The Teckki Says

I have my iPad 2, and I am doing wonderful things with it. I promised to blog about my experiences, but the first thing I want to write about is what you should think about before you purchase yours. Much of the information in this post applies to any tablet, but there are things you should consider before you buy yours, or even upgrade, if you plan on buying one. Here are my five things:

(1). When buying a tablet, think "netbook", not "notebook". Keep in mind that iPads and other tablets are like netbooks - underpowered PC’s with touch screens. Most buyers of iPads are new to Apple computer purchases, and are used to paying iPad prices for PC laptops. They expect PC laptop performance. Apple buyers are used to their Macbook laptops costing two to three times that of their iPads.

(2). If iPads are closer to netbooks, then the software they run can't be that full-featured. App buyers should temper their expectations. Even Apple didn't make their iPad apps as robust as their Macbook siblings. App reviewers complain about the differences between the PC software and App versions as if a $10 app is supposed to be the same as the $50 software title. That's a fantasy.

(3). Plan on depending more on Wifi connections than on 3G connections. I purchased the Wifi-only model because I purchased an iPhone earlier, and can tether it to my iPad for Internet surfing, saving $130. Coverage and signal strength, things that plague cell phones in general, apply to 3G tablets as well. Although I have AT&T, I’ve seen coverage issues occur to those with Verizon also: signals having to penetrate buildings, dead zones, and places where interference wrecks havoc on cellular signals. Wifi signals are stronger and more reliable than 3G. Although 4G may be faster, it will suffer the same issues cellular has always suffered, and you still may have to position your device near an office building window to get good reception.

(4). Don't load your device with dozens of apps because of low or free pricing. Take time to think about what you want, and then buy the apps that most closely matches your needs. I've seen devices with pages and pages of apps, and start thinking to myself, "this is where many of device these crashes come from". Not all software plays nice together, and the more apps you add, the more problems you’ll have with powering on or off the device, freezes and crashes. Also, many of those apps can drain your battery by continuously communicating over the web to keep themselves up to date.

(5). Consider buying iTunes cards to purchase your apps, books and music. With companies reporting security breaches fairly often, taking a chance using your credit or debit card is becoming a huge risk and inconvenience. If you purchase iTunes cards, you’ll pay no more than you would pay otherwise, and you’ll have more security as well as a limit keeping you and others from inadvertently purchasing hundreds of dollars that shows up later on a monthly statement.

I am having a blast with my iPad. I will post future articles regarding my usage, but my recommendation – Go buy one now!!!