All of a sudden I crave an Ipad.....

[whitenoise]

Well not "all of a sudden", I managed to bypass the original urge and thought how clever I was not to give in, but I think all this talk of iPhone 4's has actually revived the interest. I was buying a iPhone 4, but the larger iPad screen made me rethink.

I'm using a 3G atm, (although my area is EDGE only for the foreseeable future ), the experience is just acceptable, the signal can be iffy on o2 in certain places, but access to the internet everywhere has become a part of my everyday life.

Firstly, I imagine that the 3G iPad will be able to connect to the network in the same way? (I had a horrible thought, writing this, that it may only connect via a 3G network). I would guess that the problems with EDGE would be no worse on the iPad than I have come to terms with the 3G?

I'll be checking out vodafone and orange data plans, as the signal seems to be stronger here, dropping the o2 - £10 pm pay as you go data plan, for the iPhone to save a little cash. I expect I wont be using the iPhone for data once I get the Ipad anyway?


You may have noticed that I seem to be waffling here? I'm trying to talk myself through the options.....I have made the "final" decision several times over the last few days, and the more I ponder the more confused I'm getting.


I could get away with a wifi....apart from when I'm at work, (not working )..... I keep coming back to this, I could save some money, but the pure "connect anywhere" nature of the 3G version drags me back.

Then its the memory choice......Well I've managed with a 16GB 3G for a while. Podcasts, games, apps and the like don't take up too much room....until recently I hadn't used the iPhone for music. This does mean an almost full memory now, but I could use the full 16GB of memory on the iPhone for music and a few audio podcasts, leaving the iPad memory for apps & games, pdf's/ebooks, oh and the rest of the audio/video podcasts......because of this I can forget about the 64GB, cant see any need. I am tempted to opt for the 32GB, but am kinda thinking that the 16GB may be enough for my needs.

If it was down to me, I would just get the 64GB 3G, (thats just me, get the highest spec and be happy)...My wallet, though, has a strange way of holding onto the cash This does have the side effect of allowing me to pay my mortgage, buy food, etc. so it has an upside.

My choice of the moment would be the 16GB...32GB....16GB, 3G model. I would like to know your opinions, especially those who have an iPad....what would you suggest I buy, given my long winded explanation, and what you have learned from your use of your iPad?

Maybe you can help me come up with a final decision....considering the 7-10 working day wait, I need to get this decided asap.

Thanks.

 

[troubleonline]

Am in similar situation - wasn't going to bother then decided (after seeing hubbies cousin's ipad at the weekend) that I need one! Am def going for 32gb since my i have a 32gb 3GS and it is over half full already. My dilemma is whether to get a 3G ipad or just wifi? Suspect I wont regret buying the 3G since not tied to a contract but worried if I go wifi only I may regret it!!

Have applied for a 0% credit card today so I can pay it over a few months!

Think it would be better to take on hols than my macbook (that i bought for hols last year!)

Thinking of not getting a iphone 4 for now as a compromise!

 

[Biff...]

Walk into the light my brother, let the craving lead you to the excitement of owning an Ipad.

Seriously though I was in the same boat, I ignored my first urge to buy the Ipad, even made fun of the name- saying "whats the largest Ipad going to be called a Maxipad". I was a non believer, shunned the posability of owning one. Then the spell of the ip4 over took me, it wasn't but a few short days after acquiring the ip4 did I find an Ipad. Voila I'm an official lover. Ofcourse I end up with a 64gb 3g model, yes yes the maxipad. Flame away if you will, I'm a happy camper.

 

[wyneken]

My choice of the moment would be the 16GB...32GB....16GB, 3G model. I would like to know your opinions, especially those who have an iPad....what would you suggest I buy, given my long winded explanation, and what you have learned from your use of your iPad?

Maybe you can help me come up with a final decision....
Thanks.

Since you are so reckless as to ask people like us for guidance, I will make your decision for you. Here it is:

32GB, wifi-only.

You may ask why. First off is cost. 32GB is not a huge bump up in cost from the entry-level model, but it doubles your storage space, which it turns out that you will desperately want, though I'm not sure why, except that I do. Yet the extra cost will not be so great as to inspire deep feelings of guilt and remorse as soon as you click the "Submit order" button.

Wifi-only, again partly from budgetary considerations — do you really need another monthly subscription fee in your life? — and also because I have telepathically determined that your personal usage patterns will be perfectly served by wifi coverage, which is increasingly ubiquitous.

The bottom line here is that you're getting the 2nd-cheapest model in the line, which should relieve any possible guilt and indeed inspire admiration for your frugality among your friends and relations, while at the same time getting an adequate amount of room to hold all the apps you want, a fair collection of music, a few videos, and all the amazingly inspired documents you will soon be turning out when you discover what a cool creativity tool this is.

Also, by keeping your initial cost down, you can more easily justify upgrading to next year's model.

 

[gigaguy]

I love me, my 32GB 3G ipad. I have a jailbroken, unlocked, no-contract 3G iPhone without a data plan, so the 3G plan options on the ipad were very appealing. No contract and relatively cheap internet anywhere on a more useable screen. I could have lived with 16gb but for 16% more money (here in the US) I doubled the storage.

 

[lokerd]

Get one...and get the biggest one possible!

I love me, my 32GB 3G could have lived with 16gb but for 16% more money (here in the US) I doubled the storage.

64gb, 3G.

Buy it at BestBuy...get 18 mo interest free...it is like, what $50/mo???

3G is helpful...it might save you in a pickle while traveling even if you don't use it every month.

GPS is awesome...see my threads to see a recent review of why I LOVE the GPS...especially in the car despite the large in dash gps.

64gb...very helpful. I have loaded a bunch of my favorite movies for both me and my wife. So, if she is sitting and waiting on me, and with out her book, she can watch a movie. I use movies and books while I am working out.

Camera kit - I just loaded my weekend trip pictures on to the pad first. I used to load them on the laptop first, but I don't use my laptop any more (thank you iPad)...so I ga e it a try. WHAT a pleasant surprise! Wow! The iPad proves itself even MORE...how is that possible? I will still copy to the desktop of course...I copy them a total of 4 locations...but them I am a photographer...and consider my images to be very precious...and valuable...at least to me. Anyway, I won't keep all of the pictures fro each shoot on there...as this shoot alone, from only two cameras, was probably 4gb...and had too many dups. But when it comes time for vacation time, when I might shoot 3k photos, like I did in yosemite last year, etc.

Anyway...to answer your first question...get one...it did and continues to change my life...and it probably will yours.

 

[richpjr]

You can NEVER have too much storage. Go for the 32.

 

[Figbash Acrobat]

OP, I don't blame you. iPads are a tasty treat!

 

[kevingaffney]

I too have had plenty of time to decide which iPad was for me because here in Ireland, they still aren't available. I'm glad though, because two months ago I thought I would want 64gig 3g model. However, I've settled for a miwi for the occasional browsing away from a wifi spot. 32gig will be fine as my daughter will inherit this unit in September 2011 when she begins college and I will then get the iPad2.

 

[whitenoise]

Thanks for your well reasoned advice.

I have ended up placing an order......

32GB..... seems like 16GB is what I need now, so I will probably need more in the future, (no matter what my wallet tried to tell me).....

3G..... I tried and tried to stop myself. I did. But I just couldn't get past the feeling that I would regret it if I bought the wifi. (I use my iPhone, checking emails and browsing at work, so this is just going to be a better - visually not in speed - experience). I don't need the GPS, as I don't get away, at all really. But the only place I can access wifi is at home - I live in a small town that is left waaaaaay behind. (we were screaming for broadband before it came, and I have no idea when mobile data is gonna be upgraded)

I wish I could have gone down the mifi route, but a friend showed me his when he visited and he couldn't get a reliable signal. He only lives 20 miles away, but he has full 3G coverage, cable, full speed 24mb broadband....if it was an option I would move.


So in the end I managed to stop myself buying the "maxipad". I probably could have paid £100 less for the wifi, but I'll just go without food for a while.

 

[pdawg]

I was set to get the new iPhone since over a year, never having any of the iPhones (but do own various iPods and a Macbook Pro). Then the iPads came out. I was definitely not the first in line to get one. In fact I bought my 64G, 3 G option one back in May, with the unlimited data plan (which I now hear is unavailable for new buyers!). I have zero regrets and will continue to carry my 5 year old Nokia cell phone happily for quite a while.

 

[l0gan5]

Thanks for your well reasoned advice.

I have ended up placing an order......


3G..... I tried and tried to stop myself. I did. But I just couldn't get past the feeling that I would regret it if I bought the wifi. .....

A wise choice!

I tried a 16GB Wi-Fi for a week, ended up returning it - felt like I was missing a limb!

Went for 32GB 3G, a good compromise between storage space and you've got that 3G connection if you need it.

Besides, Air-Video is superb for streaming your movies from your PC/Mac if you have lots of them.

 

[BlackMax]

Was in the exact same position. Got the iPhone 4 and then started getting the iPad bug. Just purchased a 32gb wifi-3G iPad last night. Love it. The larger screen is really nice (as opposed to the iPhone screen).

The only things I wish my iPad had that my iPhone has are iOS 4 and a native texting application.

 

[troubleonline]

Came on to see what you had decided on Whitenoise. Think I may follow suit and go for a 32gb 3g version. At least we are not tied into contracts on 3G . Presume I can change 3g provider from time to time? Thinking of the O2daily option to begin with but maybe swap to a rolling plan if I use it a lot.

 

[DNAppleGold]

I bought an Ipad the first day. Because I was unsure of my use, I went on the lowest end - 16g WiFi. I have been extremely happy with my choice. I use the Ipad every day and there are somethings I do almost exclusively on the Ipad (reading books and magazines, games, streaming video). No that nextflix, itunes, and safari output with vga, the Ipad has become impromptu "apple tv." I still have about 1/2 the hard drive left.

However, there is a reason I can get away with the smaller drive. I have a 32g Iphone where I keep most of my music. I simply don't need to replicate this collection on the Ipad. Also, I'm not one who cares about having dozens of movies and TVs shows available to me. I'll keep a few of these loaded and then remove them when I'm done. Plus, I watch most stuff via netflix anyway.

Obviously a larger hard drive and 3g would be very nice, and in the abstract, well worth the money. But if you are looking to save every penny you can, you'll be happy with "basic."

 

[cmvsm]

3G is the only thing that sets the iPad apart from the iPod Touch. With 3G, you truly have a mobile device. Seems a shame to have something as great as the iPad only as a couch potatoe.

 

[bowlerman625]

Get a 3G iPad...you will love it!

 

[The Mad Kiwi]

I managed to bypass the original urge and thought how clever I was not to give in.

That wasn't so cleaver, we've all been enjoying using our iPads and you've been missing out.

I'd go a 3g 64GB if I was you, by the time you put music, movies, books and apps you can eat through the space pretty quickly.

If you're not going to use it for movies get a smaller one. I travel a bit so I like mine loaded up with movies.

 

[whitenoise]

Well I don't do any traveling, unless you count the walk to work everyday, so movies/tv and the like will mostly be at home. (internet at work).

The reason I managed to resist the iPad at the beginning may have had something to do with this nice new 15" i7 mbp I am typing on. ...so has managed to get most of my spare cash, but not without a fight.

Tbh, if I hadn't thought about upgrading to the iPhone 4 I would have managed to wait until the 2nd gen iPad, or maybe even a viable alternative. This internet thingy makes it too easy to investigate and look at all the shiny new things.

I will be interested to see how I use the iPad. The iPhone is never more than 3ft away from me and is the first "gadget" that has actually been used to anything like its potential. I imagine that the iPad will take its place for most of the things I currently use the iPhone for. Considering I very rarely use the iPhone as a phone it may make it completely obsolete.

 

[Blakeco123]

if you want better hurry the wait times are getting longer and longer

 

[katewes]

Here's how I am thinking this through:

I've resisted the urge to get either an iPhone and iPad so far. I have an iPod touch.

The main reason I'd need either the iPhone/iPad is for quick, instant-on, mobile email for my job.

For email, iPad seems far superior with its large screen - rather than cramming your fingers to type emails on the iPhone/iPod tiny screen. I'm now used to it, but it's never a superior experience.

That's why I am now veering towards getting an iPad.

 

[brinatech.com]

I had a 32gb wifi, and I fell in love with it. I almost stopped using my laptop, as i could do everything with my iPad. I could use my iPad while playing with the kids in the backyard, and you can't do that with a laptop. The only problem I had was that I couldn't use the iPad when i was not within range of wifi. Also my work has wifi but they only allow windows laptops on the network. So, I sold the 32g wifi on bay, and bought a 64gb 3G. It never leaves my side. It's my instant on do-everything anywhere machine