Three themes encompass the various improvements embodied in the iPad 2 and its accessories: speed, power, and ergonomics.

I don’t think I need to explain “speed” at all. By “power” I mean the ability to do things which weren’t possible or practical before; this includes the cameras, the gyroscope, the Verizon-compatible 3G radio, and the faster CPU and GPU — there’s some overlap between speed and power. I’m excited about those themes, but they’re pretty straightforward. I suspect that “ergonomics” requires more explanation.

The iPad 2 has many ergonomic improvements: lighter, thinner, rounded edges, flatter back, and the Smart Covers. These advances together will make the iPad 2 a significantly better experience than the first iPad. Being lighter and thinner means it’s easier to grasp in one hand with less fatigue over time. The flatter back means it’ll work much better on a flat surface such as a table or desk without a case or stand — the curved back of the first iPad made a case or stand essential. The Smart Covers will also enable more frequent use of the iPad without a case, because they’re so quick and easy to remove.

Combined together, we have a device which will be much easier and more pleasant to use without a case, more likely to be used without a case, and which when held in one hand will frequently be significantly lighter.

I understand why Apple wouldn’t market the iPad 2 using these themes; they’re too abstract for marketing. People generally want to hear about concrete improvements in new models. But there’s value in identifying and understanding the themes embodied in a new version of a product, so as to be able to make a holistic comparison with the older version.

Sure, I could have picked up a MiFi portable WWAN hotspot from Sprint or Verizon, but the service plans for those cost at least $50 a month, and generally more. As frustrated as I am with AT&T — their phone and data service is atrocious in Manhattan, and where the hell is tethering? — the data plans that they’re offering for the iPad are attractive and even a little innovative. $15 a month for occasional usage and $30 a month for unlimited are both very reasonable prices for the convenience and utility that this service (hopefully/usually) provides.

So, why did I upgrade from the wifi-only iPad to the 3G model?

First and foremost, it’s because I love using the iPad — it’s the future of computing! — and it was very frustrating and disappointing to not have the ubiquitous networking which has been key to the transformative nature of the iPhone. Carrying around this thing from the future and having to think about when, whether, and where it could use the network, the backbone of the future, was so dissonant it was almost silly. And it definitely led me to take my tablet out and about with me less than I would have otherwise.

Now that my tablet does have ubiquitous network, I’ll have it with me more often, and I’ll be able to use it in many more situations. And that’s exciting, because you know what? I really love using this thing. I also have a MacBook Pro and an iPhone 3G, but right now the iPad is my computing device of choice. It doesn’t fit every use case, but whenever I want to do something, if it can be done on the iPad, that’s what I opt to use. Its touch interface and its form factor are just so much more engaging, rewarding, and relaxing than a laptop or desktop, and the larger screen and faster brain make it much more powerful, useful, and relaxing than an iPhone. Sure, I could have written and posted something this long with my phone, and I have, but it’s a bit of a pain on that little screen.

(I know I wrote “relaxing” twice in the previous paragraph. Trust me, it was intentional. That’s a theme I’ve been thinking about, and if I can find the time to write it, it’ll be another post.)

Other reasons that I upgraded:

• A MiFi would be one more thing for me to carry around, have to keep track of, charge, and at some point lose.
• The MiFi data plans cost ~$60, and that’s way too much to pay for occasional usage. I’m usually around a wifi network I can use; I only need WWAN every once in a while, and AT&T’s iPad plans are perfect for that. Not only are they affordable, they’re month-to-month plans with no contract — I can always cancel at any time if I don’t need or want the service.
• My previous iPad already has a new home at my company. That’s fortunate; not everyone who might like to upgrade has such a convenient and affordable avenue to do so.

I’ll be arriving in New York soon, so it’s time to wrap this up and post.

Good night, and good luck — from the future!

Kirn has good points, and I don’t necessarily disagree with any of them. But as for ports, I think he might be missing something: wireless. The primary use of cables and ports is to connect two devices together so they can transfer data. (Control signals count as data too.) I wouldn’t be surprised if Steve Jobs has decided that most people don’t need USB anymore and that wireless is ready to replace it in most cases.

This could be a recurrence of what occurred in 1998 when Steve Jobs unleashed a storm of controversy by introducing the iMac without a floppy disk drive. He started the shift from using floppy disks for data transfer to using USB, optical disks, and networking. Today he may be finishing what he started; catalyzing the final shift from physical media to using radio waves for all data transfer.

Wi-Fi (802.11) and Bluetooth are at this point nearly ubiquitous, and the chips and controllers which implement them are now very inexpensive. Wi-fi is capable of transfer speeds similar to USB 2.0, which might allow it to suffice for transferring large volumes of data and connecting devices via Bluetooth is pretty simple these days.

Both standards also have recently added new features which can make connecting faster, simpler, and more secure; Apple could implement these features to make these technologies even more workable as replacements for USB.

This shift, from cables to wireless connections, is by no means a fait accompli, but it’s well under way, and will probably turn out to be a net win for most people.