Following the unveiling of the iPad 2 last week, the usual flurry of hype has been whipped up by the arrival of Apple’s latest innovation. Apple has been the clear frontrunner in the technology arena over recent years, with 100 million iPhones and 15 million iPad’s sold. The iPad 2 is thus expected to generate a record number of sales, but is the latest tablet worth all this excitement, or has the tech world hastily jumped aboard the Apple bandwagon?

On evaluation, TechCrunch concluded that the iPad 2 was not a complete overhaul, but the result of a ‘polishing up’ of its predecessor. Visually the iPad 2 impresses, being one-third thinner and 13 per cent lighter than the original iPad. It also features dual cameras, front and back, which can record in HD. Moreover, Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs promised the new design to be nine-times more powerful in the graphics department than the first generation model.

But while the looks and graphics have certainly improved, TechRadar considers its performance to have stayed the same. iPad 2 has the same battery life as the original iPad, and will run Apple iOS 4.3. It is understood that Apple has yet to specify how much RAM the new version has, whilst the screen resolution is believed to be the same as that of the original.

With rumours rife of a not too distant launch date for an iPad 3, the obvious question for tech-hungry consumers is whether to hold out for the new and improved version. The posse of Android tablets on the horizon suggest there will soon be many other new kids on the block to threaten Apple’s current supremacy in tablet town.

One thing’s for sure however, and that is the slimmer, lighter and faster iPad 2 is set to enjoy the limelight for the time being.