WiFi now or wait for 3G? 16, 32, or 64gigs?

Obviously, this comes down to personal choice (not necessarily need...). I opted for the wifi model because in a large area like south Florida, wifi is ubiquitous. It does maps just fine by locating you via wifi. You probably won't be using this thing as a "turn by turn" navigator... there are lots of better choices for that. You can get very full featured GPS unit for around $100. There are "portable" hotpot solutions as well if you find you absolutely must have 3G.

I have 5 pages of apps on my iPad, some iPad and some iPhone, but no music and just a few small videos. I still have 10GB of space left in a 16GB model.

OFFICIAL RECOMMENDATION: !!!! Buy the bottom offering now, the 16GB wifi, wait for Revision 2 which will probably have the internal camera for iChat, then reevaluate. I'll bet you have no problem moving your 1st gen on to some deserving soul in your acquaintance.

I currently have an iPhone 3GS with Rogers in Canada. A 6GB data plan costs about $30.00, but I rarely use more than 1GB/month, primarily because I experience eyestrain surfing the net for extended periods on my iPhone (OK I'm a bit older).

Steve Jobs says tethering won't be allowed so I'll do the following: I'll lower the data plan on my iPhone to 500MB (so I can receive mail and texts) and will use the balance of the cash I save to buy a larger data plan for the iPad.

I hope to spend the same amount for data, but I'll have usage split between 2 devices, based on typical usage for that device. I'm sure after a few months I'll figure out the right mix.

I'll buy 3G enabled for flexibility. I don't want to have a device that will need to rely on wifi, only to determine that it's usefulness is diminished because I don't have an available wifi connection (it is amazing how many places require a payment to use wifi - airports, etc.)

Can't tether your Blackberry to your iPad.

I'll lower the data plan on my iPhone to 500MB (so I can receive mail and texts) and will use the balance of the cash I save to buy a larger data plan for the iPad.

As an FYI, SMS/MMS are not exchanged via the carrier's data or internet network as with email, browsing, or with an included app or a 3rd party app that requires internet access. SMS/MMS are exchanged via the cellular network - the same network for calls. Data or internet access doesn't apply to SMS/MMS. SMS/MMS has been available for some time with "dumb" phones or non-smart phones that don't have internet access.

I bought a 32GB WiFi iPad last weekend. While I can and do use my iPad while not on a network, it feels like less of a machine because it can do so much more when connected to the net. If the iPad hasn't been released internationally by the time 3G versions are available in the states I may try to sell my WiFi only model overseas

I got the wifi 16GB.

It was a hard call to make and the final decision was all situational. I almost cancelled my preorder a couple of times.

I got 16GB because $100 for another 16GB seems like a ripoff with today's memory prices. Still I can put 20+ hours of video on there or 100s of pictures. I don't plan on putting much music on there. I have a mp3 player for that. If you spend $200 to go to 64 just for music you could have spent that on a really nice mp3 player. I assume most people already have one though.

The thing I would miss most is GPS but I already have it in spades on my phone and car. Plus the find location by wifi works amazingly well even tethered to my phone.

I don't want to pay $30 a month for data so no 3G. Plus my phone is a hotspot so no biggie.

Scottamus wrote:
I don't want to pay $30 a month for data so no 3G. Plus my phone is a hotspot so no biggie.

Others should remember that unlike a phone, you don't have to pay the $30 every month unless you want to/need to. There's no contract. When I get one I'll get the 3G version because I would rather have 3G and not pay for it when not needed, than wish I had it and not have it.

I hear you. All I can say is that I can't see someone using it and skipping a whole month. No contract is great so you can cancel whenever you want, but beyond that I think you'll either use 3G all the time or never. I chose never.

Now if they had plans where you could buy a gigabyte of 3G at a time and it never expired, in my situation, I could totally go for that. That way it's always there in a pinch but you don't have another monthly bill for data you don't use.

Scottamus wrote:
Now if they had plans where you could buy a gigabyte of 3G at a time and it never expired

That would be cool. I would go for that.

Well, I went and sold my 32 GB WiFi iPad to a friend (face value, but she didn't have to pay the tax). I'll wait for the 3G. But I already miss my old one...

Honestly, I do not see the need for 3G. The majority of time I spend on the iPad is with a wifi connection readily available. If I am on the move and need to browse for something I have my iPhone. With regard to 16,32 or 64 I say either get 16 or 64. I bought a 32gb iPad first played with it for a few days and realized I should have just got the 64gb model. I went back to Best Buy today and they had 5 64gb models. I exchanged my 32gb and am happy I did. Apple nailed it with this thing! Everyone who has used mine plans to buy one. I will be selling off my Macbooks and getting an iMac. The only thing I kick myself for now is not buying aapl @$80 when I had a hefty chunk of coin to plunk down....oh well. I love this company and all they create. I have now transistioned to "fanboy" and it's all good!

I really want the 32g 3G model but I'm anxious for the 2nd Gen iPad with camera. I'm hoping for dual cameras since it just makes sense to take pictures with the iPad considering you can set it up as a digital photo frame, and using it as a portable video conferencing just seems right.

It would be silly if there's just one camera on the screen with a photobooth style app. Imagine trying to take real pictures of something else. Of course given Apple's track record (e.g., nano getting a camera but not touch?), it's almost entirely possible we may never see a camera on the iPad if because of some marketing reason.

just a opinion; if you know that you are going to keep the ipad at home the vast majority of the time and/or occassionally take it out into wifi environments (work, school, starbucks)the wifi should be good for you.

But once you start using it as a truly portable device (like u do w/a cell phone) you may want to go 3g to give you that optional freedom option, if the need arises.

space 16, 32, 64 has always been a issue with devices. if u use the ipad as a niche device (between cell and notebook) and use the cloud for data and documents the 16 / 32 range s/be good - but if your going to look at it from the notebook perspective the more space the better as they say.

Do what I did. Get a Blackberry on AT&T and do your own comparison. Nothing changed but the phone. From iPhone 3G to Blackberry Bold and later a Bold 9700. Magically the dropped calls disappeared. Of course this may not apply to you where you live. But in my hometown, a large city, the difference was night and day.

While any network can have weak spots and poor coverage in some cities, IMO the iPhone 3G is giving AT&T a black eye. What a crappy phone that was for the year I used it (and all 3 replacements too btw).

When you consider how much data AT&T is moving with iPhones, they still have the fastest data speed in a recent PC World Comparison. Verizon won the year before but are now getting Android phones that can pull down data similar to iPhone.

Getting dropped calls? Just try a Blackberry and see if your dropped call problems magically vanish (granted a Blackberry can't do all an iPhone can do, but it can be used as a phone).

Think I'm a partisan? Nah, use Verizon and AT&T and have 2 Macs in my house and one Win 7 PC. I speak from experience not emotion.

Does anyone know if the International versions of the iPad will be 'locked'? if so, will each version be locked to a specific carrier in that country? if not locked, would it not be better for those of us in the U.S. to buy an 'International' version (assuming price is similar) so that we get an unlocked iPad? I am definitely waiting for the 3G version which is presumably released on the same date as the international version...