Tips on getting an IPad 2

Knine

Hi

I am hoping to get an ipad 2 for a child with special needs. Where is the best place to buy one? I would be using it on a wireless network. I would also know what is the best type of case to buy for one as there seems to be so many available and it would need a decent case on it.

Also do I really need the 64GB? Would a 32GB be ok

Any advise appreciated.

Thanks:D

whiterebel

Knine wrote: »

Hi

I am hoping to get an ipad 2 for a child with special needs. Where is the best place to buy one? I would be using it on a wireless network. I would also know what is the best type of case to buy for one as there seems to be so many available and it would need a decent case on it.

Also do I really need the 64GB? Would a 32GB be ok

Any advise appreciated.

Thanks:D

No real difference on price wherever you buy it.

Case would be a personal preference, depending on what you want to do with it, i.e. sit it up on a desk, lie it down just off flat to touch etc.
Amazon have a terrific selection of cases, sleeves etc.
Again, 32GB or 64GB depends very much in what you are going to do with it. I have lots of apps etc on mine, but keep off the music, and clean off videos as sson as I have watched them. I've only got a 16Gb one, and its fine.

Knine

Bascially I mean a fairly sturdy case as with a child with special needs, it would need some protection!

It will mainly be used for Apps for the child in question but I may also use it myself but not really for videos or music.

Ive had an iphone 4 before so have some idea of the Apps that I can get.

jamesd

Lookup the otterbox defender case for iPad 2, it will be excellet to protect it.

Knine

jamesd wrote: »

Lookup the otterbox defender case for iPad 2, it will be excellet to protect it.

Thanks I will look that one up?

Does anyone know which retailers stock the ipad or should I just get it from the apple store?

scart

Knine wrote: »

Thanks I will look that one up?

Does anyone know which retailers stock the ipad or should I just get it from the apple store?

Yeah +1 for the otterbox defender
Currys and PC World stock the IPad2 with pricing the same as apple store.
If you purchase from the apple store they will do free engraving of whatever text you like on back of IPad for you.

Knine

Great advice guys thanks. It might be an idea to get it engraved. It does worry me that someone would try and steal it from my little child.

I just looked on ebay for those defender cases. Can you get them here in Ireland?

Groinshot

Amazon are slightly cheaper than the apple store, you might get one of the cases there too!

dre_jspeed

Knine wrote: »

Great advice guys thanks. It might be an idea to get it engraved. It does worry me that someone would try and steal it from my little child.

I just looked on ebay for those defender cases. Can you get them here in Ireland?

CompuB have them and if you like there facebook page you get 20% off

SachaJ

dre_jspeed wrote: »

CompuB have them and if you like there facebook page you get 20% off

Any idea how much the Otterbox Defenders are? The Compub Facebook thing states 20% if you buy from the online store yet the Otterboxes are not listed.

TommyGun

You can get a free iPad if you collect 160 old mobile phones. There is an org in Dublin that organise this.

Hobbes

Knine wrote: »

Hi

I am hoping to get an ipad 2 for a child with special needs. Where is the best place to buy one?

Apple store has a 1-3 day turnaround at the moment. You can claim the cost against your tax (IIRC).

As for the child. What age are they? What is the function you are trying to accomplish?

If it is as an AAC device, an iPod Touch or iPhone may be better. It is easier to carry, both have a camera. The phone has GPS as well so you can find the phone and tag photos with GPS data for later.

120_Minutes

just one thing to add to this, you may find it useful you may not.

if you can budget for it (which you can if you were originally looking at a 32/64 gb and settling for a 16) get an apple tv also. you can mirror everything thats on the ipad's screen to your tv screen via wifi and the apple tv, its the reason i'm getting one, and might be handy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2S0f16fwQs

Bella mamma

http://www.tuaw.com/2010/07/17/tuaw-review-and-giveaway-otterbox-defender-commuter-for-ipad/ (product review)

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/mobile-gadgeteer/ipad-2-going-outside-check-out-the-rugged-case-showdown/5167 (product comparsions)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/OtterBox-APL2-IPAD1-20-C4OTR-iPad-Defender-Case/dp/B003TVWNAM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1318530227&sr=8-1

It seems much-of-a-muchness between The Otterbox and The Griffin (reviews above on Amazon)

Knine

Well I took the plunge and got the ipad and my child is memorised by it in particular the talking Tom Cat is going down very well. My child is non verbal so is making sounds so the Cat makes them back:D I'm delighted.

I had no idea there was an apple tv. I got the Ipad to help her learn in a fun way as repetition works well.

I have noticed it can be slow at downloading apps? Any suggestions or is this normal enough?

Also any suggestions of suitable Apps?

SachaJ

Just a quick review on the Griffin Survivor.

I bought the iPad 2 last Sunday and one of my primary uses was for my 2 year old daughter. She is plagued with chest infections and has been hospitalised 4 times in the last 12 months or so. So when we're in, I usually sit with her and we watch Peppa Pig on my iPhone.

As I said I brought the iPad home last Sunday and I've barely had a look in. I bought the Survivor case in Compu B mainly as they had no Otterbox Defenders. Unknown to me the Defender doesn't have a built in screen cover and that has been so useful this week on the Survivor. I've had snot, spit, and food mashed into the screen cover and off it comes with a wipe. The iPad has been dropt, kicked and this evening she slept on top of it. The Survivor is a fantastic cover and around €30 cheaper according to Compu B's prices.

Within an hour on Sunday she had Youtube figured out, well so much as pressing the screen until a new episode starts but as I didn't plug for the 3G option I had to get shows onto the iPad. Yesterday I bought CineXPlayer and I'm now transferring around 12Gb of Peppa Pig, Humf, Dora the Explorer and Ben & Holly onto the iPad so that should do next time we're away or if she gets sick again. Next purchase is a mount for the car headrest so she can watch if we're driving longish distance.

Another great App she loves is "Drawing Pad". She sits there for ages drawing on the screen with her fingers.

The wife was a bit sceptical on Sunday but that night she said it's the best €600 odd I'd ever spent (32Gb + case came to €635). Anyways, back on point. The Survivor is a bloody brilliant case and I'm delighted with it.

Bella mamma

SachaJ wrote: »

Just a quick review on the Griffin Survivor.

I bought the iPad 2 last Sunday and one of my primary uses was for my 2 year old daughter. She is plagued with chest infections and has been hospitalised 4 times in the last 12 months or so. So when we're in, I usually sit with her and we watch Peppa Pig on my iPhone.

As I said I brought the iPad home last Sunday and I've barely had a look in. I bought the Survivor case in Compu B mainly as they had no Otterbox Defenders. Unknown to me the Defender doesn't have a built in screen cover and that has been so useful this week on the Survivor. I've had snot, spit, and food mashed into the screen cover and off it comes with a wipe. The iPad has been dropt, kicked and this evening she slept on top of it. The Survivor is a fantastic cover and around €30 cheaper according to Compu B's prices.

Within an hour on Sunday she had Youtube figured out, well so much as pressing the screen until a new episode starts but as I didn't plug for the 3G option I had to get shows onto the iPad. Yesterday I bought CineXPlayer and I'm now transferring around 12Gb of Peppa Pig, Humf, Dora the Explorer and Ben & Holly onto the iPad so that should do next time we're away or if she gets sick again. Next purchase is a mount for the car headrest so she can watch if we're driving longish distance.

Another great App she loves is "Drawing Pad". She sits there for ages drawing on the screen with her fingers.

The wife was a bit sceptical on Sunday but that night she said it's the best €600 odd I'd ever spent (32Gb + case came to €635). Anyways, back on point. The Survivor is a bloody brilliant case and I'm delighted with it.

Thanks for that and supplier. Was leaning towards The Griffin Survivor v. The Otterbox Defender (hence the review link), cos the latter doesn't have a screen protector.

There are a number of reviews that The Griffin screen protector is easily scratched thou it's still highly recommended.

Apart from that, the other main difference seems to be that The Griffin does not have an outer hard cover for travel, The Otterbox does. On balance I'd also go with The Griffin with kids.

Hope your child gets better.

SachaJ

Bella mamma wrote: »

Thanks for that and supplier. Was leaning towards The Griffin Survivor v. The Otterbox Defender (hence the review link), cos the latter doesn't have a screen protector.

There are a number of reviews that The Griffin screen protector is easily scratched thou it's still highly recommended.

Apart from that, the other main difference seems to be that The Griffin does not have an outer hard cover for travel, The Otterbox does. On balance I'd also go with The Griffin with kids.

Hope your child gets better.

Correct, the Survivor doesn't have the outer hard cover so if that's a concern it might be worth looking at some additional hard protection for the screen. If you buy direct from Otterbox, they will send you a screen protector similar to those found on the iPhone. To be honest though, I'd prefer the Survivor screen protector to that which came with my Otterbox Commuter case for the iPhone.

As the screen protector is actually part of the Survivor inner hard shell, I can't see how easily foreign material (ie. snot/spit) could get into to iPad. With the Otterbox screen cover it's actually stuck to the screen so provides no protection to the sides so stuff could actually get in under the Otterbox shell.

Knine

Thanks guys for all your help and reviews:D I'm glad to say the Ipad is being well used every day. Every day when she comes in from school there is a glint in her eye and a big smile and she does her sign language for book which is what she calls her ipad:p

Even though she has a disability she has the ability to find such joy in every app I have downloaded for her:D

whiterebel

Great, nice to see a good news story for a change:)

Knine

I'm quite partial to playing around with quite a few of the Apps myself. I did have an iphone 4 but I actully became a traitor and changed it for the Samsung Galaxy 2.

The only problem was when I tried to bluetooth pictures from the Galaxy to the Ipad I was told that Apple did not support Android devices.........

Mac0783

Knine wrote: »

I'm quite partial to playing around with quite a few of the Apps myself. I did have an iphone 4 but I actully became a traitor and changed it for the Samsung Galaxy 2.

The only problem was when I tried to bluetooth pictures from the Galaxy to the Ipad I was told that Apple did not support Android devices.........

Um...is this a problem?? I know my OH really wants the new Samsung Galaxy S3 when it comes out, but I was thinking of getting him an Ipad for xmas... are they not compatible? I know v little about technology.. would it be a waste to buyhim ipad if he gets the new samsung when it comes out?? thanks a mill

Knine

Mac0783 wrote: »

Um...is this a problem?? I know my OH really wants the new Samsung Galaxy S3 when it comes out, but I was thinking of getting him an Ipad for xmas... are they not compatible? I know v little about technology.. would it be a waste to buyhim ipad if he gets the new samsung when it comes out?? thanks a mill

To be honest I'm not sure if they are compatible or not or if there is a way around it. I'm kinda hoping that some of the wise people in the know on here might be able to help!:)

Mac0783

Ditto! Here's hoping..

..i could of course ask himself, but me thinks it might rather ruin the suprise!

Knine

lol no don't ask him. Everything I want to know there is always someone with an answer on here! When is the Samsung Galaxy 3 coming out?

Mac0783

Well he had mentioned to me that he thought it was November, but i googled it there this morning and apparently the head of Samsung has suggested the first quarter of 2012... seems odd to me that they would miss the Christmas frenzy but suppose the S2 is still selling really well..