CaraOnSugar

My iPad 2 and I are tied at the hip. From work meetings, lunches with friends, accompanying my daughter to the mall, lounging at my reading corner at home, or cooking at my kitchen, it goes where I go. I have simply learned not to be without it.

And I must confess, since possessing this tablet, my iPhone has experienced neglect. But no chagrin here since I welcome the convenience of lesser battery charge times. Besides, the apps I use in my iPad 2 were quite difficult to do on the small screen of the iPhone. I am a Reader, enough said.

With my passion for this latest toy, I had to find items that can help me take care of the hardware, such as cases that will allow me to use my Smart Cover. Or allow me convert the tablet into a laptop, such as a Bluetooth keyboard that puts an ease in utilizing the iWork Pages App.

My quest takes me to several cool accessories, some made specifically for the iPad 2 and some for the original iPad, but also works with the new gen. All items below 20 bucks! Yup, that’s right. Under 20. Enjoy!

HyperShield Back Cover for iPad 2 – $19.95

Interesting features:

- Designed to work perfectly with the Apple iPad Smart Cover

- Covers the iPad 2 aluminum back

- Available in 10 colors to match the Apple iPad Smart Cover

- Only 1.4mm thin. You will hardly notice it.

- Made of durable TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane)

- Shock absorbing gel-like property protects iPad from bumps & scratches

- Unlike silicon, TPU retains shape, form and color even after repeated use

- Dirt-proof, washable and 100% recycleable

Elite iPad Messenger Pouch - $19.95

Interesting features:

- Slim and form-fitting

- Lightweight and durable design protects from scratches and bumps

- Secure magnetic snap closure

- Inside is padded and lined with soft velvet

Diamond Glimmer Elite iPad Case - $4.50

Interesting features:

- Form-fitting case designed to perfectly fit your Apple iPad

- Uses elastic corner straps to hold your Apple iPad securely in place

- Includes an inner flap to organize your personal or business essentials

- Soft padded suede-inspired interior protects your Apple iPad screen from scratches

- Secure magnetic snap button closure

- Colors available in Jet Black, Lipstick Red, or Winter White

Ipad Keyboard Folio - $19.99

Interesting features:

- Universal Wireless Bluetooth™ 2.0 Connectivity

- Multiple Functional Hotkeys

- Spill-proof Silicone Keyboard for Optimal Screen Protection

- Magnetic Clasp for Secure Handling

- Made of Durable Materials

- Attractive padded cover to protect your iPad

- LED Power and Charge Indicator

- Built-in Rechargeable Battery with over 40+ hours per charge

- Compatible with iPhone and other Bluetooth Devices

- USB charging cable included (Also compatible with iPad charger)

Today I am sluggish. At approximately 12:58 a.m., I got up from the guest bedroom (the room closest to my home office computer) and logged onto Apple.com which landed directly on the iPad 2 page. I selected ‘Buy Now’ button, just as I rehearsed it hours earlier, and chose a White 64 GB Wi-Fi version. I also added the apple-green Smart Cover. Then I took advantage of the free engraving and placed “Cara’s iPad 2, but Ken and Ashley can borrow.” I finished off the remaining mandatory fields like shipping and purchasing information, glanced at the overall tally, grimaced at the cost of sales tax, and pressed the last button that finalized the transaction. There. After almost a year of waiting I finally bought myself an iPad 2. And in less than a week I should have it in my hands.

It seems strange I should single out this buying experience considering I constantly purchase tons of items from the internet! But the iPad 2 is special. I have been extremely anxious to get my hands on Apple’s second generation tablet. I liked the first one, but I had reservations because I knew the next release would be a better buy. Not to say that I was never tempted. When I first held my friend’s iPad, it was hard to give it back. I love interfacing with my iPhone 3Gs, but with the iPad I felt double the satisfaction as I tested the apps and surfed on the bigger screen!

When it was decided I would get an iPad, I immediately acted on my self-imposed rule, ‘for any new gadget you have to give something up’. So I sold my Acer Aspire One netbook and 2nd generation iPod Touch, and used the proceeds to start my iPad fund. It would gradually increase with my book design and blogging earnings. By this time this innovative tablet pc was already in the market for several months. I knew Apple refreshed their products with new versions so it was an inevitable choice to wait for the 2nd generation iPad. The problem was I felt it was taking too long.

Similar to tech news watchers, I would read up on news, reviews, and rumors on the iPad and iPad 2 every week. I sided with Adobe when there was a raging word war between them and Apple due to the latter’s refusal to support Flash apps. I was disconcerted when the media hyped up HP and Microsoft’s prototype tablets yet these were scrapped in the product pipeline when either one could not compete with the iPad’s battery life. I laughed at the bizarre gossip that Apple would create a 7-inch version because the Samsung Galaxy Tab was releasing one. C’mon! A 7-inch isn’t much bigger than the iPhone. Why would Apple create one? True enough even Steve Jobs dispelled that ridiculous report.

For a brief time, Samsung was the only rival. But is it prudent to purchase the Galaxy Tab when its unlocked version is exorbitantly more expensive and its operating system is based on Android’s 2.2 Froyo, an operating system created by Google specifically for smart phones and NOT Tablet PCs. The appropriate Android OS for Tablets is the recently released Honeycomb, which Motorola Xoom uses. But even with this contender, one can easily question the high price or the bulk of its size compared to the iPad 2. And why hold my breath for the Blackberry Playbook, which has been constantly promoted for a period of time yet has no tangible developments on its date of release. Truth be told the recent unveiling of the iPad 2 has definitely set the bar much higher. Competitors have no choice but to go back to the drawing board and rething their design and engineering strategies. And while they do that, I am not waiting any longer.

I may be one of the fanatics that monitored the clock for the 1:00 a.m. buying gateway of Apple.com, but that is just fine. I am awarded with receiving my gadget much sooner than those who ordered at 6 a.m. and faced 2 to 3 weeks of shipping delays. Turns out the iPad 2 stock level is much less than what everyone anticipated. There is sure to be a buying frenzy at its retail and distributor stores. But thank goodness I do not have to be there. I can use the time to catch up on my sleep.