Apple iPad, Day 2: Choosing the Right iPad

03.07.2011

If you are considering using an iPad as a as I am doing this month for the project, you need to determine which model is the right model for the job. Obviously, if you already have an iPad, then you just have to roll with what you've got, but today I will take a look at some of the key considerations to keep in mind if you are shopping for one.

iPad vs. iPad 2: The first question to ask is whether or not you really need an iPad 2. You can't get a new original iPad through normal retail channels any more, but there are from sites like Craigslist. In the Houston area, there are quite a few original iPads starting around $250 for the base 16GB Wi-Fi model--which is half the price of a new 16GB Wi-Fi iPad 2.

Do you need the iPad 2? As an owner of an original iPad, I have to say that I didn't find the iPad 2 that I had to run out and get it right then. It is thinner. It is lighter. It is faster. All of those are true, but none of them are so true that it really matters for most iPad functions. The difference, really, is the cameras--the original iPad doesn't have any, and the iPad 2 has front and rear facing cameras.

If you don't need the cameras, an original iPad should work just fine. But, if you want to be able to take pictures, use the FaceTime video chat, or use video conferencing , you are going to have to spring for the iPad 2.

Wi-Fi vs. 3G: There are a couple things to consider when answering this question. First, where will you use the iPad the most, and how often will you travel with it. Second, do you have another device that you can piggy-back on for cellular network connectivity.