Many seniors dread learning how to use a computer. However, the creation of the iPad has made it much easier for seniors to navigate the web. The user-friendly design of the iPad has made it easy for seniors to stay connected with family and friends. Not only that, but the iPad is lightweight, easy to carry and use just about anywhere. You can also find many iPad apps that help keep your brain sharp.
With the new iPad 3 coming out, many people are wondering what the differences are between the iPad 2 and the iPad 3. There are many benefits of the new iPad 3 for seniors, but you must still examine the differences, weighing the pros and cons of this new device, before you decide to purchase the new tablet. Below is a list of differences between the two tablets that you can use to help decide whether the iPad 3 is right for you:
Battery Life: The iPad 2 has a 25-watt-hour lithium polymer which is rated for about 10 hours of battery life. The iPad 3 has increased to a 42.5-watt-hour lithium polymer which is still rated for about 10 hours of use on this new device (9 hours if it is on 4G). Even though the battery is bigger, according to reviews, you can still expect the same performance at the end of the day.
Bluetooth: The iPad 2 has 2.1 + EDR Bluetooth, but the new iPad now has Bluetooth Smart 4.0. This is the same type of Bluetooth found in other Apple products like the MacBook Pro. The range of communication is supposed to increase up to 200 feet as compared with the iPad 2.
Camera: For the iPad 2 the camera is 720p HD and the video camera is 0.7 megapixels with 5x digital zoom and 30 fps. The iPad 3 has increased to 1080p HD camera and 5MP video camera. It still maintains the 5x zoom and 30 fps, but has auto focus. The camera on the new device should take sharper photos and better videos.
Dimensions: The iPad 2 is slightly thinner than the iPad 3. The iPad 2 is 0.346 inches thick while the iPad 3 is 0.37 inches. Overall this is not a huge change when we are talking about hundredths of an inch.
Display: The iPad 2 screen has a resolution of 1024×768 pixels with LED backlighting, scratch resistance, and finger coating. The iPad 3 screen has a multi touch Retina display with a resolution of 2048×1536 pixels and LED backlighting. This means that the screen has 4 times higher resolution.
Power Consumption: The iPad 2 has energy efficiency based on mode components such as sleep, idle, power adapter efficiency, etc. The reviews of the iPad 3 do not seem to show that it is more energy efficient or less of a battery killer.
Price: The new iPad is at least $100 more than the old one because of the improvements. The iPad 2 of 16GB Wi-Fi is sold at $399 while the iPad 3 is $499 for the 16GB Wi-Fi. If you want to upgrade to 32GB or 64GB expect to pay $599 or $699 respectively.
Processor: The iPad 2 has a 1GHz dual core Apple A5 system, while the iPad 3 has a dual core A5X system. This means that the iPad 3 has higher performance than the older models.
Weight: The weight of the tablet varies depending on the model of the iPad. The Wi-Fi iPad 2 weighs 1.33 pounds while the iPad 3 weighs 1.46 pounds.
Wireless: The iPad 2 has 3G Cellular HDSPA, while the iPad 3 has improved to 4G LTE. This should make the new tablet many times faster than the older models.