iPad iPad 4th gen worth buying?

DanBurns91 said:

Hi,
I'm just wondering if the 4th gen iPad is worth buying if you own a MacBook air, i've never had an iPad in the past so i wouldn't really know how to compare or what the major benefits are i guess. The only reason i'm asking is because my birthday is coming up and my sneaky little brother has found out my parents are looking at getting me and informed me! However, i own a 2011 11'' MacBook Air, iPhone 4S and 4th gen iPod touch, so not really sure if the iPad would/could compliment the other devices. So iPad owners, what are your thoughts?

Sorry if this has already been asked and thanks in advance

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Honestly, if you have a macbook air you will probably find yourself reaching for that more than the ipad....or end up selling one of them. I would go for a mini if you have an 11" air. The screen won't be a big deal b.c if you use an Air a lot you obviously are use to a non-retina display.

Dan, I'm in a similar boat as you. I have an 11" 2011 Air and an iPhone 4S. Since my Air stays at my desk 95% of the time, I think the iPad Mini will be fine for me. When I want to lay on the couch or bed, it's hard to browse the web or read emails on the iPhone and its usually uncomfortable to keep the Air on my chest when I'm laying down. I think the iPad Mini will fit in just fine as a bridge to fill in between the Air and iPhone.

I still need my Air as I play WoW on it, so I won't be getting rid of it; it will just have less of a reason to leave my desk now. It's suppose to come Nov 27, so I'll let you know how well it goes for me.

My advice.

If you have a ipad 1 or older or never had an iPad and considering an iPad purchase, than iPad 4 is definately recommended.

iPad 2 owners, it's a judgment call whether to upgrade. iPad 3 (unless you have money to burn), it's not recommended unless you end up selling ur iPad 3 to fund iPad 4.

DanBurns91 said:

I'm just wondering if the 4th gen iPad is worth buying if you own a MacBook air

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Subjective matter. MBA owners aren't all identical clones with identical preferences. Some would find the iPad useful. Others would not. If you're not sure then try one out in store or buy and decide before your return period ends.

Do you use the air while laying on the couch or while in bed? Because I can't stand using my laptop while laying like that.

It's iPad 3.5 according to Ars...

It's NOT iPad 4...

But rather iPad 3.5 according to Ars:

http://arstechnica.com/apple/2012/11/fret-not-ipad-3-owners-ipad-4-is-still-just-an-ipad/

That's a toughie. The air is a dandy little content creation device, the iPad is better at entertainment and content consumption.

I've got a LTE iP3, with a logitech ultrathin keyboard cover and I take that out of the house and out of my office with me everyday for work. Love the form factor, anywhere internet, and I use iOS apps to actually do a fair amount of work activities. 70% of the places I regularly go have wifi, but having internet anywhere has been a lifesaver at the other 30%. I'm never more than 5 minutes away from it.

OTOH, if you're just going to sit around the house with it, there's not much it can do other than the Air, other than play games. I prefer reading webpages, typing, etc, on my late 2011 17" mbp when I'm sitting around the house in my favorite easy chair.

This is all subjective, and based upon personal preference. Your mileage may vary.

All depends on your needs. While I was pursuing my degree I used my 13" MBA on a daily basis and rarely picked up my iPad 2. Now that I've graduated just the opposite is true. In fact I use the MBA so rarely now that I'll probably be selling it. The MBA was fantastic when I needed to work with multiple applications and documents. Now that my computing life (outside of work, where I'm using a Win box) revolves mainly around reading, surfing the web, and answering e-mails the MBA has become overkill. It's just so much easier to pick up the iPad. If I was still in school however the MBA would win hands down.

I have an 11" Air and sold my iPad 3 intending to buy a Mini when they were released. But the Mini screen is such a disappointment that I'm sending it back and I've bought a 4th gen. The screen on the 4th gen is way better than my 3rd gen. White and rich. And it's very fast. Main advantage over the Air for me is battery life.

It really depends on how much you value the screen. The 3 is far better than the 2. I don't think the 3 or 4 is worth buying over the 2 if you don't value the retina display. Some people can't tell the difference, it looks the same to them. Some people can't tell when they have dandruff on their shoulders or are sporting eye crust as they head out to the office. Everyone in the world has a different visual perception.

I find the MBA and iPad serve different purposes. MBA for business during the day, iPad at home or at night. If you find what you do can be done all on one device, I would recommend just sticking with that one but do what makes you happiest!