![Thin and grippable](https://www.itworldcanada.com/slideshows/hands-on_with_the_ipad_2/images/1.jpg)
Thin and grippable:
The iPad 2 is noticeably nicer to hold than its predecessor. The weight helps, but the thinness and the tapering along the back side make it much easier to rest in one hand.
![No sides](https://www.itworldcanada.com/slideshows/hands-on_with_the_ipad_2/images/2.jpg)
No sides:
The reduced thickness of the iPad 2 means that we can’t say the iPad’s buttons and ports are on its side-there really is no side. There’s a front and a back, really, with a very small amount of curved, tapered space. That’s where the buttons and ports are. It’s a very different feel from the original iPad.
![New back, new shape](https://www.itworldcanada.com/slideshows/hands-on_with_the_ipad_2/images/3.jpg)
New back, new shape:
The iPad 2 has gained a new tapered aluminum back and a rear camera, capable of recording 720p HD video (at 30 frames per second) and a still camera with a 5x digital zoom.
![Flat and grilled](https://www.itworldcanada.com/slideshows/hands-on_with_the_ipad_2/images/4.jpg)
Flat and grilled:
The iPad 2’s altered shape is obviously visible when laid face-down. The device’s mono speaker grille has been visibly altered, though whether that improves sound quality has yet to be determined.
![Old vs new](https://www.itworldcanada.com/slideshows/hands-on_with_the_ipad_2/images/5.jpg)
Old vs new:
Three form factors on the table: the original iPad on the left, the iPad 2 in the center, and the iPhone 4 on the right.
![Pose for the camera](https://www.itworldcanada.com/slideshows/hands-on_with_the_ipad_2/images/6.jpg)
Pose for the camera:
Like the iPhone 4, the iPad 2’s front camera is VGA-quality, though it still manages to get a decent picture.
![All covered up](https://www.itworldcanada.com/slideshows/hands-on_with_the_ipad_2/images/7.jpg)
All covered up:
Apple introduced a series of covers for the new iPad at Wednesday’s launch event. Held to the iPad using magnets, the Smart Cover is a rectangle exactly the size and shape of the iPad’s screen. The side that faces inward is made of soft microfibre cloth; the outside is either leather or polyurethane in one of five colors each.
![A standing ovation](https://www.itworldcanada.com/slideshows/hands-on_with_the_ipad_2/images/8.jpg)
A standing ovation:
The Smart Cover can stand your iPad upright, prop it up for typing, or cover it entirely, depending on its position.
![All propped up](https://www.itworldcanada.com/slideshows/hands-on_with_the_ipad_2/images/9.jpg)
All propped up:
Here, an iPad is propped at viewing angle using a blue Smart Cover.
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