Dads Dig This - 3 reasons you need an iPad 2

We're thrilled to welcome Jason Avant, founder and managing editor of DadCentric.com, as today's Dad Dig This guest blogger. When it was announced that Apple would be producing a tablet, many of my friends and colleagues were practically foaming at the mouth in anticipation. I didn't get it. A big iPhone? That's not a phone? I had one of those already. It's called a MacBook Pro. I shook my head at the long lines outside my local Apple Store and raised my eyebrow every time my wife dropped hints that she really, really wanted one. But then as part of work I did for a client, I received an iPad 2 and everything changed. Here's why I'm thinking about replacing my dying laptop with a desktop, and making the iPad 2 my computer-away-from home. 1. Battery Life: I've "worked" 12 hours days with the iPad 2, and it really holds a charge. While my MacBook is at 50% after 2 hours of use, and my iPhone is dead in 6, the iPad 2 is typically at 75% or more after a full day. This is crucial, as I do a fair amount of traveling and writing outside of my home area. 2. Blogging: The one time I tried to use TypePad on my iPhone almost resulted in me throwing the thing into a wood chipper. On the iPad, it's almost the same as using a laptop. It's still not completely without issues, but for quick, bare-bones blogging, it's great. 3. Games: I'm not a hardcore gamer, but I'm addicted to Infinity Blade, which I had on the iPhone. There, it was a fun and passable way to waste a few minutes; on the iPad, it's engrossing -- great graphics, awesome sound and music, and the touch-screen controls are easy and responsive. -Jason Avant You can purchase your own iPad 2 at the Apple Store, or search for a retailer in your area (including Target and Best Buy).