iPad2: AT&T or Verizon or Wifi only? Size? Decisions...

[lokiju]

I'm surprised to say but I'm thinking if I do get an iPad2 and I do get one that has carrier access, I'm thinking the AT&T version might make more sense, right?

I have a iPhone 3G right now and while it's painfully slow on 3G, I do understand the 3GS and 4G are much faster due to their ability to utilize AT&T's faster data rates.

I had a Moto Droid1 a few months back and that was much faster connection speed wise than the 3G but in reading, current gen iPhones are a lot faster, connection speed wise.

All that said, since these are data only devices (no voice) I think AT&T model makes sense. Am I missing anything on that though?

For anyone that has a current gen iPad. Do you either have a wifi only model now and really regret not getting a 3G model or for those that do have a 3G model, do you find that it was a waste to pay the extra money for?

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

I'm in your boat. Kind of. I have a 32GB iPhone 4 which is filled mostly with media. I'm considering the Wifi+3G model not because of the 3G but more for the AGPS chip inside. Tethering with my iPhone and iPad wouldn't be a problem, so I'm covered on data there.

 

[lokiju]

I'm in your boat. Kind of. I have a 32GB iPhone 4 which is filled mostly with media. I'm considering the Wifi+3G model not because of the 3G but more for the AGPS chip inside. Tethering with my iPhone and iPad wouldn't be a problem, so I'm covered on data there.

That's a really good point I honestly hadn't thought of.

That sucks there's no GPS without 3G.

Guess that kind of sells it for me on that topic.

But next is on capacity.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

What are you going to be putting on there?

$120 for GPS though?

 

[lokiju]

What are you going to be putting on there?

$120 for GPS though?

I know it's a lot for GPS but that's the feature I'd use for sure for that cost while also having the 3G option there if I ever decided I actually do want it.

It sucks it's so much, but it's a Apple product after all.

As for usage, hard to say. Never owned one.

I could see loading up books, podcast, maybe some TV shows or movies. I'm looking at it to be a laptop replacement for around the home usage mostly.

I don't travel much but a few times a year I'll be on the road or flying somewhere for work or pleasure.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

I'm leaning mostly towards the 32GB Wifi+3G model. Not 64GB but 32GB is not a slouch either.

 

[Aikouka]

I've been debating a few of the same points with myself. I don't really want 3G for the 3G but rather GPS capability, but the thought of paying $120 more for a GPS chip (and no software) just seems a little wrong :\. Then again, you pay $100 for +16GB and then you can pay another $100 for +32GB. Right now I'm using about 20GB on my iPhone and I have very little music on it, so I could end up using more than 32GB (which would also cause a problem for my phone since they're only available up to 32GB ).

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

I've been debating a few of the same points with myself. I don't really want 3G for the 3G but rather GPS capability, but the thought of paying $120 more for a GPS chip (and no software) just seems a little wrong :\. Then again, you pay $100 for +16GB and then you can pay another $100 for +32GB. Right now I'm using about 20GB on my iPhone and I have very little music on it, so I could end up using more than 32GB (which would also cause a problem for my phone since they're only available up to 32GB ).

I'm thinking mostly the GPS capability is going to be more for my usage to track it in case I lose it. Such a difficult decision. It's either 16GB Wifi+3G or 32GB Wifi only.

 

[Pliablemoose]

I'll likey be getting the 16GB 3G model, have had the 16GB 3G Gen 1 for almost a year and still have 9GB available.

The Navigon app is pretty cool...

 

[Emulex]

the ipad is sorta redundant to iphone4 but the gps signal is much stronger with ipad.

navigon rocks. so does greenp0ison.

 

[Aikouka]

I'm thinking mostly the GPS capability is going to be more for my usage to track it in case I lose it. Such a difficult decision. It's either 16GB Wifi+3G or 32GB Wifi only.

Hmm that's something that I wasn't really thinking about. I think I considered it early on when I was perusing Apple's site to find out if the WiFi-only model had a GPS. Their site has no mention that MobileMe's Find My iPad doesn't work on a WiFi-only iPad, but without a mobile modem or a GPS unit, how in the world could it get its location? The only information it could grab with a WiFi would be the IP of the Internet connection from the router it's connected through. My friend tried checking his father-in-law's iPad's location, and he said it drew a circle around where it should be. He has a 3G iPad, so it showed exactly where his was.

The thing about the space is... I feel kinda crappy paying $100 for 16GB and seeing that I can get double the upgrade for the same price. I'm also a bit of an app fiend and I like installing all of my apps, hence why when you look at my iPhone's storage usage, it has a really big yellow bar .

A lot of the games are getting pretty big now, which certainly isn't helping. It's not terribly uncommon to find a 600MB+ game from GameLoft and such.

 

[Michael]

The CDMA network is only really useful in the USA and you don't get a SIM card with the Verizon version. So unless you think you'll be in the USA only and only want to use Verizon, I would get the AT&T version. That way, if you travel, you will have options.

Michael

 

[speg]

As someone with a first gen 32GB 3G iPod, I'd trade it in for a 16GB wifi. Especially if I had an iPhone with me.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

As someone with a first gen 32GB 3G iPod, I'd trade it in for a 16GB wifi. Especially if I had an iPhone with me.

Interesting...

 

[Emulex]

no sim card = lame. i will take my ipad $30 unlimited plan and put it wherever i want.

ipad2 verizon - you don't have alot of options other than cloning

 

[Fingolfin269]

Good discussion as I'm now on the fence thinking about buying one of these. I really wish I could think of something else to buy but hell with the resale value on these things it shouldn't be hard to get rid of it if I eventually get bored. I wish I could get GPS tracking on the wifi model but really don't think that's a feature worth paying $150 for and doubt I'll use the 3G functionality at all.

 

[dguy6789]

In my shoes a wifi only one is the right option. My phone already does wifi tethering so my iPad has internet wherever I go anyway.

Edit: If you're set on getting a 3G model and don't plan on leaving the US often, get a Verizon model. Ubiquitous coverage > spotty coverage. Whole point of paying extra for the 3G model is so you get Internet access everywhere.

 

[alkemyst]

the ipad is sorta redundant to iphone4 but the gps signal is much stronger with ipad.

navigon rocks. so does greenp0ison.

I was going to buy my iPad off the company as I am leaving it...however; I just picked up a pair of 64GB iPhone 4's and my wife thinks it's so much better.

She has a 13" MacBook Pro so the iPad would be really redundant.

The one thing I likes on the iPad was Citrix Receiver for managing my servers from the couch or dinner rather than waiting for a laptop to boot up or try to do it on a phone.

The iPad is a lot less conspicuous at dinner than a full lappy.

I didn't use a 3g version, I got a little MiFi and could hotspot friends which was handy.

The Verizon version of the iPhone has hotspot ability for $20/month and up to 5 users.

 

[lokiju]

no sim card = lame. i will take my ipad $30 unlimited plan and put it wherever i want.

ipad2 verizon - you don't have alot of options other than cloning

Are you sure the AT&T iPad2 will have a SIM card?

The chipset in the Verizon iPhone 4 can do GSM and CDMA, it'd make sense to me if they used this same chip in the iPad2.

Maybe it's already been confirmed elsewhere that the AT&T iPad2 will still use a physical SIM, I just haven't seen anything either way.

I'm afraid this is where the iPhone 5 is heading also, SIM-less AT&T iPhones. Which means I won't be able take my work iPhone 3G SIM, cut it down and use it in an iPhone 5

This thread has really given me some good discussion points and while I felt like it made sense to get GPS and the option of 3G prior, now I'm leaning back to a wifi only model. Thinking a 16GB would do the trick even...

Guess I better make up my mind in the next few days

 

[ultimatebob]

I'm in your boat. Kind of. I have a 32GB iPhone 4 which is filled mostly with media. I'm considering the Wifi+3G model not because of the 3G but more for the AGPS chip inside. Tethering with my iPhone and iPad wouldn't be a problem, so I'm covered on data there.

Umm... doesn't the free navigation software on the iPad suck? It blows that you need to spend an extra $120 for the GPS chip, and then another $50 for decent GPS software like the TomTom or Garmin application.

This is one place where Android blows iOS away... Google Navigation is awesome.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

Umm... doesn't the free navigation software on the iPad suck? It blows that you need to spend an extra $120 for the GPS chip, and then another $50 for decent GPS software like the TomTom or Garmin application.

This is one place where Android blows iOS away... Google Navigation is awesome.

Mapquest Mobile is free and does everything you need it to do.

 

[frumply]

I thought the TomTom car kits have a good GPS builtin so that you can run their apps more accurately using iphones. If all you're using the GPS is for navigation software, couldn't you saw off the top retainer end so that it can be attached to an ipad? It's 90 on amazon now but I believe it frequently goes on sale for ~20.

i'm thinking about upgrading to a 64gb wifi model, though I'm debating whether I really need that extra space. Truth be told I want to wait till the next model, but parents are showing a lot of interest on the device and I've already told them I'd give them the old one as a hand-me-down...

 

[Ns1]

Anyone with a 16gb iPad v1 care to comment? Do you wish you got 32gb instead?

 

[aphex]

I have a 16gb first gen iPad and have never found space to be an issue for my uses. If i'm watching a movie, its usually streaming via Netflix over wifi. When I go on trips I usually dump 1-2 movies on there, but even with a few I still have plenty of space left. I keep my music on my iPhone along with a Slacker plus subscription. I use MiWi to turn my iPhone into a mobile hotspot for my iPad.

So for me the 16gb is fine and i'll be waiting till the 3rd gen iPad to upgrade.

 

[Baasha]

guys, if you have an iPhone 4 with AT&T and you get an iPad 2, do you have to get a *new* Data plan or does it go into the "phone" data plan?