Ad of the Week: Lifelong learning with the iPad 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5i1Dyj5k1A

With all the talk of rival tablets set to hit the shelves of an electrical superstore near you – well, in Japan and the US, at any rate – this side of Christmas, the gauntlet has been thrown down to Apple to maintain the iPad’s dominant position.

Amazon are tipped to explode into the market with a cut-price tablet computer, possibly retailing at somewhere in the region of 33% of the iPad’s asking price (which starts at €479 in Ireland for the 16GB version without 3G).

Sony also announced details of their new Sony Tablet S and foldable Sony Tablet P devices this week, with those two set to be available from September and November respectively.

Those two giants, as well as others such as Samsung’s well-established Galaxy Tab, are all intent on presenting a viable alternative to the iPad 2.

The market-leader shows few signs of slowing up the pace, but neither are the folk at Apple sitting back kicking their heels and their latest ad is designed to play on the lifelong learning capabilities which the iPad 2 presents.

It’s nothing that isn’t available in similar formats on the Android-based machines, but nevertheless it’s very much in tune with Apple’s characteristically emotive appeals to aspirational living.

And even if you're one of the few who aren't convinced by the iPad's sleek beauty, you can't help but admire its absolute attractiveness in this particular ad [the video is at the top of the page].