Things We Hope to See in the iPad 2

Considering the iPad has sold over 14 million units in the last eight months, it is no secret that Apple is planning to follow up that initial success with an improved iPad2. After all, look at how far the company has pushed the original iPhone to get to the current-gen iPhone 4. Pretty cool stuff.

Everyone is speculating on what we can except when the device is released sometime this year. Well, we decided to let others do the speculating. Instead, we are focusing on what we want. iPadNewsDaily's iPad crew has compiled a list below.

Improved memory space: There’s nothing wrong with a 64GB iPad model. You can cram a lot of stuff into it including various types of media and games. Still, there’s a lot of quality stuff filling the App Store that we are going to want and we aren't going to be able to have unless we ramp up some memory space. Do the math: many games run 300-400 MB apiece and the movies take up at least 1 GB apiece. That iPad is going to get loaded fast if you are a heavy user. It'd be nice to have a bump up in memory space for the iPad 2 - maybe something along the lines of 100 GB to 200 GB. Hey, if the older iPod models can have that kind of capacity, why can’t a tablet device? The cost may go up a little bit, but the fact is it’d be worth it to store more of what we love.

Cameras: One of the reasons the iPhone 4 is popular is because users can dial up their friends and spend a little “face time” using a built-in camera. This has been a feature missing from the original iPad. There is no question that it would do wonders with Apple’s next tablet device. Add a camera on the back or the front (or both!), and then give users the option to call or Skype up any given contact. Now you’ve got a telecommuting device that can hardly be beat. It doesn’t need to be a cheap camera lens either. Give us something that really takes advantage of the iPad screen.

Sun-adaptive screen: One of the things competitors like to point out is the iPad’s inability to be clearly seen in sunlight. m Apple should consider a higher-quality screen that maintains its purposes in areas where light is useful, while at the same time not being so much of a burden when it comes to viewing it in direct sunlight. The technology is certainly out there. The Samsung Galaxy Tab and the forthcoming Nintendo 3DS enable users to view applications with very little problem from glare. Again, cost might bump up a bit but probably not enough to scare away buyers.

Verizon support: Obviously this is a huge deal for some users out there. While AT&T is far from the worst wireless supporter out there, it always helps to have some options available when it comes to choosing your provider. And since Verizon is about to jump on to the iPhone band wagon, why can’t the iPad 2 get a little love? Once announced, Apple should provide a number of data plans, including those from competitive services. Sure, it’d divide up customers a little bit, but it would open up the iPad 2’s user base considerably, as someone wouldn’t be forced to go with a default company right off the bat. It always helps to have choices.

USB support: This may be a long shot, considering some devices don’t work properly with Apple’s technology, particularly from a rival company. (We’re looking at you, Sony.) Still, we can’t help but think how much easier things would be if you could connect USB-supported devices, like cameras and MP3 players, to the iPad 2 for easier support. Linking up songs, videos, photos and more could be done without the need of a computer or ground unit with USB support, as you could go straight to your tablet. For that matter, we’d also be willing to accept an SD card slot, provided that it can handle ones of bigger capacity. We have lots of media to go through, being the computer geeks that we are.

Thinner but durable build: It’s clear that Apple can build a piece of technology that’s not only lightweight, but very durable, as its Macbook Pro proves. So, for the iPad 2 we expect a thinner build along the same lines of later iPhone models, but one that can certainly take a drop on the floor without cracking under pressure. Find a stable metal surface for the base, a screen that can avoid taking serious scratches, and a grip size that’s easy on the hands even over long periods of time, and you have a winner.

More iPad Exclusive Programs: One of the joys of using an iPad is taking advantage of exclusives, whether they’re games or programs you wouldn’t find on a competing tablet. Apple should consider more iPad-exclusive items for their second tablet device, such as more chat options that you wouldn’t find anywhere else, more iPad-friendly business apps that cater to your everyday needs, and more GameCenter options to keep you competitive when friends are around. The sky’s the limit on the App Store, guys. You don’t have to stick with choices strictly in the media field.

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