Thinking of getting the iPad....

Okay guys, here's the deal....
I'm having a B-Day in 6 days (yeah, big whoop happens every year this time) but the thing is since it's only ten days removed from Christmas I get an enormous amount of crap in a short period of time every year. From both family and friends and I like to indulge a bit myself w/ Christmas bonuses from work, etc. That being the case, I'm looking into the Apple ipad this year. Whether it's a gift from the wife or I actually purchase myself it will be mine.

The problem is I've heard pros and cons on the product. I'm turning to you my Apple loving brothers to steer me in the right direction. I'd prefer you tell me all the things you DON'T like as opposed to the obvious. I say that because I know JWriter and OC are some Steve Jobs lovin' fools who'll see this as a chance to ride the "Jobs train" once again...LOL Just kidding.

Honestly, just putting down a few ideas. Answer these if you could and anything else...

(1) flash? (heard websites with flash don't load) so what happens?
(2) .pdf's are they a hassle, I'll need to do a few things with .pdf files
(3) USB connection- no USB so files like .docs, .xml (does it even do excel??) etc. must be emailed?
(4) Apps- (are they plentiful like iphone and what are your favorites?)
(5) speed- does it matter about the wifi +3G and is the 3G expensive?
(6) browsing- any loopy laggy issues while surfing the net? be honest!
(7) Size; does it matter about 12GB vs. 24GB or whatever the three sizes they have
( extra cost...accessories, 3G network, ibooks, ear buds, leather cases, does it all in the end cost a lot more than it's worth?

Remember I have laptops (plural), a netbook, and a couple desktops (plural w/ various OS)...so should I take this plunge or just settle with a $139 kindle and be happy?

I will post more later but with the few mins I got kindle is just for reading. PDFs open in the iBooks section and work very well. Excel can be run in a few different apps as well as all other office programs. No USB. Bit you can emial and now some printers allow air print. Get back to you with more

Wifi works great
alot of websites are going with html5 so flash is not really a big deal unless you go to flash heavy websites
apps are plentiful and stacking up daily
3g depends on the plan you want...15 to 25 dollars through att
verizon is 20 to 50 I think, depends on monthly usauge...how much you want.
16 gb 32gb and 64gb Yes size does matter (Pause) lol if you plan on putting lots of movies or video on it...songs and apps don't take up that much room...pics take up room too
at least a 32 gig will satisfy you

a lot of third party accessories exist now, you should be able to find at a decent cost.

also there are apps that allow you to use a web address to upload or interface with your computer to install files or docs into your ipad

I use ReaddleDocs and Air Sharing Pro

Both good apps both do pdfs, word docs, excel, powerpoint, pics, jpgs, and readdle allows you to save off of web pages. Air sharing allows you to edit.

Cons IMO, price, no USB, no front camera, battery life, doesn't do anything more than and itouch or iPhone, just bigger, new model comes out in April or July,
I was thinking about getting one but the price is just too high for me, u can get a blue ray laptop with hdmi out and 500 gb hd for around 600-700 bucks, and I'm just gonna wait till next year, should be some better alternatives or at least a new model
you better make sure the size, weight, and backlight don't bother you, If you read for more than an hour at a time and hold your book one handed then it might bother you.

I got the wife a nook for christmass and it lets you lone books out for 2 weeks to other nook users for free, and you can read anything for an hour in the B & N store for free everyday, and she can get help at the local store which is <mile from the house. if any body gets a nook let me now and we can share books, shes read a ton of bs vampire books

oh and hey Klown,save some of that cash for the gathering in 2010......

Okay guys, here's the deal....
I'm having a B-Day in 6 days (yeah, big whoop happens every year this time) but the thing is since it's only ten days removed from Christmas I get an enormous amount of crap in a short period of time every year. From both family and friends and I like to indulge a bit myself w/ Christmas bonuses from work, etc. That being the case, I'm looking into the Apple ipad this year. Whether it's a gift from the wife or I actually purchase myself it will be mine.

The problem is I've heard pros and cons on the product. I'm turning to you my Apple loving brothers to steer me in the right direction. I'd prefer you tell me all the things you DON'T like as opposed to the obvious. I say that because I know JWriter and OC are some Steve Jobs lovin' fools who'll see this as a chance to ride the "Jobs train" once again...LOL Just kidding.

Honestly, just putting down a few ideas. Answer these if you could and anything else...

(1) flash? (heard websites with flash don't load) so what happens?- I don't run into a problem with this to much.
(2) .pdf's are they a hassle, I'll need to do a few things with .pdf files- can be done very nicely in you ibook shelf or some other apps.
(3) USB connection- no USB so files like .docs, .xml (does it even do excel??) etc. must be emailed? -email or some other apps like drop box or air share or a the new air print
(4) Apps- (are they plentiful like iphone and what are your favorites?) Favs. Sports Center,netflix,news apps so many more
(5) speed- does it matter about the wifi +3G and is the 3G expensive?- wifi is good 3g is only needed if you think you are going to be out of range of wifi when you are going to want to use it.
(6) browsing- any loopy laggy issues while surfing the net? be honest!- Browsing I don't have any real issues some times it may quit out of apps and you may need to restart it
(7) Size; does it matter about 12GB vs. 24GB or whatever the three sizes they have -Depends what you want to put on it. If you are going to put songs, pics, videos then go for the higher end one but if it it just for email web and apps go for the lower end
( extra cost...accessories, 3G network, ibooks, ear buds, leather cases, does it all in the end cost a lot more than it's worth?
Extras. the apple case is very nice there a many others they are not to pricy but not cheap. 3g I have no clue,network if you have wifi no need to worry,ibooks- the prices are better than the actual book price and the are other apps like the kindle app and the nook app were you may find better prices on books if you are looking to read books on it., Ear buds, use what you have now unless you are looking for new ones. I don't remember if it comes with the generic apple ones. Most people say it is a giant i pod touch but ask people who have one and use them you tend to use the ipad in many different ways than you would use an ipod touch or an iphone. It is pricey but I think it is more than worth the money if you plan to take advantage of all it has to offer and not just a book reader. If you want a book reader go with the kindel. Also like droopy said they will be coming out with the second generation ipad soon and it will most likely have a retina display, front facing camera, and some other features that you have to ask your self will I want those/can I wait or do I not really care about them.

Remember I have laptops (plural), a netbook, and a couple desktops (plural w/ various OS)...so should I take this plunge or just settle with a $139 kindle and be happy?
I think you would be very happy with the ipad. But like I said a new one is coming out soon and it may be worth your money to wait for the newest version if you want a better display and other new features.
Right now I have a laptop and I am starting to save up for a desktop mac and then once my laptop is not very good any more I will be getting an ipad even though I have an iphone. Because you tend to use the ipad in a very different way. Ask interseptor who is a none apple fan boy, he will probally tell you the same.

I will give you a full unbiased review a little later, once I have time. I also caution taking advice from anyone who doesn't actually own one (see Droopy, no offense). People who say it is the same as a big iPod really don't know what they are talking about. While technically they are correct in many ways, the reality of the situation is very different.

I'll post a full reply later.

I didn't mean that " it's the same as an iPod " just, what I would use it for would be the same, I know it can do a lot more ,it just doesn't do everything that I want for the $$$$

OK, so here we go. And remember that I am NOT an Apple fan boy. I do have and iPhone 3GS which I liked so well that I bought the iPad as a result but those are the only Apple products I own. Of course I can't speak to whether or not Klown would like one or not but I can say that I absolutely love mine. I also have a nice Sony Viao laptop and access to a desk top at work (perk of a family business). But for me the iPad filled a void due to the fact that my laptop is huge and weighs like 600lbs and I do NOT have a net book. So the iPad makes a lot of sense for me. It's small, lightweight and perfect for travel (for me).

I bought the 16gb wifi version for $500. Mostly because I didn't want to spend too much money on an unknown quantity (I was an early adopter). When I upgrade in the next year or so I will buy the 32g wifi. I have had NO reason for the 3G model personally. I have wifi at work as well as at home and hotspots pretty much everywhere now days (airport, hotels, coffee shops, McDonalds etc...) so I have never really run into a situation where that was a problem. If I every decide I need internet connectivity on the go, I will most like get a myfi and run multiple devices at once. So personally I see no reason to get the 3G version. It is an extra cost that doesn't seem overly useful to me but you may be different.

I also have an iPhone which is always connected so in a pinch I an good to go. And as Droopy pointed out somewhat correctly, they are capable of most of the same tasks. But as I was stating, that is also not entirely true. While the iPad runs many of the same apps and has the same basic functions the real world application is very different. The biggest difference is the size. I know it seems obvious right? But until you use it everyday it's hard to understand. The extra screen size is it's biggest advantage. For instance, I NEVER use my iPhone for the following even though I could. Web Browsing, E-mail, Reading, Comic books, most gaming (but I still play a few simpler ones), movies, TV or news just to name a few. I could but each of those are sooooo much better on the iPad that I just don't.

It is also worth mentioning that the apps designed specifically for the iPad are easily 100% better then iPhone apps. Take the Weather Channel app. You can get it for both devices but the iPad version blows away the iPhone version. On one single screen I have, the 10-day forecast, 24hr forecast with every hour listed separately and 15min updates for the first 6hrs, current live radar and of course the current conditions right now... one 1 screen all seamlessly integrated. Most of the same info (but not all) is available on the iPhone but requires multiple screens each with it's own load time.

Oh and battery life is amazing. I will go days or even weeks without having to charge it, even though I use it every day. I literally take it with me everywhere I go. I use it as a day planner, keep track of bills, pay bills, web browser and mobile entertainment device (games, movies, TV etc...). I bought the Apple portfolio case for $40 and it is GREAT! I highly recommend it to anyone who buy one of these. And because of the size and weight, it is easy to carry literally anywhere you go.

So, if you couldn't tell for the above, I really like my iPad but it does have it's limitations. But as long as you understand what it is and what it does you will not be disappointed. I'll finish up by specifically answering your questions...

(1) flash? (heard websites with flash don't load) so what happens? Flash simply doesn't load. If it's a flash site you will see nothing but non-flash items. I almost never run into this as most site are mobile friendly and is only a problem for me 1% of the time.

(2) .pdf's are they a hassle, I'll need to do a few things with .pdf files - Not a problem, .pdf's open in e-mail seemlessly and as others have stated several apps have you covered in this area.

(3) USB connection- no USB so files like .docs, .xml (does it even do excel??) etc. must be emailed? Yes, e-mail is the easiest way to transfer files right out of the box. That is until you get into some of the more impressive apps. I would guess for you that you would want to grab some of the air transfer apps and air printing. It will allow you to transfer doc and print wirelessly, without e-mail.

(4) Apps- (are they plentiful like iphone and what are your favorites?) Yes, and as stated above they are better too.

(5) speed- does it matter about the wifi +3G and is the 3G expensive? I only have wifi. Speed is great and seamless. 3G is unnecessary for me and would add expense to owning an iPad.

(6) browsing- any loopy laggy issues while surfing the net? be honest! Nope, it's awesome, fast and comfortable. My favorite way to browse the web. Web sites load fast and work great 99% of the time. The only issues at all is the occasional flash issue which really doesn't come up very often, for me at least and the sites I visit. (on a side note - It's only OK for watching porn, not great).

(7) Size; does it matter about 12GB vs. 24GB or whatever the three sizes they have - I would recommend the 32g after having mine fore a while. Unless your a movie hog you should be good to go with the 32g.

( extra cost...accessories, 3G network, ibooks, ear buds, leather cases, does it all in the end cost a lot more than it's worth? Extra costs to consider include the $40 case and a few apps ($30-$40 total to get you started). iBooks games etc... and pretty cheap and bought on the fly. They rarely cost more that $10 and most are $1-$5. All in all not bad but your gonna spend another $100 give or take right off the bat. After that it wont be bad at all. With the wifi version my cost to own is $20-$30 (max) a month on games, book ect... Some months it's $0.

Hope this helps. Please feel free to ask anything else.

Thanks for all the honest answers guys. You've helped a lot. I think I'm headed towards making the purchase.

DROOPYmcC00L wrote:oh and hey Klown,save some of that cash for the gathering in 2010......

The money has never been a problem (thank god, especially in these economically hard times) it's lack of TIME that has caused me to miss the gatherings. I'm too busy making the money to actually enjoy the money...ironic and sad I know. But one day when I'm dead and gone my kids will have a hell of a nest egg...LOL

Stop the presses- rumors at this stage, but many of the apple ones seem to come true.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20101210/tc_nm/us_apple_ipad

~mrmiller

While a camera would be a nice addition I really don't want it any smaller. Thinner and lighter? OK. But not smaller.

Not really looking for smaller and I heard the new camera version would be out in Feb/March for the U.S. but I'm not really a camera guy...that's for teenage girls that switch hairstyles and makeup. Plus I have a camera on EVERYTHING already, including the netbook I'm typing this message on now and the Blackberry sitting beside it...LOL So, I'm not going to wait for a smaller, camera version. That's just me. Now, if they add the USB port or somethng substantial I would wait.

Interseptor: When you say get the larger 64g version is that just because you store more than 32g of stuff (pics,movies,files) on the smaller one? I may not really need the 64g version as I may not store that much stuff..then again, maybe I should just incase the time comes I wish I had.

S7 K1ll3rKlown wrote:When you say get the larger 64g version is that just because you store more than 32g of stuff (pics,movies,files) on the smaller one? I may not really need the 64g version as I may not store that much stuff..then again, maybe I should just incase the time comes I wish I had.

Actually, I have the 16g now and said I would consider the 32g. I don't see any reason to get the 64g unless you plan on putting a ton of stuff on it. Other wise the 32g should be perfect.

As a note: I still have a 3G free space on my 16g and that includes a good number on songs, movies and apps. I just hate being close to my limit which is why I would probably get the 32g next go round.

cool...thanx bro

I agree with Zak go with the 32 gb. my mom has the 16gb and is chuck full only 2-3 gb of space left. with photos and music and what not.

I know I'm weighing in waaay late...which one did you buy Klown? I have the 64GB wifi+3G...mainly becasue i have used it for work stuff while outside of wifi zones.

If you want advice on apps, productivity or otherwise...let me know...however, since you most likely have it, here's a few apps that I find cool/useful:

osfoora - Twitter client - I use mine a a news/info feed
IM+Pro - nice app for all IM accounts in one
Wired - Wired magazine's interactive mag app just rocks
Zino - great magazine reading app with many titles.
Mashable - great tech news from www.mashable.com
iWork suite - Pages, Numbers, Keynote nice slick productivity apps.
Quickoffice - decent for MS Office docs
Good Reader - for reading those .PDFs, and pretty much most of the doc types
GoToMeeting and WebEx - great for online training sessions
ToDo - Great project scheduling and management app!
Evernote - The best note taking, organizing, and multi-device syncing app out there
1Password - Great password saving app with heavy duty encryption.
iBooks, Kindle, and Google Books - find any book in these apps - plus open PDFs in iBooks
Safari, Atomic Web, and Mercury - all solid web browsers
Netflix - Great app for watching, browsing, add to, and organizing your instant video cue
Hulu+ - Pricing issues aside, it's a solid app
VLC - Great way to watch your own, non-itunes movies.
Air Video - great for streaming while at home
Weber's On the Grill App - a must have if you like BBQing

Hey JWriter and welcome back to the land of the living...LOL
I'm going Wednesday evening to pick-up the 64GB Wifi w/no 3G (doesn't seem like a necessity). But I appreciate the apps and will check them out!!

AngryBirds.

Buy it.

AtrumX wrote:AngryBirds.

Buy it.

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O'RLY?

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It's a great way to spend time.

HaHa...sounds like it.
By the way JWriter, I may just get the 32G version...may not need 64g of space. Time and "sheer greed" will determine the outcome...LOL

Okay...so the moment of truth arrives!!

I went online to the Apple store to purchase. As I was there I thought about something...I once had a 16GB Zune (original brick) and that thing would hold up to 4,000 songs, 25,000 pictures or 48 hours of podcast video. So, I thought long and hard and the "greed" I spoke of earlier wasn't there. I ordered the 16GB iPad instead (with the free shipping and free personal engraving @$528.00 including tax).

I don't see myself using this thing as more than an expensive toy and no REAL work will be performed. A bit of web surfing, books, newspapers, light research and a couple .PDF files at the most. I have the laptops, net books and workstations to get by with anything else and was not looking for a laptop replacement. Just buying because it's cool.

Does anyone think I just made a mistake with the 16gb one? Plus if it gets full w/app overload I can always delete the ones not being used and download again should I want it (without being charged again like an xbox download)--right?.

I don't think it will be a problem. Like I said, I have the 16g and I have yet to fill it up. I have 4 movies, 400+ songs, 43 apps and 3.7g free space left over. And some of those apps are pretty big. All in all you should be just fine. Also, the whole thing is linked to your iTunes account, so as long as you sync it to your PC all movies, songs, apps, photos, books etc... will be saved on your PC. You can freely move what you want on and off using your PC as a storage hub. No problem.

Oh and congratz on your purchase. It really is a cool piece of tech. I think you'll be very happy!

Cool yeah 16gb should be ok and you can remove and readd apps and what not through your PC