Review by Glenn R. Howes for Apple iPad Wi-Fi + 3G – Web tablet – A4 1 GHz – Flash: 32 GB – 9.7″ color TFT ( 1024 x 768 ) – Bluetooth 2.1 EDR, Wi-Fi – GSM, UMTS, EDGE, HSDPA – GPS
Rating:
I have 2 iPads. A 64 GB WiFi only model which I bought the day it was available, and this 32GB 3G model which I picked up last week. They are about the same price; if you have to choose between an extra 32GB of storage and 3G capacity, definitely go with the 3G if for nothing else future proofing. I consider this to be the sweet spot of the 6 iPad variants.

Right now, my wife is in China with a WiFi only model. She is not a technical person, and can rarely find an open WiFi hotspot. So, she goes days between checking her e-mail. E-mail which might be critical to her business. If she had a 3G model, I could have purchased a modestly priced data plan from Chinese Unicom, modified a data SIM to a micro-SIM, and she would be getting her e-mail every minute, and doing some light web browsing. On the other hand, her iPad is loaded with media with over a dozen DVD quality films, all her music, and a large number of family photos. This does take advantage of the extra storage, but is a poor substitute for the whole Internet.

3G is not quite the great deal as it was yesterday, AT&T is eliminating unlimited data for new accounts. In the past, the deal was you could get unlimited data for $30/month with no contract. Now you can get a $25/month deal for 2GB, which is probably more than enough if you don’t watch video. Existing $30/month users might as well be on contract, because they will have to keep paying to get the original deal. There are also cheaper smaller plans. Right now I’m on the unlimited plan, and it is great. I have been Skyping to my wife in China, using Google maps, browsing the web in the dentist office and at lunch. It is very slick. I tried the 250 MB/month plan and that was just too small for what I was doing.

As for the rest of the iPad, it is great. I downloaded a free novel from the iBooks store and read it comfortably without any eyestrain or hurting my arm. It’s my preferred device for browsing the web, although you do get to notice the lack of Flash. It’s mostly ads though so that’s fine, but occasionally there will be a graph or video which you just can’t see. Over time, I expect this will be less of a problem as Flash dies out, but it is mildly annoying now.

The glass does get awfully greasy, but that is easily wiped away. Typing is surprisingly OK, I can type about as fast as I normally can if I concentrate. My kids like watching YouTube every night, and that is slicker than going to the website. So, I find I use the iPad several hours a day, which means I can get 2 or 3 days out of a full battery charging, which is a relief compared to being worried about keeping my iPhone charged.

This is indeed a game changing device, and I think most anyone will find there are hours of the day whether it be on the couch, bed or passenger’s seat where it is nearly the ideal computing companion.