Almost iPad owner

[Bogy]

Hi. I have been lurking for a while to get some info prior to buying an iPad. I registered today because I should be buying one this Sunday. I live in rural Iowa, so Apple stores are not real plentiful. I wanted to actually touch an iPad before I bought one, which I finally had a chance to do last week. I didn't buy it then because the store only had one model in stock, and it wasn't what I wanted (although until I actually hand over my credit card that is still open to reconsideration). Hopefully one of the two Apple stores on the south side of Minneapolis will have what I want in stock when I am in town to pick up my daughter from the air port.

Since I have not bought one yet, I am open to opinions and recommendations. For some time I had planned on purchasing the 32g wi/fi. Then for the past week I was strongly considering the 3g option. Today I was having second thoughts for two reasons. One is that I really wanted to get the iPad this weekend, because I am going to be at a conference next weekend, and wanted to bring it along. Second, in the next few months I am planning on changing my phone to an Android which will have hot-spot capability, so the 3g seems redundant. If I'm missing something, give me your opinion. Also, I'm a little bummed about the change in the data plan this week, and not quite as impressed as when the top plan was unlimited. I know it is still possible to get the unlimited plan if you buy or order by Sunday nite, but that ordering isn't an option if I'm going to have it next weekend, and the only store that had a 3g in stock today in all of Iowa and Minnesota had only the 64g, which is more than I wanted to spend. I was only planning on using the 3g as an occasion option while traveling anyway.

A little personal info on how I plan on using it, just in case someone wants to offer some advice. I'm a minister. I do a lot of reading, much of it on my phone. I'm really looking forward to a bigger screen. Along with other books, I'll be loading it with lots of Bible translations etc. I also plan on using it for taking notes at meeting I attend. For this I plan on getting the blue tooth keyboard and using Note Taker HD for handwritten notes.

I'm looking forward to having something more portable than my laptop for traveling. I do a lot of PowerPoint programs, and yes, I need to stick with PowerPoint because the program I use for our youth programs is PowerPoint with loads of Flash. So I won't be editing that with the iPad. My MediaCenter laptop will still be doing that duty. But at 8.5 lbs., not counting the power brick, its not fun lugging through airports.

I'm considering the 32g. My daughter's fiancee has the 16g and is very happy with it, and he's in IT, so is in no way technically challenged. Any opinions out there. (I know someone has to have one).

 

[Matth3w]

What Android phone are you getting? I have the Moto Droid and the WiFi tether is an absolute must. Of course you must root your phone first, but if you need help with that I can easily do that too.

I would just get the WiFi. Better yet, spend the money that you would have spent on the 3G upgrade to get the 64GB WiFi only.

 

[Bogy]

Matth3w, thanks for the response. I'm not sure on which phone yet. We currently have U.S. Cellular, and just in the past week they announced they will be releasing the HTC Desire in July. If I switch to Verizon I would probably get the HTC Incredible. Froyo is supposed to be out on both of these later this year, although I've had promises on my current HTC phone on releases that took longer than expected.

I have considered exactly what you suggested, to get the 64 with the money I saved.

 

[Matth3w]

HTC Incredible is not rooted yet, FYI...so no free WiFi tethering option there. Not yet anyhow....supposedly soon.

 

[Bremen]

Welcome!

In your situation I too would get a 64 WIFI. I have an iPhone and tether to it without issue. I don't use the tether very much, and just could not see another $30 a month for data.....

 

[brhon]

Bogy, I would agree with Bremen and Matt. I have 32gb wifi only. I travel a lot in the summer, and have not opened my laptop once since I bought my iPad on launch day. With the new info coming out of AT&T I'm glad I have wifi only. I too am looking to switch from blackberry to a droid phone when I'm up for renewal. In my travels the last 2 months I have not been anywhere I was not able to get a goof strong free wifi connection. Out of 32gb I still have 17gb free after loading all of my music, most of my photos and some movies. 32 gb was a good choice for me. Good luck.

 

[NumbLock]

I don't know. I know that ministers travel a lot by car, so if you need the GPS functionality, get the 3G.

 

[Bogy]

Thanks for the comments. NumbLock, I do travel a lot by car, but seldom do much internet cruising while driving. I had thought about the 3g just for the gps, but I already have a gps unit and my phone has gps, so again it seems redundant. I have seen several examples of car mounted iPads, but I'm not really planning on that.

 

[Matth3w]

Did you see what I said? Don't pull the trigger on the HTC Incredible just yet...it's not rooted.

But yea, no need for a 10" GPS when the phone works just fine as a GPS. All Android phones pretty much are going to be just as good as a GPS if not better...plus they actually have GPS chips where the iPad is using 3G cell tower locations IIRC. Much less accurate.

 

[Bogy]

Did you see what I said? Don't pull the trigger on the HTC Incredible just yet...it's not rooted.

But yea, no need for a 10" GPS when the phone works just fine as a GPS. All Android phones pretty much are going to be just as good as a GPS if not better...plus they actually have GPS chips where the iPad is using 3G cell tower locations IIRC. Much less accurate.

Yep, I saw it. It's probably going to be a couple of months. The Desire is supposed to be out in July or August, depending on the availability of the screens. Which is also an issue for the Incredible, since its the same screen. What would be nice is if, miracle of miracles, 2.2 would be out for one or both of them. If it is out for one, it should be available for the other, unless the carriers drag their feet on approving it. Froyo will make the necessity of rooting, at least for tethering, moot, since it unlocks that ability. Which carrier and phone I get will depend, at least partially, on what the next few months brings in answering some of these questions.

 

[GailLA]

Hello Bogy! One one of the first apps I downloaded was a Bible app. Most of the free versions are online using the app, but you can download a NKJV, for example, for offline reading through the app. Of course you can download and carry a whole bookshelf with you via iBooks or the Kindle app (or some other reading apps). I hope you love your iPad as much as I do mine.

I concur, you should get the WiFi only unless you need the GPS (and you don't need to buy a data plan for the GPS to work). I have the 64 3G model and I do like having the GPS and the option for cellular data, but if already have GPS and 3G in your phone, you really don't need it. It is a convenience.

 

[GailLA]

P.S. Bogy. On the portable front, the iPad is the best thing. If you get a comfortable carry bag or at least a padded sleeve to put in a briefcase, you will find yourself just keeping it with you. I have a Timbuk2 messenger (netbook/iPad) model. In black it doesn't look like a man purse, but I did get the girly Jellyfish/Potrero color,and yeah 'cause I'm a girl, it's my purse.

 

[Matth3w]

Did you see what I said? Don't pull the trigger on the HTC Incredible just yet...it's not rooted.

But yea, no need for a 10" GPS when the phone works just fine as a GPS. All Android phones pretty much are going to be just as good as a GPS if not better...plus they actually have GPS chips where the iPad is using 3G cell tower locations IIRC. Much less accurate.

Yep, I saw it. It's probably going to be a couple of months. The Desire is supposed to be out in July or August, depending on the availability of the screens. Which is also an issue for the Incredible, since its the same screen. What would be nice is if, miracle of miracles, 2.2 would be out for one or both of them. If it is out for one, it should be available for the other, unless the carriers drag their feet on approving it. Froyo will make the necessity of rooting, at least for tethering, moot, since it unlocks that ability. Which carrier and phone I get will depend, at least partially, on what the next few months brings in answering some of these questions.

Just wanted to make sure

 

[Bogy]

Now I am no longer an "almost" iPad owner. I bought my iPad yesterday. As I noted on another thread, the whole question of whether I should get the 3g became moot when the sales rep in the first Apple store I went to told me that just like the iPhone, AT&T wouldn't provide me coverage since my address is in one of there infamous holes. Unfortunately, the only model the Apple store in the Mall of America had by 4 PM on Sunday afternoon was a 64g 3g, so my future son-in-law and I left the rest of the family and headed over to Southdale Center, 4 miles away. On the phone they had said they had all the wi/fi versions, but when we got there all they had was the 64gig. So, I am now the proud, and tired, owner of a 64g wi/fi iPad. Tired after driving 7 hours yesterday, and also from staying up playing with it and getting it set up way to late.

 

[Matth3w]

Very nice, now you can lose sleep like the rest of us! Good choice on the 64GB to be honest.