alisoncooks Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Just sold something and have some cash burning a hole in my pocket. I'd like an iPad, but I don't know which generation I should look into. The iPad2 is about $100 cheaper, but the current 4th gen. has better resolution + other updates. I guess what I'm asking is: Anyone have the older version (2) and use it with homeschool. Have you had any problems with apps or other programs on it? Does the screen resolution seem sufficient (I'd like to do reading eggs and Starfall on it, so graphics need to be fairly clear/crisp). What about this Notability (do I have that right?) We're currently using Math Mammoth and I see people use that on the iPad instead of printing. I think DD would totally dig that.... does that work on iPad2 (vs. the newest gen)? Thanks! :) :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1bassoon Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Stalking this thread - I really, REALLY want an ipad to use in teaching co-ops and piano. . . and of course, in my own homeschool. Hoping you get some good answers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 4th gen. The resolution has already mattered for some apps I use (the Ipad 2 cannot run certain functions on my homeschool book organizing app), and I'm pretty sure it will continue to matter more for new apps developed from here on out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 We have a 4, a 2, and a 1 here and there isn't a huge difference other than resolution at this point between the 4 and the 2. My husband was finding his old iPad 1 was having a harder time keeping up and I assume the same will happen with 2 over time (the one also did not have camera capabilities). I'd get a 4 just for longer usability/support. ETA - I wish I could take the camera away from DH now on his 4. He's super annoying with it! LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Get the 4th and don't even blink an eye. It has double the wifi speed and a significantly better processor, meaning it will last better into the future. BTW, watch macrumors a bit. I wouldn't be shocked if a new ipad5 comes out in March. If it does, then your options become waiting for the ipad 5 or getting an ipad4 refurb when the ipad5 comes out. The ipad mini will probably go retina at that time too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted January 11, 2013 Author Share Posted January 11, 2013 Get the 4th and don't even blink an eye. It has double the wifi speed and a significantly better processor, meaning it will last better into the future. BTW, watch macrumors a bit. I wouldn't be shocked if a new ipad5 comes out in March. If it does, then your options become waiting for the ipad 5 or getting an ipad4 refurb when the ipad5 comes out. The ipad mini will probably go retina at that time too. Yeah, that's what DH was saying... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I'm watching for the 5, because then I might start whining to upgrade my 2! Honestly, my IPad 2 has been great. I got it as a b-day gift w/out asking for it and thought it was completely ridiculous. I use it CONSTANTLY and so do the kids. In terms of tech though, I think it does pay to generally go with the newest/latest and greatest. The only exception being if something is a BRAND new product. Both my DH and I have software engineering backgrounds and kind of know how the process goes. It was completely out of character for my DH to buy an IPad 1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I just got an iPad 2, but it does have the iOS 6 upgrade. So far, I've had no complaints, and every app I've tried has worked fine (about 70). Notability is the greatest thing since sliced bread, IMO. I cannot tell you how much I love it and how much easier it is making everything for me. It runs perfectly on the 2. As for resolution, yes, the 4 is better. But the 2 is still very, very good. TV is better on it than on my regular TV or my desktop (and those are both fairly decent screens). I do expect that I will have to replace it in a few years, but for now, I am really pleased with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I did recently do the OS upgrade to 6 on my iPad 2 and it did make a difference in some things. However, I had to install everything new which was very annoying! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Also, the camera on the 2 is not great. I assume the 4 is a lot better. If that's a big factor for you, I'd go for the 4. (But you could also get a pretty good regular camera for the difference in price between the iPads.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 The camera is crucial to a lot of newer apps though, especially the cataloging ones, hence the problems with some apps and the Ipad 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Cataloging apps. Huh. I hadn't even considered those. Wow! Now I want them, LOL. I am really boggled by what these little machines can do. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 But the 2 has the camera. Unless I'm confused? If they come out with a mini with retina in March does that imply that the first gen minis will drop in price a little? Gosh, I surely hope so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 The 2 has the camera but the resolution is not nearly as good, so in a book cataloging app for example, the bar code reader function will not be able to read the scan/picture properly, pretty much making the app useless unless you want to enter all your ISBNs yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 The camera on the 2 is really rotten, I could see that. Supposedly it's as good as the camera on my iPhone4, but I have not found that to be the case at all. Nearly every photo I take with it is useless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briansmama Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 I have the iPad 2 and love it! I use notability for MM with my third grader. Yes, the iPad 2 has a camera but it is not retina and it's not as good as the iPads with retina. It works fine for apps that require a camera though. I still use it to take video footage of the kids reciting their poetry and pictures of their work (I document their work using Evernote). I watch movies on it, we watch science videos and use it for reference all the time. We use our iPad so much for our homeschool that we are planning to buy another iPad for fall so the kids and I don't all have to share one during the school day. My DH and I were just talking about which iPad we would get and with how much GB. We bought our iPad 2 with 64Gb and I really don't want to go any lower. I was thinking we could get away with less storage on an iPad for the kids but since we will likely get the iPad 4 (because of retina and speed) I know I'm going to want that One for myself! So I'll likely need the 64GB, since I put all of the kids stuff on mine as well as my personal/home stuff. I'd go for the ipad4 with the most storage you can. They really are amazing tools for homeschooling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 On the storage thing (for the op, who has never had an ipad before), remember you can buy the apps but not *install* all them on your ipad. So I might own 500 apps (just picking a number), but maybe I'm only really actively using 35, and those are what I keep. And I might have tons of music or videos, but I chose what to install on my ipad and what to de-select. It's super simple with iTunes to monitor what is getting uploaded to your ipad and what isn't. If money is an issue, I'd go UP on the model and DOWN on the storage. Right now I have a modest amount of music, and INSANE number of apps (because I never prune), and 2 hours of video along with a number of ebooks and pdfs, and all that fits on my 32GB ipad. Sure I could put on more, and I'm sure there are people who need tons of stuff on there all at once. However it *is* possible to work around that, and given the choice between more storage and the faster machine with the better processor, I'd go toward the faster machine with the better processor. There are apps that crash (Butterfly Farm, etc.) even on my ipad 3. I definitely think you'll be glad if you go up. Anyways, if you've never used iTunes, just know that you can have all the stuff on your main computer and chose what to sync, if that works for your particular situation not to need it all on at once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamajag Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 For the price difference, go with the 4. It will last you a lot longer before becoming obsolete. My original iPad already won't run some things and the 2 is next to go. Don't blink an eye; just do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomandlorih Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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