DIS Dads The DIS Dad's Club VII - Oh Peanut Butter...

[IamTrike]

So I need some advice for all the iPad users out there. I've been saving my pennies for a while and I finally have enough to get the iPad 2. The question is...which version??? I'm set on the black one but I can't decide whether to get the 32G with 3G or the 64G without. If I do go with the 3G, which carrier? Any suggestions?

I have the 64 G non 3G 1st gen ipad (for work) and I am have been tempted to pick one a 3G version of the ipad2.

Before you decide on carrier and size I think you need to provide a little more details on space. We use ours as a portable DVD player of sorts. Each movie takes between 700 mb and 1 gb. If you have a good number of movies that you are putting on it, it is possible to use up the space. Granted I could probably adjust the resolution to get the size down a bit on each movie. If you are not planning on using it like that I think you'd be fine with a 32 GB. Apps are relatively small.

In terms of carrier, I've found that AT&T tends to be faster (when they have coverage), but verizon seems to have better coverage. If you have a pretty well defined area that you are going to be using it in, I'd ask people you see with devices from those carriers what their experience is. Also are you going to be doing any international travel with it. AT&T's 3g devices will work in most of the world Although it costs $$$. Verizon uses CDMA which doesn't work in a lot of overseas markets.

 

[dvczerfs]

NICE 10K POST STOPHER!! CONGRATS!!

 

[stopher1]

Christopher, congrats on the milestone.



Don't even try it, we have Fed to track you down!

Hopefully we'll all be here for years to come.

It could also mean I've had a heart attack and died, and gone on to the great theme park in the sky. Take your pick.

 

[dvczerfs]

well, i got a call from my cpa this morning. it seems my employer has not with held the proper amount of fed income tax. i owe the irs $3100. for years, we got back about 2k every year. last year we got back 1k. this year i owe $3100. dw and i have change our status to m0. had our book keeper call the paycheck people and get it straighten out. so, i was just wandering should i wait till april 18th to pay my tax,s or should i send it in now
????

 

[afwdwfan]

Well, as commissioner of the DIS Dad's Fantasy Racing League, I should probably post an update here once in a while. I guess I've been slacking a bit. After 3 races, Mater's Racers has pulled ahead of the field in very convincing fashion by jumping 73 points ahead of second place Pride Rock Motorsports. By comparison, only 80 points separate Pride Rock Motorsports from last place Rolling Thunder Racing. With the lowest week's score being dropped, it is going to take more than 1 bad race for Mater's Racers to come back to the pack... either that or everybody else needs to start picking a few winners.

In the weekly performance the top scores were as follows:
Week 1: Daytona 500, Maters Racers, 298 points

• Jeff Gordon
• Clint Bowyer
• Juan Pablo Montoya
• Bobby Labonte

Week 2: Subway Fresh Fit 500, Mater's Racers, 281 points

• Jeff Gordon
• Clint Bowyer
• Kasey Kahne
• Bobby Labonte

Week 3: Kobalt Tools 400, birdslightyear, 287 points

• Carl Edwards
• Dale Earnhardt Jr.
• Kasey Kahne
• Bobby Labonte

After 3 weeks, it is blatantly obvious that if you want the highest weekly score, you need to have Bobby Labonte in your lineup.

Next week is an offweek for the Sprint Cup Series before the demolition derby known as Bristol takes place. For anyone who isn't in the league, but is interested in joining, PM your e-mail to me and I'll send you an invite, or you can look for us in Yahoo Fantasy Auto Racing. The group number is 17278 and the password is goofy. The season is broken into Spring, Summer and Chase, so there is still time to join and have a chance to win one of the last 2 segments of the season.

 

[afwdwfan]

well, i got a call from my cpa this morning. it seems my employer has not with held the proper amount of fed income tax. i owe the irs $3100. for years, we got back about 2k every year. last year we got back 1k. this year i owe $3100. dw and i have change our status to m0. had our book keeper call the paycheck people and get it straighten out. so, i was just wandering should i wait till april 18th to pay my tax,s or should i send it in now
????

Wait...

I owe a nice chunk too, and I plan to wait until closer to the deadline to send it in. It won't be much, but I'd rather earn a little interest on it as opposed to the government getting it.

 

[Emma's Dad]

well, i got a call from my cpa this morning. it seems my employer has not with held the proper amount of fed income tax. i owe the irs $3100. for years, we got back about 2k every year. last year we got back 1k. this year i owe $3100. dw and i have change our status to m0. had our book keeper call the paycheck people and get it straighten out. so, i was just wandering should i wait till april 18th to pay my tax,s or should i send it in now
????

We only ever had to pay one year... and we ended up waiting until April 15th... AND asking for the payment plan! That was the year DW took unemployment... and they don't ever take out the taxes for you (in FL anyway). We didn't know it until it was too late. What exemptions were you claiming before?

 

[stopher1]

I am sitting in a two day conference and the keynote speaker just said "meetings are a cancer on American business." Well that's a great start to two days of meetings. Sigh

Too bad your conference isn't 15 minutes from Disneyland like many of mine are. You could have something to do in the evenings...

 

[stopher1]

We've never had to pay federal thankfully - but since coming to Indiana 9 years ago - EVERY YEAR we have to pay the state. We always wait to mail it until the last day. I hate having to pay.

 

[stopher1]

First congrats on 10,000 Nemisis...I'll catch up in about 10 years!!!

Cool article...and the video on the Disney Parks site is awesome.

Holy PEANUT BUTTER Mickey is talking!!!

Thanks Nate.

Yeah - it is pretty interesting. Kind of jarring at first to see a rubber head talk - but - kinda cool for the little ones too.

 

[DisneyFed]

Well, as commissioner of the DIS Dad's Fantasy Racing League, I should probably post an update here once in a while. I guess I've been slacking a bit. After 3 races, Mater's Racers has pulled ahead of the field in very convincing fashion by jumping 73 points ahead of second place Pride Rock Motorsports. By comparison, only 80 points separate Pride Rock Motorsports from last place Rolling Thunder Racing. With the lowest week's score being dropped, it is going to take more than 1 bad race for Mater's Racers to come back to the pack... either that or everybody else needs to start picking a few winners.

In the weekly performance the top scores were as follows:
Week 1: Daytona 500, Maters Racers, 298 points

• Jeff Gordon
• Clint Bowyer
• Juan Pablo Montoya
• Bobby Labonte

Week 2: Subway Fresh Fit 500, Mater's Racers, 281 points

• Jeff Gordon
• Clint Bowyer
• Kasey Kahne
• Bobby Labonte

Week 3: Kobalt Tools 400, birdslightyear, 287 points

• Carl Edwards
• Dale Earnhardt Jr.
• Kasey Kahne
• Bobby Labonte

After 3 weeks, it is blatantly obvious that if you want the highest weekly score, you need to have Bobby Labonte in your lineup.

Next week is an offweek for the Sprint Cup Series before the demolition derby known as Bristol takes place. For anyone who isn't in the league, but is interested in joining, PM your e-mail to me and I'll send you an invite, or you can look for us in Yahoo Fantasy Auto Racing. The group number is 17278 and the password is goofy. The season is broken into Spring, Summer and Chase, so there is still time to join and have a chance to win one of the last 2 segments of the season.

I CANNOT believe Smoke gave that race away....CANNOT believe it... I had it, I had it in hand

Ownage....yee haw

 

[RAlexander84]

I have the 64 G non 3G 1st gen ipad (for work) and I am have been tempted to pick one a 3G version of the ipad2.

Before you decide on carrier and size I think you need to provide a little more details on space. We use ours as a portable DVD player of sorts. Each movie takes between 700 mb and 1 gb. If you have a good number of movies that you are putting on it, it is possible to use up the space. Granted I could probably adjust the resolution to get the size down a bit on each movie. If you are not planning on using it like that I think you'd be fine with a 32 GB. Apps are relatively small.

In terms of carrier, I've found that AT&T tends to be faster (when they have coverage), but verizon seems to have better coverage. If you have a pretty well defined area that you are going to be using it in, I'd ask people you see with devices from those carriers what their experience is. Also are you going to be doing any international travel with it. AT&T's 3g devices will work in most of the world Although it costs $$$. Verizon uses CDMA which doesn't work in a lot of overseas markets.

As a Retail Sales Consultant for AT&T my opinion is bias!!! But I just wanted to say this comment is very accurate.

 

[stopher1]

And please don't be green. When my oldest was 15, we could not afford to go on vacations. So we went on Day Trips in our area. Going to WDW was always a dream, but when the girls got older and moved out and our income increased we found that the things we dreamed about were things we could now do. All good things come to him who waits.

OH I know - but I'm still green. I have a good friend who was fortunate enough to not only go and enjoy Tokyo Disneyland a couple of decades ago - but ALSO got to enjoy their version of Club 33 too. Now THAT would be a dream happenstance for me.

Another friend went and spent their honeymoon about a decade ago at Disneyland Paris.

BOTH came home and rubbed it in. Both drove me nuts... back then, when we were young and could not afford to do anything. Today I'm cool with others doing those things, and often encourage friends to make those trips - spend some money on the family and make memories now since no one is assured there will even be a tomorrow. And I'm genuinely happy for those that do. I also love to see pictures - so that's why I asked for what I asked for. I DO also want to see some Versailles pictures as well, BTW.

DW and I can and do take trips with our kids. We could do those foreign trips as well... we just choose to vacation and take trips at home in the states. We do plan to do those things - when there are 2 plane tickets to purchase, and not 5. Going to Europe and Asia are certainly things that we both want to experience (not just for the Disney parks, either) - but we don't necessarily want to cart off the entire family and pay nearly 3 times the cost (more Disney trips and local vacation getaways that way...) Our parents never did extravagent, foreign trips with us as kids - so we just learned from them - why do it ourselves with our kids? We have taken our kids to many diverse and wonderful places here in the states - and enjoy those myriad family vacations. Our kids have been 27 states so far, while DW has been to 32 and I've been 44. They certainly aren't deprived - nor are we. AND later on, when we go to those destinations, if they'd like to join us, they can contribute to the cost, just as we do now when we travel with our parents.

 

[AirGoofy]

Congrats Stopher.

PAGE OWNAGE!!!

no particular order:

The Wave or Captain's Grille
California Grill (2 credits)
Grand Floridian Cafe
Cape May Cafe

We are doing Kona's for Breakfast so that leaves us 4. Give me your top 4 then I geuss.

Since you have 4, I'd go with these. The French Onion Soup is awesome at Grand Floridean. Cali Grill is in a league by itself. Cape May has great seafood buffet for dinner and best character resort breakfast. The Wave or Captain's Grille is a toss up, and I would pick on location. If MK then Wave.

I've been trained in torture techniques that guarantee to make one talk. Start the "View" on the DVR and que up the "Small World" music. This shouldn't take long.

Stop messing w IASW. It was closed last time and I really missed it as well as the song.

well, i got a call from my cpa this morning. it seems my employer has not with held the proper amount of fed income tax. i owe the irs $3100. for years, we got back about 2k every year. last year we got back 1k. this year i owe $3100. dw and i have change our status to m0. had our book keeper call the paycheck people and get it straighten out. so, i was just wandering should i wait till april 18th to pay my tax,s or should i send it in now
????

Yikes. I would wait to pay. Or, you could create some fake deductions ....Oops, now I'm sure to be audited. IRS monitors Dis Board for sure.

 

[DEA]

Any of my fellow Dis Dad's going to be in the MK area May 16th or 17th?

We'll be there May 12th to 20th. Where are you staying?

 

[DEA]

well, i got a call from my cpa this morning. it seems my employer has not with held the proper amount of fed income tax. i owe the irs $3100. for years, we got back about 2k every year. last year we got back 1k. this year i owe $3100. dw and i have change our status to m0. had our book keeper call the paycheck people and get it straighten out. so, i was just wandering should i wait till april 18th to pay my tax,s or should i send it in now
????

I am not qualified to answer the question, but I will suggest paying it with a Disney Visa and then paying off the Visa before paying a finance charge. When my wife went from being an employee to being an independent contractor, we ended up owing a good bit. Those Disney Reward Dollars paid for some meals on a WDW trip.

 

[TigerTown]

When I bought my iPad, I maxed it out at 64 gb with 3G. BUT, the reason I did that is that I use it for work, and sometimes carry around entire case files in PDF form on my iPad. Right now, even with hundreds of photos saved on it, nearly 2000 songs (a subset of my iTunes library), 170 episodes of various podcasts, 14 digital books, about four seasons worth of TV shows, five feature-length movies, and a bunch of work PDFs on it, I've still got plenty of extra room. And I've found 3G service to be a life-saver in places where no WiFi connection was available.

My advice? Go with the 32 GB if you need to get the price down to do 3G. As for which 3G service to use, think about where you expect to travel with your iPad and what coverage is like in those places. When you're at home, you'll have WiFi access. It's when you're out and about that you need 3G.

I have the 64 G non 3G 1st gen ipad (for work) and I am have been tempted to pick one a 3G version of the ipad2.

Before you decide on carrier and size I think you need to provide a little more details on space. We use ours as a portable DVD player of sorts. Each movie takes between 700 mb and 1 gb. If you have a good number of movies that you are putting on it, it is possible to use up the space. Granted I could probably adjust the resolution to get the size down a bit on each movie. If you are not planning on using it like that I think you'd be fine with a 32 GB. Apps are relatively small.

In terms of carrier, I've found that AT&T tends to be faster (when they have coverage), but verizon seems to have better coverage. If you have a pretty well defined area that you are going to be using it in, I'd ask people you see with devices from those carriers what their experience is. Also are you going to be doing any international travel with it. AT&T's 3g devices will work in most of the world Although it costs $$$. Verizon uses CDMA which doesn't work in a lot of overseas markets.

As a Retail Sales Consultant for AT&T my opinion is bias!!! But I just wanted to say this comment is very accurate.

Thanks for the advice. I have a lot of content available but I really don't plan on having it on the iPad all at once. I usually only watch the movies/TV shows when I go on business trips and then I only add what I think I'll want to watch. I'm pretty sure I can get away with the 32G but I'm afraid I'll always be second guessing myself.

As far as the 3G contract, I'm also not really sure about all of the different 3G rate plans. I have no idea how much data I would use so I 'm not sure which plan to sign up for. I would mostly be using the 3G for web surfing and streaming Netflix. Does video streaming use a lot of data or is the data only used when the video is downloaded to your Hard/Flash Drive?

 

[IamTrike]

well, i got a call from my cpa this morning. it seems my employer has not with held the proper amount of fed income tax. i owe the irs $3100. for years, we got back about 2k every year. last year we got back 1k. this year i owe $3100. dw and i have change our status to m0. had our book keeper call the paycheck people and get it straighten out. so, i was just wandering should i wait till april 18th to pay my tax,s or should i send it in now
????

I agree with the posters that say wait until the last minute. (if your going to do that you should have the money somewhere safe where it is earning interest though). I question why you say April 18th, I thought stuff was due on the 15th. Someone mentioned the payment plan. I seem to remember reading an article on slate about how little interest the IRS charges, so that may not be a bad option.

I was a consultant for part of this year and so I owe a fair amount. Like DEA suggested I'm planning on paying with a Visa to earn reward points and then turning around and paying it off. I have the cash but there's no sense in not getting the reward points. Just have be disciplined and pay it right off.

 

[Cinderella's Fella]

OH I know - but I'm still green. I have a good friend who was fortunate enough to not only go and enjoy Tokyo Disneyland a couple of decades ago - but ALSO got to enjoy their version of Club 33 too. Now THAT would be a dream happenstance for me.

Another friend went and spent their honeymoon about a decade ago at Disneyland Paris.

BOTH came home and rubbed it in. Both drove me nuts... back then, when we were young and could not afford to do anything. Today I'm cool with others doing those things, and often encourage friends to make those trips - spend some money on the family and make memories now since no one is assured there will even be a tomorrow. And I'm genuinely happy for those that do. I also love to see pictures - so that's why I asked for what I asked for. I DO also want to see some Versailles pictures as well, BTW.

DW and I can and do take trips with our kids. We could do those foreign trips as well... we just choose to vacation and take trips at home in the states. We do plan to do those things - when there are 2 plane tickets to purchase, and not 5. Going to Europe and Asia are certainly things that we both want to experience (not just for the Disney parks, either) - but we don't necessarily want to cart off the entire family and pay nearly 3 times the cost (more Disney trips and local vacation getaways that way...) Our parents never did extravagent, foreign trips with us as kids - so we just learned from them - why do it ourselves with our kids? We have taken our kids to many diverse and wonderful places here in the states - and enjoy those myriad family vacations. Our kids have been 27 states so far, while DW has been to 32 and I've been 44. They certainly aren't deprived - nor are we. AND later on, when we go to those destinations, if they'd like to join us, they can contribute to the cost, just as we do now when we travel with our parents.

Yes to it all. I love it when a plan comes together.

 

[AJRitz]

Thanks for the advice. I have a lot of content available but I really don't plan on having it on the iPad all at once. I usually only watch the movies/TV shows when I go on business trips and then I only add what I think I'll want to watch. I'm pretty sure I can get away with the 32G but I'm afraid I'll always be second guessing myself.

As far as the 3G contract, I'm also not really sure about all of the different 3G rate plans. I have no idea how much data I would use so I 'm not sure which plan to sign up for. I would mostly be using the 3G for web surfing and streaming Netflix. Does video streaming use a lot of data or is the data only used when the video is downloaded to your Hard/Flash Drive?

Well, there's the rub, isn't it. Web surfing/Email takes relatively little data, and is probably what you'll use it for most of the time. But streaming takes up LOTS of data - by definition, streaming is a constant flow of data. It doesn't spool the whole video to your flash memory. Once you start streaming media, you use data in a hurry. I'm grandfathered-in to AT&T's unlimited data plan. I rarely need unlimited data, but if I give it up then I can't get it back. So I bite the bullet and pay for those times when I'm traveling for a week and use it for streaming media. You're probably safe with a 2 GB data plan. The nice thing about the iPad plans is, if you stay on top of it, they're truly month-to-month plans. So if you find that you use very little data most of the time, you can go with the cheapest plan, and then just upgrade when you have a month you know will be busy. You just have to be careful to track when the each plan is scheduled to roll-over, so you don't catch yourself on a low-data plan during a high-usage time period.