Selecting an iPad: Something New to Consider
How cloud computing might affect your decision on which iPad model to buy
My father-in-law recently sent me an e-mail message asking for advice in buying an iPad. Since I own one and can’t say enough great things about it, I was more than happy to offer my assistance. After reviewing what I wrote back to him, I realized that there are probably a lot of people out there who could benefit from my advice-people like you!
Buying a iPad is much simpler than buying a PC, or even a Mac. There are only a few choices to make when buying the device itself. But it’s important to get those choices right for your situation. Once you get your iPad, the hardware cannot be upgraded (or downgraded). The good news is that you don’t have to decide which applications (“apps”) to buy right away. You’ll have plenty of time to shop around on the App Store in the comfort of your own home.
I’ll first describe the basic factors to consider when deciding which iPad model to buy: Color, Internet connection, and storage. I’ll then introduce a new factor that might shake things up in the most interesting ways.
Color. When the iPad first came out, Steve Jobs could have borrowed from an old Henry Ford quote: “People can have the [iPad] in any color-so long as it’s black.” When the iPad 2 came out, Apple started offering white as well. There’s no difference in functionality or price. Some people think that white is more modern-looking. But if you put a cover or case on it for protection, it kind of makes the decision moot.
Internet connection. A lot of what you’ll be doing with your iPad requires a live Internet connection. All models come with built-in Wi-Fi which allows you to access the Internet when you’re close to a Wi-Fi network. If you need the Internet in other situations, you’ll need one of the “Wi-Fi + 3G” that models that provide access to the Internet wherever there exists cell phone coverage. But for that privilege, you’ll pay $130 over the Wi-Fi only models.
You’ll also need to decide which cellular data service provider to use. Today’s iPads get their 3G support from either AT&T or Verizon. Whichever one you pick, you’ll have to stick with that company for service on that device. But unlike how most cell phone agreements work, you can sign up for the data service whenever you need it. Both carriers have you pay month-to-month for their data plans, and neither requires a contract.
Your choice doesn’t have to necessarily align with who you use for your cell phone service. I personally have Verizon for my cell phone service but got the AT&T iPad because Verizon didn’t sell iPads at the time. The reputation that each provider has in your geography can be a factor. Some reports show that AT&T has a faster data service than Verizon on 3G networks. The two providers also offer different rate plans that vary across how much data transfer per month and for what price.
Storage. Lastly, you have to decide how much on-device storage you need. As with hard drives for traditional computers, more is generally better. But more storage costs more money. The base models come with 16GB. Add $100 to get 32GB, and another $100 for 64GB. Some factors to consider include how many photos you want to lug around, are you going to download a lot of video, and how much of your music library you want to keep at your fingertips. These are the things that take up the most space on any type of computing device.
Forecast: Clouds on the horizon
There is another thing happening in the computing industry that might affect your decision on which iPad model to buy. “Cloud computing” is a fancy term for describing how more and more of our data files are being stored and managed (somewhere) on the Internet vs. on our actual devices. This allows us to treat the Internet like a very large hard drive of sort.
As we put more of our stuff “into the cloud,” it (theoretically) lessens the amount of on-device storage space we need. The catch: You need live access to the Internet more frequently. And that can affect your decision on the Internet connection choices described earlier.
Apple made a big announcement on its “iCloud” service back in June which becomes available sometime this Fall. This service will change a lot of things for Apple users, and probably for everyone else. While it’s a bit early to gauge exactly how it will all work, iCloud does show promise in reducing the significance of on-device storage capacity–assuming you have Internet access when you need it.
Make Your Decision
So which model is best for you? It may come down to your budget. The base model costs $499, is Wi-Fi only, and has 16GB of storage. Each upgrade item adds costs to this starting point as described above. If you’re not sure, or don’t really know how you’ll be using the device until you get it, I recommend the Wi-Fi + 3G with 32GB of storage. That’s the one I bought, and I’m very happy.
As for the affect that cloud computing will have, I’m as anxious as anyone to experience Apple’s new iCloud service expected later this year. Only then will we be able to see how much affect it has on how we buy and use iPads and other mobile computing devices.