Help please - where to buy an iPad and does he need 3G?

[DitaVonCheese]

Quick, while DH is distracted by Penn & Teller

He turns 40 in a few weeks and would love an iPad but I have no idea what to get. He would use it really just for dicking about - internet, email etc. No real idea how all the various GB options translate or whether you can add more memory eg with cards etc. Also have only a mild grasp on what 3G actually is - as I understand it, means you can get internet anywhere but you have to pay a contract fee (?). His phone is an HTC so can't do any clever synching with that afaik - am thinking wifi is probably enough so perhaps should get him lots of GB to make up for it?

Apple shop refurbished thingummies look good but wondering if there's somewhere better to buy. Also any info on the difference between iPad/iPad2 would be great.

Sorry if this all gets asked a lot Any advice gratefully received!

If I was buying as I would love to but can't stretch to it at the moment, I would go for ipad2 32gb wifi and get it engraved at the apple store online. I also have an htc phone and it can be used as a mifi if needed.

If he has a HTC then I would argue he doesn't need a 3G ipad. Reason being he can use his phone whilst out & about to surf the web instead of the ipad.

I'd say 16GB is good enough for most users but if you can stretch to more then its always good. And no you can't expand the storage unlike other tablets. It's Apple's way of locking you in.

What I'd say though is go get one sooner rather than later because you will find most places have sold out of the 16GB wifi model but they're more likely to have the 3G one's around.

Thanks both, that's really helpful.

Apple have a refurbished 64GB first generation at the moment which is very tempting - any thoughts on ipad v ipad 2? No idea what the difference is, though DH is a bit geeky so would probably prefer the 2. Hmm.

Eek he's back

The iPad 2 is thinner and a bit faster. The biggest difference is that it has a camera. I've had both and that's the only real difference. I'm a bit geeky too :)

Get the biggest capacity you can afford, it soon fills up and you can't expand with memory cards.

Thanks, just been googling and so far not convinced that there's a big enough difference, especially as refurb 64GB is £100 cheaper than 2 32GB. Bit sad about not getting it engraved but not sure free engraving is worth £100 :)

Now just need to buy it sneakily ...

If it's in your budget, go for the 2 32GB. If you have a 1, i'd say forget it. The cost to upgrade isn't worth it. But if you don't have any...go for the ipad 2.

You'd have to be a HUGE library or huge video collection to fill 32GB. I'm just putting across some videos now onto my ipad and I've a bucket load of apps, I've about 5 films, photos etc. and i still have 4GB free. And I only have 16GB!

The beauty of the ipad2 is really the size. As awesome as the ipad1 is, it's pretty heavy and a tiny bit slow by modern standards.

Plus if you are giving it to DH, get the latest. Otherwise it's like if he went to buy you a Louis Vuitton handbag and decided to get you last seasons instead to save a bit of cash. The thoughts there but...........

We don't have any and all the refurbished ones seem to have disappeared from the Apple store now - meh!

Are the prices standard wherever you buy? And does a 16GB Ipad 2 trump a 32GB Ipad 1? And are these things toddler-proof ... ?

PS Handbag schmandbag

Get the 2 wifi, you won't regret it!
Get a case (which doubles as a stand) and a screen protector too.
Don't worry about engraving.

Forget the ipad1. Get the 2.

Agree on the engraving. Whilst sweet, this will impact resale value when your DH wants an ipad4 as ppl won't want one with a personal message engraved.

Forget the ipad1. Get the 2.

Agree on the engraving. Whilst sweet, this will impact resale value when your DH wants an ipad4 as ppl won't want one with a personal message engraved.

can i just ask, if i were to get an ipad2 from the US will it work here?

US will work here. The mains charger will have a different plug obviously but you can get an adapter or buy a new charger (cheaper on ebay).

When we looked, buying in the US was not an option if you wanted 3G, although wifi only is fine.

do you remember how much they were being sold for?

Sorry, I have more geeky questions ... Today DH has been playing with his colleague's tablet computer thingy, which was also an Android um thing, like his HTC. He quite likes this. Should I therefore get him something of this ilk rather than an iPad or are the iPads definitely better?

NB DH, like me, has previously been of the anti-Apple persuasion.

I am crap at decision-making!

Hmm, ok well if he's anti-Apple then its only fair to consider the alternatives.

Apple are have over 75% of the market share. In other words 3 out of every 4 tablets sold are Ipad2's. And that includes every other tablet manufacturer. So in that context I think the numbers speak for themselves as to which is better although 'better' is a relative concept.

With an iPad you get a gorgeous fondleslab which is also very light. Combine that with its ease of use and mature apps market and you have the whole package. No other tablet can match that.

Your main alternatives are the very well received Asus eee Transformer or the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10". There's also the Motorola Xoom but I didn't like the screen on that. Nor the way they released the damn thing without some key features working.

In my opinion the screen on the Asus is great, on a par with the ipad. But the tablet looks rubbish. Pull that out at a meeting and people won't be cooing over it like the ipad. The Galaxy Tab looks good but Samsung are mired in legal battles with Apple which may/may not affect it in the future. The Motorola...well lets just say its disappointing.

Android v3 looks good but still relatively immature. Updates are ad-hoc and reliant upon your manufacturer. You do get Flash though.

My advice is to go to your local Best Buy/PC World and have a play. But the questions to ask yourself are:

1. If Apple are selling so many, why? Surely not all those people are fan boys.

2. If I am comparing every tablet with an ipad, why don't I just get one and be done with it.

3. Will the Android tablet's manufacturer still be making them in 2 years time? I mean HP recently pulled out after only a few months. Hard to stay in a market when you ship 20,000 worldwide whilst Apple selling 80,000 per day.

In short, if you really think DH will prefer an Android tablet then you can't go far wrong with the Transformer. But if you want the best.....get the ipad2.

I've just bought an iPad, having been an Andriod user (I have an HTC Hero phone). My verdict? It's brilliant and I have had no second thoughts about buying it.

I bought a Wifi 16Gb iPad 2 because I don't need much storage space. No-one discounts them so you're going to pay full price but you can get a fair bit of money back. I bought it from Tesco because there was a £10 voucher on their website (£10 off anything from Tesco Direct). I also went via TopCashBack and got another £10. I also picked up about 700 clubcard points and used a cashback credit card.

Oh, I nearly forgot. I do have one complaint with it. It won't play flash so the videos on the BBC new website don't work.

Thank you all so much again for all your help, especially niceguy2 (whatever happened to niceguy1?) :)

I've found the 16GB fills up quickly (top tip - delete your Sunday Times regularly if you have the times app - it takes up loads of room). Wifi is best bet.

To answer my own question re where to buy, I've gone for Macwarehouse (£467) via Topcashback (=£20 back) :)