Review: An app directory for the iPad 2

 ReviewPublished Friday, Apr. 15, 2011 3:17PM EDT

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Contrary to popular belief, the iPad 2 doesn’t render the original iPad – which was released in Canada less than a year ago – obsolete. It might be lighter, thinner, and faster, but it runs the same apps as its predecessor.

That said, a quick visit to the “Enhanced for iPad 2” section of the App Store reveals a handful of programs designed to take advantage of the tablet’s new features, including its cameras, gyroscope, and speedier processor.

We took ten apps made with iPad 2 in mind out for a test spin.

FaceTime(Pre-installed)One of two camera-enabled apps that come pre-installed on Apple’s second generation tablet, FaceTime works as it does on iPhones and Macs: just tap names in your contact list to start up real-time video conversations. It’s easy as pie. Video quality takes a bit of a hit compared to what you might be used to on your iPhone, but that’s to be expected given the larger screen size. Just keep in mind that you can only call up pals who also own Apple devices, and that – unless you’re willing to use an Apple-unapproved workaround – connections are limited to WiFi.

Photo Booth(Pre-installed)The iPad 2’s other pre-installed camera app is simply a means to snap digitally manipulated pictures. Nine tiles demonstrate image-altering effects such as X-ray, thermal, kaleidoscope, and light tunnel. Tap the one you like, select either the front- or rear-facing lens, then touch the camera icon to click a picture. A few more taps can send it off to friends and family via e-mail. I thought it merely a mildly amusing distraction, but my wife and daughter have spent a surprising amount of time playing with it over the last couple of weeks and giggling at the results.

Twittelator($4.99) Stone Design’s popular Twitter client has been upgraded to take advantage of the iPad 2’s cameras in some simple but useful ways. Users can now update their Twitter avatar image simply by tapping it and taking a fresh snapshot. They can also illustrate their posts with photos and videos captured mid-tweet – handy for folks who want to send messages with images from live events. The default sharing services are Moby and TwitVid (which also allows for concurrent uploading of videos to YouTube), but you can select your service of choice in the settings menu.

Jenga($0.99)The iPad 2’s gyroscope is put to sly use in this updated virtual version of the classic stacking game. You still tap and drag blocks as you normally would to manipulate them. However, instead of swiping the screen to change camera perspective you now swivel and tilt the tablet in real space. It’s a clever feature, but unless you’re in a private place with lots of room to twist your body, it’s not particularly practical. That said, it does shine a spotlight on the sensitivity of the iPad 2’s gyroscope, which precisely picks up and translates even the smallest of movements.

GarageBand($4.99)This music making app comes with an eight-track recording studio and plenty of virtual instruments that respond in realistic fashion to the intensity and location of your taps. It’s robust enough to satisfy the creative fancies of experienced musicians and intuitive enough to allow ambitious rookies to create professional sounding arrangements (gotta love those instantly generated instrument patterns and automated recording loops). Once you finish your musical masterpiece you can publish it to your iTunes library or email it to friends. It runs on both generations of iPad, but enjoys performance benefits from iPad 2’s added horsepower.

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