I Pad 2 I need help deciding what to get

[tarheel618]

I think this is going to be my family gift for Christmas. I am unsure what I should get as far as memory 16, 32 or 64 with 3G or without. I have wireless internet at home but there are place like sitting at gymnastics practice where I might use the 3G.

I would do the 3G plan through AT&T because it is my phone provider. Exactly, how many hours/minutes is equal to the 15 dollar plan vs. the 25 dollar plan.

Thanks for taking the time to answer.

 

[vicki_c]

I bought the 64GB w/3G and wireless.

We subscribed for one month of 3G when we went on vacation ($25) but other than that, we use it wireless in the house.

I always opt for the largest and most robust version of anything that I can afford. Most people are never sorry for buying more memory, only the opposite.

And for 3G, it's nice to have the option. I wouldn't pay to have it available all the time.

As for what you get for $25, it is 2GB/month, I believe. It's not measured in time, but in data, because it's a data plan.

 

[Keira1387]

I think this is going to be my family gift for Christmas. I am unsure what I should get as far as memory 16, 32 or 64 with 3G or without. I have wireless internet at home but there are place like sitting at gymnastics practice where I might use the 3G.

I would do the 3G plan through AT&T because it is my phone provider. Exactly, how many hours/minutes is equal to the 15 dollar plan vs. the 25 dollar plan.

Thanks for taking the time to answer.

I recommend that you get the 3G. You can turn it on and off as needed, but its good to have the option to use it.

 

[Keli]

I got the 64gb with 3G but I know now I'll never use the 3G so I wish I had left it off. There are so many free wi-fi places around when I'm not at home. Also, my iphone is jailbroke and i can make it a hot spot so when we're traveling i'll turn it on and pick up the wi-fi signal on my ipad.
As for memory, well, I really can't say yet. I bought this when the iPad 2 first came out (? Not sure how many months ago) and I'm no where near using 16gb yet. But I suspect 32gb will probably be the most I would have wanted. That's really a hard one to decide since programs and apps may come out that require a lot more memory and I'll be thankful for the extra in the future.

 

[Kies99]

I have the 32gb WiFi iPad 2. There are times I kind of wish I had 3G version, but not enough to justify the price. I have enough loaded on it that when I'm sitting at dance or gymnastics I don't need the 3G.

A great thing to check for when you get it (or beforehand) are podcasts. I get a variety of free podcasts from Deutsche Welle TV. They load into iTunes automatically and then sync up to my iPad. Gives me plenty of stuff to watch while waiting on my DD's.

 

[amy-momofthree]

I have a 16gb with 3G. I LOVE it, but in retrospect, I shouldn't have bought the 3G version. I have taken 2 mini trips since I bought mine 3 months ago and haven't activated the 3G. Most places have wifi. And as a PP said, there is enough to do on it when you don't have access to 3G.

I mainly wanted the 3G to stream movies while traveling but I can download movies off of iTunes before the trip and it's cheaper than activating the 3G.

As far as checking email while out of town, I have an iPhone for that.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[decaff38]

Tell me more about downloading movies from iTunes. Is that what they call streaming? We have limited bandwith where I am an it can cost a lot if you stream a movie. THanks

 

[amy-momofthree]

Tell me more about downloading movies from iTunes. Is that what they call streaming? We have limited bandwith where I am an it can cost a lot if you stream a movie. THanks

You are paying for the movie. You can "rent" a movie for $2-4. Renting gives you access to it but after you start watching it I believe you have to finish it within 24 hrs. It's basically like downloading music off of iTunes, except it's a movie

You can also buy a movie. This is somewhat more expensive. Between $10-20. But you always have it.

Another option, if you buy any DVDs or blu rays, would be to buy one with the digital copy and you can load that onto your iPad.

 

[amy-momofthree]

Tell me more about downloading movies from iTunes. Is that what they call streaming? We have limited bandwith where I am an it can cost a lot if you stream a movie. THanks

Also, iTunes movies are not streaming. They are loaded onto your iPad, much like you load
music onto an iPod. Streaming (for example) would be watching a movie through the Netflix app on your iPad (subscription required). iTunes movies will not count
against your data. Also, if you are using wifi, streaming movies will
not go against your data plan. Data plans are using the 3G network. You can stream movies through wifi or 3G, however 3G streaming will count against your data plan, wifi streaming will not.

 

[Swimalie]

I got my husband the 32 MB wi-fi iPad2 for his birthday. In his case, he goes to so many places with wi-fi that I didn't feel it was necessary to add in the 3G as well. He travels a lot for work so he uses hotel's network.

As for movies, he's loaded some of our dvd movies on to one of our back-up hard drives. Then he'll load them on to the iPad before we travel or even if we want to watch a movie in bed.

 

[JamesMom]

For my June birthday I got a 32- 3G Ipad 2. I don't have any movies or photos on it, but I do have some music with about 4 dozen apps and have plenty of room. I LOVE the 3G, but I don't have a hotspot enabled phone, either. I drive my kids to school and sit in the line waiting for them about 15-20 minutes a day - 3G is live and I'm surfing. I need directions somewhere in the car - 3G is on. Sitting at the doctors office with a sick kid waiting - 3G gives me netflix on demand. I used it often at the gym or pool where there was no wi-fi available to listen to Pandora or surf. For me the $20 a month I pay for Verizon 1Gb is perfect for how I use it and rarely use half. I have even pulled up emails at Michaels to use coupons - they scan them right from the ipad, lol! I was at legoland in gravevine and pulled up amazon to compare pricing before buying. Now many may be able to use their phone to do all this, but my fancy gadget IS the ipad, so it goes with me everywhere and is used in more ways than I ever imagined.
BTW - I told hubby this was a auto expense. Our district now charges for bus service (~$700 a year for 2 kids). If I have to wait in line for them - I must have 3G
LOVE LOVE LOVE my Ipad :cloud:

 

[JamesMom]

Also, iTunes movies are not streaming. They are loaded onto your iPad, much like you load
music onto an iPod. Streaming (for example) would be watching a movie through the Netflix app on your iPad (subscription required). iTunes movies will not count
against your data. Also, if you are using wifi, streaming movies will
not go against your data plan. Data plans are using the 3G network. You can stream movies through wifi or 3G, however 3G streaming will count against your data plan, wifi streaming will not.

Just be sure when you are using wi-fi your 'cellular data' is turned OFF otherwise even if you are in a hotspot the celluar data meter will be running.

 

[windycitymom]

I have the iPad 32gb 3G. Disney doesn't offer free Internet and charges $10 a day. I was there for 10 days and paid $20 for a month of 3G. I cancelled it after the month, and can pay again when I need it. The cost is just $100 more to get it with 3G version. 32gb is fine because soon things will be stored online instead of on a harddrive.

 

[ToodlesRN]

I am too looking at getting an Ipad and I'm slight confused about watching movies while on the plane. Can you watch the netflix movies while in the air if not how do you watch movies while in air?
Thanks!

 

[vicki_c]

I am too looking at getting an Ipad and I'm slight confused about watching movies while on the plane. Can you watch the netflix movies while in the air if not how do you watch movies while in air?
Thanks!

Only if you are on a plane with Internet service I guess (which you will pay for). I don't actually know how that works because I have never done that on a plane. But some planes do have Internet now.

But you would watch movies by having them downloaded from iTunes or resident on your iPad's memory, as described above, not streaming.