushes things on, it'll feel like a decidedly old hat device.

But if you don't need the cameras and you're happy with the current range of apps that are available (and, probably a large proportion of those being released over the next year apart from games) the iPad 1 is a nice cheap bet.
Click to expand...
No, it's like buying a 3GS last time round, not the 3G. The iPad 1 is only a year old. Last time I looked, the 3GS was still a very good phone. I think that the iPad 1 has a good year left for practical usage by which time most iPad 1 users will probably upgrade to the 3. Just like a lot of people upgrade their iPhones in a 2 yearly cycle
 
thetruth1985 said:
I doubt that this is the case. All the devices listed have a camera while the ipad 1 doesn't. Apple wants everyone to be able to capture video on the device and edit it there directly. If imovie was available for the ipad 1, users would need to convert the movie to itunes format, sync it to the device, and then edit it. Now why would anyone transfer a movie to edit on a portable device when they could just edit it on the more powerful computer that they are already using?
Click to expand...

this make sense
 
aldo82 said:
No, it's like buying a 3GS last time round, not the 3G. The iPad 1 is only a year old. Last time I looked, the 3GS was still a very good phone. I think that the iPad 1 has a good year left for practical usage by which time most iPad 1 users will probably upgrade to the 3. Just like a lot of people upgrade their iPhones in a 2 yearly cycle
Click to expand...

I agree that this smells a lot like the 3GS upgrade. A boost in power and a few new features, but not anything that clearly separates from the old model. (like iPhone 4 did to the 3GS)

This is where competition is a good thing. The iPhone historically had very modest upgrades until Android became a serious threat. Apple pulled out all the stops and hit a homerun with iPhone 4 which raised the bar significantly. Hopefully the competition gains ground in 2011 in the tablet market and provides incentive for a truly revolutionary next version. (with better resolution and an anti-glare screen for those of us who use them for work outdoors!)
 
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