Apple iPad or iPad Mini

[Flying Fox]

We have an iPad 2 and iPad 4. I find both too heavy and coughbersome.

I have played with the iPad mini and confirmed that this is the iPad for me with regards to weight, size and portability. However, I'm disappointed with the screen resolution (esp. since I have an iPhone 5).

Therefore, I have tied my hands together and forced myself NOT to buy an iPad mini until the iPad mini 2 comes out with a retina display (according to internet). I'm not an early adopter and generally find revised products much better.

 

[get me outta here]

I read today that it may be an Ipad 'midi', not too big and not too small.

As I don't have wifi at home, do I need to pay ~ $40 a month to use it at home?!

 

[Paddy55]

Mrs Paddy and I both have the latest (but soon to be superseded) iPad.

Mrs Paddy will not hear of moving to iPad mini...

 

[drewbles]

I read today that it may be an Ipad 'midi', not too big and not too small.

As I don't have wifi at home, do I need to pay ~ $40 a month to use it at home?!

You'd be better off spending $100 or so and buying a wireless modem/router (if you have ADSL or Cable). It'll pay for itself a lot quicker.

If you're planning on using it on the internet 'on the go' frequently around places that do not have free wifi, you may be best off just buying a SIM and something like Telstra's 12GB for a year for around $150 (iirc).

As always, YMMV.

 

[Esilef]

We have an iPad 2 64gb which my toddler has claimed & filled with Disney movies.

The iPads are great for travel & can save you money on phone calls. Simply load the Skype app and leave the iPad connected to wifi when in your hotel room. People can then call you.

the iPad is the perfect way to entertain kids while travelling and a great way for others to stay updated with home, emails & news.

the apps are addictive.

Now as my son has taken the iPad 2 I have ordered the 16gb iPad mini online from kogan, they had them reduced to $289 the other day with $19 delivery.

the standard iPad you need a back pack or large handbag to carry it but the iPad mini is perfect for placing in a standard handbag.

Whilst travelling we can use this for Skype ect.

i did not see a huge difference in screen size. Would rather watch a. Movie on the standard iPad but depends what you want to do.

wifi- simply use free wifi or at home increase the amount of data you have on your smart phone and use that as a tongle.

Covers- the griffin survivor is tested by the us army & my toddler. So they win in protection stakes.

 

[Mardi]

I have an iPad 2. I've looked at the mini in store but I think it would be too small for me. But keep in mind, now that I'm in my mid 40s I'm finding my eyesight is really deteriorating and I can hardly see small text on anything anymore!

I don't find my iPad 2 bulky and I nearly always carry it in my handbag. Unless you are incredibly accident prone I would not use any sort of bulky case. All I've ever used is the Apple Smart Cover and my iPad is close to perfect, even at two years old. I'm not even particularly careful about sliding the back of it around on tables etc and it is hardly scratched. I don't think I've ever dropped it but I've dropped various iPhones quite a few times, mainly on concrete (!) and never done any more damage than chipping an edge so I wouldn't be concerned about protecting it too much.

I'd love a retina iPad with the lightning connector (to match the rest of our devices) but I am going to wait until we go to HKG (end of May) and if necessary USA (mid October) and hopefully an updated model iPad will come out before one of those trips so I can claim the GST back through TRS.

I love my iPad - I would be very unhappy if I couldn't have one. I use it for everything - at work, Omnifocus (to do list), notes in meetings, to view and annotate papers instead of printing them. Home, reading, games, RSS newsfeed, Twitter, Facebook, messages, MyFitnessPal (calorie counting), the list goes on.

 

[AdMEL]

I read today that it may be an Ipad 'midi', not too big and not too small.

As I don't have wifi at home, do I need to pay ~ $40 a month to use it at home?!

Depends on a whole heap of variables! Do you have a smart phone with hot spot capability? All iphones and most android phones do this. If you do, you can use your phone plan's included data. Other options include optus tablet plans that start at $20 per month for 2GB, or $10 per month if you have an optus mobile on certain plans.

 

[DontGetMeStarted]

The iPads are great for travel & can save you money on phone calls. Simply load the Skype app and leave the iPad connected to wifi when in your hotel room. People can then call you.

i have the Skype app on my iPad mini and have tested it to make calls and that seems to work but how do people call me? Do I need a Skype number.

 

[Esilef]

Get your friends and family to join up to Skype as well add them as your contacts & they can call u via Skype calling back home u can add mobile numbers into skype

 

[DontGetMeStarted]

Thanks I was not sure if I had to purchase a new number from Skype which I just checked is $24 for 3 months

 

[Esilef]

With iPhones it's easy for people to use Skype & stay online & be connected at all times.

but with an increase in data usage you need to be aware of how much data you are using and when you reach your limit turn it off. Telstra charges .10cents per MB that is used over the allocated plan amount.

also people think that there phone plans cover them for usage over seas but this is not the case. Once overseas you are not covered by your plan and are charged not only by your service provider but by the service providers you use overseas and then by your own. It can be more. Data is not covered. Bills can easily reach in the thousands for very little down loads.

text messages are also charged per tower your message hits ie a message can easily hit 20 + towers at .75 cents a hit.

the best way to travel with an iPhone or iPad is to have your data turned off by your service provider. Then access data via free wifi. If it is urgent that you need to use data then by a prepaid data tongle (not sure if u can get these in mini modems for iPads yet) in the country you are visiting.

 

[simongr]

The other option when travelling is to buy a local SIM - I do this very effectively in the UK and NZ - not so much in Saudi...

 

[dajop]

Obviously there are plenty of uses for ipad or ipad mini but if all you are using it for is skype, then the latest generation ipod (or an iphone) is sufficient!

 

[drewbles]

Thanks I was not sure if I had to purchase a new number from Skype which I just checked is $24 for 3 months

You don't have to spend a cent to use Skype. The number would only be purchased if you want people to call you via a normal phone line, and you answer it on Skype.

If your family and friends are using Skype themselves, they can call you for free (just using your Skype username or email is enough). That's the joy that is Skype (if you ignore all the ads )

 

[moa999]

The one usage of SkypeIn is via forwarding.

Before going o/s activate SkypeIn.
Forward your Aussie number to that Aussie Number (relatively cheap forwarding cost)

At destination buy Foreign SIM, ideally with unlimited data.

Then either keep Skype on whilst O/S (if you can get unlimited data)
or Forward skype to your Foreign SIM

Note this works just as well on Android, as it does on iphone

 

[Esilef]

Make sure your phone is not locked to an Australian provider

 

[get me outta here]

How have you found skype on an ipad mini, I have heard it may be unreliable w' drop outs. I'm thinking of trying it for use on free wifi when travelling.