iPad: What you want vs. What you Need

The iPad tablet. It revolutionized tablet computers and the tablet market by the very fact of showing up when it did. In the ipad, and the ipad 2 (sometimes called the ipad 2.0), Apple has been able to dominate the tablet market, setting the standard and staying ahead of the pack in world wide sales. Everyone else is left playing catch up. 

There have been two iPads to hit the market since introduction in April of 2010, the original iPad, (now referred to as the iPad1) and the iPad2, introduced in 2011. Both version come with an online ipad apps store, where applications, approved by Apple, can be bought and downloaded directly to your I pad. Rumors of an impending ipad 3 started the second the iPad 2 was released. 

There are two models of the ipad available, both ipads are Wi-Fi or wireless capable, and one is 3G capable. Ipad 2 reviews have been overall very favorable, with the usual shake out glitches and problems that Apple had to fix through upgrades of patches.

Which iPad should you buy?

It really depends on which one you need.
Here's the most recent specs for the iPad:
The iPad 2 Wi-Fi Specs:

• Height: 9.50 inches (241.2 mm)
• Width: 7.31 inches (185.7 mm)
• Depth: 0.34 inch (8.8 mm)
• Weight: 1.33 pounds (601 g)

The iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G Specs:

• Height: 9.50 inches (241.2 mm)
• Width: 7.31 inches (185.7 mm)
• Depth: 0.34 inch (8.8 mm)
• Weight: 1.35 pounds (613 g) (Wi-Fi + 3G model)
• Weight: 1.34 pounds (607 g) (Wi-Fi + 3G for Verizon model)

Storage comes in several sizes, 16GB, 32GB, 64GB for both models

3G Carriers for the iPad are AT&T and Verizon, with a possible pick up by T-Mobile in 2012. The iPad price starts at 499.00 for the bare bones model and goes up from there.

What do you plan to use it for?

What will be you uses for your iPad? WEe know that once you get it you may find uses for it that you hadn't planned, but what are your current uses? Make a list of you needs, what you absolutely have to have in a tablet or iPad, and what you would want. Also, what can you afford? Might a new ipad met these goals? Of maybe a used or refurbished model might work just as well. Before hitting the Apple store, check Craig's List or eBay, or reliable resellers that might have used of refurbished iPads, if that will suit you needs.

Wireless vs 3G

If you plan to use your iPad in spaces where there is a reliable wifi service, you may not need the added expense of 3G. Free wifi is not hard to find, and can led to a 200 dollar saving. Also, to use the 3G feature, you'll need to sign up with a carrier, if you haven't already. This is will an added expense.

The cons are, if you are away from home, you do have to rely on other, maybe less reliable wireless, and you may not be able to find a wireless signal when you need one. 

With 3G, you have the added expense of signing up at a fee, and other fees may go on top of that, depending on your plan and usage. Carriers are limited at the moment to AT&T and Verizon, but could be expanding in the near future. The biggest advantage is not having to hunt for a wireless hotspot, and having a reliable system to use. Drawbacks include cost for the service, and the problem of not enough bars. If you also have wireless capability, you can switch to that if your 3G signal is weak. 

To summarize: What do you need, what do you want, and what can you afford? Before hitting the Apple Store, do your homework, decided yout needs ad what you can live with.