Where to buy iPAD in TV?

[simpkinp]

What is the best place to buy an iPAD in TV? I am hoping for a place that can help show me how to use it and set it up for my email accounts. I really want to buy one tomorrow, if possible, and don't want to drive to Orlando to the Apple Store. Also, regular iPAD or Mini? I like the smaller size and lighter weight of the mini. I have heard of some minor drawbacks between it and the full size version, but I am not a picky person.

[Parker]

You can get them at Target. Happy shopping!

[casita37]

I bought my at the AT&T store on 441, up near Lowe's. They only sell the ones with 3G (maybe 4G by now), so you have to buy a data plan. I love it though...it works wherever there is AT&T service. Of course, I can also use it with wifi. The people working there are all very helpful and have set up several things for me.

[Sunshine Mary]

Best buy

[ncr2482]

What is the best place to buy an iPAD in TV? I am hoping for a place that can help show me how to use it and set it up for my email accounts. I really want to buy one tomorrow, if possible, and don't want to drive to Orlando to the Apple Store. Also, regular iPAD or Mini? I like the smaller size and lighter weight of the mini. I have heard of some minor drawbacks between it and the full size version, but I am not a picky person.

Walmart

[Blackie]

None of the local vendors will be able to help with training.

Buy direct from Apple (through their web site) and it'll be delivered to your door.

Regular or mini? That's a personal choice - look at both.

[LittleDog]

If you want training I'm sure the Lifelong Learning college offers courses.

John

[simpkinp]

Thank you all for your input. I found it very helpful. I am going to look at both devices tomorrow. I gave my laptop to the grandkids this past weekend and am having withdrawals. I have to go to my office and use my desktop or use the cellphone. Cellphone is just a bit too small for these senior citizen eyes.

[kaydee]

LOVE my IPad..got it at Best Buy. I chose the one that is data capable for when I want to add a date plan for road trips. When needed I add the plan for $20.00 and it covers a month.

[simpkinp]

Wow, I did not know you could add a data plan for just one month. I thought it was $30 a month for every month. Thank you for that info. I went to the iPad meeting today at Colony Rec Center. I think I am pretty set on the full size iPad with Retinal screen. Pricey, but I'm worth it, right?

[Lbmb24101]

We have the 2nd generation ipad and love it! You get what you pay for, right?
I can't tell you the last time i used our laptop!!
However....
For xmas we updated our cell phones and instead of the apple iphone, we got the Samsung Galaxy Note Ii and wow wow wow, love it
So now we have the best of both worlds!

[kaydee]

Wow, I did not know you could add a data plan for just one month. I thought it was $30 a month for every month. Thank you for that info. I went to the iPad meeting today at Colony Rec Center. I think I am pretty set on the full size iPad with Retinal screen. Pricey, but I'm worth it, right?

The $20.00 data pkg is just for 1 gb which is more than enough memory for using on an occasional road trip. Otherwise, I do not pay a monthly fee since I have wireless at home. When we reach our destination we have access to wireless which I convert just to save my data use altho I am confident that I wouldn't run out. For me, it is a great feature on the new IPad to be able to play games,use facebook etc, while traveling on the highway.

[steaknife]

Iused Best Buy because of the extended warranty you can purchase. I have had an Ipad since they first came out andhave returned and gotten new ones under the plan twice. Its pricey but cheaper thn having to buy a new Ipad.

[simpkinp]

What about Apple Care? It costs $99 to extend the warraanty for two years from the initial warranty period. Is the Best Buy warranty better?

[scrapple]

I purchased mine on line, am very happy with it. I'm sort of stupid with computers but this is family intuitive or as stupid as me, either way, I find it easy to navigate. Enjoy!

[simpkinp]

Thanks to all of you for your input. I bought an iPad today, the full size with the retinal display. It is awesome, but of course I have the new device hell to go through. I bought it at Best Buy and they did an initial set up for me. I'm on it now!

[memason]

That's cool!

Now, you need apps....lots of apps.

Here's a link to a forum, where lots of our TOTV friends have shared their favorite apps for the iPhone and iPad. There's bound to be some you absolutely need... :-)

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/computer-questions-92/iphone-ipad-apps-sizzle-30126/

[simpkinp]

Thanks for the link, very helpful! I have been totally memorized by this new toy, need to go shopping, but here I sit, playing and downloading apps. I am having a ball. It is very intuitive and I am learning fast.

[mitchbr47]

It depends on whether you buy the device with 4G with a ATT or Verison account. The rates are comparable. Yes, you can pay for the cellular plan on a monthly basis. It is up to you to turn it off. Settings> Cellular Data > View Account The $20 a month provide 1024 MB of data.$30 a month is 2 GB.
There is support for the iPad from the Mac User group right here in The Villages. The iPad makes a pretty good GPS.
The iPad meeting at Colony isn't part of The Villages Macintosh User Group. However, you might get good advice.
Whether it is pricey or not depends on how you plan to use it.
If I were new at this I'd go to the Apple Store in Orlando. Much more knowledgeable than local stores.

[batman911]

It depends on whether you buy the device with 4G with a ATT or Verison account. The rates are comparable. Yes, you can pay for the cellular plan on a monthly basis. It is up to you to turn it off. Settings> Cellular Data > View Account The $20 a month provide 1024 MB of data.$30 a month is 2 GB.
There is support for the iPad from the Mac User group right here in The Villages. The iPad makes a pretty good GPS.
The iPad meeting at Colony isn't part of The Villages Macintosh User Group. However, you might get good advice.
Whether it is pricey or not depends on how you plan to use it.
If I were new at this I'd go to the Apple Store in Orlando. Much more knowledgeable than local stores.

I have 4G with Verizon and you can turn the 4G option off on your plan when you do not need it. Verizon will charge you for turning the plan back on again. Need to ensure you have your iPad in the "airplane" mode when you do not want to use 4G service. It will automatically go to 4G if you are out of range of a wi-fi hot spot or your router which could eat up your data allowance when you do not want it to do that. Also more important if you are on foreign travel.

[wendyquat]

Thanks to all of you for your input. I bought an iPad today, the full size with the retinal display. It is awesome, but of course I have the new device hell to go through. I bought it at Best Buy and they did an initial set up for me. I'm on it now!

Get "scotutor for iPad" from the App Store. Is a very good tutorial for new users!

[simpkinp]

Thanks Wendy, I will do it now!

[CFrance]

You can buy an ipad 3G at the AT&T store a previous poster suggested, and you do not have to buy a data plan. You can turn the data plan on if you want it, then turn it back off. Requires calling AT&T. Otherwise it will work off of your wifi (or anywhere there is free wifi), so you don't need the data plan if you don't want it. I suggest buying an AT&T ipad because they have a card in them (micro-sim card) that if you travel overseas or to Canada or Mexico or Caribbean you can replace with a data card in whatever country you are visiting, and have internet access just about anywhere. The Verizon variety of iPad does not have an interchangeable micro sim card. Theirs can only be used in the States. Both ipads are the same price, so why not get the one with international capabilities? You never know when yu might travel, or to where.

Check the iPad and see who it is made for, Verizon or AT&T. Also, there will be a little silver slit on the side if the sim card is interchangeable.

There are classes at the lifelong learning college, but if you just want to get your email up and running, that AT&T store should do it for you. You can take a course later if you feel you need it. If you are computer literate, you probably won't need it.

I find it difficult to type on my ipad for long periods of time because the on-screen keypad is so small, and you're constantly having to switch between three different screens to get the full keyboard complement. For instance, the dollar sign, @ sign and numbers are on a different screen from the letters, and some other keys one uses a lot are on yet a third screen. There are some shortcuts to get around some of that, but I find I forget them because I don't use them frequently enough.

If you think that will bother you (it does me), you might want to consider whether or not the mini can be attached to a full keyboard that is easier to use, like the full size one can. For home use, you could have it set up with a keyboard, and for going out and about, you could suffer through the smaller touch keyboard on the pad to have the convenience of throwing it in your purse and taking off. But keep in mind you won't be throwing it in your purse and taking off aroud town unless you have a data plan, because you won't have wifi in the car unless you have a smart phone and turn your hotspot on. So you might only be dashing about with it on trips, in which case I would go with the bigger one with the bigger keypad and more features.

Just my opinion, but I found the ipad cannot replace my laptop. There are some things it won't do, and the safari browser cannot compare, IMO, to Firefox (my favorte) or IE. But I love it for travel or just banging around with from front porch to lanai or in the car when we're going to anyplace more than a half hour away (data plan required for that last one, like I said earlier) because I get bored in the car.

Hope that helps rather than confuses.