The "New" iPad

[Oppa]

Putting a significantly better camera in it was a waste.

When I was in the USVI in December at Magen's Bay, there was a couple using their iPad to take pictures in and near the water and it looked fucking ridiculous. It's bigger than any traditional camera.

[Jules Jaguar]

I am considering buying one soon, im conflicted as I do not know if it is worth it to purchase the new model or stick with the ipad2.

I have heard the new one runs very hot and the battery life sucks but the screen is much better.

Any suggestions?

P.S I dont really do anything extensive online, just eccie & social networking (twitter ect) and I probably will be using wifi only.

[TexRich]

Originally Posted by S-Man

How quickly do you hit your data limit? Do you have a shock-proof case?

I have the 3GB data plan, I can also get then 5GB data plan too but 3GB is fine for me. I have wifi at the house and at work so it is sufficient. I use either the apple smart cover or otter box

[akeshi]

Originally Posted by TexRich

Yep i will get one, not sure what I will do with my iPad 2 32GB

I'll take that off your hands! Especially if it has Applecare. Oh, and I do mean I'll buy it, not just take it for free... unless you WANT to give it to me for free. That works, too.

[Missy Mariposa]

Originally Posted by TexRich

. Tablets is the direction we are all going. PCs will linger around but the sales direction is going to be heavy towards tablets.

Disagree. There will still be things you can NEVER do on a tablet that you can do on a PC - proper gaming, graphic design/coding, and having a full size keyboard to start . iPad still doesn't even have flash right? Tablets may replace netbooks and some laptops, but it will never replace the PC entirely.

I have an iPad 1. It works well, it has plenty of space left (like 26gb I tink), so why replace it? I don't need a camera in my iPad, I have a camera for that.

[holytoledo]

Flash is convenient, but wildly inefficient. I don't mind not having it on the iPad. I had a gen 1 and upgraded. The new one is great. But... it is not yet ready to replace laptop/desktop functionality - obviously.

However, you can tell from the iteration that the roadmap is there. In the next few years, what we have come to expect from computers will change drastically. I see desktops, laptops, and tablets merging into a singular multi-purpose unit not too dissimilar from the Asus Transformer model. The capacity and capability will be there. It will be a matter of adoption.

[S-Man]

Originally Posted by Jules Jaguar

I have heard the new one runs very hot and the battery life sucks but the screen is much better.

Since they had to improve the battery capacity due to 4G LTE, you may get a slightly better battery life compared to iPad 2 if you get the WiFi-only version.

As far as the lack of a slot for additional memory, Seagate's portable hard drive may be a good alternative.

[Lust4xxxLife]

Flash is dying out rapidly so don't make any decisions based on Flash support.

Jules, for the uses you describe, I think you'd be thrilled with the iPad 2.

Oppa - I don't care what other people think if I take a picture with my iPad. I just don't. Not one bit. If that's the device I have with me, I don't want to miss a shot and I want a camera that's good enough to capture it. By the way, I've already found that a 9.7" viewfinder helps to frame the shots a lot better.

I don't know why anyone would think LTE is a plus, at least not in this country. The data cap is the same, video streams at the same rate as with 3G, email or browser download speeds were never really a problem, and battery usage is worse. LTE is like a Ferrari in a parking lot. So much unrealized potential...

[Missy Mariposa]

I'm not saying to make a decision based on flash, but if it's part of something you regularly do (i.e. if you as a provider have a Wix website) it might not be your best idea.

plus P411 doesn't work right on my I pad and that's important to me :-)

That's odd - P411 works perfectly on my ipad, I've never had a problem with it. The only "problem" is the mail ap only fetches like half the appointment request/okay request when you get the email and you have to scroll wayyyyy down to hit "download the rest of this message".

Originally Posted by Lust4xxxLife

I'm amazed by how good the integrated dictation capability is. That's all I ever do for email and short documents now. Speaking with punctuation takes a little bit of getting used to, but so did learning to type.

<3 dictating things to my ipad, I'm usually making breakfast and answering work emails

"Hi there full stop I would love to see you on XX at YY full stop Please let me know your location details when you can full stop new paragraph"

[TexasDave555]

My take on Ipads.....

I travel an ungodly amount and see road warriors of all types who typically use every new gadget under the sun. I have yet to see someone using an Ipad for anything that my Evo won't do in a much smaller, compact and efficient form.

I resisted the Iphone because of the AT/T connection, their network is horrible. Many of my gadget-head friends all ran like lemmings to get one, then suffered drops, battery issues and security problems etc. I waited.... then they released them on Verizon. I thought, hey thats a better network... yet the drops and issues continued. Then google started releasing great phones... on Sprint. That's when I got my Evo. I loved it.. had unlimited network access, true unlimited. I rooted it, and now I have a 3G hotspot and got rid of my laptop card (Verizon). Still... no Iphone.

Then the Ipads came out. I thought those are 'cute', but again the plans suck. If your looking to replace a laptop, good luck. Now the newer ones are available through several carriers. 4G is great.. its speed is awesome, but the plans are tailored to the casual user and will quickly eat up your cash as the data plans are limited. The form factor is better than a laptop, but not by much. The Macbook Air is nearly as compact but light years above it with capabilities.

Even long travel overseas, the form factor isn't that big of a deal. I use my MacBook Pro for movies... and still have my ipod for music. The Ipad won't do what my Macbook does.. so I won't replace it for that. Its better for entertainment than my ipod, the screens bigger, but why add another relatively bulky appliance for that when the laptop works just as well and has better capabilities. I could carry all three or leave the ipod at home, but I would actually lose coveted suitcase space with limited return.

Point is... the Ipad form factor isn't that big of a deal and for nearly the same price you can get yourself a phone to handle tweeting, browsing etc.... about the only benefit for an ipad I see on a day to day is the screen size, but the phone is good enough and cheaper and in a much better form factor. You wont be carrying an ipad in your pocket...... or making calls on it.

So... its a nice gadget. Its got some cool features and has its place depending on your needs but its not a knockout must have device. Its more of a fashion statement in its current form. Its cool.. its trendy and if your not going to need to run serious programs etc, it could very well fit your needs but there are many road warriors out there kicking themselves for dropping their money on it. A couple of folks I see on a weekly basis who had them, have sold them and gone back to their iphone or google phones.

If you are looking at buying one.. i'd say stick to the Ipad 2 and watch your plan carefully. If you do not need serious data usage, its a great little device. The new version isn't a great upgrade for the general user....

As in all things though, its your money and if you want the newest and greatest.... I suppose the new version is just that.

I love my macbook and won't ever go back to a Windows machine that I can see... but the Ipad, I doubt I will ever feel the need to get one when my google phone does a better job, plus has the truly unlimited data attached to it. I can hotspot my laptop to it via tethering and not worry about how much data I am using up.

[TexRich]

Sprint sucks, enjoy the slow speeds.....

[shlub]

Personally, I look at buying an apple device like putting down a deposit and paying a rental fee...

Buy iPad, use for ~year.
Sell ipad on ebay or craigslist couple of weeks before the announcement of iPad 2.
Buy iPad 2, use for ~year.
Repeat...

The last two iterations have me out about $200 each time and that includes going from 16 to 32 to 64GB....

To me, it's worth the ~$17 per month and having to "do without" for a week or two...

[Lust4xxxLife]

Originally Posted by TexasDave555

My take on Ipads.....

I travel an ungodly amount and see road warriors of all types who typically use every new gadget under the sun. I have yet to see someone using an Ipad for anything that my Evo won't do in a much smaller, compact and efficient form.

I resisted the Iphone because of the AT/T connection, their network is horrible. Many of my gadget-head friends all ran like lemmings to get one, then suffered drops, battery issues and security problems etc. I waited.... then they released them on Verizon. I thought, hey thats a better network... yet the drops and issues continued. Then google started releasing great phones... on Sprint. That's when I got my Evo. I loved it.. had unlimited network access, true unlimited. I rooted it, and now I have a 3G hotspot and got rid of my laptop card (Verizon). Still... no Iphone.

Then the Ipads came out. I thought those are 'cute', but again the plans suck. If your looking to replace a laptop, good luck. Now the newer ones are available through several carriers. 4G is great.. its speed is awesome, but the plans are tailored to the casual user and will quickly eat up your cash as the data plans are limited. The form factor is better than a laptop, but not by much. The Macbook Air is nearly as compact but light years above it with capabilities.

Even long travel overseas, the form factor isn't that big of a deal. I use my MacBook Pro for movies... and still have my ipod for music. The Ipad won't do what my Macbook does.. so I won't replace it for that. Its better for entertainment than my ipod, the screens bigger, but why add another relatively bulky appliance for that when the laptop works just as well and has better capabilities. I could carry all three or leave the ipod at home, but I would actually lose coveted suitcase space with limited return.

Point is... the Ipad form factor isn't that big of a deal and for nearly the same price you can get yourself a phone to handle tweeting, browsing etc.... about the only benefit for an ipad I see on a day to day is the screen size, but the phone is good enough and cheaper and in a much better form factor. You wont be carrying an ipad in your pocket...... or making calls on it.

So... its a nice gadget. Its got some cool features and has its place depending on your needs but its not a knockout must have device. Its more of a fashion statement in its current form. Its cool.. its trendy and if your not going to need to run serious programs etc, it could very well fit your needs but there are many road warriors out there kicking themselves for dropping their money on it. A couple of folks I see on a weekly basis who had them, have sold them and gone back to their iphone or google phones.

If you are looking at buying one.. i'd say stick to the Ipad 2 and watch your plan carefully. If you do not need serious data usage, its a great little device. The new version isn't a great upgrade for the general user....

As in all things though, its your money and if you want the newest and greatest.... I suppose the new version is just that.

I love my macbook and won't ever go back to a Windows machine that I can see... but the Ipad, I doubt I will ever feel the need to get one when my google phone does a better job, plus has the truly unlimited data attached to it. I can hotspot my laptop to it via tethering and not worry about how much data I am using up.

With all due respect, explaining why you haven't acquired an iPad based on what you've read and/or second hand information from others is fair game, but passing judgement and making statements like "...but its not a knockout must have device. Its more of a fashion statement in its current form. Its cool.. its trendy and if you're not going to need to run serious programs etc,..." without having owned and used one for a month or more is talking out of your ass. My impression was turned around 180 degrees once I owned one and learned what it was good for and how to use it.

Here are a few things to consider:

1. It's a content consumption *and editing* device. It isn't the best content creation device. Conversely, laptops aren't great content consumption devices in comparison.

2. Battery life makes the iPad an indispensable tool for a serious road warrior. It's more than twice that of your MacBook Pro. I flew from here to Eastern Europe, via London, on a single charge.

3. The iPad is a far more effective tool than a laptop (or paper) for business meetings in informal settings, i.e., breakfast meetings, lunch meetings, etc..

We haven't even talked about how you can use an iPad as a video content source and controller for your TV when combined with an Apple TV. That really rocks.

If you can only afford a laptop or an iPad, get a laptop. No question. If you can afford both, get an iPad–it's worth every penny... especially if you're a real road warrior.

[Missy Mariposa]

I never factor in the whole "Data plan" thing as I've never had one. With the free wifi all over, and the fact I mostly use my iPad at home I didn't even bother.

I like having it. I use it mostly in situations where my laptop is too big (I have an Asus G73) like if I want to sit outside and read, listen to music in my car, listen to a book on type whilst walking to the store.

I can sit around and play games when I'm bored too. I got stuck behind an accident on 24 the other day and sat there from 22:20-00:30. I played Moonlight Mahjong almost the entire time.

I guess I could just get a smartphone but honestly? I don't WANT one. I like the size of a tablet, and not having it tied to my cell company/plan in any way. I would have considered a non-Apple tablet but it was a gift for Christmas 2010 (and yes, it's still working great!)