# New Apple iPad (March 2011)



## Giaguara (Mar 2, 2011)

New version of iPad announced today, available from 11 March.

Specs 
http://www.apple.com/ipad/features/
http://www.apple.com/ipad/specs/ includes prices for configs

2 cameras, in front and back.
Its 33 percent thinner and up to 15 percent lighter
Faster chip, faster graphics 
Smart cover accessory (separate) in 10 colors http://www.apple.com/ipad/smart-cover/
16, 32, 64 GB, wifi, and wifi+3g options with AT&T and Verizon


Who would have guessed the primary uses of iPads a while ago?
I'll need to get one... for _games_.


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## ElDiabloConCaca (Mar 2, 2011)

DO WANT!

Already got a buyer for my iPad 16GB wi-fi... anyone want to buy an old G4 Yikes! that's been upgraded to the max to round out the "Get Jeff an iPad 2 Charity Fund?"  I'll even throw in an iPod 60GB photo, an iPod nano 1GB and a red stapler...


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## Giaguara (Mar 2, 2011)

A red _Swingline_ stapler?


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## ElDiabloConCaca (Mar 2, 2011)

That all depends on whether you're interested or not... or whether you're going to burn the building down after being moved to the basement.


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## Satcomer (Mar 2, 2011)

Giaguara said:


> A red _Swingline_ stapler?



Giaguara take look at this:


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## Giaguara (Mar 3, 2011)

Yea Satcomer, I had a red Swingline stapler... and I had an Initech mug that went perfect with it (well, they had a new company policy to not use paper mugs for coffee but ceramic ones, with the company's logo, at which point I didn't use the company mug but the Initech one... yeah. Oh good times, when the boss calls you when you're going home Friday evening and tells that she needs you to go ahead and do on call on Saturday and Sunday, yeah). Wait, I game my Initech mug and the red stapler to a friend who was still working there when I moved here. And who didn't like too much being moved to the floor below, with the Storage team...

Anyway, ElDiablo, should be easy to sell your Mac equipment.
I'm getting the new iPad soon-ish (was promised one for Xmas but I figured I'd wait for The Next Thing so it was an IOU for this new one), and generally will do some tool consolidation at some point, it's not always the more toys the better.


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## ElDiabloConCaca (Mar 3, 2011)

Well, I just sold my gen. 1 iPad 16GB with the Apple-branded case for $300 -- not too bad considering it's in perfect condition, and Apple's currently selling them refurbished for $350.

Just $150 more and I'm there... I might be able to get that for an old, hot-rodded G4 Yikes! machine, a Dell 2GHz desktop, and two old iPods... any takers?


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## icemanjc (Mar 7, 2011)

Certainly would love to get the new iPad, but I think I'll wait till I'm out of college to get an iPad. It is awesome and all, but I don't think it would run AVID like a MacBook Pro can! I can't remember, but can the iPad only mirror and not extend?

Well Jeff, I'd being willing to support your cause as we share the same name and I actually do need an iPod! Give me a figure for the iPod! I'd totally go for the G4 as well as I need a good video editing station, but I'm imagining it costing an arm and a leg for shipping.


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## ElDiabloConCaca (Mar 7, 2011)

Heh... birds of a feather, right?    Now I know you're awesome -- I long ago decided that anyone with the name Jeff couldn't be anything but!

Hell, I'll do the whole lot -- iPod photo 60GB (battery still ok, not great, but not sucky), iPod nano 1GB 1st-gen black (battery ok, not great, not sucky), and the G4 Yikes! (1GB RAM, 3 x 120GB hard drives, 500MHz, Radeon 7000 32MB) for $100 plus shipping (which would probably be around $50 to $75).

I gotta say that the G4 probably won't be an awesome video editing station.  The RAM is capped at 1GB and the drives, while on a 66MHz PCI ATA-100 card, probably won't stand up to today's standards.  It also won't run anything past Mac OS X 10.4 "Tiger" (but will run on down to Mac OS 8.6 -- what a throwback!)  I typically used it as a server with Tiger Server, doing basic VPN connectivity for my network at home.

The G4 is upgraded as far as it will go -- it has an old ZIF processor socket, and 500MHz is all you're ever going to get out of it.  At one point they sold 550MHz chips, and they even sold a 1GHz ZIP CPU for it (both were available from Sonnet Technologies), but the 1GHz chip downclocks the bus to 66MHz from 100MHz, making it kind of worthless in my mind.

I'd feel better selling these to someone for nostalgic purposes rather than real-world use, as they're quite old (but very functional).

As for my new iPad, I've made the minimum cost now just need to cover tax and I'm golden... although now I'm _heavily_ leaning toward the base 3G model -- you know -- just in case I desperately need to check my email or a web page from on the road instead of being tied to wi-fi... ack... decisions, decisions...


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## fryke (Mar 7, 2011)

With iOS 4.3, my iPhone will have WiFi hotspot functionality, so I could move to the WiFi model with the iPad 2, but as far as I know, that won't give you real GPS, and I hate to be hindered by something like that... :/ But if I'm never going to use the iPad's 3G, do I _really_ need GPS on the iPad? Who knows... I guess I'll have to wait a little more...


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## icemanjc (Mar 7, 2011)

ElDiabloConCaca said:


> Heh... birds of a feather, right?    Now I know you're awesome -- I long ago decided that anyone with the name Jeff couldn't be anything but!
> 
> Hell, I'll do the whole lot -- iPod photo 60GB (battery still ok, not great, but not sucky), iPod nano 1GB 1st-gen black (battery ok, not great, not sucky), and the G4 Yikes! (1GB RAM, 3 x 120GB hard drives, 500MHz, Radeon 7000 32MB) for $100 plus shipping (which would probably be around $50 to $75).
> 
> ...



Oh sorry, I was looking at the MDD G4 in your sig. I used to have one, but the motherboard fried so it would have been nice to get a new one. I would love to have a G4 like the Yikes! to add to my collection, but I'm not sure it would be worth shipping it. However, if you wanted to sell your MDD then I would be more than happy to take it off of your hands! Since the main reasons for wanted a rather larger server would be to have multiple drives in one computer and use the gigabit ethernet for sharing and such.


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## ElDiabloConCaca (Mar 7, 2011)

Ah, I see... funny you mention that one -- it just got hit with the dreaded "dead power supply" that plagued those machines.  I am currently awaiting an estimate to fix it from a local TV repair shop (they fixed my LN-S4051 in a snap from its dreaded capacitor issues) to see if they can do anything with it.  Estimations for new power supplies for the MDD machines run anywhere from $150 on up to $400, depending on new vs. used.

It may just be a lost cause.  It's a shame since that's a damn powerful PowerPC-based machine, and it is still capable of running OS 9 if that's your fancy.

That G4 Yikes! has a good story behind it -- it has served me well since 1999 (the day they were released) and I still have the matching graphite colored Apple-branded 17" CRT monitor to go with it.  I may even have the hockey puck mouse, too, in addition to the original FireWire cable Apple included with the computer.  It was my first, fully-owned and purchased Mac -- my Mac history goes back to 1984, but that was mostly school computers and my friends across the street (their father got an original Mac in '84 when they came out).  I think I paid just shy of $2000 (plus tax) for it -- $1499 for the computer itself, $499 for the monitor.  It's well traveled, too -- been all over Texas and it got me through 10 years of college work as well.  It's always been nostalgic to me, but now with a kid on the way and my ever-growing museum of Macs in my office, it just sits unused for the most part.  I'm finding every day that holding on to all my old Apple-branded crap just isn't the most feasible thing to do anymore.

At any rate, I think I'm golden on the funds for the new iPad, so this post will mark the end of the "Get Jeff an iPad 2" charitable fund: thanks for all who participated and donated to the cause!    I was just explaining to the CEO why I'll only be at work a half-day on Friday (yep, standing in line starting at noon) and he said, "Oh, that's cool.  Hey, pick me up one of them iPads up too -- put it on the company card.  It'll be better than sitting on the couch with a laptop."  Heh.  I think Apple typically limits purchases of iPads on release day to a single iPad per person, so I may have to stand in line twice: once at the Apple Store @ La Cantera, and then again at the one in North Star Mall!  I'm thinking I'll look rather funny standing in line to purchase the second iPad 2 while actually using the first iPad 2 I bought at the other store... ha!


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## andychrist (Mar 8, 2011)

Diablo, when I went to buy my iPad 3G on its release date last year, the Apple Stores here in NYC were allowing two purchases per customer. I'm guessing that policy was and will continue to be the same all over, dunno of course.


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## ElDiabloConCaca (Mar 8, 2011)

Thanks for the info -- if'n they only do allow a single purchase, it's mine and the boss will have to wait until I have the patience to stand in line somewheres else... 

By the way -- I've been meaning to ask you this other times -- is your animated avatar a pull from an old OS 7/8/9 "hack" that allowed animated icons?  I distinctly remember a program that allowed you to apply animations to icons, and it came with several "stock" animations -- one of which was an explosion, not completely unlike your own.  There was also a fire and/or flame animated icon, and a few others that slip my mind...

Anyone remember this software?


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## ElDiabloConCaca (Mar 11, 2011)

The iPad 2 went on sale on the online Apple Store at 4am, apparently, and if shipping times indicate anything, I may be in for a LONG wait in line at various retailers.

Initial reports are that shipping times from the online Apple Store went from 3 to 5 business days to 5 to 7 business days to 2 weeks in a matter of hours.  If that's any indication of demand for the new model, I may take a WHOLE day off from work instead of a half-day... hehe... anyone in the San Antonio area that wants to take a half-day with me and keep me company in line?  Anyone?  Bueller...?


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## icemanjc (Mar 11, 2011)

I'm guessing that you now have the iPad 2? What do you think of it?


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## Giaguara (Mar 11, 2011)

And now, a few hours later it's "ships in 2-3 weeks" on the store webpage. 
If you are going to take a FULL day off for shopping for the iPad, why not come to Austin for it? I'll join you for a 1/2 or full day over here (even if mine kind of has to be ordered online)... (Just avoid downtown this week. The SXSW madness


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## ElDiabloConCaca (Mar 12, 2011)

What do I think of the new iPad 2?  It's awesome.

Unfortunately, I don't have one, and it's all due to my own stupidity.

I planned to take a half-day from work, and went to various places to check on lines.  Of course, both Apple Stores here were 150 deep by noon, so I checked out both Wal-Mart and Target -- and neither had lines.  I decided on Target because it was located in place where I could get home more efficiently and not have to fight traffic, so I asked the guy there and he said, "Yes, we'll be selling them, but not until 5pm."

So I get to Target at 2:30.  No line.  3:30.  No Line.  4:00 no line.  Finally, at 4:20, I walk on back to the Electronics department, fully wanting to joke with him about how I was "smarter than the average bear" and how I felt sorry for all the people waiting in line at the Apple Store since I was going to waltz out with one without any muss or fuss or waiting in line.  It's a different guy than it was at lunch, and he kindly informs me that, "Oh, we didn't get a shipment of iPad 2s in... I don't know when they're coming in."

What?!  Race around to Wal-Mart: there's a sign-up list, a line about 10 deep, and the kind employee tells me that sure, I can sign up on the list, but their stock is spoken for.

Race to Best Buy -- same deal, just with a line twice as long.

Race over to the Apple Store(s) -- both are now 300 deep or more.

So, I go home planning on eating some dinner and hitting up the Apple Store about 7:30 (an hour and a half before they close), since I did this very thing on day 1 of the original iPad launch and the Apple Store here had PLENTY of stock -- waltzed in and out with one in under 15 minutes).  7:45 I get there, line is STILL 300 deep (just a DIFFERENT 300!).  Race over to the other Apple Store: line's not as bad there, so I queue up for a total of about 30 seconds when an Apple Store employee comes over (looks like a manager type) and starts talking to a couple 2 spaces in front of me.  I overhear him say that the mall is closing in about an hour, but they're going to stay open to service the line... but he took a quick count, and that couple 2 spaces in front of me was over the "critical mass" point and that stock would run out before then.

Screw it.  Back home to mope and read about all the lucky suckers who just stood their happy asses in line and went home with an iPad 2 while I tried to "game" the system with an off-the-beaten-path Target store that lied and said they had some in stock when they didn't.

So, I'm going to queue up at 8:30am today (in about an hour) at my favorite Apple Store (La Cantera), who always has plenty of stock but is busy as hell.  I'll stand in line, get my iPad 2s, and head home a happy camper.

Moral of the story: you can't game the system when it comes to Apple release dates -- just queue up, wait in line, do your time, and everything will work out in the end.  I'll keep this in mind when the iPad 3 or iPhone 5 comes out.


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## ElDiabloConCaca (Mar 12, 2011)

Got one.

Got to the Apple Store at about 9am, and there were 9 people in line. No one knew if the store had any stock at all -- we were all just banking on luck at that point. Store opens at 10, but our iPad buying line doesn't start moving for another 30 minutes -- apparently, the store did not have any stock, and that 30 minutes was taken up by the appearance of a FedEx truck with a "limited" supply of iPads.

So after waiting in line for a little more than an hour an a half, I walked out the proud owner of a 32GB wifi model (instead of the 16GB I had planned on). Had a nice chat with a German gentleman while waiting about everything ranging from electric cars to Android devices to whether I thought typing on the iPad was difficult (it's not) or whether he should get a Bluetooth keyboard along with his purchase (which was a white 16GB model).

All in all, not a bad experience. I'm glad I didn't have to wait 4 to 8 hours like some people did yesterday, and this particular Apple store is always a joy to go to. There was an employee standing at the front of the line, and he'd strike up friendly conversation with you when you were next in line to be helped with your purchase. Everyone was kept informed about what stock was remaining so you could jump ship if you desired (no 3G models came in on the shipment, for example).

The iPad itself is great! The thinner body is awesome, and it does feel a smidgeon lighter. It also feels more responsive, but I'll know more about how it operates as time goes on.

The best part about the whole experience was having a wonderful conversation with that German gentleman and the fact that the La Cantera Apple Store is an open-air mall, and the weather here in south Texas during this time of year is to die for -- 72, slightly breezy, and sunny.

Now the debate of this lazy Saturday is whether to get started on that 6 pack in the fridge and sit outside with my new iPad and my two dogs, or to head on back to the Apple Store and pick out a nice case for this shiny new iPad.

I'm thinking beer and dogs. It's too gorgeous outside not to.


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## Giaguara (Mar 14, 2011)

Did you pick the white or the black one? I still need to see the new ones in real life before I make my pick...


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## Satcomer (Mar 14, 2011)

ElDiabloConCaca said:


> I'm thinking beer and dogs. It's too gorgeous outside not to.



Are you going to SXSW? If so take some pictures, please!


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## ElDiabloConCaca (Mar 14, 2011)

Nope, no SXSW for me -- I did the Zilker Park thing for Austin City Limits last year... There's only so much Austin action I can take within a certain timespan! 

I opted for the black 32GB model. I also went back the next day and got the black leather Smart Cover -- I initially thought to myself, "wow, what a grand waste of money," but you really need to use the cover to get the full experience. It is, quite simply, an engineering marvel in simplicity and function. It is quite apparent that Apple was telling the truth when they said they designed the cover right alongside the iPad 2 itself.

The iPad 2 is the most magnificent Apple product I've used since 1984. I haven't touched my brand-new MacBook Air nor my Mac mini since Saturday.

Maybe my brain's finally been microwaved and irradiated with Steve's Reality Distortion Field -- if so, call me an iSheep and put me out to pasture with the rest of the fanboys -- there's no place I'd rather be!


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