So, is it worth getting an iPad 2?

[AEJim]

I keep hearing how everyone says they're the greatest thing ever (even our 67 year old MD who's never seemed the techy type), and I do spend a fair amount of time on the internet/iPhone so I'm thinking of taking the plunge.

I can see how they're better than a laptop for casual browsing on the sofa etc, I'd be thinking a basic Wi-Fi version with 16gb - though I'd like to put lots of music/movies on it I have a mental barrier about Apple's vast charges for extra memory

What are the thoughts of people who have them? Worth it?

Cheers,

Jim.

 

[chebby]

I wouldn't be able to do anything work related on it.

My new iPhone is even clearer than the old one for surfing and has plenty of room - 32GB - for my iTunes which (with AirPlay) is sounding great through my stereo.

For me, the iPad is both too big and too small and too limited in what it can do.

I guess that's why Apple make iPhones and iPods and iPads and MacBooks. One of them (or some combination thereof) will be just right for different people. Therefore I am not against iPads, it just isn't a good 'fit' for the way I use the the technology.

If - after researching it and trying it out - you can't envisage enough uses to merit the expenditure, then don't get one.

The worst reason to get a gadet is because 'everyone' has one and you feel you are missing out.

To be honest I never really had a need for my old iPhone 3GS. I ended up getting one 'to see what all the fuss was about' and didn't get the most from it.

Now (two years on) I was ready and the iPhone 4 is just right.

Maybe I will be ready for the iPad in a couple of years or so

 

[AEJim]

Yeah, that's exactly the same thought process I've been going through - the iPhone 4 does plenty for me and an iPad wouldn't be much use for the programs I use for work (Illustrator, Photoshop, 3DS Max etc). I'm not the paperwork type so rarely use Word/Excel although the iPad would make email and browsing a little easier than on the phone.

I know lots was made of the iPad being a bit of a useless oddity when it was launched but many intelligent and rational people seem to have accepted it so I'd be interested to know if that's just down to ease of use compared to a phone and convenience over a laptop for casual use. Like you Chebby I'm still not fully sure what extra it really offers - especially as the 2 seems to be more of an iPad 1"S" than what I would expect the 3 to be (I'd imagine higher res screen and more useful camera's at least - the ones on the 2 just seem to be purposefully underspecced).

It might be nice to take on holiday but then that would depend on Wi-Fi availability for internet use, if you just wanted to read books then a Kindle would make more sense, it still seems to fall a little between purposes for me...

 

[professorhat]

Might be worth having a look through the App store to see if there are any apps there that you think might come in useful for yourself. I know my Dad uses his extensively nowadays when he's out and about (he only has the Wifi version). I think he has an app which allows you to download a number of sources of content for offline reading, as well as a number of games, and of course he takes it on family visits to show off photos.

 

[John Duncan]

I have the 32GB wifi-only version. No point in getting 3G because I can tether it to my iPhone and have internet connection that way when I'm out and about. I'd intended getting the 16GB one but got the 32GB one because it's all they had and I had to have one NOW, and post-rationalised the extra £79 by thinking how many movies I could put on it when taking it on holiday. I like it because:

- it's handy for ad hoc surfing when the kids are on the iMac and the laptops are squirreled away somewhere.

- it's great for watching movies on the move - in fact I'd say that this really is what it's made for

- the Naim nstream app is better on iPad than iPod/iPhone

- kids can watch movies in the back of the car without faffing with discs

- it's great for reading The Times

- the Kindle app means I can buy books for a couple of quid cheaper than the paperback, and can read them in bed without annoying Mrs JD by having a light on. iBooks has a slightly nicer interface, but selection (and pricing) is better for Kindle

- Garageband is great fun, even - or, indeed, especially - for non-musicians, though the Airplay update just released is pointless since latency is about 2 seconds; I was looking forward to the live rock kit in the living room, but no dice...

- it has real potential as a gaming platform

It is most decidedly not a business machine...

 

[Charlie Jefferson]

I'm a Mac owner, with an iPhone 3G and two iPods, so completely ignored the temptations of the first iPad. But then a work colleague bought an ipad2 and I saw it's potential there and then. Yes, I'm that easy to win over. I've had mine less than three weeks now and it's doing all the things I expected and more.

Namely: 1) reading the "i" on the way to work. Or at home, unencumbered by two toddlers and a teenager. The simple beauty of reading text in this tablet form is a joy unconfined. A truly wonderful device and reading format compatible with domestic & child rearing duties.

2) I haven't got a laptop and the iPad functions perfectly as a work-friendly device. (Schemes of work, lesson plans, production planning & design). My wife and teenage daughter are usually hogging the iMac anyway.

3) The Kindle app.

4) Bigger display for Remote app(!)). Surely that's a vote winner.

5) Internet speed.

Just awaiting a fully functioning Indy and Guardian iPad app for my happiness to be complete.

 

[John Duncan]

Just FYI, the Times app hasn't tried to charge me yet - don't know if it's a month's trial or what...

 

[AEJim]

Cheers for the info guys! I'm swaying... I think I might go for it but probably rather wait for the iPad 3 to see what is done with the screen and cameras - not that I'll likely need the cameras, just hate to think they've put the lowest spec ones possible in there so they can have something else to upgrade in the next model, but then I'm a little cynical about things like that

Would really like to see a "Retina display" in there, far preferable to an OLED from what I've seen on the HTC/Samsung phones - those screens get great reviews but is it just me that thinks they look like someone's turned the colour up to max to impress people rather than aim for something nearing natural? (I know this isn't a flaw with the technology as the larger format OLED screens I've seen looked great!)

 

[bigboss]

I was a huge skeptic of the iPad when it was launched. But now I'm glad I bought one.

Increasingly, I've been involved in a few management projects in my hospital & I wanted something small & portable to write reports and make presentations. As there was no other decent tablet on the horizon (there was a long waiting list for Asus Eee Pad Transformer), & the fact there were already 70000 apps exclusive for iPad, I decided to buy one (32GB wifi only model - mobile tethering with my HTC Sensation works seamlessly). Being the most successful platform, I knew that there won't be an app maker not targeting iPad.

There are a few medical softwares which are brilliant. The biggest eye opener for me is iWork, especially Keynote (like powerpoint). I'm still getting to grips with numbers (like excel) but some of the features are way superior to MS Excel (although I don't think they're as elaborate as Excel; I may be wrong here). They're brilliant, & so easy to use! I'm yet to convert them to Microsoft compatible files, so cannot comment on how good they'll look on MS PowerPoint presentation or MS Excel. But converting excel files to numbers to edit is not the best.

Most importantly, both me & my wife have almost completely stopped using our laptops (mine is a Windows 7 & hers is a macbook). The user interface is superb. With upcoming iCloud, you can store all your photos in the cloud, freeing up hardware space.

There are situations where iPad is lacking, most of which will be resolved after the iOS 5 update (as I'm used to Android).

There's no denying that Apple makes some of the best hardware & software today, but I don't agree with their restrictive policies & such tight control.

I wanted a tablet this year, & iPad is still the best. I'm almost certain I'll buy an Android tablet in a couple of years' time (by which time there will be enough Android tablet specific apps & being an open platform will offer me more flexibility).

Now only if Microsoft decides to release MS Office suite in iOS......it will certainly make a killing!! iOS & Android are huge untapped goldmines for Microsoft.

 

[John Duncan]

Cheers for the info guys! I'm swaying... I think I might go for it but probably rather wait for the iPad 3 to see what is done with the screen and cameras - not that I'll likely need the cameras, just hate to think they've put the lowest spec ones possible in there so they can have something else to upgrade in the next model, but then I'm a little cynical about things like that

Would really like to see a "Retina display" in there, far preferable to an OLED from what I've seen on the HTC/Samsung phones - those screens get great reviews but is it just me that thinks they look like someone's turned the colour up to max to impress people rather than aim for something nearing natural? (I know this isn't a flaw with the technology as the larger format OLED screens I've seen looked great!)

The cameras are pointless, and there's nothing wrong with the display. Get one now.

 

[Frank Harvey]

I've now found a good pinball game. Purchase justified.

 

[AEJim]

I now have a deal with "er indoors" that if I get down to 14 stone by our August hols she'll buy me one She offered without me even mentioning it! (Not sure whether to be offended or happy about that!)

 

[John Duncan]

I've now found a good pinball game. Purchase justified.

And there was me saying it's not a machine for serious tasks...

 

[Frank Harvey]

:bigsmile:

No pinball, no purchase!

 

[manicm]

Business use will eventually snowball for the iPad and tablets in general. It's all up to the apps - dismiss them as non-business gadgets at your peril.

I work at a major corporate bank (hint: Barclays holds a controlling stake) and I've seen some managers using the iPad. And Apple itself will push it towards business users.

 

[AEJim]

Well, I just got all excited looking at the Sky News webpage and seeing the channel was now broadcasting live on my PC - realising Sky player has now fully kicked in I dug further... Yes, it's great, can watch most of the useful Sky channels on my PC (though some only on my "main registered computer") and I thought "hold on, this would be great on an iPad!", tried it on the iPhone and... Shot down in flames. Silverlight, not compatible, as per Flash player. Yay, I love it when big companies can't get along, rendering the functionality of their devices far more limited.

I know the fanboys come out with the HTML 5 will solve it argument but really, many web/broadcasting companies use Flash and Silverlight now which equates to more web pages/services I can't use due to corporate disagreements. This would have been a huge selling point for me with the iPad but alas it's back to being a slightly better way to browse the internet or play games than my iPhone.

 

[Clare Newsome]

Ahem, sir needs to pay more attention to our News channel...

Can't wait to have Sky Go on my iPad (the Sky News iPad App is already excellent, as is the BBC iPlayer App - I watched some of yesterday's tennis final live on it yesterday).

 

[Clare Newsome]

I've now found a good pinball game. Purchase justified.

Which game, David?

 

[AEJim]

Ahem, sir needs to pay more attention to our News channel...

Can't wait to have Sky Go on my iPad (the Sky News iPad App is already excellent, as is the BBC iPlayer App - I watched some of yesterday's tennis final live on it yesterday).

Hah, you know - I read that entire story the other day and it totally passed me by. I think it's still annoying that the content is so limited though, is it the same for other tablets than can play Silverlight content? News and Sport channels are ok but there's not always something interesting going on!

 

[Clare Newsome]

The BBC iPlayer App gives you access to all BBC TV and radio channels both as they broadcast and as catch-up. If you can't find something interesting to watch/listen to there, then you're a tough audience

I haven't tried out the ITV Player App yet, but guess that does similar (just with loads of ads...)

 

[AEJim]

After searching frivolously for the BBC iPLayer App I found out it was just for iPad and not the iPhone, not my day! Cheers for the info Clare!

 

[Clare Newsome]

Indeed, I was talking iPad-optimised TV apps.

Very useful indeed, as at their best they turn the iPad into a second TV - brilliant for the kitchen/bedroom/office...

 

[Chisy1]

I haven't tried out the ITV Player App yet, but guess that does similar (just with loads of ads...)

I didnt know there was an ITV player app...i have 4oD and iplayer though, both very good. Will be looking for ITV one when I get home tonight.

 

[Clare Newsome]

Sorry, I went looking for the ITV Player IPad App, and it seems I jumped the gun (someone from ITV was talking recently as if it was already out!)

The ITV App is due later this year for iPhone/iPad. Version for Android tablets any day now, though - apparantly....

 

[John Duncan]

Indeed, the lack of ITV player prompted Mrs JD to call the iP 'stupid'. You can watch all terrestrial channels live at tvcatchup.com if that's any use...