The second-generation iPad from Apple is thinner, faster, lighter, and whiter, but not a radical departure from the original. Pricing is also holding steady, starting at $499 for a 16GB Wi-Fi-only model, up to 64GB with 3G (provided by AT&T or Verizon without contract) priced at $829.

You can't blame Apple for going easy on new features. Apple's original recipe for the iPad single-handedly created and captured the demand for tablets last year. By any measure, it is not a product in need of fixing. It has the market share, it has the developers, and it has the momentum.

Apple also just makes damn fine products. Having had a few minutes with the iPad 2, I can say that it is every bit as stunning as the original. The first thing that struck me was the iPad's weight loss. It's still not Kindle thin, but the lighter design should make the e-book crowd happier and prove to be a distinct advantage over bulkier competitors, including the recent Motorola Xoom.

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