I purchased a used iPad 1 today

[Bandit Bill]

I purchased a used iPad 1 64GB 3G from work today for $472.50. We buy this model from customers for $450 and resell them for $550. So I got a pretty good deal. It has warranty until Dec 2011, so it's only 7 months old and it's in perfect shape. I can get AppleCare at a discount if I want warranty until Dec 2012.

I plan on keeping it until November 10th 2011 at which point I may sell it back to my company (with 30 days warranty remaining on it). I'll get 4 months use for $22.50. I also got a free $60 case with it .

Being I sell Apple products, I'll end up well ahead on this deal. It's much easier to sell products you own and are familiar with. I've never owned an iPhone or any other iOS device. I'm looking forward to iOS 5.

The GPS works just fine and I haven't signed up with a 3G provider. I did install the 3G card though. I guess it sees the towers and just works even without paying for service.

Anyone else thinking about getting an iPad or iPad 2? I realize they have been out for a while. What about the rumored iPod Touch with 3G? iPhone 5? iPad HD? What do you plan on purchasing this year? The mini is long overdue for an update, likely we will see new minis with Lion.

[Smithcraft]

I could consider an iPad, but having to sign up with a carrier is not cool. WiFi is fine with me!

I'm still wanting an iPod Touch though. They did add the camera to it, which was my baseline requirement, but I have other things to spend money on.

SC
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Grumpy old man of computing.

[Desktop] G4 mini - 1.5Ghz 1GB 80GB HDD - Newer miniStack v2 500GB - 10.5.8

[Media System] Intel i5 mini - 2.33Ghz 8GB 500GB HDD - 4 x Hitachi 2TB HDD in a qBOX-SF - 10.7.5 (Thanks Phil!)

Make sure it has pins!

[tom d]

Smithcraft, I read your post and wanted to say I was at the Mall a few weeks ago and I believe TMobile has a 3G card that was not expensive and you can turn it off and on . Example use it for a month turn it off and restart it two months later, I don't remember the price but it was not a lot of money.

tom d

[Bandit Bill]

I know here in Canada you can get a data plan for an iPad but you do not have to. The sim card is free when you buy an iPad and you can get 30 days pay as you go service for $15 (no contract). This is 250MB of data. 5 GB of pay as you go service is $35.

An average 3G iPad user, uses 500MB of data per month. If you have a 250MB plan it will warn you when you have 20% remaining. Then again at 10%. When you reach zero the device will no longer work. It will ask you if you want to pay for another 30 days of use from that point onward, or if you want to wait a few days for your 30 day cycle to renew.
The 3G provider does have your credit card info, but you can quit the service at anytime.

[g5g5]

Congrats Bandit Bill! Not sure if they still have them, but MacMall was selling the 1G iPads with 3G for around the same amount of money. My wife and I were thinking about buying one. To be honest, we sort of like the 1G iPad better than the iPad 2. It feels way more sturdy and there is less play in the screen. It also feels better in your hands. We don't really need the cams either, which to be honest aren't that great anyways. I think if you can find one, they are a great deal.
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1.25GHz Mac Mini / 1.8GHz iMac G5 / 2.0GHz C2D Mac mini (2009)
4GB iPod mini / 2G iPod shuffle / 16GB iPhone 3G
Apple TV 2
iLife's a Bitch!

[Bandit Bill]

[Ray Finkle]

Cool. I had the iPad 1 and now have the iPad 2. For what I use it for I really didn't need to upgrade it's nice to have but 1 was just fine.

[Bandit Bill]

[Ray Finkle]

[Cypher]

[Ray Finkle]

[Bandit Bill]