Gadgets review: iPad 2 and Motorola Defy

Thinner, Faster iPad: Apple iPad2

The iPad2 is not yet available in India, and is not expected to be here even during the second phase of Apple's product roll-out in late April. This, of course, bolsters the argument of those who believe Apple treats India as a "second-class market".

There is already a buzz about the product in the United States with people queuing up outside Apple stores to buy one. Here's a sneak preview. The iPad2 is a lot thinner and lighter than the previous avatar. The addition of cameras is the big plus, even though making video-calls on Apple's Facetime technology is only possible over Wi-Fi. The real advantage of the newer processor is faster load times, both of applications and of webpages. But in terms of pure hardware, at best the iPad2 remains at par with current competitors.

The performance specifications of all the devices are at par with Netbooks. In fact, the better specifications of this second-generation tablet may decimate the low-end laptop market. Again, as usual, with the iTunes AppStore, Apple scores over the competition.

The iPad2 is the best tablet in the market to buy, if you are new to the category. But, if you want to replace your original iPad, you might do well to wait till the inevitable iPad3 comes out in 2012. The iPad2 does not make a convincing case as a replacement.

Unspectacular: Motorola Defy

The Motorola Defy is actually quite ordinary as a device. By all accounts, it is just another Android device on a growing shelf of Android devices. It has a 800 megahertz processor that gives it speed. For some reason, Motorola insists on using the older version 2.1 of Android. But it has a party piece and the fact that it is water-resistant is a useful asset.

But is that, by itself, a selling point? Well, India does have a wet monsoon and thousands of phones die during each monsoon.

We would prefer a sleeker-looking device than the Defy.