Should I buy my mom an iPad 2 now or wait for the iPad 3?

[ManBearPig]

Any thoughts? She likes surfing the net and reading books on her iPhone, so i figure she'll like the larger screen.

Anyway, should I wait and get the iPad 3 since its rumored to have a nicer screen? Any info on when it'll come out? Is it rumored to be more expensive?

Thanks!

 

[Wonderful Pork]

Any thoughts? She likes surfing the net and reading books on her iPhone, so i figure she'll like the larger screen.

Anyway, should I wait and get the iPad 3 since its rumored to have a nicer screen? Any info on when it'll come out? Is it rumored to be more expensive?

Thanks!

No one really has any idea of the specs, pricing, or release date of the iPad 3 other than rumors.

As with everything Apple, if you need it now, buy it now. Otherwise wait.

 

[Pliablemoose]

The iPad 2 is very good, you can score a 32GB WiFi for $499, Apple refurbs are perfect and have a full warranty.

http://store.apple.com/us/product/FC770LL/A

 

[Bateluer]

There is precisely ZERO confirmed information about the iPad 3, zip, zilch, nada. Making any purchasing decisions on it now are pointless.

From what you're describing, sounds like you mom would be fine with a Kindle Fire, B&N Nook Color or Tablet, an iPad, or any HoneyComb tablet. In fact, for reading books, she'd probably be better off with the Amazon/B&N devices.

 

[MagickMan]

The iPad 2 is very good, you can score a 32GB WiFi for $499, Apple refurbs are perfect and have a full warranty.

http://store.apple.com/us/product/FC770LL/A

Ditto on this, it's the best deal out there. And ignore the resident fandroid, don't get your mom an Android device if she already has an iPhone. That would be moronic.

Apple refurbs are better than other companies' new products, they really are just like new and cosmetically flawless.

 

[Bateluer]

Ditto on this, it's the best deal out there. And ignore the resident fandroid, don't get your mom an Android device if she already has an iPhone. That would be moronic.

Apple refurbs are better than other companies' new products, they really are just like new and cosmetically flawless.

Wow . . .OP asked for a device for 1)his mom, 2)for reading books. The entire Kindle and Nook line up handily trounce all iOS products for book reading and are attached to far better marketplaces for books. I offer an alternative device, which could go below 100 for e-ink, and get attacked? Not to mention my spot on assessment of the iPad 3, which applies to all other unannounced and unknown products as well.

Go thread crap some place else.

 

[MagickMan]

Wow . . .OP asked for a device for 1)his mom, 2)for reading books. The entire Kindle and Nook line up handily trounce all iOS products for book reading and are attached to far better marketplaces for books. I offer an alternative device, which could go below 100 for e-ink, and get attacked? Not to mention my spot on assessment of the iPad 3, which applies to all other unannounced and unknown products as well.

Go thread crap some place else.

Attacked? 1) She already owns an iPhone, 2) she already has apps for it that she knows. Why should she pay for those apps all over again and/or learn a whole new OS? If she's part of the iOS ecosystem, and happy with it, then there's no reason to make her uncomfortable by changing all that.

You're the one trolling and thread crapping. He asked about present and future iPads and you're recommending Android? And no, you didn't mention <$100 e-ink readers.

From what you're describing, sounds like you mom would be fine with a Kindle Fire, B&N Nook Color or Tablet, an iPad, or any HoneyComb tablet. In fact, for reading books, she'd probably be better off with the Amazon/B&N devices.

Go back to MD&G and quit trying to proselytize in the Apple forum. Didn't you guys already get yelled at for that kind of thing?

 

[IamBusby]

Apple refurbs are better than other companies' new products,

You call someone a Fandroid for offering an alternative solution and yet from the above you are clearly an Apple Fanboy.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Wow . . .OP asked for a device for 1)his mom, 2)for reading books. The entire Kindle and Nook line up handily trounce all iOS products for book reading and are attached to far better marketplaces for books. I offer an alternative device, which could go below 100 for e-ink, and get attacked? Not to mention my spot on assessment of the iPad 3, which applies to all other unannounced and unknown products as well.

Go thread crap some place else.

OP asked if he should buy an iPad 2 or a 3. This is the Apple forum.

You trash iOS devices nearly every day, let us have a forum in peace please.

Namaste.

 

[runawayprisoner]

Any thoughts? She likes surfing the net and reading books on her iPhone, so i figure she'll like the larger screen.

Anyway, should I wait and get the iPad 3 since its rumored to have a nicer screen? Any info on when it'll come out? Is it rumored to be more expensive?

Thanks!

As mentioned, there is zero information on the iPad 3 as of this point. Making any purchase decision on it now is really pretty pointless. Though I'm pretty sure that it'll come out in due time, and probably will make all current iPads feel archaic in some way, but when that time comes, I doubt your mom would want to part with her iPad 2 that she has used for several months.

That said, I would agree with the rest here. Get it now. In fact, it'll make an excellent Christmas present. You have a week to make the decision. If my mom didn't have an iPad 2 that I gifted her on launch day, I'd have already ran to the store.

Just about everything that she does on the iPhone is better on the iPad 2 if her main usage involves browsing websites, watching random videos on the internet, and read books.

 

[Bateluer]

Attacked? 1) She already owns an iPhone, 2) she already has apps for it that she knows. Why should she pay for those apps all over again and/or learn a whole new OS? If she's part of the iOS ecosystem, and happy with it, then there's no reason to make her uncomfortable by changing all that.

You're the one trolling and thread crapping. He asked about present and future iPads and you're recommending Android? And no, you didn't mention <$100 e-ink readers.

I'm sorry, I didn't connect the dots for you. Didn't think it was that hard to take the next step and move to e-ink readers, which are even better for reading books.

Second, OP didn't mention that his mom had bought many, if any, apps for iOS. And there wouldn't be any app purchases needed on a Fire/Nook to read books.

And third, there's not really a learning curve. Unless you could learning where the power button is.

Go back to MD&G and quit trying to proselytize in the Apple forum. Didn't you guys already get yelled at for that kind of thing?

I've never proselytized for any product in any forum. OP was asking about what product to get his mom with the primary goal of reading books, questioning if the iPad is the right product. For that purpose, its clearly not. I offered an better alternative that costs less and does that purpose better.

 

[alent1234]

Wow . . .OP asked for a device for 1)his mom, 2)for reading books. The entire Kindle and Nook line up handily trounce all iOS products for book reading and are attached to far better marketplaces for books. I offer an alternative device, which could go below 100 for e-ink, and get attacked? Not to mention my spot on assessment of the iPad 3, which applies to all other unannounced and unknown products as well.

Go thread crap some place else.

and the ipad has kindle and nook apps unlike the specialized readers

 

[MrX8503]

Any thoughts? She likes surfing the net and reading books on her iPhone, so i figure she'll like the larger screen.

Anyway, should I wait and get the iPad 3 since its rumored to have a nicer screen? Any info on when it'll come out? Is it rumored to be more expensive?

Thanks!

Historically, Apple keeps the prices the same but increases the hardware. Most likely the iPad3 will cost the same as the current iPad2.

If you can wait till spring/summer, then get an iPad3, otherwise you should get one now. Another alternative is to wait for iPad3, but buy a heavily discounted iPad2. This is what happened with the iPad1.

I've never proselytized for any product in any forum. OP was asking about what product to get his mom with the primary goal of reading books, questioning if the iPad is the right product. For that purpose, its clearly not. I offered an better alternative that costs less and does that purpose better.

He asked about either an iPad2 or 3. I heard nothing about the OP asking for a general product like you're suggesting.

Wow . . .OP asked for a device for 1)his mom, 2)for reading books. The entire Kindle and Nook line up handily trounce all iOS products for book reading and are attached to far better marketplaces for books. I offer an alternative device, which could go below 100 for e-ink, and get attacked? Not to mention my spot on assessment of the iPad 3, which applies to all other unannounced and unknown products as well.

Go thread crap some place else.

You must have missed the part where he said "surfing the net"

 

[MagickMan]

You call someone a Fandroid for offering an alternative solution and yet from the above you are clearly an Apple Fanboy.

No, I'm saying their QC on refurbs is really good. It is, especially on iPads, because they look brand new.

 

[MagickMan]

He asked about either an iPad2 or 3. I heard nothing about the OP asking for a general product like you're suggesting.

You must have missed the part where he said "surfing the net"

He's being selective with what he chooses to recognize.

 

[mmntech]

There is precisely ZERO confirmed information about the iPad 3, zip, zilch, nada. Making any purchasing decisions on it now are pointless.

From what you're describing, sounds like you mom would be fine with a Kindle Fire, B&N Nook Color or Tablet, an iPad, or any HoneyComb tablet. In fact, for reading books, she'd probably be better off with the Amazon/B&N devices.

Apple has been messing with their release schedules lately. The iPhone 4S came out in October, which is unusual. iPhones usually get launched in June/July.

A refurb iPad 2 might be a good idea. I would look at some of the Android tablets too. There's some nice ones coming out.

 

[manly]

Apple has been messing with their release schedules lately. The iPhone 4S came out in October, which is unusual. iPhones usually get launched in June/July.

A refurb iPad 2 might be a good idea. I would look at some of the Android tablets too. There's some nice ones coming out.

I'm disagreeing with the crowd here.

The iPad 2 is already 9 months old. It's very safe to say it's closer to EOL than to sticking around for another 9 months. Apple generally doesn't pre-announce hardware until they're ready but it's safe to say with the Kindle Fire taking market share at the low end, they're not going to sit around quietly. Even if the "A6" or "Retina Display" isn't viable anytime soon, I'd still bet on an improved "iPad 2S" by April at the latest.

So if you don't need a (Christmas) gift soon, waiting a few months is not a bad idea.

 

[ManBearPig]

Thanks for the responses everyone! I think I'm gonna go for it. Wish there was a refurb 16gb.

Is it reasonable to assume that an iPad with a retina display would be a lot more expensive?

 

[MagickMan]

Thanks for the responses everyone! I think I'm gonna go for it. Wish there was a refurb 16gb.

Is it reasonable to assume that an iPad with a retina display would be a lot more expensive?

We don't know. We don't know if the iPad 3 will have such a display. Likely it will and it will be in the same price range we see now, but nothing's certain. I guess the question is, how will it benefit the iPad. For some people it won't change much at all, for others it likely will. Personally, I think the biggest change will be iPad3 to iPad4, retina style display with a much, much faster SOC. Right now the iPad2 pretty much has power to burn, a bit of a speed bump with the higher res display will make it well balanced. iPad4, OTOH, will have some quad-core cpu/gpu along with retina, even more battery improvements, and what other small things that come along by then.

Again, that's speculation, but it fits with what I've seen from Apple for the last 10+ years. You buy the second gen product, and then skip a generation when upgrading.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Thanks for the responses everyone! I think I'm gonna go for it. Wish there was a refurb 16gb.

Is it reasonable to assume that an iPad with a retina display would be a lot more expensive?

The refurb 16's were going for $419, they were a killer deal at that price. They may release a few more, but it's impossible to predict.

I'm very picky, and Apple refurbs are perfect.

Also, of you work for or have any educational or large corporate affiliations, Apple Care discounts can be had for less then retail, and IIRC, you can even get discounted Apple Care plans on eBay. They're nice to have, and Apple CSR at the genius bars are very kind in general, and more so if you have Apple Care.

As far as potential prices of iPad 3's, they tend to hold the price point of the previous generation, but no one knows for sure.

 

[Geekbabe]

Thanks for the responses everyone! I think I'm gonna go for it. Wish there was a refurb 16gb.

Is it reasonable to assume that an iPad with a retina display would be a lot more expensive?

refurb 16GB wifi models have been coming in and out of stock in the refurb section at the online Apple store so keep checking there.