What are the negatives to buying an iPad2 in the States?

bobbysands81

Thinking of getting a 3g Wi-fi in the States in a couple of weeks.

Are there any downsides to doing this? Will the power cable work ok? Will Wi-fi work ok etc...?

kjl

the only negative I can think of is the charger wont be the same.

Just make sure you buy the GSM model and not the CDMA

everything else is exactly the same.

coylemj

Just don't buy the Verizon model and you'll be fine. The AT & T model works in Europe.

Edietigr

I have one from states. It is fine like others said, just get the at&t ones

Gumbo

bobbysands81 wrote: »

Are there any downsides to doing this?

Yes, when you buy, you will have to look at it everyday for the rest of the holiday wishing you were at home for one hour just to activate it and load it up with some stuff

quad_red

kceire wrote: »

Yes, when you buy, you will have to look at it everyday for the rest of the holiday wishing you were at home for one hour just to activate it and load it up with some stuff

They'll activate for you instore won't they? (in an apple store)

And its only the plug bit that doesnt work with the charger. If you've an old iPhone charger you can attach that 'plug' piece onto the charger and voila.

Trotter

Sorry to hijack the thread but is there any difference in the wifi only iPad 2 bought in the States? No warranty issues etc? Thanks!

quad_red

Trotter wrote: »

Sorry to hijack the thread but is there any difference in the wifi only iPad 2 bought in the States? No warranty issues etc? Thanks!

No. Besides the charger plug.

The warranty is global.

bkehoe

quad_red wrote: »

They'll activate for you instore won't they? (in an apple store)

And its only the plug bit that doesnt work with the charger. If you've an old iPhone charger you can attach that 'plug' piece onto the charger and voila.

If it comes with iOS5 then it can be activated without a PC or Mac.

blacknight83

was over in NYC last week and got a iPad from apple store 5th ave. they will activate it in shop for you. Seems most of the iPads they had in stock at time were on old iOS firmware and not is iOS 5. Also would be wise to pick up a proper 10w charger when home as the iPhone charger will work but will be a lot slower to charge.

quad_red

blacknight83 wrote: »

was over in NYC last week and got a iPad from apple store 5th ave. they will activate it in shop for you. Seems most of the iPads they had in stock at time were on old iOS firmware and not is iOS 5. Also would be wise to pick up a proper 10w charger when home as the iPhone charger will work but will be a lot slower to charge.

You do not have to buy a new charger.

Just detach the plug piece from the transformer unit and attach either
A) the plug bit from an iPhone charger
Or
a generic power cable of the kind that powers tons of radios/VCRs/speakers etc. you probably have one lying around.

PADRAIC.M

Yeah I bought one last week in the 5th avenue store in NYC of you don't mind waiting a while they will activate it for you and the store is 24 hours! And yes you need a new charger as they use different voltage to a iPhone charger so just pick one up when you get back- don't use the plug off your iPhone charger!!!

Iron Hide

Correct me if i'm wrong but i would have thought the voltage difference would be an issue

coylemj

Can one of the posters who bought iPads in US recently please tell us if the charger which comes with the iPad is multi-voltage (100-240V) or US (110V) only? Please say when you bought the iPad.

Contributors on this and other threads are giving conflicting replies as to whether you need a whole new charger or just a travel adapter when you get home.

bobbysands81

Firstly folks, thanks for all the responses, much appreciated.

Scondly it's my sister that's going to be making the purchase, not me. Basically I'll need to write down on a piece of paper exactly what she's to ask for as she has no clue. I had never heard of the Verizon AT&T stuff before, nor "activating" it (whatever the hell that means!)

So what exactly do I put on the piece of paper for her to ask for?

Something like this???

Ask for a black 64gig 3G Wi-Fi iPad 2. It MUST be the AT&T version (the shop will know what that means) and if they offer to activate it say YES. You will not need to sign up to any data package.

By the way can someone explain what activating it means please?

crapmanjoe

bobbysands81 wrote: »

Firstly folks, thanks for all the responses, much appreciated.

Scondly it's my sister that's going to be making the purchase, not me. Basically I'll need to write down on a piece of paper exactly what she's to ask for as she has no clue. I had never heard of the Verizon AT&T stuff before, nor "activating" it (whatever the hell that means!)

So what exactly do I put on the piece of paper for her to ask for?

Something like this???

Ask for a black 64gig 3G Wi-Fi iPad 2. It MUST be the AT&T version (the shop will know what that means) and if they offer to activate it say YES. You will not need to sign up to any data package.

By the way can someone explain what activating it means please?

Yup. That will do. There is no issues with voltage/ chargers, a simple us/Ireland plug converter will do the job. I bought mine in us before bringing home.

Tell her to take out of box and hide the receipts. On the very slim chance she gets stopped at customs.

greglo23

The iPad charger is rated 100-240 volts at 50-60 Hertz so will work in most systems. The plug pin configuration may need to be adapted to the country or countries you visit. Apple sells a World Travel kit of pin blocks for the charger that will fit most countries. The pin block on the charger slides off horizontally and the proper pin set then slides on.

bkehoe

bobbysands81 wrote: »

By the way can someone explain what activating it means please?

It's pretty much that simple; activating the device for use. Unless you activate it when its switched on you will just see a 'Connect to iTunes' screen unless of course it's iOS5 which is self-activating. Anybody with any kind of computer that runs iTunes can activate an iOS device so if your sister is just buying the iPad for you to use when she brings it home then there's no need for her to get them to activate it in store.

And the chargers are completely universal, all Apple chargers are...don't know why it's being indicated otherwise. It's simply the detachable plug that changes between countries. So you either need a replacement plug or just use a travel adapter or charge it from a USB port on your PC/Mac.

Gumbo

bobbysands81 wrote: »

Something like this???

Ask for a black 64gig 3G Wi-Fi iPad 2. It MUST be the AT&T version (the shop will know what that means) and if they offer to activate it say NO. You will not need to sign up to any data package.

I would not get them to activate it tbh. If its your sister buying it, then she has no reason to use it, so i would rarther get it home in the box unopened and ready for you to plug into iTunes and activate.

If its been opened and activated then your sister and whoeever is with her may be tempted to play around with it and maybe drop it, scrape it etc etc

coylemj

kceire wrote: »

I would not get them to activate it tbh. If its your sister buying it, then she has no reason to use it, so i would rarther get it home in the box unopened and ready for you to plug into iTunes and activate.

If its been opened and activated then your sister and whoeever is with her may be tempted to play around with it and maybe drop it, scrape it etc etc

Look at it another way: activating it and having the box opened means she can claim that it's hers if she's stopped in Dublin or Shannon and if she messes about with it in the US then if the customs lads challenge her to switch it on and show how to use it she'll be able to oblige.

If the box is sealed and/or the screen cover is still on then she can hardly claim that she bought it in Ireland and it's her work tool.

bk

PADRAIC.M wrote: »

And yes you need a new charger as they use different voltage to a iPhone charger so just pick one up when you get back- don't use the plug off your iPhone charger!!!

Completely untrue.

Both the iPhone and iPad chargers support are rated for 100 to 240V.

An iPhone charger will work perfectly fine with an iPad. it will just charge the iPad slower then a dedicated iPad charger.

The iPhone Charger is rated for 5W 1A
The iPad Charger is rated for 10W 2.1A

But there is absolutely no problem using an iPhone with an iPad charger or an iPad with an iPhone charger (other then it taking longer to charge).

Trust me, Apple wouldn't have used the same cables for the iPhone and Ipad if there was any danger of mixing chargers.

BTW you can change the plug on a US iPad charger for a UK plug, you can get them for dirt cheap from the following (however it will take a few weeks to arrive): http://www.dealextreme.com/p/apple-compatible-interchange-ac-adapter-plug-uk-13352

In the meantime you can just use your laptop to charge the iPad, existing iPhone/iPod charger or a travel adapter for the iPad charger.

keith_d99

bk wrote: »

Completely untrue.

Both the iPhone and iPad chargers support are rated for 100 to 240V.

An iPhone charger will work perfectly fine with an iPad. it will just charge the iPad slower then a dedicated iPad charger.

The iPhone Charger is rated for 5W 1A
The iPad Charger is rated for 10W 2.1A

But there is absolutely no problem using an iPhone with an iPad charger or an iPad with an iPhone charger (other then it taking longer to charge).

Trust me, Apple wouldn't have used the same cables for the iPhone and Ipad if there was any danger of mixing chargers.

BTW you can change the plug on a US iPad charger for a UK plug, you can get them for dirt cheap from the following (however it will take a few weeks to arrive): http://www.dealextreme.com/p/apple-compatible-interchange-ac-adapter-plug-uk-13352

In the meantime you can just use your laptop to charge the iPad, existing iPhone/iPod charger or a travel adapter for the iPad charger.

Or else just use a travel adapter (US-UK)?

Gregor Samsa

coylemj wrote: »

Can one of the posters who bought iPads in US recently please tell us if the charger which comes with the iPad is multi-voltage (100-240V) or US (110V) only? Please say when you bought the iPad.

Contributors on this and other threads are giving conflicting replies as to whether you need a whole new charger or just a travel adapter when you get home.

I can share my personal experience buying one in the US:

I bought my iPad 2 (32GB 3G) in the Mall of America in Minneapolis the week they were released earlier this year (March, I think).

The charger most definitely works here. The only difference is the detachable plug. The charger is multi-voltage. Apple uses the same style detachable plugs other devices too (MacBooks, etc), so I had a few spare 3 pin ones lying around that I could use with it no bother.

You could also use a travel adapter, or a standard Figure 8 power cable like this:



to plug into the charger.

The iPad 2 won't charge off most USB ports the way an iPhone or iPod Touch will. However, that depends on your computer. I know mine won't charge off the USB ports on my MacBook Pro, or those on my powered USB hub.

The iPad 2 will change from an iPhone charger, but at a slower rate, due to different wattage (not voltage) requirements between the two devices (this is not country dependent).

I didn't get the Apple Store to activate it, I just did that myself back at the hotel later that day.

There's absolutely no bother with buying an iPad in the US, once you get the Wi-Fi or AT&T one.

bk

keith_d99 wrote: »

Or else just use a travel adapter (US-UK)?

Yes as I mentioned in my post "or travel adapter for the iPad charger." or a figure of 8 plug lead as phutyle mentions.

So in other words there are tones of options.

I got my iPad 1 in the US, I used a travel adapter (US to UK) for a few weeks until I got the correct UK plug from dealextreme a few weeks later. For the sake of ~ €1.80, it is much tidier then a travel adapter.

the_syco

quad_red wrote: »

The warranty is global.

Check the small print? Lots of 'global" warranties for stuff bought in the USA means you must ship it back there first... Example, most laptops that you buy over there give a global warranty. The global warranty states you'll have to post it to them first, and they'll post it back to you when it's fixed.

Gregor Samsa

the_syco wrote: »

Check the small print? Lots of 'global" warranties for stuff bought in the USA means you must ship it back there first... Example, most laptops that you buy over there give a global warranty. The global warranty states you'll have to post it to them first, and they'll post it back to you when it's fixed.

It's properly global for the iPad:

If the product is portable, meaning that it can operate independently without a power cord, you may obtain warranty service worldwide. However, service will be limited to the options available in the country where service is requested. If the product is not portable, warranty service may be restricted to the country where the product is purchased.

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/worldwidewarranty_popup

greglo23

The benefit of having it activated in the US is that you can get an American iTunes account set up which has a much better range of TV shows,Books and Films than the Irish store. Get a few iTunes gift cards and you can redeem them on the US store and away you go. You can set up a US account from here as well but it only works with either a US credit card or US iTunes gift cards. Its possible to buy the cards online but the sellers usually charge a hefty premium.

Liam Byrne

Thought we'd gotten rid of Rip-Off Ireland ?

Online from Apple's US store : $499 (€362.45)
Online from Apple's Ireland store : €479

greglo23

Thats the vat and duty we are stuck with :mad:

120_Minutes

You don't need to get it activated instore, I got a friend to pick up an iPad for me and I got it this week. It has ios 5 so it can be activated without need for a pc, just wifi.

The us charger works fine, either with a travel adaptor or I have an old style iPhone charger which I popped the Irish plug off and put it on the us charger, simples.

whiterebel

Liam Byrne wrote: »

Thought we'd gotten rid of Rip-Off Ireland ?

Online from Apple's US store : $499 (€362.45)
Online from Apple's Ireland store : €479

Online from Apple's US store : $499 (€362.45) + Sales Tax + VAT @ 21%.......

bop1977

whiterebel wrote: »

Online from Apple's US store : $499 (€362.45) + Sales Tax + VAT @ 21%.......

There's no VAT to be added to the price, just $499 + state tax.

whiterebel

bop1977 wrote: »

There's no VAT to be added to the price, just $499 + state tax.

There is when you buy it in Ireland, hence the Irish price being more than the US one.