Ipad: did you go wifi or include 3g?
Looking at an iPad for my birthday in January. My primary purpose is Logos4 and the ability to type up Sunday adult Bible classes.
Did most of you, who got iPads, choose the wifi only, or get the wifi and 3G?
If wifi only, does your church have a wifi network?
Also: is the wireless keyboard worth it? Better brands?
Thanks.
Comments
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I went 3g even though I have WIFI at church and home. My theory is if I need to be connected and have no WIFI, then I am covered. But I discovered that just because you have 3g there is still no guarantee that you can connect. For me it was a waste of money. Yet, there may come a day when I am in a situation where I am glad I have it.
Also, if you go 3g beware that your monthly fee automatically renews each month. And it is possible to use up your "monthly" allotment in far less than a month!
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I went 32 GB WiFi because the iPad replaces some of the time I use my laptop and I have WiFi on that. The offline reading is a great help! I have all of the books I read in rotation, plus my preferred Bible and Study Notes, on the device except for one book that is not available that way. I don't believe in a monthly bill for things that aren't basic life support like food, electricity and one phone. :-) I was raised by a mom born during The Great Depression!
Peace,
Kaye
"But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." 2 Timothy 4:5 (NASB)
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We went with 16 GB and 3G. My MIL is in her 80s and is not tech savvy. When we visit we are without Internet connection. So, we buy a 1-month subscription to 3G at the higher data transfer rate and are quick to cancel the auto renewal after one month. 3G allows you to use the iPad on road trips, which may be very beneficial to many. Mapping and GPS apps are very robust and helpful. Did I mention weather reports while traveling as well? The Weather Underground has an app called Wundermap that shows area weatherstations by the hundreds. 16GB is a lot of storage for this tool. 32 GB gives you a comfort factor I suppose. I opted for 3G over more storage and don't regret it.
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I don't think I answered all your questions. Our church has wifi and posts the sermon outline in ppt on its website (www.slbc.org). My wife toggles between the Bible app and the sermon outline and adds notes via the virtual and silent keyboard. I don't consider the iPad to be a heavy duty keyboard entry device, but it is okay for light notes. My reason is because the keyboard is a bit scrunched and doesn't have as much useful functionality as a separate keyboard and monitor, in my opinion. It all depends on how much note taking you are going to do. If it's a small amount, the iPad should be just fine and you will love its portability, its unobtrusiveness, and the many apps you can use for other things. Most are very cheap as well, like $1 to $2. We do not have a wireless keyboard for the iPad. Since we also have two laptops, and two monitors, we use those for more robust computing. We have not been motivated to add an external keyboard. That seems to defeat the purpose of it as a highly portable tool.
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Did most of you, who got iPads, choose the wifi only, or get the wifi and 3G?
Wi-Fi since not need 3G enough to justify additional $ 130 for 3 more antenna's (2 for cell usage and 1 for GPS) plus ongoing 3G usage fees.
Apple currently has limited-time discount offer for refurbished Wi-Fi only iPad's => http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/ipad
By the way, reading rumors about iPad 2 next year (camera on back and larger speaker)
If wifi only, does your church have a wifi network?
Yes, currently not use Wi-Fi at church - do use Logos offline resources - primarily read Bible verses (easy to switch translations)
Also: is the wireless keyboard worth it?
Apple's wireless keyboard works nicely with iPad - useful for lots of typing. Have not tried an Apple Trackpad with an iPad (perhaps visit an Apple store).
Keep Smiling [:)]
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Happy birthday!
I am in the 3g camp. At first I thought I would not use it, but have found it invaluable while traveling. You do not need to sign an annual contract with ATT, but can sign up for the times you will be needing it. I used the iPad this summer for GPS and would have literally been lost without it. You cannot add it later, so I spent the extra upfront. As to memory, with Logos developing an app that will utilize resources stored on your iPad, I suggest at least 32 Gig. You cannot add memory later either.
Just my opinion.
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If I go with an iPad (would really prefer an Android tablet, but they seem too focused on the 7" screen and I grow impatient [:(]), I'll just get the wifi version. In a couple weeks I'm planning on replacing my iPhone with an Evo, which can serve as a mobile hotspot. I figure if I need to connect the iPad when I'm not around a fixed wifi point, I'll fire up the Evo and use it.
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I went with wifi version, since it meets my needs at the present moment.
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I decided on wifi only. 3g is nice, but if I'm in an area that has 3g then I'm probably not too far from a wireless connection, so I bought more storage space rather than the 3g model.
I didn't get the keyboard, but I plan to eventually. It surprises me how easy it is to adapt to typing on the iPad screen, but it's still no keyboard. The Apple bluetooth keyboard is great (I've owned one before) but any bluetooth keyboard should suffice.
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I decided on wifi only. 3g is nice, but if I'm in an area that has 3g then I'm probably not too far from a wireless connection, so I bought more storage space rather than the 3g model.
I didn't get the keyboard, but I plan to eventually. It surprises me how easy it is to adapt to typing on the iPad screen, but it's still no keyboard. The Apple bluetooth keyboard is great (I've owned one before) but any bluetooth keyboard should suffice.
A keyboard that looks like the best idea is the ipad cases with built in keyboard. I have seen several on the web. So you have the protection of the case and full keyboard. Although one I saw turned the whole thing into something looking like a laptop... but that one looked too bulky to me (unless you really always need a keyboard.
-Dan
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I have the 32 gig wifi model... I'm able to wifi it with my iphone to get internet.
In HIS Eternal Service,
Tom Castle
**If we will do God's work, in God's way, at God's time, with God's power, we shall have God's blessings!!**0 -
I went with the 3G model to get the GPS receiver, I use the 3G on trips if I need maps or guidance beyond what the GPS in the car provides. Otherwise it sits idle but available. If you never leave town you might not need the 3G capability. My church does not have WiFi but I use LOGOS on a laptop in offline mode when working there. The iPad app is pretty worthless for study (IMHO, YMMV), it is mainly a reader application. I don't do enough data entry to require a keyboard.
Bob - 17" MBP quad 2.3GHz 4GB and iMAC
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