I’m selling my iPad 3 (3G, 64 GB). And I’m not buying an iPad 4. Neither is an iPad mini in my plans. So I’m going to tell you about the device and the sale and then the why.
Firstly, the iPad.
It’s a top of the range model with both a SIM slot and also a cavernous 64 GB internal storage that I’ve frankly never really managed to fill. For that I blame iCloud more than anything as I seldom keep movies on-device now. This device would have cost nearly £700 new (just seven months ago). It’s still under the first year of warranty so you can buy AppleCare for it and extend the warranty for a further year.
I buy the top of the range model because they have the most flexibility and I’m never left wanting a higher end model, wishing I had bought a model with more space, wishing I had opted for a 3G model. The option of cellular is one I would never be without even though I have tethering available on my phone.
On top of that I’m selling a raft of connectors to attach it to HDMI, VGA and Composite. And the USB bit from the Camera kit (having lost the SD connector). I use the USB connector to attach to keyboards, MIDI devices and a USB headset. Works pretty flawlessly. These connectors would have previously cost around £120. I’ve used them for presentations around the country ( except the Composite ) and they work better than AirPlay mirroring though you’re obviously tethered to a cable.
The iPad is in great condition, stored in an Invision smart case that protects the screen and the back. It may not be to everyone’s taste in colour (mine is a leathery orange colour) but it’s included.
iPad 3, Worth over £800. Yours for £475
And the why?
At the moment I’ve become very attached to tablet computing and I’m going to try going back to the olden days (ie 3 years ago). Trying to pare down my work to a laptop and phone. I can still attach my laptop to projectors and control it over Bluetooth just like I do with my iPad (and iPhone as controller). My workflow would be much the same, my delivery of my work much the same and my productivity possibly the same.
It would be easy to justify having laptop and iPad and iPhone and, indeed, iPad mini. Rather than converging our digital lives, we are diverging them. This device for work, this for playing games, a third for reading books. Rather than one device, we now have a device for everything.
Also, since upgrading to an iPhone 5, I’ve been working a lot more from the phone. The extra screen space is tiny but it is enough to make doing presentations in Keynote a pleasure. And the extra speed, useful for rendering and switching apps – itself useful for putting together presentations (need an image, switch to Safari, save an image, switch back to Keynote, open the Media picker).
If I return to the iPad, it will likely be after relinquishing a laptop and moving back to a desktop. The extra screen space, CPU power and storage on a desktop over a laptop is very attractive. And for mobility, the iPad is all anyone could ever need.
So, for now, until the transition is complete, I’m selling the iPad for a fraction of the true value. IF you’re interested in a top of the range machine, then get in touch.
I can understand your reasons for moving away from your tablet. I’ve had a second-hand iPad one for a few months now, and what I use it for is reading – largely PDFs. Now it’s a keeper for me for that, as I find it easy to browse through both scientific papers and RPG books with the touch interface. That said, the inability to title files and classify them well in iBooks leaves me wanting something more user-friendly.
That said, some friends use the iPad with their children too, so once I get the WiFi up in our place I will probably be going app-happy on behalf of my son.
Rather than iBooks, you may want to look at GoodReader. It’s a really powerful piece of software.
Thanks for the tip.
Do you know if you can port over your iBook Library to GoodReader? I’ve invested a lot of time sorting my PDFs into some sort of order in iBook and it would be nice to keep the general category structure to work on.
BTW, are you advertising the iPad on FB?
Better still – you can upload to GoodReader over WiFi directly from your main computer. It also supports proper folders etc and direct downloads. It’s a really powerful piece of software – not just for reading.
I haven’t put it on FB because my FB footprint is tiny.
I think GoodReader shall be on my iPad soon then. Thanks for the advice!
Do you want me to link to this post on FB for you?