Plants vs Zombies HD is free over at Apps-aholic.

Compared to the $319 apple refurbed iPad Deuce this is an amazing deal... assuming it doesn't break.

Quite a bit of discussion from a Previous Woot Off Sale

"outstanding" rating from pcmag.com

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2411884,00.asp

Give us the 64gb with 4G and wifi, T this price, and I'd be on the fence. I think a kindle might be better though. Encourage reading and stuff....

90 day warranty means it's not an apple referb...when apple does them it gives you a 1yr warranty

stevef2222 wrote:90 day warranty means it's not an apple referb...when apple does them it gives you a 1yr warranty

excellent point!

also, the first photo is of a first gen ipad.


[MOD: Good catch. I've emailed to get that photo replaced.]

Tempting, but I think I'd rather spend more and get new. But...since the topic tonight is iPad...I need some Apple fans to clue me in.

I am thinking about buying an iPad for a toy for the family (currently we have Fuhu Nabi 2, Google Nexus 7, and three Kindle Fire HDs, and we are quite happy with all of them), plus I really like some of the educational apps I'm seeing on iTunes vs Google Play/Amazon AppStore.

So, that said, for the average Milton, what's the big deal between 3rd and 4th gen? Is it worth paying the difference?

And, planning mostly for a lot of apps (probably not movies so much, though streaming on it via Netflix/Amazon Prime isn't out of the question), should I go for 32/64gb? Do I need to consider 128gb? The only reason any of our tablets are over half full at this point (all 16gb, I think?) is due to putting mp4 movies on them, but since I just converted all my movies to mkv...doubt I'm going to spend much time converting from mkv to mp4 to slap on tablets anymore.

So, is it worth it to go 4th gen, and how big should I go for memory? (The educational apps will mostly be for a toddler/preschooler)

Weak.

CowBoom.com (Best buy) has a slightly used 64gig for $479.99 today.

Link (iPad is a daily deal, so this won't work forever): http://www.cowboom.com/deal-of-the-day.cfm

C'mon woot...

(Edit: forgot link)

EDIT 2: This is an iPad 3 right now. Apparently CowBoom is also selling different ones (e.g. better/worse condition) throughout the night. Might want to keep posted and see if they sell a 4

TARGET HAD A NEW ONE FOR 429.00 LAST NIGHT, WHY PAY THIS PRICE FOR A REFURBISHED


[MOD: Looking online, I think you were seeing the iPad Mini. ]

That is a reasonably nice deal, but is for an iPad 3.

ckeilah wrote:Give us the 64gb with 4G and wifi, T this price, and I'd be on the fence. I think a kindle might be better though. Encourage reading and stuff....

Yeah its still pricey, but at least its somewhat cheaper than what The Apple Store itself offers.

armywife1996 wrote:Tempting, but I think I'd rather spend more and get new. But...since the topic tonight is iPad...I need some Apple fans to clue me in.

I am thinking about buying an iPad for a toy for the family (currently we have Fuhu Nabi 2, Google Nexus 7, and three Kindle Fire HDs, and we are quite happy with all of them), plus I really like some of the educational apps I'm seeing on iTunes vs Google Play/Amazon AppStore.

So, that said, for the average Milton, what's the big deal between 3rd and 4th gen? Is it worth paying the difference?

And, planning mostly for a lot of apps (probably not movies so much, though streaming on it via Netflix/Amazon Prime isn't out of the question), should I go for 32/64gb? Do I need to consider 128gb? The only reason any of our tablets are over half full at this point (all 16gb, I think?) is due to putting mp4 movies on them, but since I just converted all my movies to mkv...doubt I'm going to spend much time converting from mkv to mp4 to slap on tablets anymore.

So, is it worth it to go 4th gen, and how big should I go for memory? (The educational apps will mostly be for a toddler/preschooler)

I've actually researched that because I'm thinking of buying a 3rd Gen refurb. The hardware is almost the same.

The big deal to me would be that eventually when Apple releases IOS updates, they will eventually stop supporting #3 before #4. My original Ipad is not supported anymore.

As for size? I have a 16 GB Ipad2 and I have plenty of room for apps and about 6 GB of music. Space has gotten a bit tight at times when I download a movie. If that's a concern, go for the 32 or 64. I personally never had a problem with filling up the 32 GB.

VeeRay wrote:That is a reasonably nice deal, but is for an iPad 3.

I think it really is a 4th Gen since it comes with a Lightening to USB cable? Right?

armywife1996 wrote:Tempting, but I think I'd rather spend more and get new. But...since the topic tonight is iPad...I need some Apple fans to clue me in.

I am thinking about buying an iPad for a toy for the family (currently we have Fuhu Nabi 2, Google Nexus 7, and three Kindle Fire HDs, and we are quite happy with all of them), plus I really like some of the educational apps I'm seeing on iTunes vs Google Play/Amazon AppStore.

So, that said, for the average Milton, what's the big deal between 3rd and 4th gen? Is it worth paying the difference?

And, planning mostly for a lot of apps (probably not movies so much, though streaming on it via Netflix/Amazon Prime isn't out of the question), should I go for 32/64gb? Do I need to consider 128gb? The only reason any of our tablets are over half full at this point (all 16gb, I think?) is due to putting mp4 movies on them, but since I just converted all my movies to mkv...doubt I'm going to spend much time converting from mkv to mp4 to slap on tablets anymore.

So, is it worth it to go 4th gen, and how big should I go for memory? (The educational apps will mostly be for a toddler/preschooler)

Okay, so basically the biggest jumps from the iPad 3 to iPad 4 was the processor and the lightning connector. The screen and battery life are similar, but the iPad 4 has a faster processor. That being said, the iPad 3 is still able to handle anything you can throw at it. There are other smaller changes, like a better front facing camera for facetime and Skype. What you really have to consider is the 2nd jump I mentioned, the lightning connector. Every accessory from now on will use this connector. If this is your first iPad, the 4th gen is without a doubt the best option. As for storage, I have used a 16 GB and have not had a problem with the apps and storage, but I stream movies and use some cloud services. So just think if you want to put movies for your kids and books for them to read in the future. If you think you will do that, think about getting a 32 GB, since HD movies are much bigger files. Apple products tend to be futureproof for a few years (I have used my iPad 2 since its launch, and it still works great), so think about what you want to do with it for at least 3 years. 128 GB iPad (800 for wifi, 930 for 4G) might be overkill, but just think about your needs if you want. 32 GB tends to be the sweet spot for the majority of people.

lost871 wrote:Okay, so basically the biggest jumps from the iPad 3 to iPad 4 was the processor and the lightning connector. The screen and battery life are similar, but the iPad 4 has a faster processor. That being said, the iPad 3 is still able to handle anything you can throw at it. There are other smaller changes, like a better front facing camera for facetime and Skype. What you really have to consider is the 2nd jump I mentioned, the lightning connector. Every accessory from now on will use this connector. If this is your first iPad, the 4th gen is without a doubt the best option. As for storage, I have used a 16 GB and have not had a problem with the apps and storage, but I stream movies and use some cloud services. So just think if you want to put movies for your kids and books for them to read in the future. If you think you will do that, think about getting a 32 GB, since HD movies are much bigger files. Apple products tend to be futureproof for a few years (I have used my iPad 2 since its launch, and it still works great), so think about what you want to do with it for at least 3 years. 128 GB iPad (800 for wifi, 930 for 4G) might be overkill, but just think about your needs if you want. 32 GB tends to be the sweet spot for the majority of people.

^^^^ What he said, with the exception of the space. My mother in law has a 16GB ipad 2, and she's not run into any significant issues with space, especially with a whole mess of apps for her grandson.

Adam

I think this all depends upon what you want to use it for. I keep going back and forth with getting an iPad. I finally decided to buy a refurbed from apple; the one year warranty and brand new case and screen make it perfect.

The other thing is what you want to use it for. I want the ability to go beyond wifi, so I need the cellular connection and I'm going for the 64 GB.

So after all that, I bought a leather case with a bluetooth keyboard from Brookstone when they were half price last week.

All that turns this into the closest thing apple has to a netbook (which, if they HAD produced, I'd have snapped up in a heartbeat.)

stevef2222 wrote:90 day warranty means it's not an apple referb...when apple does them it gives you a 1yr warranty

I'm 99.99% sure that this is an Apple refurb; you just don't get the Apple warranty since you're not buying it directly from Apple. This has been discussed in the past with other Apple products sold on woot. Apple is the only company allowed to refurbish their products.


[MOD: An Apple refurbished product would have an Apple warranty.]

I would rather pay the additional 60$ and have the piece of mind that it is new than receive a lousy 12% discount for possibly faulty electronics.

lost871 wrote:Okay, so basically the biggest jumps from the iPad 3 to iPad 4 was the processor and the lightning connector. The screen and battery life are similar, but the iPad 4 has a faster processor. That being said, the iPad 3 is still able to handle anything you can throw at it. There are other smaller changes, like a better front facing camera for facetime and Skype. What you really have to consider is the 2nd jump I mentioned, the lightning connector. Every accessory from now on will use this connector. If this is your first iPad, the 4th gen is without a doubt the best option. As for storage, I have used a 16 GB and have not had a problem with the apps and storage, but I stream movies and use some cloud services. So just think if you want to put movies for your kids and books for them to read in the future. If you think you will do that, think about getting a 32 GB, since HD movies are much bigger files. Apple products tend to be futureproof for a few years (I have used my iPad 2 since its launch, and it still works great), so think about what you want to do with it for at least 3 years. 128 GB iPad (800 for wifi, 930 for 4G) might be overkill, but just think about your needs if you want. 32 GB tends to be the sweet spot for the majority of people.

I 'third' these comments, also excepting the 32 GB thinking. I have piles of apps on my iPad2-16 GB and it is plenty big. I do not load it with music/movies/photos. I stream most content.

Also have an iPhone5 16 GB - it does feel a bit crowded - but only because it is loaded up with 1,500 photos.

To folks on the fence between Apple & Android - spend more than 5 minutes playing on each before listening too much to 'experts'. The user interface is very different. We have both types of devices and happen to prefer the Apple operating system.

Microcenter has these brand new for $20 more.


http://www.microcenter.com/search/search_results.aspx?sku_list=097592+098236&N=4294955851

cmacclel wrote:Microcenter has these brand new for $20 more.


http://www.microcenter.com/search/search_results.aspx?sku_list=097592+098236&N=4294955851

I was just coming to say that. The only thing is that it is in store only.

eraten wrote:I'm 99.99% sure that this is an Apple refurb; you just don't get the Apple warranty since you're not buying it directly from Apple. This has been discussed in the past with other Apple products sold on woot. Apple is the only company allowed to refurbish their products.

Doesn't matter. If it's not purchased from "Momma Apple" it's still just a refurb.

I have a 64gb 1st revision iPad and have seen no reason to upgrade. I have plenty of room and I am a app-*hore and have over 2200 itunes items. So 16 - 32 gb would work fine for most people.

That being said, and me being a confirmed Apple Fan-Boy....go look at Kindle Fire or Fire HD. Got my wife one and except for iTunes, it is a VERY nice and useable tablet. It doesn't suffer from the Android "what kind of ice cream flavor to buy" syndrome. It costs MUCH less than iPad. It runs 90% of the applications anyone could need.

I do like my iPad though...not many days that I don't pull it out for something. Make a great couch PC when watching TV.

lost871 wrote:Okay, so basically the biggest jumps from the iPad 3 to iPad 4 was the processor and the lightning connector. The screen and battery life are similar, but the iPad 4 has a faster processor. That being said, the iPad 3 is still able to handle anything you can throw at it. There are other smaller changes, like a better front facing camera for facetime and Skype. What you really have to consider is the 2nd jump I mentioned, the lightning connector. Every accessory from now on will use this connector. If this is your first iPad, the 4th gen is without a doubt the best option. As for storage, I have used a 16 GB and have not had a problem with the apps and storage, but I stream movies and use some cloud services. So just think if you want to put movies for your kids and books for them to read in the future. If you think you will do that, think about getting a 32 GB, since HD movies are much bigger files. Apple products tend to be futureproof for a few years (I have used my iPad 2 since its launch, and it still works great), so think about what you want to do with it for at least 3 years. 128 GB iPad (800 for wifi, 930 for 4G) might be overkill, but just think about your needs if you want. 32 GB tends to be the sweet spot for the majority of people.

I agree with this assessment with a few additions...

To those who said they have an iPad 2 with 16 gig capacity and it is plenty big, you have to consider the fact that the iPad 3-4 have the retina screen so apps optimized for the new devices are much larger do to the higher resolution. Not to mention much higher processor speeds which allow developers to make more and more impressive apps at the cost of larger file sizes. With that being said I would always suggest to splurge for the slightly larger 32 gig unit. The 64 and larger are only for those who have businesses that require lots of space for video/documentation/etc.

One other point with regard to the comparison between the iPad 3 and 4. The 3 had some over heating problems that were remedied with the 4. I had a 3 myself and returned it due to this issue.

In this rapidly accelerating roller-coaster world of technology, don't buy old tech.

I like the iPad (2nd generation) they gave us to use at work. I recently installed a Calculator to help my Algebra 2 students since I could not figure out how to calculate for the correct answers. It took me a few minutes to figure out how to use the free calculator, but for a FREE app, it was awesome.
What does this have to do with getting an iPad? For educators they are great.
I do not download movies but do watch Amazon Prime free movies on mine and the picture is way better than my old television. Just wish there was better sound.
The 4th gen sounds great. Not sure about the price, or how it would compare to a Kindle though.
The apps for iPads are the best. I just made and published my first movie with iMovie (doubt if I can do that with a Kindle).
You can see it here (I am sure 4th gen is way better). It is tempting to get my own private iPad. http://youtu.be/v5pZgJ3GNK4

This is a hard choice. You can get a 3rd gen refurb with twice the memory directly from Apple with a 1 year warrantee (http://store.apple.com/us/product/FC707LL/A/refurbished-ipad-with-wi-fi-64gb-black-3rd-generation).

The question is, what is the nature of the refurb? Was it returned because the purchaser opened the box didn't like it? Was it returned because of a minor defect (scratches)? Was it returned because of a moderate defect (dead pixels)? Was it returned because of a major defect (component failure)?

This is the question you have in front of you and have to balance the risk. If it were a 1 year warrantee and no 90 days, I would be all over it. If it was a return or a minor defect with 90 days, I would be all over it.

In the past, I've bought a few refurb items. One was an LG DVD recorder which didn't function at all. Woot kindly replaced it promptly, but the replacement died within a year. Granted, the iPad is in a different category.

Do we know if it is eligible for AppleCare?

It all comes down to this:

If you live in a Apple environment, meaning you already own other apple devices...

Buy this item.... if you don't - buy a Nexus.

I'm about to buy an Iphone from Sprint. The salesman said I'd need to buy a sprint Ipad for full connectivity. Any truth to that?

eraten wrote:I'm 99.99% sure that this is an Apple refurb; you just don't get the Apple warranty since you're not buying it directly from Apple. This has been discussed in the past with other Apple products sold on woot. Apple is the only company allowed to refurbish their products.

I'm pretty sure that's not correct. Apple can't prevent anyone from refurbing their products. The iPod Touch I got from Woot was refurbed by Sohnen Enterprises. And Woot had sold Apple products with the Apple warranty in the past.

So no, the refurbishment quality may not be up to that of an official refurb.

Thinking about this iPad, but a general comment on what I have read about refurbed anything. Some say that the item is put through more testing and checks than the original and therefore is a safer buy. I have bought many things refurbed (vacuum, tools, stereo, iPod touch. . . .and never (knocking on wood) had a problem with them being anything less than what I would expect new. Food for thought.

goosedaddy wrote:Weak.

CowBoom.com (Best buy) has a slightly used 64gig for $479.99 today.

Link (iPad is a daily deal, so this won't work forever): http://www.cowboom.com/deal-of-the-day.cfm

C'mon woot...

(Edit: forgot link)

EDIT 2: This is an iPad 3 right now. Apparently CowBoom is also selling different ones (e.g. better/worse condition) throughout the night. Might want to keep posted and see if they sell a 4

anybody ever bought from cowboom before? leery about the "slightly used" vs. Refurb billing. Sounds risky!

tylerbrackeen wrote:I would rather pay the additional 60$ and have the piece of mind that it is new than receive a lousy 12% discount for possibly faulty electronics.

Me too.

If you live where there is a Microcenter they have the 4th gen 16gb WiFi for $460 currently.

http://www.microcenter.com/search/search_results.aspx?sku_list=097592+098236

kennyv03 wrote:anybody ever bought from cowboom before? leery about the "slightly used" vs. Refurb billing. Sounds risky!

While I personally haven't purchased from Cowboom, the site is Best Buy's refurb website. Not much risk there, other than the same risk you have walking into one their stores and being greeted by somebody who generally knows less than you do.

Thanks everyone, I appreciate all the input!

Having just bought one of these a week ago, I'll say I wish I had got a 32g. I don't have any movies or music on it, just apps (about 70 of them) 2 of them take up more than a gig each. 1.5gb for Spider-man and 1.7 for NBA 2K13.

I woke up to a notification for an iOS update this morning but it can't do it because it needs 1gb and I don't have it available.

I'm VERY tempted to return it and buy the 32gb. I got a discount on the one I have though (about $80) so I'd lose that this time.

For the price of the refurb (3rd party) and the warranty, you can get a brand new one at any major local retailer or even Apple.com and get free engraving. Sorry Woot but this sale just falls flat.

woodyie wrote:TARGET HAD A NEW ONE FOR 429.00 LAST NIGHT, WHY PAY THIS PRICE FOR A REFURBISHED

http://www.target.com/p/apple-ipad-mini-32gb-wi-fi-black-md529ll-a/-/A-14213696#prodSlot=large_1_7 mini...
[MOD: Looking online, I think you were seeing the iPad Mini. ]

tuber wrote:I'm about to buy an Iphone from Sprint. The salesman said I'd need to buy a sprint Ipad for full connectivity. Any truth to that?

No clue to why they would say that. Wife and I are on our 4th iPhone started with the 3G, went to the 4, now the 5 and my wife has a 4s. Never did we have to purchase an iPad with any (of course we use AT&T and the iPad did come out later).

The only thing I can see them wanting to sell you an iPad is so you use more data on the combined plan.

Unless they have a logical explanation as to why, I know many people who don't own an iPad and are just fine (connectivity wise) with their iPhone.

Wish it had 4g.