@remo28 Until today's event (and perhaps still), the iPad sweetspots were the Mini 2 and the plain old Air. Many folks wouldn't need/notice the difference in the latest gen models (Mini 3/Air 2).
@remo28 I broke my screen on my ipad 2 and didnt' want to shell out the money for a replacement when I assumed it was so old anyway, might as well get a new one, so I got an Air. I honestly cannot tell ANY difference whatsoever! I say keep your money and wait for something significantly better. :) Plus--had to buy new cables, new keyboard case, screen protectors etc.
@stevenstepheni I seem to be having some responsiveness issues at times. The home button on the bottom doesn't work very well. I mainly use the top button and multi-finger gestures, so not sure why it even started going stupid. Plus I don't think they plan on upgrading the iOS on it anymore. Which is also why I would get an air2 over a regular air, just because when it gets older that will stop getting the newer ios before the air2. As far as cables I have an iphone 6 so I'm already using lightening cables. A case and screen protectors are all I'd really want, since that is all I use now.
@RedOak I don't think I could go for a mini after having the larger screen for so long. I do a lot of reading on it and prefer the larger screen size. A friend loves her mini, but besides a phone that is all she has had. The other day I even considered getting one through Verizon just to pay the $27 a month with my bill instead of all of it upfront. I'm just afraid my husband will want one too. I told him he went Android, he's not allowed to go back.
@remo28 'not claiming it has always been done perfectly, but the iPad 2 has been pretty darned iOS-version-persistent. While Apple originally said iOS 8.x would be the final version, I thought I saw it might get 9.x.
@RedOak If I thought I could go with the smaller size, I would just for the price difference. I used to have an ipod touch 2g. It really sucked when it got to the point of no more upgrades on the iOS, because of the way it affected app updates and anything new I wanted. Last I heard it wasn't going to go beyond iOS 8. Also I'd rather upgrade before mine totally craps out on me.
@koalamoo A Xoom? Neat. It's getting so slow at everything but ebook-reading, Humble Bundling, and Clash of Clanning it feels like I should upgrade, but it does that, Netflix, Amazon video, MLB.tv & email so, well, decently that I don't.
Tablets are like monitors and politicians. Seems there are always lots of neat upgrade options, but I'm happy with my own. Well, except for some of my politicians, but you get the point.
I went from an ipad to an ipad 2 right when the ipad 2 came out. I did this so I could sell the ipad before its price deflated... worked like a charm.
I went to an ipad air 2 last year because I couldn't pass up the $150 below retail black friday deal... I keep the ipad2 around for all the weird little things I have with a 40 pin connector (like the awesome pinball base I got for $5 clearance, and the piano keyboard I got for $5 clearance as well ;) ) I still have my eye out for an iCade for $5.
Went from a Sero 7 Pro, which was a fantastic Nexus 7 clone, to an iPad Air. I would have been content with my Sero 7 pro if not for breaking it through a freak accident.
This tablet is tempting as a cheap wall clock calendar or info screen in the kitchen.
@thismyusername Oh I am aware they are junk. If I really wanted to, I would spend $40 on an unbranded windows tablets or an old ipad 1 or 2, all of which have better resolutions.
I have the original iPad from 2010 and an iPad mini 2 that I bought on Black Friday after the 3 came out. I guess I upgrade once the old one becomes effectively unusable with modern sites and apps.
My first iPad was the 3 because the retina screen was fabulous. My second is the Air 2 because it was significantly lighter, more powerful, and has Touch ID. Those were consequential enough for me to upgrade. I'm feeling good about this purchase since it's the only iPad that'll run all the new iOS 9 goodies.
My first tablet was the HP Touchpad. I got 3 of them from the fire sale. WebOS was awesome but I had to put Android on them for the apps. I used it for about 2 years off an on. Then I couldn't handle the speed when browsing so I picked up a Nexus 7 (2013). That little tablet is great and I have no itch to upgrade it in the near future.
@Spirtir Touchpad FTW! that was also my first actual tablet and from the fire sales as well. Finally bought a new Samsung Tab S last week to replace it, couldn't say no at 249 for a crazy resolution 10.4"
@thismyusername Mine is still sitting on a shelf. Sometimes I think about selling it, but I fear I would miss it! That was a great tablet, I just wish WebOS would have held on. That UI was awesome.
@Spirtir I guess I'm the cranky old guy. It was much heavier and more awkward to hold than my Xoom and for me, webOS never worked as well as Honeycomb. I still have it on a shelf in Exhibition mode as an info dashboard for some stuff I like to have at a glance, but I'd never actually pick it up and hold it to use it. On the other hand, I think the stuff the Android team has incorporated from webOS has really worked well.
iPads have traditionally been announced in October - so, announcing a new iPad in September is a departure for Apple. But, it's a new BIG iPad - don't think we'll get a new 10 inch or a new mini this time around. Maybe in October? Then, the prices for the Air and Mini 3 will come down. I expect the mini to be $279-299 if and when a new line up of iPads is announced.
I started with an original Asus Transformer TF101, found that to be pretty crap for anything I wanted to do (terrible video codec support and too slow a CPU for software decoding). I sock-drawered it for a while until I sold it a year or two later. I bought a Samsung Galaxy Note 8 over 2 years ago and I still have that to this day. Just the right size and plenty quick for watching movies on a plane or managing a music playlist at a party. I've got my eye on a MS Surface 3 (non-Pro), just waiting for some kind of a sale.
Convinced a company I ran to buy me an iPad 2 (It did have a TON of work value) .They then sold, and left it off the asset list so I got to keep it. I'll probably use this thing until it dies.
I think it's getting close, now.
Takes close to 30 seconds to load any app. I have to factory reset it every couple months. It freezes for no reason and requires a forced reboot, etc.
When the old one stops working like it is supposed to. Then I get one that is better, or faster, or bigger. Or I just double the dosage and take 2 at a time.
Now that the tablet market is maturing(most folks who want them, have them, and performance gains of new models are diminishing returns), sales performance is getting painful for manufacturers. This is likely to put competitive downward price pressure on prices.
I have a 2 GB Nook that I use as an MP3 player on the iPup speaker from my very first Fuku. 'Monsters of Rock' plus 'Forty Licks' plus Cream, Hendrix and Steppenwolf have been on for months, and I'm still not bored. We take our electronics recycling seriously around here!
Tablet... I haven't yet.
The mini 1 is ok for now... I'd love to update to a higher version soon...
I really want a new iPad. Currently using a 2g. Want an Air 2. But other things always come up that I spend money on instead. Maybe for Christmas.
@remo28 Air2 might just drop in price tomorrow (well if they release a new ipad, which they might not).
@remo28 Until today's event (and perhaps still), the iPad sweetspots were the Mini 2 and the plain old Air. Many folks wouldn't need/notice the difference in the latest gen models (Mini 3/Air 2).
@remo28 I broke my screen on my ipad 2 and didnt' want to shell out the money for a replacement when I assumed it was so old anyway, might as well get a new one, so I got an Air. I honestly cannot tell ANY difference whatsoever! I say keep your money and wait for something significantly better. :)
Plus--had to buy new cables, new keyboard case, screen protectors etc.
@stevenstepheni I seem to be having some responsiveness issues at times. The home button on the bottom doesn't work very well. I mainly use the top button and multi-finger gestures, so not sure why it even started going stupid. Plus I don't think they plan on upgrading the iOS on it anymore. Which is also why I would get an air2 over a regular air, just because when it gets older that will stop getting the newer ios before the air2. As far as cables I have an iphone 6 so I'm already using lightening cables. A case and screen protectors are all I'd really want, since that is all I use now.
@RedOak I don't think I could go for a mini after having the larger screen for so long. I do a lot of reading on it and prefer the larger screen size. A friend loves her mini, but besides a phone that is all she has had. The other day I even considered getting one through Verizon just to pay the $27 a month with my bill instead of all of it upfront. I'm just afraid my husband will want one too. I told him he went Android, he's not allowed to go back.
@remo28 wasn't pointing at the small or large iPad - only the generational sweet spots for each of those sizes.
@remo28 'not claiming it has always been done perfectly, but the iPad 2 has been pretty darned iOS-version-persistent. While Apple originally said iOS 8.x would be the final version, I thought I saw it might get 9.x.
@RedOak If I thought I could go with the smaller size, I would just for the price difference. I used to have an ipod touch 2g. It really sucked when it got to the point of no more upgrades on the iOS, because of the way it affected app updates and anything new I wanted. Last I heard it wasn't going to go beyond iOS 8. Also I'd rather upgrade before mine totally craps out on me.
@remo28 'not sure why you keep mentioning going to the smaller Mini if you don't like that size.
Note Apple officially shows iOS 9 coming to the iPad 2. (Doesn't mean it will be pretty of course, they claim iOS is more resource smart.)
Scroll to the bottom of this page for all the devices eligible for iOS 9:
http://www.apple.com/ios/whats-new/
Whenever they push it OTA.
You know, once I bought a 3G enabled Motorola Xoom tablet.
That's it. That's the list.
@stinks Yup, I'm still rocking it too. I keep thinking about upgrading, but then I just can't bring myself to do it, for how little I actually use it.
@koalamoo A Xoom? Neat. It's getting so slow at everything but ebook-reading, Humble Bundling, and Clash of Clanning it feels like I should upgrade, but it does that, Netflix, Amazon video, MLB.tv & email so, well, decently that I don't.
It'd be better if it didn't have that stupid palette issue with Monument Valley.
Tablets are like monitors and politicians. Seems there are always lots of neat upgrade options, but I'm happy with my own. Well, except for some of my politicians, but you get the point.
Moses blah blah blah. Bayer aspirin blah blah blah.
Nope. No good tablet puns coming to me right now.
I went from an ipad to an ipad 2 right when the ipad 2 came out.
I did this so I could sell the ipad before its price deflated... worked like a charm.
I went to an ipad air 2 last year because I couldn't pass up the $150 below retail black friday deal... I keep the ipad2 around for all the weird little things I have with a 40 pin connector (like the awesome pinball base I got for $5 clearance, and the piano keyboard I got for $5 clearance as well ;) ) I still have my eye out for an iCade for $5.
Went from a Sero 7 Pro, which was a fantastic Nexus 7 clone, to an iPad Air. I would have been content with my Sero 7 pro if not for breaking it through a freak accident.
This tablet is tempting as a cheap wall clock calendar or info screen in the kitchen.
@DarkHuD don't do it!!!! These tablets are clearly destined for the next Fuko.
@thismyusername Oh I am aware they are junk. If I really wanted to, I would spend $40 on an unbranded windows tablets or an old ipad 1 or 2, all of which have better resolutions.
I have the original iPad from 2010 and an iPad mini 2 that I bought on Black Friday after the 3 came out. I guess I upgrade once the old one becomes effectively unusable with modern sites and apps.
Never.
@JonT hint. @Dave.
My first iPad was the 3 because the retina screen was fabulous. My second is the Air 2 because it was significantly lighter, more powerful, and has Touch ID. Those were consequential enough for me to upgrade. I'm feeling good about this purchase since it's the only iPad that'll run all the new iOS 9 goodies.
@SSteve I love touch ID. Yet another reason I need to upgrade from 2 to Air 2. My phone does it, my ipad should too!
When the on board storage reaches capacity.
And I can afford the upgrade, which is never.
So I end up deleting a lot of stuff I never use.
Then I can download a whole bunch of new stuff that I'll never use.
Lather, rinse, repeat.
My first tablet was the HP Touchpad. I got 3 of them from the fire sale. WebOS was awesome but I had to put Android on them for the apps. I used it for about 2 years off an on. Then I couldn't handle the speed when browsing so I picked up a Nexus 7 (2013). That little tablet is great and I have no itch to upgrade it in the near future.
@Spirtir Touchpad FTW! that was also my first actual tablet and from the fire sales as well. Finally bought a new Samsung Tab S last week to replace it, couldn't say no at 249 for a crazy resolution 10.4"
@Spirtir My firesale touchpad is still kicking! I only wish asus or apple would loose their minds like HP did that fateful day.
@thismyusername Mine is still sitting on a shelf. Sometimes I think about selling it, but I fear I would miss it! That was a great tablet, I just wish WebOS would have held on. That UI was awesome.
@Spirtir You will find many of the WebOS design ideas have leaked into android and ios, the card system of displaying running apps for example!
The only people still working on webos products is LG, they are sticking it in TVs.... weird.
@Spirtir I guess I'm the cranky old guy. It was much heavier and more awkward to hold than my Xoom and for me, webOS never worked as well as Honeycomb. I still have it on a shelf in Exhibition mode as an info dashboard for some stuff I like to have at a glance, but I'd never actually pick it up and hold it to use it. On the other hand, I think the stuff the Android team has incorporated from webOS has really worked well.
iPads have traditionally been announced in October - so, announcing a new iPad in September is a departure for Apple. But, it's a new BIG iPad - don't think we'll get a new 10 inch or a new mini this time around. Maybe in October? Then, the prices for the Air and Mini 3 will come down. I expect the mini to be $279-299 if and when a new line up of iPads is announced.
Every other year.
I started with an original Asus Transformer TF101, found that to be pretty crap for anything I wanted to do (terrible video codec support and too slow a CPU for software decoding). I sock-drawered it for a while until I sold it a year or two later. I bought a Samsung Galaxy Note 8 over 2 years ago and I still have that to this day. Just the right size and plenty quick for watching movies on a plane or managing a music playlist at a party.
I've got my eye on a MS Surface 3 (non-Pro), just waiting for some kind of a sale.
Anytime I can buy them for $32 or less. So close.
I'm still waiting for a good tablet I can afford. Problem is by the time I can afford them they're Crap.
Convinced a company I ran to buy me an iPad 2 (It did have a TON of work value) .They then sold, and left it off the asset list so I got to keep it. I'll probably use this thing until it dies.
I think it's getting close, now.
Takes close to 30 seconds to load any app. I have to factory reset it every couple months. It freezes for no reason and requires a forced reboot, etc.
Got a free iPad 2 from an old company, gave that to my son. (Too big, I didn't like it. He used it more then I did)
First got the Fire when it came out, only because I worked for Amazon (discount).
Only upgraded to the HDX because of cheap meh.
I have no need to move past the HDX.
When I use up all the paper on it. Then I have to upgrade to a tablet that has paper.
When the old one stops working like it is supposed to. Then I get one that is better, or faster, or bigger. Or I just double the dosage and take 2 at a time.
Now that the tablet market is maturing (most folks who want them, have them, and performance gains of new models are diminishing returns), sales performance is getting painful for manufacturers. This is likely to put competitive downward price pressure on prices.
Different tablets, different purposes, so my Nexus 7 is still used alongside my Windows tablets.
Even my Blackberry Playbook gets pulled out from time to time, mostly for music playback.
@narfcake BB Playbook. There's a collector's item. Baby it and save all the original packaging!
@RedOak Bought it from Cowboom in excellent condition but with no packaging. It was the best $100-ish tablet at the time, though.
I have a 2 GB Nook that I use as an MP3 player on the iPup speaker from my very first Fuku. 'Monsters of Rock' plus 'Forty Licks' plus Cream, Hendrix and Steppenwolf have been on for months, and I'm still not bored. We take our electronics recycling seriously around here!
Pretty much whenever something sparkly catches my eye...