The lines are back and the impatient waiting to be among the first to lay hands on the device have returned with a vengeance as the iPad gets unceremoniously and unjustifiably dumped into the trade-in and ignore section of the mind and stores.
Is the madness justified?
Well, if a colleague who took an iPad2 out to a recent election rally and ended up becoming news in the Straits Times alongside the Prime Minister's speech, it pretty much sums up just how much attention is focused on the new device.
At the same time, it can't be denied that the iPad2 is as intelligent as it is irresistible.
Skeptical by nature and by calling, anything new and improved is hardly ever quickly embraced, being a firm believer in the home truth of my American friends who would say "if it ain't broke, why fix it?"
But of course the Americans at Cupertino probably don't subscribe to that dictum a hundred per cent, and thank goodness for that!
The iPad2 is now very much lighter and slimmer.
"It can fit into my handbag!" my colleague gleefully declared as she trotted off to her first PAP rally with instructions to snap photos and videos with the new device which now comes with two cameras.
The main camera on the back of the device shoots HD (720p) videos and offers a 5x digital zoom lens that produces sharp photos.
The other which is a subtle VGA pinhole on the front of the device, serves for FaceTime connections via WiFi or 3G.
Would you be taking your iPad2 with you wherever you go even if you are not a slave to fads? In short, yes.
What Apple does, and does well, is in the ergonomics of its products.
While the iPad had no major shortcomings in its original design, there was no doubt that it would serve users better if it were lighter and thinner.
That's seen in the 2011 version which is 8.8mm thick and 601 grams (607 grams for the WiFi and 3G version) in weight, making it 33 percent thinner and up to 15 percent lighter compared to the original iPad.
What the numbers work out to is a handheld that is way easier to handle for reading, carrying and general handling and use. After all, what is the point of a device that only looks pretty?
The design and function of the iPad2 also puts it at the top of its class in terms of handheld devices, along with the little smart 'extras' from Apple, such as the Smart Cover which lives up to its name in every way.
Not always the one who was top of my class, and being one who reads instructions only as a last option, the Smart Cover had me puzzled when it fell out its protective bag.
Before my mutterings of pretty but useless accessories could form into a logical sentence, the moment of puzzlement lifted as the Smart Cover which was hovering near the iPad2 snapped into place thanks to the strategically placed magnets.
The cover which comes in leather so thin and pliable it feels like strong paper, has been designed to not just protect the iPad2 but also serve as a stand.
If you are not sure about folding it and don't usually read instructions, you can safely try folding it in the way you think it should go and find that the Smart Cover will take over and fold itself into a triangle that will fit neatly as a stand to read off the iPad or type, as I am doing for this feature.
The iPad2 types way better than on a Mac or MacBook with the on-screen keyboard being well spaced and responsive for quick, accurate typing whether with one finger or with both hands.
The auto suggest is both handy and annoying, but easy to get used to.
It is not impossible to do serious work on this device that could easily and mistakenly pass off as a frivolous up-size of an iPhone.
The iTunes app store offers downloads that makes it possible to work on a document, as I am with this piece, with free apps such as Evernote or the paid, but still affordable Pages app.
The default Notes also does the job as you can email your jottings.
Those who want to do number crunching can use Numbers, while Keynote will take care of presentations.
While working, it's easy to appreciate the robustness of the iPad2 as it doesn't run out of battery life quickly and neither does it heat up easily.
The device has also been designed in such a way that when the Smart Cover snaps shut, the device hibernates but will instantaneously launch itself when then cover is lifted.
In fact, the iPad will continue clicking under the Smart Cover as you carry it around as if to annoy you into turning it back on, soon.
As the test set came with a set of HDMI cables and a Digital output connector, it was hard not to put the iPad2 through the paces.
It was a no-brainer getting the device linked to a LED TV and though a video shot on the iPad was slightly grainy and pixelated when played on the large screen, HD videos on YouTube were rather flawless in playback and picture quality.
This is due largely to the improved processor, a 1GHz dual-core Apple A5 chip that was custom-designed to offer high-performance as well as multi-tasking while consuming less power, so that the device doesn't heat up and the 10 hour battery lasts.
Like the earlier version, the basic starts at 16GB and there is the WiFi and 3G version as well as the plain WiFi model which can be linked to an iPhone that can used as a modem should the need for connectivity suddenly arise.
The iPad2 comes in two colours and the white, makes it strikingly attractive - just don't drink wine and eat pizza around it.
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