iPad2!!!!

lozcart · Mar 08, 2011, 18:33:30

If you watch the Apple online store they keep adding refurbished 1st Gen iPads 16GB Wifi only for £289, currently non are available but check daily and you could get lucky.

Technical Ben · Mar 08, 2011, 18:58:39

I'm sure there are nice netbooks out there. Probably a few netbook based tablets coming out too.

Niall · Mar 08, 2011, 20:00:42

No way I'd ever buy a refurbished anything, let alone something like that. You never know what broke on it and if it'll happen again.

Steve · Mar 08, 2011, 20:39:28

They will be from Store demo's/display units and will come with a full warranty.

lozcart · Mar 08, 2011, 20:42:02

The Apple refurbs are good value. The iPads are fitted with a new outer shell, battery and come with a 12 month guarantee.

I have had a number of refurb laptops and iMacs with not one problem, in fact they sometimes come with more RAM and larger hard drives than advertised.

Technical Ben · Mar 08, 2011, 22:04:23

Quote from: Steve on Mar 08, 2011, 20:39:28
They will be from Store demo's/display units and will come with a full warranty.

I think the likes of the Iphone 4 were doing a 30/60 day trial too. So lots of refurbs from that.

Lance · Mar 08, 2011, 23:00:53

Refurbs will often have more testing prior to sale then a new product too.

Niall · Mar 20, 2011, 22:59:02

I was browsing around today to try and find some definitive pricing and it seems that the 64gb version is going to be £600. That is absolutely insane! Exactly what on earth do they think warrants that sort of price? I've been reading review after review of this device, and apart from the network problem where it loses it's wi-fi connection and has to be reset doesn't seem to be getting addressed. Although Apple don't really reply to people to say what's happening with that, other than they're looking into it. It seems laughable/baffling that you will only keep your internet connection if you have a dedicated N router, when the iphone will not work on a router like that (according to their own info I was reading from an old launch blurb blog).

The camera on it is absolutely awful. Obviously you wouldn't be using something that size for convenient photo taking anyway, but if you're not going to at least have something that's remotely decent, why even bother? It's 0.7MP! That is absolutely ludicrous! The iphone I have is the 3GS model, and the camera on that is bad enough, but the sample photos I've seen from the ipad2 in well light environments are laughably bad. Well, they would be laughable if you weren't shelling out £600!

Also the video is less than awesome too. I didn't read much about that, as after the camera info, I didn't see the point really.

So somehow, they've churned out a large iphone, with less going for it for £600, with no way of expanding the 64gb. Okay the 64gb would be more than enough for me, but I'm sure there are others with large media folders that would want them on the ipad2 as it's supposedly a media device. Oh, that's another thing, they have issues with what type of file it can even play, video wise.

It really seems like there is less and less of a reason to buy one of these, the more I look into it! Even my mum laughed when I told her the price, and she doesn't know a thing about technology!

I think I'll be getting a very decent laptop for £600 instead. Or I'll just do without and stick the money in the camera & lens fund.

Rik · Mar 21, 2011, 09:33:39

On top of that, Niall, I hear that there's going to be a shortage of batteries for them as they are made in Japan.

pctech · Mar 21, 2011, 09:36:46

600 quid for a piece of plastic with a touch screen and wireless access controlled by ~~JHigh Chancellor~~ Steve Jobs and his henchmen.

I could get a half decent PC for that and run either Windows, Linux or FreeBSD.

Gary · Mar 21, 2011, 13:15:05

Quote from: pctech on Mar 21, 2011, 09:36:46
600 quid for a piece of plastic with a touch screen and wireless access controlled by ~~JHigh Chancellor~~ Steve Jobs and his henchmen.

I could get a half decent PC for that and run either Windows, Linux or FreeBSD.

You miss the point of the product also wireless access is not controlled by jobs you can browse anywhere via wifi or 3g just like any smartphone, I myself would not want one right now, but for portability, wifi and 3G access and for the kind of use it gets its a great machine, also its not plastic its Aluminium for what its worth, as for the Jibe about Jobs, yes he is what he is, but he is more successful than you or I Mitch and he turned Apple around, you may not like him but he damn good at what he does.

The products are desirable because of the aesthetics as well as ease of use and availability of applications and at this time safety, who wants a black boring box or hinged plastic slab when they have the freedom of a tablet if that's what they desire. We all like our products for different reasons but I think the PC as we know it will be fading as Tablets become more powerful, people want something that's not only good to look at, but light, easy to use and reliable and takes less fiddling with, computer usage has changed, last year more tablets and smartphones were bought than PC's, that shows a big change in trend. You will always have the hard core gamer who wants a monster machine, but for many tablets like the iPad are ideal, as I get older one day an iPad type device may be all I need as I spend less time being online and more time just using the net for a bit of browsing, checking emails, entertainment and communication to friends abroad via video, skype runs great on the iPhone using video to any device even TV's with it built in, no doubt a version for iPad2 will come and video capable versions for Android tablets as well as phones. Many people will have all they need in their back pack or pocket and mobile computing will become the norm.

Niall · Mar 21, 2011, 13:51:21

I would really like one, but I honestly feel they are only worth about £200 when you compare them to a netbook or even a laptop. For £400 my sister got a fantastic dual core laptop.

I want(ed) an iPad purely for simplicities sake, so I wouldn't have to constantly monitor what my mother had used it for, and what dodgy email she's received, etc. Always scanning and checking her PC at least twice a week after 10 years, had become extremely tedious. As she is seemingly unwilling to learn how a PC works, or what she needs to do to stop problems from happening in the first place, I really wanted something far more simple. It annoys the hell out of me that she never, EVER does anything related to security. Yet I get the whining if it isn't working! The sooner payday comes so I can buy a case & build her a win7 system with better security and fully auto updating, the better. The main problem with her PC is that ad it's so old programs take an age to load. PSI takes a long time to run on it, ad zonealarm crippled it when I tried it the other week, so back to the XP firewall I went.

pctech · Mar 21, 2011, 14:05:24

Quote from: Gary on Mar 21, 2011, 13:15:05
You miss the point of the product also wireless access is not controlled by jobs you can browse anywhere via wifi or 3g just like any smartphone,

Missed my point entirely Gary, the OS and usable software is.

wdforte · Mar 21, 2011, 14:52:08

Niall

Take it from me the IPad is superb, guaranteed!

You place a price of £200.00 on it, that is your choice without question, but, it is not £200.00 but a few more pounds beyond that. So, your decision is pay up or keep pulling the item to bits. If you think it is not worth it then don't buy one, simple!

If you take my advice buy one now that the IPad 1 has been dropped in price (and will drop further in the coming weeks) and stop humming and arring. The reduced prices for the IPad 1 could solve all your problems with your Mother/Aunt etc so don't delay

Stevescat · Mar 21, 2011, 18:42:19

If you are using a laptop for anything MORE than web browsing, email, listening to music and watching videos, then don't get an ipad, it is NOT a laptop replacement. Also don't get bogged down with comparing iPad specs with a laptop because in the end it's about the experience of using the device that counts. I'm tempted to get the 16gb Wifi model myself about £439 (not £600). If you haven't already done so, I suggest getting your hands on one in an Apple store and using it for half an hour, I find iOS fantastic and it's a wonderful feeling not to be dealing with anti-virus and other security software dragging your machine down and worrying about any apps you install - it's a liberating experience!

Niall · Mar 21, 2011, 20:05:48

That's pretty much why I want one. It's not about the power of it, and it certainly isn't to replace a laptop as the two would never compare. I literally wanted something simple for wandering around the house, and the other things I've mentioned.

There are too many things wrong with it to justify that sort of price. Seriously, a supposed media device with 16gb of space for £439? It's ludicrous. The only reason they charge that much is because they know people will buy it due to their advertising. It just annoys me that such a good idea is handicapped by their greed of wanted to dominate something to the point where you're forced to do things their way.

Don't get me wrong, I like the way they work and look. I like the ease of use. There is quite a lot I like about them, I just simply cannot justify that sort of money on something with so little storage space. My iphone is 16gb and it's almost full, and that's just with music (that I can't listen to because the headphones died on me, after minimal use and they cost a fortune to replace) and apps. The apps take up a fraction of space on the phone. So I'd basically have to look at the 32gb version at least, so you can stick another £100 on that for 16gb. Seriously, £100 for 16gb? No other difference, but £100 more? I don't think so.

I'd actually be sharing the cost as my mother would be using it too, so I'd be looking at spending £250. Try selling someone the idea that not all their films will work on it, or their music, and they'll have to buy everything through itunes if they want to use it on there and that they can only store a small portion of things on there at any rate, especially if they've bought a HD film which generally weigh in at around 1.4gb if streaming a HD programme is anything to go by.

It annoys me because I wanted one, and for the price there should be non of these issues.

Technical Ben · Mar 21, 2011, 21:25:15

http://www.dabs.com/products/kingston-16gb-datatraveler-i-generation-3-white-and-blue-73F2.html?refs=4294945022
That's retail too. What's the cost? A markup of £75 for Apple.

I like it. I like IOS. I don't like being locked down. I can't afford the price.

This however...
http://www.dabs.com/products/viewsonic-viewpad-v10s-tegra-android-2-2-10-1--t20-512mb-16gb-3g-black-tablet-7DD3.html
Same specs too. Strange that. Plus AFAIK Andriod is practically a carbon copy of IOS. So same benefits, plus open software/hardware.

Glenn · Mar 21, 2011, 21:33:34

What's a 16Gb Kingston USB flash drive got to do with Apple?

Lance · Mar 21, 2011, 22:55:43

Niall, OT but you do know you can use any normal headphones with the iPhone don't you?

Lance · Mar 21, 2011, 22:57:42

Glenn, I think Ben was picking up on Niall's comment about an extra 16gb costing £100 on the iPad - with Ben showing what Apple's profit margin must at least be.

Niall · Mar 21, 2011, 23:11:49

Quote from: Lance on Mar 21, 2011, 22:55:43
Niall, OT but you do know you can use any normal headphones with the iPhone don't you?

Yeah. I do have other, much better headphones on my Sony walkman (and they should be for the price!), but it's easier just to use that than limit my audio delights to the iphone. To be honest, I'm finding less and less of a reason to use my iphone at all recently. The battery life is pap, if you use it a lot, which isn't really much of a problem but it bugs me a lot. If the more recent phones with large screens were out when I was choosing a phone then I wouldn't have got one knowing what I do now. I only got it for the large screen, and now there are phones with larger screens, better battery life and receive a stronger signal. I also won't be using vodaphone again when my contract is up either!

Technical Ben · Mar 21, 2011, 23:23:17

Quote from: Glenn on Mar 21, 2011, 21:33:34
What's a 16Gb Kingston USB flash drive got to do with Apple?

It's not only apple, but quite a few companies who charge ridiculous prices for 1 extra chip.
I still, to this day, do not know why Apple don't add a expansion slot. It's like the "copy paste on Iphone 3!" adverts. I had copy and paste on my phone 5 years before that. But all of a sudden it's "new" because it's got "i" in front.
Hope you realise I say that all in good humour. I reckon they are great phones. But so were the LGs and Sony Erricsons I used. They just never did the adverts, or the standardisation. If each company decided to concentrate on a few models, instead of flooding the market with hundreds of useless ones, then we would have 1 Iphone for each brand. Well, when I see the likes of up to 10MP cameras on Sony Erricson phones, I guess they are concentrating in other areas...

Niall · Mar 21, 2011, 23:35:13

I had an 8mp camera on my old Ericsson and it was ace! I took some really nice photos with that thing. I only got rid of it because the screen was too small for browsing the net, and after 18 months, a couple of buttons were a bit finicky being selected, with the sliding opening feeling a little loose too. They have a lot going for them with the more expensive models. If I only wanted a phone with the camera, and didn't browse the web with my phone, I'd definitely consider getting another.

john · Mar 22, 2011, 00:13:32

Maybe this might be an acceptable and cheaper alternative ?

Don't know much about them or how the specs compare but at £450 you're probably paying more for it than a simarly spec'd laptop/notebook.

I'd also have reservations on how long the connection to the screen would last too.

Glenn · Mar 22, 2011, 15:47:05

iPad2 pricing

Pricing & Availability
iPad 2 with Wi-Fi will be available in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK on 25 March for a suggested retail price of £399.00 inc VAT (£332.50 ex VAT) for the 16GB model, £479.00 inc VAT (£399.17 ex VAT) for the 32GB model, £559.00 inc VAT (£465.83 ex VAT) for the 64GB model. iPad 2 with Wi-Fi + 3G will be available for a suggested retail price of £499.00 inc VAT (£415.83 ex VAT) for the 16GB model, £579.00 inc VAT (£482.50 ex VAT) for the 32GB model and £659.00 inc VAT (£549.17 ex VAT) for the 64GB model. iPad 2 will be available in Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore and additional countries in April, and in many more countries around the world in the coming months. Further international availability and pricing will be announced at a later date.