Anyone have any thoughts about the 9.7" iPad as opposed to the mini? I bought the first release of the original iPad, so going to the mini was quite a transition, but a good one. The 9.7 seems like it might be in a good middle ground. My eyes are not as good as they once were.
...also, I was thinking about getting the iPad with cellular capability. It is not something I would use or need very often but in checking the plans, I see there are ones that you can get for short term needs (like for a trip out of town). I wonder if buying a device with cellular capabilities that don't get used much would somehow negatively impact the usability of the iPad in normal everyday use. Yes, I know, I worry too much.
Hi again
Charlie - these questions have come up numerous times over the years, so let me try to briefly address several. Concerning size, if you're planning to do a lot of reading on the iPad (especially magazine subscriptions), then the
larger screen and retina display (particularly w/ 'older' eyes) may be preferable? My wife has the Mini and does not subscribe to magazines, but I do on my iPad Air 2 - I do not like her Mini at all for reading - you can easily test by looking at the same 'document' on both sized devices; also, keep in mind that Apple offers a larger iPad Pro (expensive and more bulky, another consideration when toting an iPad around - wife's Mini fits nicely in her purse), and Apple may come out w/ a 10.5" iPad later this fall.
Wi-Fi vs. adding cellular is a personal decision - we've owned 4 iPads (and plan to replace mine this fall), all w/ just Wi-Fi - we travel a lot, mostly car trips in NC and adjacent states - always stay at hotels w/ Wi-Fi, so we can check our email, browse the web, listen to my MP3 music, etc. Cellular will allow you to get on the web anywhere, so you'll have to decide if that is an important need for you - remember 'cellular' devices will cost more and a plan is needed; also, the 'cellular' iPad is NOT a phone (of course, one can FaceTime or Skype; plus, internet phoning might be an option which I've not checked - others may 'chime in').
Finally, you've not given us your budget - if you decide on obtaining an iPad, the price range is quite variable, depending on purchasing new, used, refurb, etc., model wanted, retina vs. non-retina display, amount of storage, etc, and desire for cellular. My main recommendation after you pick a size (and used vs. new) is to buy the newest model and with the most storage that you can afford; as to the latter, my 2 y/o iPad Air 2 has 64 GB, my next one will jump to 128 GB. As just one example, you visit
Apple, their newest 9.7" iPad (just called 'iPad') is shown below - the bottom price w/ just Wi-Fi & 32 GB storage is quite reasonable - upping to cellular and 128 GB adds $230 (plus the cellular data plan). Let me stop there for you to respond - good luck - Dave
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