I got to have a good long play with the new iPad today!
It certainly is smaller! However I am glad I got the 1st gen one in January. For me it feels too small and I just do not like the case arrangement. Sure, it looks great and the idea behind it I understand.But for me, for everyday practical use it would soon annoy me.
For a start, no back protection. I know a lot of folks don't care about scratches but I do, you would think they would include a clear case back film to protect it! I also have not use for a camera on the back, I mean, come on. Who,on a regular basis is going to hold this thing up to take pictures, if you do then great, if not, well it is all but useless. Face time is something I have no need for either and I am not a huge gamer so the faster processor is moot to me as well.
I remember when my friends got the first gen one last year, I was so excited to see it, this time it just left me cold. Because of the camera there will be little option other than the flappy screen protector which they seem to have made from the same stupid material they made the original case from which attracts dust and finger prints all the time, the one I got to try had a powder blue case, absolute crazy, my friend picked it up on launch day and the case is already filthy!
Overall, not impressed, I would say that if you own the first gen one, are not a gamer and have no use for a camera then stick with it. If I did not own the first gen one I would still get it over the second gen one especially as they are discounting it.
I use my iPad as a work tool. I use the excellent glass keypad all the time and can bang out thousand word assignments with ease. I have Yoobao case that is slim but at the same time protects the ipad wonderfully and also gives me the perfect angle to write. The new iPad feels more like a fashionista accessory to me, sometimes small or thinner is not such a good thing, for those who just want to use it to surf the net then I guess it would be a fun thing though.
As a work tool that is an alternative to carrying around a bulky lap top though the new one feels less practical. If they had left the back camera out and instead put 128g of memory and kept it at the size of the first gen I would have been a lot more enthusiastic. As it is it looks like they thought of the lifestyle people who they use for advertising as their audience rather than folks like me use it as a work tool!
Just my thoughts, if you like it and are happy, what they hey, good for you!