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Would you get a Apple Time Capsule 2TB or a iPad 16gb Wi-fi?

R

randomrazr

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 1, 2011
1,209
1
the reason this is in the macbook pro thread is that i have a macbook pro.

i got a discount for these 2 devices here.

time capsule would be $224 with discount

iPad 16gb would be 394 with discount, 125 dollars off of $519.

i was originally going to get the time capsule until i found out this works for ipads too. i already have a macbook pro so im not sure if its worth the extra money for an ipad.

the time capsule seems nice as they were just updated yesterday. i already have a 500 gb WD portable hard drive, but its more used to backup and carry stuff around, the time capsule has wifi and LOTS of more capcity.

what do you guys think?
 
If you have kids, having a couple movies stored on an ipad is a total miracle-worker in long car ride or airplane/airport situation. Parents are so spoiled these day:D

I don't have an ipad but my Dad borrowed us his for our last trip and it was a godsend.
 
bozz2006 said:
If you have kids, having a couple movies stored on an ipad is a total miracle-worker in long car ride or airplane/airport situation. Parents are so spoiled these day:D

I don't have an ipad but my Dad borrowed us his for our last trip and it was a godsend.
Click to expand...

nope, no kids, im a student going into first year university this fall lol
 
randomrazr said:
nope, no kids, im a student going into first year university this fall lol
Click to expand...

I would just make sure your uni allows you to set up your own wireless network.

Not all of them do, I know the school I went to (Colorado State University) we couldn't set up a wireless network in the dorm, so if that's the case a time capsule would basically be completely useless to you for an entire year.
 
iPad 2 for sure.

I get the core Apple products, not the stuff they overcharge like crazy. You can get External Hard Drives (for WAY less) that hook up through USB (I know, not wireless kinda sucks) and use that for Time Machine.

I got 1TB two years ago on Black Friday for $50 by Western Digital.
Check some out on Amazon.
 
johndoejohndoes said:
iPad 2 for sure.

I get the core Apple products, not the stuff they overcharge like crazy. You can get External Hard Drives (for WAY less) that hook up through USB (I know, not wireless kinda sucks) and use that for Time Machine.

I got 1TB two years ago on Black Friday for $50 by Western Digital.
Check some out on Amazon.
Click to expand...

not saying time machine isn't overpriced, but it is a wireless router as well as a 2tb hard drive. It also allows you to do wireless time machine backups, the only other way to do this is through some NAS devices like the laCie 2Big Network 2, which actually is more expensive than the time machine starting out at $315 for 2TB, and it doesn't include the router.
 
xxBURT0Nxx said:
not saying time machine isn't overpriced, but it is a wireless router as well as a 2tb hard drive. It also allows you to do wireless time machine backups, the only other way to do this is through some NAS devices like the laCie 2Big Network 2, which actually is more expensive than the time machine starting out at $315 for 2TB, and it doesn't include the router.
Click to expand...

So you need the wireless router as well? I'm not too educated on the Time Capsule, isn't just a hard drive and something that picks up wireless internet and then you hook up to it for both? Why do you need 2 routers?

Edit - Okay I get it. Yeah I already have a wireless router (through FiOs) and hook up to it. So you would be using it as your main router and hard drive. If you can get a free wireless router from your service provider you should just buy a different HD. But if you need both you should go with the 2TB ;)
 
johndoejohndoes said:
So you need the wireless router as well? I'm not too educated on the Time Capsule, isn't just a hard drive and something that picks up wireless internet and then you hook up to it for both? Why do you need 2 routers?

Edit - Okay I get it. Yeah I already have a wireless router (through FiOs) and hook up to it. So you would be using it as your main router and hard drive. If you can get a free wireless router from your service provider you should just buy a different HD. But if you need both you should go with the 2TB ;)
Click to expand...

well i jsut want it to backup my macbook pro
 
johndoejohndoes said:
So you need the wireless router as well? I'm not too educated on the Time Capsule, isn't just a hard drive and something that picks up wireless internet and then you hook up to it for both? Why do you need 2 routers?

Edit - Okay I get it. Yeah I already have a wireless router (through FiOs) and hook up to it. So you would be using it as your main router and hard drive. If you can get a free wireless router from your service provider you should just buy a different HD. But if you need both you should go with the 2TB ;)
Click to expand...

well obviously if you can get a free router that's cool, but those routers have basic functions. The time machine has a lot of functions, like dual band, guest accounts, etc. Those features might not be for everyone, but some people want or need them.

Also, you can't just plug in a hard drive to your router and have it work wirelessly with time machine on your mac, it has to be a specific NAS device.

If you don't care about wireless backup though, a usb 2tb drive is very cheap and will do the backups just fine as long as you don't mind plugging it in once and a while.

All depends on your needs.

randomrazr said:
well i jsut want it to backup my macbook pro
Click to expand...

unless you want or need the wireless backup functionality, a hard drive will be much cheaper.
 
randomrazr said:
well i jsut want it to backup my macbook pro
Click to expand...

Yeah I would buy an external HD. Dang, I just looked at mine and I got one heck of a deal on Black Friday. This is all I use for My Time Machine Backups. It works fast and is still cheaper than what you're looking at.

But here's another. It's nicer on the wallet and has good ratings.
 
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randomrazr said:
well i jsut want it to backup my macbook pro
Click to expand...

A cheap hard drive+enclosure will serve you well and cost under $120. Unless you absolutely need the wireless capabilities.

Backing up a lot of stuff over wireless is even slower than USB in my experience.
 
xxBURT0Nxx said:
well obviously if you can get a free router that's cool, but those routers have basic functions. The time machine has a lot of functions, like dual band, guest accounts, etc. Those features might not be for everyone, but some people want or need them.

Also, you can't just plug in a hard drive to your router and have it work wirelessly with time machine on your mac, it has to be a specific NAS device.

If you don't care about wireless backup though, a usb 2tb drive is very cheap and will do the backups just fine as long as you don't mind plugging it in once and a while.

All depends on your needs.



unless you want or need the wireless backup functionality, a hard drive will be much cheaper.
Click to expand...

since i already have an iphone 4 and a macbook pro 15inch, would an ipad, even with the discount that maeks it 394, be worth it? or should i look for something eles on the apple store?
 
get the TC, i would wait for the hi-rez ipad to come out. it is just not the same going from the hi rez of the iphone to the ipads low rez.
 
randomrazr said:
since i already have an iphone 4 and a macbook pro 15inch, would an ipad, even with the discount that maeks it 394, be worth it? or should i look for something eles on the apple store?
Click to expand...

Ask yourself: would I really use it?

I wanted an iPad at first, but I've got an MBP and an iPhone too, and I don't think it would get much use.
 
snaky69 said:
Ask yourself: would I really use it?

I wanted an iPad at first, but I've got an MBP and an iPhone too, and I don't think it would get much use.
Click to expand...

it seems like one of those things that "it would be cool to have"

in terms of use, i guess it would be nice to have a second monitor thing to look at. if that made any sense lol

the other couple of things i was looking at were the dr.dre studios but, even those are expensive, even with 75 dollars off the 349 regular rpice lol
 
randomrazr said:
it seems like one of those things that "it would be cool to have"

in terms of use, i guess it would be nice to have a second monitor thing to look at. if that made any sense lol

the other couple of things i was looking at were the dr.dre studios but, even those are expensive, even with 75 dollars off the 349 regular rpice lol
Click to expand...

If you're into audio, you might want to go to a specialized store. The dr. dre's (in my opinion) aren't all that.
 
snaky69 said:
If you're into audio, you might want to go to a specialized store. The dr. dre's (in my opinion) aren't all that.
Click to expand...

the onyl good headphones i own and ever listened to are the ones that come with iPods lol
 
You can always find alternative solutions for the functions of a Time-Capsule (granted the solutions will be less elegant, but whatever...), while the iPad is basically unique as a mature tablet product.
On the other hand 16 GB will be quickly used.
But I'd go for the iPad anyway.
I find the Time-Capsule to be the most overpriced Apple product.
 
randomrazr said:
the onyl good headphones i own and ever listened to are the ones that come with iPods lol
Click to expand...

And they definitely don't fit in my definition of "good". I don't consider myself an audiophile by any stretch, but I like when things sound good.

At home I use a pair of Yamaha HS50M studio monitors, and when on the on I use a pair of sennheiser CX380-II.

If you're into earbuds and are willing to spend a bit, I'd check out sennheiser, shure, klipsch amongst some others.
 
You could easily get a router + USB HDD/NAS to replicate and add on to the functionality of the Time Capsule. I personally don't like the idea of being stuck with one HDD because I tend to consume storage space faster than my routers take to die but that's your preference.

The iPad is unique and a bit harder to find a suitable alternative to (even if they do exist) so I'd get the iPad.

If you value sound quality over branding and style, there are much better headphones than the Beats for cheaper, even after the discount.
 
orfeas0 said:
well, then you'll have your own ipad to enjoy on a long ride ;)
since you already have a 500gb external i would suggest the ipad.
It's great for reading books, notes or surf!
Click to expand...

yeah the thing is i already have a macbook pro and an iphone 4 lol

even with 125 dollars off, 394 is still a hefty spend on something
 
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