[paulbrock]

Originally Posted by PiazzaCharlie

I don't see more free Android apps being that much of a plus, unless there are a load of apps that don't have an iPad equivalent. Which is difficult to imagine.

Having an app for free rather than paying for one is a positive isn't it?

The point was that any differences are not really significant enough to warrant a steep learning curve by moving from either to the other.

Not so much a learning curve, more a convenience. If you have an phone and have already bought or even just selected a bunch of apps you use then having the same apps with the same options is handy. More so with the Apple ecosystem - if you have an iphone and a Mac there's very little reason to get a non-ipad tablet.

With the whole Mac / PC thing, I do just think the world largely splits into two kinds of people - mathematical types who are more into tweaking, customising etc, and more arty types less into that, who maybe appreciate how things look, or usable they are.

I think the arty types go Mac, business types go PC is a myth. I know plenty of people in my field that just use PC. Although, on the other hand......depends on who is considered 'creative'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVkH9...youtu.be&t=39s

[PiazzaCharlie]

Originally Posted by paulbrock

Having an app for free rather than paying for one is a positive isn't it?

Not so much a learning curve, more a convenience. If you have an phone and have already bought or even just selected a bunch of apps you use then having the same apps with the same options is handy. More so with the Apple ecosystem - if you have an iphone and a Mac there's very little reason to get a non-ipad tablet.

I think the arty types go Mac, business types go PC is a myth. I know plenty of people in my field that just use PC. Although, on the other hand......depends on who is considered 'creative'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVkH9...youtu.be&t=39s

You didn't originally say that about free apps. You just said that there were more free apps. Unless there are loads of free equivalents of paid apps for Android, and no free equivalents for iOS, then its a moot point. ie people can just as easily choose a free iOS equivalent - they don't necessarily need an Android device to get a free equivalent.

Fair enough about existing apps, but then if I had a tablet I'd want tablet apps running on it.

Generally speaking, I'm sure all sorts buy both Macs and PCs. I said it was a huge stereotype, plus I was mostly referring to the people who take their stances in discussions like this.

[Kent1975]

UPDATE

Whilst still awaiting for pay day to arrive I decided to go in store and have a look - now I'm unsure whether I need an iPad3 or just go for the 2 - to be honest I didn't notice a great deal of difference between the images!

I have looked at this page http://www.apple.com/ipad/compare/
but it didn't mean a great deal to me!

So my next question is, what other supposed advantages are there of the 3 compared to the 2?

[Matt D]

- The 2 & 3 have the same CPU (dual-core ARM Cortex-A9)

- The 3 has more RAM than the 2 (1GB versus 512MB)

- The 3 has a much higher resolution screen (better for text, videos, games)

- The 3 has a better GPU (quad-core PowerVR SGX543MP4 versus the dual-core version on the iPad 2)

- The 3 has Bluetooth 4 instead of 2.1.

- The "Cellular" version of the 3 supports faster speeds than the 2 does (HSPA+ & DC-HSDPA as well as also supporting 3G and HSDPA/HSUPA).

- The 3 is available in larger sizes (32GB and 64GB instead of just 16GB). Personally, I think 16GB is too small for anything other than browsing and other basic uses. It's not a lot of space for apps, music, video...


Do you care about gaming on an iPad? Would you use it a lot for videos and benefit from the higher resolution?

It's all down to your needs, your uses, along with what you are willing to pay.

[paulbrock]

Originally Posted by Kent1975

So my next question is, what other supposed advantages are there of the 3 compared to the 2?

in fairness there are quite a few differences, not just the screen. Removing the techspeak they are:

3 is much faster. In fact one of the fastest mobile devices out there, making it more future proof for demanding apps (though ipad 2 isn't slow by any means)

- the camera. The ipad 2 camera is rubbish. Really really rubbish. It gets its ass kicked by the cameras on 4 year old phones. ipad 3 camera is...well, of value. (I'm not a fan of people taking photos in public on tablets, but that's another story)

3 will also get the newest software features, like Siri, which will not be appearing on the ipad 2. Likewise video calling using the mobile network rather than just Wifi.

The tradeoffs are a slightly thicker and slightly heavier body, and of course the price tag.

[Matt D]

Ah, yeah - the camera is a lot better on the 3. I agree with paulbrock though that tablet cameras are pointless. IMO.

[chopoff]

They improved the camera. The processor too, but that's a funny thing as Apple's claims about being 4x as fast as one of Android's best competing chips was actually when the benchmark is ran off-screen, ie not having to power their high-resolution displays.

http://9to5mac.com/2012/03/30/benchm...a5-vs-tegra-3/

I'd buy the 2, personally, but I'm frugal.

[Rose1]

If you're considering getting the ipad 2, it might be worth having a look at refurbished ones on the Apple website. My friend has just bought a 16gb wifi ipad 2 for £259 and loves it. You will still get the same one year warranty as brand new ipads. Also, if you buy from Apple, the good thing is you can try goods for 14 days and if you don't like it you can return it and get a full refund.

http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/specialdeals/ipad

[Gormond]

£259 is a great price for an official refurb, if it were me I would go for that.

[PiazzaCharlie]

Originally Posted by Matt D

Ah, yeah - the camera is a lot better on the 3. I agree with paulbrock though that tablet cameras are pointless. IMO.

The front tablet isn't pointless - I think Facetime is probably used quite a bit on iPads. Having said that, the front camera remains one of the weak points of the new iPad.

[lloydsimco]

Originally Posted by paulbrock

3 will also get the newest software features, like Siri, which will not be appearing on the ipad 2. Likewise video calling using the mobile network rather than just Wifi.

Will Siri be available on the wifi version, or will you have to have a 3G contract version?

[Gormond]

Originally Posted by lloydsimco

Will Siri be available on the wifi version, or will you have to have a 3G contract version?

Yeah it's available on WiFi too.

[alanwarwic]

With updates happening all the time the Galaxy Tab 2 8.9 can be had new for about £230. Funnily enough, that is not that much more than the cost of a new glued battery for the new glued iPad!

It is much slimmer than the hot running new iPad which weighs 50% more.

The 1280 X 800 16:10 screen is perfect for some.
Unlike top smartphones it only has a 1 year warranty but am sure like all tablets they mainly break when dropped.
This is surely why Apple always seems to have loads of refurbished.units on sale.

[Gormond]

Originally Posted by alanwarwic

With updates happening all the time the Galaxy Tab 2 8.9 can be had new for about £230. Funnily enough, that is not that much more than the cost of a new glued battery for the new glued iPad!

It is much slimmer than the hot running new iPad which weighs 50% more.

The 1280 X 800 16:10 screen is perfect for some.
Unlike top smartphones it only has a 1 year warranty but am sure like all tablets they mainly break when dropped.
This is surely why Apple always seems to have loads of refurbished.units on sale.

There's an 8.9 inch version of the Galaxy Tab 2? That's news to me!

[XxBlaKOuTZxX]

I was never into Apple products until my wife bought an ipod touch then an ipad 2 but now I wouldn't be without one lol. I use my ipod touch for all sorts of things. Controlling my Samsung TV and Home cinema and I love the swipe it app. how can such a small device do so much and as for the ipad 2, well that's something else. the mind boggles. fantastic products with multiple uses.

[alanwarwic]

Originally Posted by Gormond

There's an 8.9 inch version of the Galaxy Tab 2? That's news to me!

Maybe there never was a version 1 so its just the Galaxy tab 8.9 then.

It is about the same weight as the Archos 101 which was the worlds lightest 10" tablet.

[Gormond]

Originally Posted by alanwarwic

Maybe there never was a version 1 so its just the Galaxy tab 8.9 then.

It is about the same weight as the Archos 101 which was the worlds lightest 10" tablet.

Nope, the 8.9 has the same Tegra 2 chipset as the other galaxy tabs. The newer Galaxy tab 2 is using the much better TI OMAP 4430.

It also doesn't have a micro SD slot - http://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3...&idPhone2=4669

It also appears that ICS isn't out for it as of yet.

[Kent1975]

Just popped back to say, decision made, I'm now the proud owner of the new ipad - so much to learn, if only I could download my music from pc, think this is going to be a long process! Thank you all for comments/advice.

[whoever,hey]

Originally Posted by Kent1975

Just popped back to say, decision made, I'm now the proud owner of the new ipad - so much to learn, if only I could download my music from pc, think this is going to be a long process! Thank you all for comments/advice.

You can, but you have to install itunes.

[Hampton Wick]

Aaah - iTunes, Surely the most horrible, unintuitive piece of major software from a major company ever to grace the PC.

Android is worth the price of admission just to bypass it.

[alanwarwic]

Originally Posted by PiazzaCharlie

I might be biased, but I can only think of two reasons not to buy an iPad (rather than another tablet).
1. You can't afford it.
2. You have a severe disliking of Apple.

Makes for an emotional buy.

[Gormond]

Originally Posted by Hampton Wick

Aaah - iTunes, Surely the most horrible, unintuitive piece of major software from a major company ever to grace the PC.

Android is worth the price of admission just to bypass it.

Strange I have never had ny issues with iTunes on the PC or Mac.

[Batwing]

Originally Posted by alanwarwic

Makes for an emotional buy.

Only if you don't also have reasons to buy it.

[Batwing]

Originally Posted by Gormond

Strange I have never had ny issues with iTunes on the PC or Mac.

Neither have I.

[Batwing]

Originally Posted by Kent1975

Just popped back to say, decision made, I'm now the proud owner of the new ipad - so much to learn, if only I could download my music from pc, think this is going to be a long process! Thank you all for comments/advice.

Why don't you think you can download your music?