i-pad pros and cons?

So, having had a play on the one in dixons at work I now reallllly want one and I'm acting like quite a child about it, I'm about 2 steps away from jumping up and down shouting "I want one nowwww"

Thing is, I have little money, and I know this thing doesn't come cheap, I'm going to be lowering the amount of my phone contract come March so I'll have abit extra then, but I know I shouldn't really get it!
Are there any really bad points about it? Or is it as good as it looks? I'm looking to get the 16gb 3g+wifi

Lizz, firstly wait until March 2012 when iPad2 is released. There are many fantastic pluses about the iPad but also several minuses. I expect many of the minuses like no USB port, no camera, no file system, multi tasking properly, etc. to be resolved by then.

Waiting will bring rewards and may also see price gain!

[Neil]

I love mine, best purchase I have made for a long while and it gets used so much in our household.

I would question why you are looking at the 3G version though. It costs more to buy and then you need to sign up to a monthly contract for the 3G usage so if you are tight on cash it could be an unnecessary extra cost.

Where are likely to use it and what for? I cannot think of a time in the last 7 months when I would have needed to se it somewhere where I couldn't get wi-fi. Of course other may disagree but this is just my personal experiences with it.

As for any cons? The only one I have is that it doesn't support flash.

[mitchja]

Love my iPad too. Don't bother with the 3G version. Save yourself some money and just get the WiFi only model along with a £50 PAYG Three or Vodafone MiFi mobile broadband router which is what I use. I'm sure the other mobile networks will soon follow and bring out their own MiFi routers. Mind you the Three MiFi router is very easy to get unlocked.

I'd still not just rely on WiFi alone though. I use my iPad at work (we do have WiFi although I can't see it where I actually work and even when I can, 3G is quicker!!). Using 3G/MiFi also works out cheaper if I need to use my iPad in hotels too.

Save yourself even more money and pick up an iPad in the US too!!!

Another way to save yourself a small amount of money is buy a refurbished model from Apple. Apple have just started selling refurb iPads online.

Check out Oranges new deal which has been featured in all the national press today. £199 for an iPad 3G on a 2 year contract...cant remember the monthly fee. Martin Lewis (the money saving expert man) has also published an article about it.

[mitchja]

Be careful with the Orange or T-mobile plans as if you do the maths, over the total 2 year period, it actually works out cheaper to buy a full price iPad and use an iPad SIM only 30 day rolling month deal. Also you only get a 1GB monthly 3G usage allowance which won't go very far at all. One 1 hour BBC iPlayer program will use nearly that in one go.

Three are also now selling subsidised iPads and you get a lot more monthly usage allowance for a similar price.

[honey lamb]

Can I get this clear? If I wanted an iPad for everyday basic usage as I would a PC then the ordinary one would suffice but if I wanted to use it like an i-Phone, then forget it!

[mitchja]

A 3G iPad is not the same as an iPhone as an iPad is not designed to send/receive calls or texts.

The 3G is used for internet browsing and sending/receiving data only as it uses the mobile networks to access the internet.

Potentially, you can surf the net on a 3G iPad anywhere you can access a mobile phone signal.

The 3G iPad basically has a mobile broadband dongle built into it. The WiFi one doesn't so you can either surf the net where's there's WiFi available or you need to get yourself a MiFi router a I mentioned above.

A MiFi router is similar to a mobile broadband dongle but instead of been connected via USB to your device, it connects wirelessly to upto 5 seperate WiFi enabled devices.

One thing that I don't like on my WiFi only iPad is the fact location services don't work at all (Google maps etc.). The 3G model has a proper GPS chip in it, the WiFi version doesn't. My next iPad will probably be a 3G version for this reason.

Hmm, interesting mixed views. I have to say the only thing that would bug me is the lack of flash but it would be in no way a replacement for my laptop, or phone for that matter. I want the 3g version in case I say take it to work, there's free wifi for 30 minutes but that's it, I'll definitely have to have a look around for a good deal though.

Check out Oranges new deal which has been featured in all the national press today. £199 for an iPad 3G on a 2 year contract...cant remember the monthly fee. Martin Lewis (the money saving expert man) has also published an article about it.

As mitchja has said, IMO this is an expensive deal. From what I saw in the Orange shop, it's £25/month for a data package that is probably only really worth about £10/month to buy elsewhere as a SIM only deal.

You're essentially overpaying by £15/month for 2 years to cover the cost of the hardware = £360.

Especially when there might be a new version of the hardware about in the next 3 months, I would expect it to be cheaper TBH. They might well be discounted after Xmas.

We have the 3G version, and I think it's worth the extra. The big advantage of it is it's lightness and portability. Therefore, having the 3G capability makes it a far more 'portable' device. For example on car journeys, train journeys, in a cafe that doesn't have wifi...etc etc.

For me I have one key bugbear which centres on Flash. I love our iPad but frequently find that I can't do what I want to do because of the Flash issue.

Cheers
James

[honey lamb]

A 3G iPad is not the same as an iPhone as an iPad is not designed to send/receive calls or texts.

The 3G is used for internet browsing and sending/receiving data only as it uses the mobile networks to access the internet.

Potentially, you can surf the net on a 3G iPad anywhere you can access a mobile phone signal.

The 3G iPad basically has a mobile broadband dongle built into it. The WiFi one doesn't so you can either surf the net where's there's WiFi available or you need to get yourself a MiFi router a I mentioned above.

A MiFi router is similar to a mobile broadband dongle but instead of been connected via USB to your device, it connects wirelessly to upto 5 seperate WiFi enabled devices.

One thing that I don't like on my WiFi only iPad is the fact location services don't work at all (Google maps etc.). The 3G model has a proper GPS chip in it, the WiFi version doesn't. My next iPad will probably be a 3G version for this reason.

Thanks for that, James. When I said about using it like an iPhone I knew it couldn't make or receive calls. I think what I meant was that it could be used anywhere rather than relying on free wi-fi. Well I think that's what I meant but you explained it so clearly and didn't you show me the Mi-Fi thingy when we last met?

[Darren Wheeler]

The other option is to look at the raft of Android-based tablets appearing.

Next have released on that cost about £190. OK, it was panned in reviews but mostly because the version of Android installed wasn't suited to tablets.

[buns]

All I will say is that since receiving one for her Birthday earlier this year, the blessed thing has only left her side for the re-charge

Being a lady, she can multi-task whilst sitting on the Sofa watching TV

They are very addictive - but if you want access to the internet on the move, opt for an I Phone or android equivalent, which seem to be coming on to the Market on a weekly basis

buns

The main issue I have with my iPhone is the lack of Flash compatibility. No flash = not being able to watch embedded videos on the BBC website for example.

When my contract is up for renewal I'm either going to go £10 SIM only, or ditch to Android.

I would bear this in mind for Apple products, because no flash really is more annoying than they would have you believe.

I am waiting for the next version of the iPad next year before I buy one. However I will be buying a WIFI only model as I have no interest in spending more on the iPad itself and then another £10 a month on it in 3G bills.

The reasons for this are that at home and at friends/in hotels etc, I can use WIFI. I also have unlimited BT Openzone WIFI which covers a lot of public places. And at other times if I really need the internet that much, I have the 3G on my iPhone which rarely gets used as I use WIFI so much!

I'm still completly baffled at what to do!! Trying to find a cheap deal for 3g and also where I should buy it from. I could do with getting it somewhere I can 'buy now, pay later' but at the same time I'm tempted to get it from dixons at work as it's around £40 cheaper than everywhere else. Decisions decisions

You could get a credit card like tesco MasterCard which is interest free for a year, then pay off monthly.

I already have a thomas cook credit card with around £800 on it gaining interest constantly which I can't pay back, so I don't think that's the best idea!

Just to update, I took the plunge today and took a trip to the apple shop to buy myself an ipad!
I decided to pay full price and I'm on a pay as you go 30 day rolling contract so I can top up whatever I want when I need it which is probably the best for me.
I can honestly say, I'm hooked! I'm glad I now have the best of both worlds having this and a blackberry phone. I've been playing with it for about 4 hours now and I'm still not bored I've also managed to make alot of people jealous, don't think my mum will be too happy but it's nearly christmas so what the hell!