iPad 2 and iMovie for iOS update

Apple announced the iPad 2, and here's what we know:


Unchanged:
  • Same price/configurations (though with Verizon models added)
  • Same screen resolution
  • same basic physical shape
  • same battery life

Changed/Added:
  • Faster (2x faster CPU, 9x faster graphics)
  • Thinner (13.4 mm to 8.8mm)
  • Slightly lighter (1.5 to 1.3lbs)
  • Black & white models
  • HDMI output (up to 1080p)
  • Gyroscope
  • Forward facing VGA camera, backward facing 720p camera (probably identical to the iPhone 4)

Software changes:
  • Improved Safari and Java performance
  • iTunes home sharing
  • iPad switch can be rotate lock or mute
  • FaceTime
  • PhotoBooth
  • local Wifi hotspot (for iPhone 4)


New software

iMovie
They've upgraded iMovie to work with the iPad. It looks like it grows up the version they previously released for the iPhone (it might be the same one; I'm really hoping that it is and it's a free upgrade if you already bought the lousy previous iPhone version of iMovie.) The iPhone version I found basically unusable for anything other than very simple editing, but this version could be actually useful.

Unfortunately, according to Apple's spec page, it won't run on the original iPad; only the iPad 2, and the iPhone 4 and 4th gen iPod Touch.

I'm not surprised about this either; but iMovie only works with 720p video (and probably not AVCHD either) according to Robert Scoble.
Apple: iMovie


GarageBand
They've bought GarageBand to the iPad as well. Apple's site doesn't say if this will only work with the iPad 2, but I wouldn't be surprised. Seems that you can transfer projects from the iPad to your Mac...I wonder if you can go the other way? I don't have an audio editor on the iPad, so this looks interesting as well...
Apple: GarageBand


So should you upgrade?
I was really hoping that I wouldn't feel the need to upgrade. I still feel that way, though in the Steve Jobs reality-distortion-field, I definitely started to feel an urge to purchase during the presentation. (Great to see Steve was there, by the way.)

Though I'd like to be able to use iMovie and GarageBand on the iPad, oddly enough those seem to be the only two reasons I could be compelled to upgrade. The original iPad at the moment seems fast enough, and I don't really need cameras (as I have an iPhone 4 with those same cameras.)

But I'm not too sure how really useful and necessary those two apps are; maybe I'd be better just buying a couple of third-party apps and being done with it?

So, I'm currently saying I won't upgrade....but don't be surprised if the rationalizing starts happening....


[UPDATE: added note about iMovie only supporting 720p video.]

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