Dumb Questions - IPAD / IPAD2

[fourstickymitts]

Sorry if this is a silly question, but if DH got an IPAD2 for me from America, would there be any practical problems with using it in the UK?

And, if you get a wifi only Ipad, can you use it with a mobile-internet dongle?

Thanks in advance.

I was just about to post the same question! We're off to the Statesin Oct and had planned to buy one over there. I also need someone to explain the difference between Wifi and 3G and whether there are any other usage charges. Bit of a dipstick when it comes to technology!

I can help you a little bit. A wifi only one would only be able to surf the net when it has access to your broadband or somebody else's broadband (e.g. wifi in Starbucks, or some other public place). A 3g one operates like a smart phone and can surf and make calls anywhere, but you would need a subscription to one of the mobile networks at additional cost.

Hope that helps.

And ... bump, bump... re-earlier questions for the evening crowd.

Should be fine to buy in the US. They are not tied to a network per se.

But if you get a 3g one, make sure you are not forced to buy the 3g package in the states as it won't be much good over here. Dont think that should be a massive issue.

I think a wifi only one can be used with dongles but not 100% sure. I have a wifi only and dont findnit too much of an issue as there is so much wifi around these days.

Thanks for that fourstickymitts.

Can anyone answer the "buying in the US" question?

Yes you can purchase a US ipad no problems. When you set it up, Apple use your credit card to determine which market you should be assigned to.

The only thing of course is you will get a US mains adapter, not UK. iPad chargers are not standard USB despite looking like one. Because of the size of the battery, they use 1000ma rather than the USB standard of 500ma.

But you can easily get a replacement from eBay. Just make sure it says clearly it works with iPad.

And no, Wifi only is not compatible with a USB mobile dongle as you've nowhere to plug it in. You'd need something like a 3 Mi-fi device

I have a wifi only iPad and if I'm somewhere without a wifi signal I use my iPhone's 3G - the contract I'm on gives me 500 megabytes per month which I can either use for my phone or iPad - was much cheaper than getting a 3G version plus contract

I have Ipad 2 3G. To get mobile internet (out of wi fi range) you have a smalled than normal SIM card. it is not the same SIM that goes into a mobile phone. I looked at one from USA, but decided Vs it as was worried about returning it if anything was wrong. The UK stores are not the same company as online store. I bought a wallet on line at same time as Ipad and wanted to swap it, but I couldn't take it down the road to physical store I had to mail it back.

I pay £10 a month with O2 for 3G access, it is worth it as I do gricery shopping net mums etc during my long and boring comute.

I use my wifi at home on my 3G and when we go away for the weekend I use my contract which costs under £5.00 per month. If I used that only I would only get agout 30 minutes a day but because I only use it now and again It is enough.