So I Am Buying an iPad, Which One?

[landonshaw]

So I am buying a iPad. Have read on this net that certain models no not need to be in sight of a tower and do not need a WI-Fi connection. So I will be getting the Navionics software and Charts for Caribbean and South America.
My question is: You need the iPad 3 or 4 so that the GPS works out at sea.


On the iPad store website I see iPad 2, two options Wi-Fi with 16g and a iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G with 16G


I also see the iPad with Retina display, two models Wi-Fi @ 64G and Wi-Fi + Cellular with 64G


Which is the iPad 3 or 4? and
What is iPad with Retina display?
Thanks, Dave

[Mike OReilly]

Dave, I purchased an iPad 3 in June to use as a back up chart planner/plotter. This is the retinal display version, and I did get it the cellular data version b/c that is the one that includes a GPS receiver. The non-cellular versions do not include a GPS.

Get a GPS version.

I believe iPad 4 is the mini, but you can confirm all these specs on the Apple website.

[Tim R.]

As Mike said you need the cellular version to get one with an actual GPS chip but you do not need to activate the data plan. I have an ipad 2 with the GPS and no data plan. I have a Jetpack Mifi 4G device that I use for internet data access. That way I can share my internet connection with other devices or friends.

[landonshaw]

Thanks, My wife is off to the States for a week to pick up stuff we can not get down here and I want to have everything made simple before she goes in to buy the iPad

[Bash]

I recently switched to an iPad mini with LTE wireless. I know nothing about wireless networks in the Carribean, but around here 3G is old, slow stuff.

[saw77]

Originally Posted by landonshaw

So I am buying a iPad. Have read on this net that certain models no not need to be in sight of a tower and do not need a WI-Fi connection. So I will be getting the Navionics software and Charts for Caribbean and South America.
My question is: You need the iPad 3 or 4 so that the GPS works out at sea.


On the iPad store website I see iPad 2, two options Wi-Fi with 16g and a iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G with 16G


I also see the iPad with Retina display, two models Wi-Fi @ 64G and Wi-Fi + Cellular with 64G


Which is the iPad 3 or 4? and
What is iPad with Retina display?
Thanks, Dave

The retina display is some kind of new display technology that Apple is using. I have it on my iPad and it's excellent. I can see the screen well even in bright sunlight.

[Cotemar]

You will need the iPad 3 or 4 with Wi-Fi + Cellular with 32G, is enough memory.
The only difference between the
iPad 3 has a Dual-core A5 processor has old plug can only plug in in one direction

iPad 4 Dual-core A6X with quad-core graphics and the new power plug that can be plugged in anyway

[Cotemar]

Make sure to purchase the 12 volt 10 watt charger if your going to be using your iPad 3 or 4 for GPS.
You need to have it plugged in while using GPS, because they all tend to use more power.

Here is the one I recommend for a iPad 4.
iPhone 5 Car Charger | For iPhone 5, iPad mini & iPad 4th gen | Griffin Technology

[Jbaffoh]

Get the 4. It's more than twice as fast as the 3, which matters when it comes to screen re-draws when moving around charts. And make sure to get the cellular-enabled version so you will have built-in GPS.

And, FYI, on Feb. 5 Apple is releasing a version of the 4 with 128gb storage. In my opinion, the 64gb versions had far too little storage if you intend to also use the iPad for normal iPad uses such as watching HD movies, music, games, etc.

Finally, the Navionics apps are pretty lousy for real navigation. I much prefer the iNavx app with Navionics charts, instead of the wimpy Navionics apps.

[Jbaffoh]

Originally Posted by cat man do

Any reason why ipad vs numerous android products for a fraction of the price?

As someone whose family has used iPhones since 2007 and acquired 600-700 apps since then, it's hard to even think about starting over in another ecosystem.

The nice thing about Apple is that it always works. With android, you have different hardware, different versions of android, and third-party app makers tasked with covering all the variables and hoping their product will work for everyone. With Apple, the app makers know the hardware, know the operating system, know the two were carefully designed to work together, and they have a much easier time writing optimal code that works for everyone.

[maytrix]

Originally Posted by Jbaffoh

As someone whose family has used iPhones since 2007 and acquired 600-700 apps since then, it's hard to even think about starting over in another ecosystem.

I've changed 3 times and can tell you most apps you simply don't need again. There's a few, but the majority are free. There's just so many useless apps that you think you need, but when you get down to it, you really don't.

Just my 2 cents. I wouldn't stick with a brand simply because I have a lot of apps for it. Go with what meets the needs best. If that's an iPad, then stick with it. If not, don't stick with it just for that reason, I think you'd find you wouldn't be looking to re-download all 600-700 apps. I bet you don't even use 10% of them.

[maytrix]

Originally Posted by cat man do

Funny stuff, every version of an apple product is different, they are famous for never making product that can be used with other product forcing you to buy multiples of basically the same thing

I mostly agree with the rest of what you said, but this is just untrue.

[keyspc]

Apple Vs Android
= Yacht Vs Sailboat :-)

[CarlF]

The Ipad 4's speed makes a huge difference with chart plotters. It's very frustrating to use them on a 2.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by cat man do

If apple is so good one has to ask why it is going the way of the dodo in the rest of the world?
It only seems to be American's that cling to the belief that apple is in some way superior.

We really are on a different planet over here. At the university where I teach, I would guess that 4 out of every 5 incoming frosh come to school with an Apple computer.

The percentage would certainly be higher if we had fewer international students.