iPad Buying Guide
You know you want an iPad. That’s probably the coolest thing you can have for the next few months. You’ve dreamed of going around with it since it was announced early this year. You have probably even considered waiting in line for the release of the first batch of iPad in stores. But you didn’t. So what’s keeping you from getting one?
Your Choices
There are six iPad variations available. The Wi-Fi models with 16 gigs, 32 gigs and 64 gigs capacity and the Wi-Fi +3G models of the same capacities. Price varies from $499 to $829. Somewhere in that price range is the perfect iPad for you.
But how do you decide which is the perfect choice?
Consider how much capacity you actually need. If you love resource-hungry apps, you should probably get yourself the one that boasts the largest capacity. If you typically download small apps, you should probably stick with the one with basic specs. Single purpose utilities and solutions shouldn’t be your problem. These typically are not voracious memory eaters. What you need to worry about are video and audio files. If you love loading your devices with lots of music and videos, consider a model that has a bigger storage room.
At the end of the day though, you still have to consider how much you are willing to dole out for a multifunctioning device. You will spend at least $699 on a 64 GB Wi-Fi iPad and at least $829 for a 64 GB Wi-Fi + 3G model. Another consideration is the fact that it takes A LOT of apps to use up all your iPad’s memory so unless there really is a need to buy the one with the largest capacity, and for that matter, the highest tag price, you should probably consider the models hovering between the basic and high end variants.
Is 3G that important?
For 3G support, you should be ready to spend $130 dollars extra on your iPad. This is on top of the price of the model you choose. This comes in very handy when you are frequently out of range of hotspots.
The good thing with iPad’s 3G support is that it does not bind you to any long-term contracts. You can choose from AT&T’s offer of $14.99 for a maximum of 250MB data transfer per month which you can repurchase whenever you choose or $29.00 for unlimited data transfer. Not a bad deal. Not at all. On top of this, you also get to access AT&T’s hotspots whenever you want.
But still, is 3G that necessary? Depending on how much weight you put on wide-area network coverage. Among the top considerations for getting 3G service for your device is the preparation for the possibility of needing to connect online when you’re nowhere near a range of access point. This is especially crucial if you live your life online, 24/7.
Still uncertain about which model you should choose? Follow the rule of thumb in buying devices – buy the highest model that your wallet can afford.
iPad, Why Ordinary People Love It
iPad is perhaps not only the most hyped device in recent history, but is also a device that has caused great polarization among users. People can only either love it or hate it. What is so remarkable with this love-hate relationship with Apple’s ‘magical’ and ‘revolutionary’ tablet PC is that you can tell who love and who hate iPad.
On one side, the techies hate it. They hate the fact that it can’t multitask, that it does not have Flash, and that it’s just a gigantic version of the iPod Touch. They can tell you everything that is so undesirable with iPad – from its glossy screen that shows all the gross signs of fingerprints when turned off and the aluminum back that won’t make you feel comfortable when you place it on your lap early in the morning. They would even go so far as rant about the black bezel that is too wide to be attractive. There is absolutely nothing that iPad does that other devices doesn’t already do better. And to top all these off, iPad is nothing more than a product of systematic publicity.
While the techies complain about iPad, the online congregation of Apple product enthusiasts continue to clamor for the success that Apple has achieved through the tablet PC that promises to permanently change the way personal computing will roll in the future.
Multitouch screen – This is surely among the top reasons why non-techie users of iPad love to have it around. Although iPod Touch can be used with nothing but bare thumbs, iPad takes multitouch screens to a level no other product has reached before.
You can still play your favorite game applications, but this time, the experience is enhanced. Instead of constantly zooming in and out of the board when you’re playing scrabble, you already have the entire board glaring back at you. If you are driving on simulators, your screen resembles a car windshield more than it does with iPod Touch. If you love reading eBooks on your IPod Touch, you will find that the iBooks e-reader application of its much younger cousin offers you an experience almost similar with reading an actual book. Turn a page and you’ll find how much thought was thrown in to create an e-reader app that will give an almost the same feel as with reading a book. With a few modifications, of course. A single tap on an unfamiliar word can give you a dictionary definition online, for one.
When visiting a website, so long as it does not contain rich media contents made with Adobe Flash, you’ll have no problem. Other than that, the general experience of web browsing with iPad is simply, incredible. It’s fast, hassle-free, and liquid. It is, as Steve Jobs claimed, “the best browsing experience you’ve ever had”.
But not everything that is good with iPad is about its superb screen. People love the fact that iPad exceeds battery life expectations as well. Where typical laptops and portable DVD players can shell out up to 4 hours battery life, iPad promises you up to 10 hours of continuous use. No need for charging in between. But don’t take the manufacturer’s word for it. One independent review claimed that his iPad played 12 hours’ worth of movies.
And despite all these great things, iPad gives more. What more can you ask from a $499 Apple device?
