The UK launch of iPad 2 is just around the corner, and Friday March 25th should see the now-familiar huge lines of people snaking their way out of Apple stores across the country and along the streets.
If you’re intending to be one of the people in that very queue, or if you’re an early-bird who’s already ordered your iPad 2 from America (come on – we know some of you will have!), here’s our guide for what to get ready in the run-up to ensure that you can get the most out of your tablet.
Just as you’d prepare beforehand for a new baby or a new pet, you’re going to want to prepare for the arrival of the newest member of your family – the iPad 2!
Always use protection
The iPad 2 is a beautiful and costly creature and it should be treated as such. The last thing you want is to spoil its aesthetics with a huge scratch across the back, or (worse) the display itself with a scratch across the front. So number one on the list is probably an iPad 2 screen protector – our favourites are the ones from InvisibleShield which are made from a special film originally designed for the military.
Apple have announced a range of brightly-coloured iPad 2 Smart Covers, which are “sleek, slim and sturdy” and will attach snugly to your iPad using inbuilt magnets. They’re a gorgeous piece of engineering, and there are plenty of other iPad 2 cases available for people that want a different style or a case that protects the back of the tablet too.
One of our favourites - the Targus Rotating iPad 2 case
Keep control with a stylus
With a screen that large, the iPad is perfect for a hands-on approach most of the time. However, certain specialist apps might require a little more control, especially for art-working purposes. If you’re a budding artist then it’s definitely a good idea to pick up an iPad 2 stylus – it’ll give you that extra edge that could mean all the different.
Let your music be hands-free
Even though the iPad 2 is even lighter than its forerunner, you still don’t want to be lugging that thing around with you if you’re listening to headphones around the house. An iPad 2 Bluetooth headset or set of bluetooth headphones give you that hands-free approach, so that you can listen to music whilst hoovering, cooking or exercising. Or if you want to share your music rather than keeping it to yourself, go for a pair of iPad 2 speakers.
Avantalk Jogger Bluetooth Headset will even stay on during vigorous exercise
Who needs a photo frame?!
Digital photo frames can be a thing of the past now that you can simply prop your iPad up and let it show off all your favourite snaps. With the iPad 2 Camera Connection Kit, you can import photos directly from your digital camera to your iPad using USB or SD card. This has the added bonus that you can get a better feel for your photos when you’re out and about by transferring them straight from camera to the iPad’s larger screen.
All these and plenty of other iPad 2 accessories can be found over on the main site.