No, the IPAD 2 has a duo core. The IPAD 3 has quad core. Radical difference in speeds. Run two of them side-by-side and you will notice the IPAD 3 is a huge difference. IPAD 4 only has a few minor changes like the cable port. Has the exact same processor as the IPAD 3, so it is identical speed as the IPAD 3.

thailar wrote:The iPad 3 is just about the same in speed as iPad 2, almost identical (due to the higher resolution. The iPad 4 is usually about 3x performance in benchmarks, however the real world usage won't be nearly as noticeable. I personally would rather dish out the extra cash for the latest and greatest, however, it probably isn't worth the difference for the average user.

Lower? Hardly. IPAD3 = quad core. Ipad2 = Duo Core.

Woot Tang Clan wrote:Currently on the 4. Does the 3 feel sluggish because of the higher resolution with lower processing power?

Since this does not have cellular network capabilities. I don't see how this is that great of a deal. Am I missing something?

This is incorrect. If you completely power the IPAD off, it the TSR programs will go away. If you press the power button just once (without holding the power button down for 10 secs), it goes into hibernation and is NOT powered off. (I power it off/power on alot because I dont want to sit there closing 30 apps.)

soundxli wrote:... that many apps will stay open and run in the background when the iPad is on due to multitasking, and the iPad remembers the apps that were running even when you turn it off and turn it back on. I would go so far as to say that the iPad hibernates when you turn it off. So the same apps will open and run in the background every time you turn off the iPad and turn it back on (I know because I just tried it on my iPad 3 with iOS 5.1.1).

Be sure to install something like Apple Sliced to get limited-time reduced price/free apps, or set up alerts for when specific ones drop in price. There are other price watching apps, but that's a name I remember off the top of my head.

Cowboom has Apple MD330LL/A WiFi 64GB iPad 3 - White for $479.

They had this exact deal at Walmart.com a couple of weeks ago, not sure it is that great of a deal, Except the walmart deal had free shipping...

but I am still tempted..

Now for my personal experience and criticism as an ipad buyer and user:

We bought a 2nd gen solely as a therapy tool for a deaf child. It has performed well in that role, and I would gladly buy one again, and again every month if I had to, for some of the help it provides with sound representation and identification.

The controlled access option with three clicks of the home button (when enabled) is enormously useful in that regard as well. Thumbs up.

And then comes the "but..."

But every time I use it I feel a little disappointed and am so thankful I didn't spend a huge amount of money buying it for myself. Not because it just has two cores, and not because the display isn't retina enough, but because I never can get over feeling like it's little more than a very expensive web browsing tool.

I won't go into not having drag and drop capabilities and being forced to use itunes for any interaction. Many folks have no technical knowledge or interest past "where's the button to turn it on?", and an itunes icon is probably a decent way for them to figure out how to get music and photos to the device. It's irritating that it's the ONLY way, but I'm almost willing to overlook it.

But it has no microSD slot, so you can't dump photos to it while on vacation. It doesn't have native support for .avi, so all of those educational DVDs you spent so much money on and time ripping? You get to re-encode them to Apple's restrictive format if you want to play them. A simple book reader with ebooks you already have? Good luck (hint: Stanza). And each time you use it you'll find something else that keeps you from easily doing what you should be able to easily do with a product like this.

I could almost see if I used an iphone for work and they could talk to one another (and kudos for Apple for convincing people that being trapped in a restrictive ecosystem is a desirable thing), but I can't figure out the massive appeal other than people being convinced that they need it and it will somehow make their lives better.

And, if checking Facebook on the toilet qualifies as making peoples' lives better, I'm sure it does. Otherwise though, it's been a bit of a disappointment and a product I wouldn't buy again.

Maybe I'm just not their demographic, though, so YMMV.

I've been reading woot writeups since you began, and that is the first one in umteen years that could make me write here.

Thank you. That was the funniest writeup since ever.

ponagathos wrote:I bought a "refurb" gen 3 when gen 4 was announced and the gen3 was removed from the Apple store. $380 for 16gig with Apple's normal one year warranty, so these do not seem very cheap.

This. When they are in stock, Apple is selling their own Apple refurb 16GB iPad 3 for $379, with free shipping and a one-year warranty. And I think we've all heard by now that Apple refurbs are like-new, whereas third party refurbs can vary drastically in quality.

wisenekt wrote:If Apple is doing the refurb, then really I don't think anyone at the store will be able to tell a difference. At the stores I have been to, the Genius Bar will help with any device, in warranty or not.

I wouldn't buy this based on the "hope" that the genius bar won't know who did the refurb. They check the serial number for warranty status. I wouldn't go for this deal just because of the questionable warranty status.

note2001 wrote:I must be silly to think I can compare this to the Asus tablet with keyboard dock for $330 also on woot. But indulge me:

What really pushes the ipad over the top when comparing the two 32Gb systems? Is it just the name and status that makes the iPad worth 120 more?

I owned both an iPad and a Droid tablet. The apps on the iPad are so much better and there are more iPad dedicated apps.

Duukdkarn wrote:No, the IPAD 2 has a duo core. The IPAD 3 has quad core. Radical difference in speeds. Run two of them side-by-side and you will notice the IPAD 3 is a huge difference. IPAD 4 only has a few minor changes like the cable port. Has the exact same processor as the IPAD 3, so it is identical speed as the IPAD 3.

Sorry, no.
I saw the benchmarks and side-by-side videos. The iPad 2 was faster than the iPad 3 due to having less to render. iPad 4 is the one with the huge difference as they stepped it up to the A6X from the previous A5x (vs. the A5 in the iPad 2) ultimately making it twice as fast as the iPad 3. Hardly "a few minor changes"

eta: Here is the processor breakdown:
2nd generation: Apple A5 (dual-core CPU with NEON SIMD accelerator and a dual core PowerVR SGX543MP2 GPU)
3rd generation: Apple A5X (dual-core CPU at 1 GHz and a quad-core PowerVR SGX543MP4 GPU)
4th generation: Apple A6X (Apple-designed ARMv7 based dual-core CPU + integrated quad-core PowerVR SGX 554MP4 graphics processing unit (GPU) running at 300 MHz and a doubled memory subsystem the result is twice the computing power and graphics performance as the previous Apple A5X)

eta2: LOL! OP got a QuiP for misinformation....

While I can't comment on the speed of the 3rd Gen (as I went from the 2nd to the 4th), I will say, if you've used the 1st/2nd Gen then the 3rd/4th the screen is simply amazing in comparison. Every time I use a 2nd Gen I feel like the screen is blurry and it infuriates me.

This is definitely a good deal for someone who isn't as concerned with having the absolute newest/fastest product on the market. Come to think of it, maybe I'll pick one up for my Mom... this would be perfect for her needs.

j5 wrote:Sorry, no.
I saw the benchmarks and side-by-side videos. The iPad 2 was faster than the iPad 3 due to having less to render. iPad 4 is the one with the huge difference as they stepped it up to the A6X from the previous A5x (vs. the A5 in the iPad 2) ultimately making it twice as fast as the iPad 3. Hardly "a few minor changes"

I will second this - you are most definitely correct. 4th Gen scores over double (vs. 3rd Gen) in Geekbench comparison.

See video for proof: http://youtu.be/BmyNGiA7VW8

I bought the 16gb iPad 3 this past December for 375. It was a great deal no scratches or dents always keep in case. At a local cellphone store.
I recommend this iPad I love it, I use it daily at work to keep track of inventory and emailsand other useful stuff

Walmart has them for the same price: http://www.walmart.com/ip/21141333?wmlspartner=wlpa&adid=22222222227015488978&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=&wl3=18149103790&wl4=&wl5=pla&veh=sem


[MOD: Out of Stock]

dangit!

alanwaite wrote:The only ones Apple is selling currently are the 32 GB and they are $469 so you save a bit. Apple doesn't have the 16 GB 3rd Gen in stock. The 16 GB 2nd Gen is $399, so this is not a bad deal.

Apple store does provide their normal 1 year warranty on Apple refurbished products, need a few more details on the 90 day from Woot

Woot Tang Clan wrote:Currently on the 4. Does the 3 feel sluggish because of the higher resolution with lower processing power?

No it is just a hair slower than the iPad 2. I've never felt it to be sluggish. The retina display is a beautiful and streams Netflix like a champ.

For anybody who doesn't care about the Retina display, Apple has been offering iPad 2 16GB WiFi refurbs for $319 on a regular basis. They are currently sold out, but seem to pop-up every couple of days.

The $399 model mentioned by others that is currently in-stock is a WiFi + Cellular model and not directly comparable to this.

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/ipad?

Apple just announced a 128 GB iPad that starts at ONLY $799...

That's just 36 monthly payments of $22.19!!!

Gotta get all the GeeBee's, man.

I also bought a refurb 3rd Gen iPad 16GB WiFi from the Apple store before xmas. Mine was $379.00, shipped free.

Sorry guys. This is not the deal you've been waiting for.

I've had a 3rd gen 32GB for over 6 months. I spent about $700. I puchased the replacement plan because my wife drops stuff a lot. It has been dropped four feet onto a hardwood and tile floor about two dozen times. The only damage it has sustained is a few small knicks in the aluminum.

Well built product. Runs great. Best $700 I've ever spent.

The warranty on the 32GB is what did it for me - it's only a 90 day woot warranty on here, but if you buy it from Apple for $20 more, you get an entire year.

note2001 wrote:I must be silly to think I can compare this to the Asus tablet with keyboard dock for $330 also on woot. But indulge me:

What really pushes the ipad over the top when comparing the two 32Gb systems? Is it just the name and status that makes the iPad worth 120 more?

I have the best ASUS available, the 64GB Infinity with a 64GB card in it. But it's very easy to reach the limits of what it can do. And though it's a quality device--and I'm a diehard Android fan--there is so many more apps available for the iPad (and many for free) that it's just a whole different league.

IMHO, Asus is like Canada and the iPad is like the USA: there are just more things you can do.

nicolai185 wrote:The warranty on the 32GB is what did it for me - it's only a 90 day woot warranty on here, but if you buy it from Apple for $20 more, you get an entire year.

Are you referring to buying the warranty or the iPad for $20 more?

I am a android phone user because I wanted a note 2, and an ipad user so I literally have no bias.

But I personally, and will stand by this... think that the ipad 2 is still the best tablet you can buy. Someone mentioned speed wise it is the same as the 3 (and it is) and yes, the screen on these are beautiful but it was never a big enough deal to warrant me to upgrade.

that being said, apple refurbed always ends up with ipad 2 for around 80 bucks cheaper than this and you get the full 1 year warranty.

I know eventually I will upgrade, but if you are choosing between a 250-300 android tablet, spend 320 on a refurbed ipad 2.

not even sure if this brings anything to this discussion haha but o well.

Duukdkarn wrote:No, the IPAD 2 has a duo core. The IPAD 3 has quad core. Radical difference in speeds. Run two of them side-by-side and you will notice the IPAD 3 is a huge difference. IPAD 4 only has a few minor changes like the cable port. Has the exact same processor as the IPAD 3, so it is identical speed as the IPAD 3.

That's actually false - look at the product description.

"Dual-Core A5X Chip
The dual-core A5X chip with quad-core graphics support provides a great deal of smoothness while powering substantially more technology. The new chip is able to easily render all of the 3.1-million pixels within the retina display while still retaining a substantial 10 hour battery life. The chip also functions in a way that allows you to touch and go with limited power-up times."

There are TWO different models of iPads with Retina displays, the 3rd gen and the 4th gen. The 4th gen has the lightening connector and a faster quad core processor. The 3rd gen (for sale here) has the old 30 pin connector and slower dual core processor.

tigger2u wrote:IMHO, Asus is like Canada and the iPad is like the USA: there are just more things you can do.

Apple == Bose, Asus == Pioneer.

ricktt3 wrote:I wouldn't buy this based on the "hope" that the genius bar won't know who did the refurb. They check the serial number for warranty status. I wouldn't go for this deal just because of the questionable warranty status.

I was saying if Apple did the refurb because of the serial number issue. Since Woot does not clearly say either way, I have not pulled the trigger yet. If it is 3rd party refurb, regardless of who it is, then I am in pass mode.

iPads are fo' sho' awesome, but I am waiting to see the real Windows 8 tablets in a couple of months before I pull the trigger on another tablet. Until then my Toshiba will tide me over.

tigger2u wrote:Are you referring to buying the warranty or the iPad for $20 more?

The 32gb Ipad is only $20 more on Apple's website, but you get their 1 year warranty included.

I bought an iPad1 for my wife in Dec 2010 and we are still quite happy with it. It has suffered numerous drops from our kids and still runs great. I am curious as to the battery life on the newer models with more power and sharper screens, the battery life on the first gen remains impressive after 100's of hours of use. I'd also be interested in playing with an current android tablet before I purchased another Apple product due to the aforementioned restrictiveness of their OS.

Shipping, taxes, blah, blah, blah, taken in to account. It's a good deal, have watched Cowboom and Apple store, finally pulled the trigger here. When is the last time you needed the warranty? (Hope not this time!) 90 days is a little light.
My wife wants it for Facetime... Playbook 32GB(149) and HP Touchpad 32GB(149) with Cyanogenmod cover my play time bases and the odd bit of work. I still need the laptop for real work and a proper keyboard.

alanwaite wrote:The only ones Apple is selling currently are the 32 GB and they are $469 so you save a bit. Apple doesn't have the 16 GB 3rd Gen in stock. The 16 GB 2nd Gen is $399, so this is not a bad deal.

Apple only is selling the 2nd generation with the A5 chip and the 4th generation with the A6X chip. They are not selling this particular model. Better spending the 469 on Apple's website and getting the new version.

j5 wrote:eta2: LOL! OP got a QuiP for misinformation....

Right? He/she lost me at "duo core."

j5 wrote:Apple == Bose, Asus == Pioneer.

+1, although we may intend it to mean entirely different things.

I won't go into not having drag and drop capabilities and being forced to use itunes for any interaction. Many folks have no technical knowledge or interest past "where's the button to turn it on?", and an itunes icon is probably a decent way for them to figure out how to get music and photos to the device. It's irritating that it's the ONLY way, but I'm almost willing to overlook it.

Try using Dropbox to transfer pictures from a phone (Droid and iOS), iPad, computer, etc. to it. On the iPhone and iPad it is automatic -- not sure how it works on a Droid.
My school has a 1:1 iPad program with 1600 iPads for students, who have also been taught to do this. Drag pictures, movies or files to Dropbox, and they are accessible anywhere there is internet access.

Are these WiFi only ? And if they're Cell capable, can I choose between AT&T and Verizon?