My friend's husband gave her one for Christmas! I haven't seen it, as they have been traveling. I did hear from her from it while she was gone.

I love mine, I just bought one mid-December and am still learning it but so far it's a love affair. My husband loves it as well and rather than use my lenovo laptop he will grab the iPad to use it. We bought the 64G Verizon edition and it has saved my butt 3 times already!

Well be sure you don't limit yourself, check out some of the amazing new Android tablets, much cheaper and can do all that and more!!

I much prefer the Android ones to ipads , have used both, no contest to me.

Just be sure to try them all out, there are some awesome ones available now, Android 3.0 and up, the brand new version 4 is going to blow people away.

I didn't understand it either til I played with a friend of mines and I would love to own one!

I love mine. Hold off though for a month as there are rumours of an iPad3 coming either in late January or Febuary. it will probably be on the market in March and will have a faster processor and much better resolution and camera according to the rumours. I have the first generation and am considering the upgrade.

I've had mine a year, and love it. Always open to new ideas, though, or upgrades.

I'd love one, but it's not in the cards just now. I do have an inexpensive Android tablet that I use all the time, though.

I love mine a lot. One good thing about the iPad is that Apple checks each application it puts in it's itunes store carefully and keeps out the viruses.

I got an iPad2 for Christmas... still learning about what all it can do.

Ordered mine on Black Friday from Apple. LOVE it. I use it every night while I watch tv. Words with Friends, Angry Birds, USA Today, People magazine, email...so useful!

I want one so much. I had talked myself into getting a Kindle Fire but then I played around with my friend's and I don't like it. I am going to cough up the dough for an ipad.

I love mine and rarely use my desktop anymore.

What is the advantage? I mean - yes, I know it's portable, doesn't require a separate keyboard, and all that, but I don't *need* or want to have email access wherever I go. Yes, I know that a tablet would allow me to read books, etc when I am in waiting rooms, but waiting rooms are the times when I read the magazines we don't get at home!

I wouldn't mind playing with an Ipad or Android for an hour or two - I love high tech toys! - but beyond that, I can't imagine spending the money for one. Of course, my dh and I have voice only cell phones - no data or texting. So it's probably no shock that I can live without a tablet.

I have an iPod and love it. Would like to get an iPad, but can't justify the cost.
Kathy G in MI

Love mine. I suggest buying a refurbished one directly from Apple dot com. Bought mine there a year ago, and daughter bought hers from there as well. We've bought numerous iPods the same way over the years. All have been trouble-free and still work fine. Saved $100+ on my iPad wifi + 3G. They retail for pretty much the same price everywhere, so that's about the only price break you can find. DH has the Kindle Fire which is nice as well, especially for a $300 price difference.

My daughter works for Apple so I have an ipad and macbook pro. I love both of them. The laptop for the size and all the applications that I can use. I love playing mystery games from Big Fish. I've had 3 Toshiba laptops prior to the Apple and there's no comparison. A Mac is so easy to use and has such extensive programs and it's got it's own very high security. You never have to do a thing. It's all done for you. Same with the Ipad. I use that for trips and drs. appts. or in the car. Can't beat it. I understand that the price is high but you could always find a fairly new one on CL. I got one for my sil and paid 300.00 and it was only six months old. She loves it.

I got myself an Asus Transformer for Christmas and am loving it! Do check out other tablets besides the Ipad. I like the Asus much better for a number of reasons, and it is at least 100. cheaper.

One of my husband's doctors has one. She showed it to us and we love it.

There is a definite anti-Apple faction out there, but personally, I think they are wrong. I have a new android tablet that I love, but as good as it is, it doesn't hold a candle to my kids' iPads. They are just plain easier to use, faster, more intuitive, imo. But, yes, they are generally more expensive, too.

I could never justify the cost. My husband told me that he really wanted to get me one for Christmas but was worried it was just too expensive.

I did the research and believe iPad is the best of the whole long list of tablets on the market. That said, MIMIMUM to get any iPad is about $500. That said, Kindle Fire was just hitting the market at the time and the reviews were excellent. It was mentioned by more than one reviewer that it was the best of the Androids.

There are a few features that iPad has that Kindle Fire doesn't. You can get a phone company contract for your iPad and connect to the internet from anywhere you have phone service. Kindle Fire doesn't have that. You can connect either to your PC or via wi-fi.

iPad has a camera or cameras (maybe front and back, for photo taking and video chat - someone can correct me if I'm wrong). Kindle Fire doesn't have a camera. But you can store photographs on Kindle Fire and it is an excellent photo viewer.

The applications available are similar but a little different version because iPad runs on an Apple OS and Kindle Fire on an Android OS. Not all applications are available in both formats.

Both can access the internet. Both can run a huge variety of applications, many free and many fee based. Many games are available, as well as other useful applications (scheduler, document viewers and editors, etc, etc, etc). You can watch movies (such as Netflix or those available from Amazon) on both. Both can act as book readers.

But iPad is a minimum of $500 and Kindle Fire is $199. I told my husband that as much as I'd love an iPad, I thought that if he were to get me a tablet as a gift, he should get Kindle Fire.

He gave me a Kindle Fire for Christmas and I absolutely love it. AND, when I'm not using it, it's hardly been out of his hands because he loves playing the games on it so much. Matter of fact, I gave him the Nintendo DS last year so he could play Tetris and Mahjong and I only WISH Kindle Fire had been available then. You get so much more for about the same price! Next year, maybe he'll get a Kindle Fire for Christmas :-)

I'd take an iPad in a heartbeat, but if money matters at all, Kindle Fire is proving to be an excellent tablet. I absolutely love it. And my husband got it for less than half the cost, saving him over $300 that can be used for any number of other things!

Well so far I don't see anything mentioned that would make me feel like I have to have it. The last thing I need is another bill to pay so with internet, cell phone, home phone etc I'm already spending a dang fortune. As far as playing games...I hate computer type games so that isn't any sort of interest for me. I think if I traveled a lot I could see a need but other than that I don't see any need for it. I'd like to see a list of what these can do to see if there is anything that I'm missing out on but so far I haven't seen anyone list a purpose that I feel justifies needing something other than my internet connection at home on my PC.

I didn't want an ipad but DH got me one, and I do like it (hate to admit it). I consider it an extravagance and a convenience too. I can watch TV through our cable service on it in the kitchen (volume isn't too loud but it's ok). I can FaceTime to see my grandkids. I do not play games but maybe I will. It can take and show pictures, look up map directions, look at news sites, check email, surf the net.

We don't pay any extra bills for connection. It uses the wifi we already have. They are expensive.

Well if I had one, I'd want to be able to use it everywhere I went otherwise what's the point? At that point it becomes a service that costs another $30 a month.

Mine is WIFI only on my home computer and I have plenty loaded on it to keep me going. There are also apps out there where you can turn it on and seek free WIFI sites that you can use when you are away for email and messaging. I don't pay anything extra a month for the 3G feature.

I wont' be getting one. I have an older laptop that I use out here in the TV room. And that is why I am online more than I should be. When I am out and about the last thing I want to do is be online. I want to be in the moment. Even if it IS in one of the Doc's waiting rooms. lol

My brother was with me all the time in Seattle during the transplant and he had his. I played with it once or twice, it is cute. The screen was really reflective and I can't imagine trying to read a book on it. Especially if you don't like sitting upright, I like to stretch out sometimes.

Just another cool toy for the companies to lighten our wallet with. lol

My brother loves his.

Love mine (wifi only) I really haven't had a need for 3 g. I use mine for:

Email
Forums
Web surfing
Facebook
An easily transported recipe book...so easy to save and use recipes in the kitchen without printing them out
Photo album
Ebooks
Face time with friends and relatives all over the world
Star identification with my grandkids
Scrabble and Words with Friends games with same friends and relatives all over the world
The grandchildren use it to practice cursive writing. (many FREE aps available for classic kids games - hangman, checkers, chess etc.)

An iPad battery stays charged for at least 10 hours. And it doesn't get hot.

ML

Jel, thank you. I was just about to ask what the iPad has that the Fire doesn't, and there was that message from you. The only thing from your list that I would find attractive is the ability to access the internet anywhere, because my Fire needs WiFi.

But that's not worth $300 to me. I LOVE my Kindle Fire!

Is it true that you can start and stop the 3G service as needed? Around here there is WiFi pretty much everywhere. Still, I'd like to have 3G service when I travel. If I know I am going to be away during a certain month can I ask Verizon for 3G service for just that month and discontinue it after the month is over? I don't want to pay for 3G all the time because I would rarely use it.

My son said you can get 3g service for a month if that is what you need...

And doesn't it cost if you want to have books, they aren't going to just let people have books for nothing right. For an example, we did a search for a book my husband wants and it costs $15 for the Kindle version of it from Amazon. I can find plenty of things to spend money on, I don't need an ipad/kindle to make spending money easier. To me it's just another way that companies have made people need to spend more money on. My internet connection at home gives me everything I could ever need and then some. As it is, I have to stop and get things done, a person can't stay sitting around using some tech device all day. No wonder everyone is so obese these days...sitting around staring at an Ipad all day...I have to move around or I go crazy! Everywhere I go I see these robots (people) with their eyes glued to some hand held device...I just don't get it, I cannot even imagine sitting in a restaurant looking at an ipad...insane if you ask me! HEY JMHO!

Every single thing that has been mentioned for ipad can be done on the newest Android 3.0 and up tablets too, plus Android does flash so you can watch any flash movies, videos, flash enabled games etc, a lot of stuff uses flash.

The fire is a bit more restricted by Amazon than a regular Android tablet and Amazon has put some different things on it like their own browser which is not as good as the regular one or ones like Dolphin browser, you can of course add firefox to Android also.
The Android market is basically the same as the apple version market. Both are less susceptible to infection than anything windows based, because of their base OS, Android is a linux based and Ipad is the Apple OS.
Many of the new Android tablets also offer the option of using 3G cellphone towers for a pay fee. They all can use any wifi and there are tons of apps to find free wifi.

I do not have an aversion to the ipad at all, have used several, but it is unfortunate that so many people only hear ipad and don't know they can get something for less money, and that they have other options, that can do all that and more.( Plus I do not like that every single thing for ipad has to be tied to itunes, Android has it simplified.)
So trying to get the info out to actually look around and see what is out there and maybe save some of those hard earned dollars.

That Asus transformer is an amazing piece of technology. Has a dock with keyboard that transforms it into a very nice desktop pc. The Galaxy Tab is also a very nice option. Right now in the brand names there are several, Acer Iconia, Motorola xoom, Toshiba Thrive. Just go to amazon and look at the specs on some of them and the real user reviews.
Spreading the knowledge, and using it for an informed decision is key.

As to starting and stopping 3G that would be totally dependent on who you buy your plan from and if they offer such a package that is not related to the actual tablets.
You can certainly have a 3G capable tablet of any type and choose not to purchase a plan so there would be no cost to you for that. If you did get a plan you would want one that had a very good data usage limit preferably unlimited because you can rack up up data usage really fast on one.

No matter what you get you should be happy with your device and get the most use out of it possible. I know I love all of mine, do I need them probably not. I use mine mostly sitting in my recliner, no need to put anything on my lap to protect it like I had to do with my netbook, no vents to block, does not get hot, is fairly light weight, love to read on them, I do play some games not heavy, I can check my email and the forums I am on with out getting up and going to the computer in my office, for me that mobility issue is key of course. I actually rarely take mine to like the doctors office and stuff, I have my smartphone which can do lots of stuff. I do take it when I travel, it is much easier to travel with than my netbook and laptop.
I would never replace my main desktop pc with it though.
I just love technology it is my thing, so I am willing to try it all out!

Good luck with all your new toys and enjoy them!!

I really do love my iPad, but reading the reviews on the Kindle Fire it is a wonderful machine. I think in large part, it depends on your life as to which device will work best. I need the memory that comes with my iPad, and I need the 3G access. That way I am not tethered to a desk, I do have a data card that I can fill as needed when I am out and about but trust me, working on a laptop on the beltway is not easy, using an iPad is much easier. And I can find a bench at the mall or a seat in a restaurant if I need to do so. As I mentioned earlier, this little guy saved me having to run home to get to a computer twice in the past 10 days, it has paid for itself.

I know folks that absolutely hate the fact that Apple controls the hardware and the software installed but the techs at our company find that to be be the best part of Apple. Quality is in their hands and all the systems are identical so assistance is easy as well. They love it that we are slowly switching our company over to Apple machines.

As far as book costing money, of course they do. But you can always get your ebooks thru your library if you wish to do so. But buy a paper book and you will pay more than you will an ebook so if the economics of reading is one that matters the Kindle/iPad/tablets win.

Well all I know is $500+ would buy a lot of books at the thrift shop and flea market...HAHAHA!

Don't knock it until you know more about it. There are hundreds (maybe thousands) of free eBooks and many simple ways to find them. Some are always free, and some change daily. I already have 36 books on my Fire and haven't paid a dime. Yes, they ARE going to give you books for free.

I have a long commute on public transportation and my Fire makes it enjoyable. Well, enjoyable might be an exaggeration, but at least not torturous!

I posted on here after Christmas about hubby getting me one. We upgraded it immediately to the 64GB/3G without hesitation as it went on sale right after Christmas.
Well I have tried the 2 iPads and an android (Sony)and I ended up returning all of them. I really just don't "get" it. I would rather have the full capabilities of my laptop/desktop rather than a tablet.
I have a wifi cell phone that I will upgrade to a smart phone when eligible but this one suits me till then. I can see more sense for me, in having these options on a phone rather than a tablet that would be harder for me to carry around.
So for me....no it really wasn't the right fit. I returned them all and put the money towards my new camera... I KNOW I will get more use out of it! :)

I love mine and use it several times a day. I even use it in the kitchen for recipes I get online. Use it a lot while watching TV to check out news stories or find out more about a movie I am watching. Instant gratification, I will never be without one.

I agree that iPad is not the only game in town. My phone is an android and it can do more than my iPad2 can do. My Brother has an android tablet with voice, loves it, it was 2/3 the $$. I am sure that when the iPad3 comes out it will have voice but still a hefty price tag.

Sooey
Who just posted this using her iPad2.

" The last thing I need is another bill to pay"
Having an iPad does not mean you have another bill to pay... unless you charge it and can't pay off the CC.
If you don't want to pay CC bills, save up and buy with cash.

"Having an iPad does not mean you have another bill to pay... unless you charge it and can't pay off the CC."

But you still have to pay for data service, don't you? I'm so confused.

As far as having thousands of free ebooks - that's true. Except since we've installed the Kindle application on both of our computers here at home, so we can read ebooks on our "regular" computers. Our public library system has a large ebook collection... I also use our computers for recipes, for anything you'd use a tablet for. Except of course our laptops aren't quite as portable as tablets are. Which is okay because I like being disconnected sometimes. Stop and smell the roses and all that, without having a blinking cursor (or whatever it is on a tablet) getting in the way.

Thanks but no thanks.

Hi Gladys,

We have our iPad as part of our in home wifi network so we do not pay for any additional data. If you want to use your iPad/tablet in the car or at a location where wifi is not available you can buy a data plan just like you do for your phone. We travel with ours all the time and use whatever wifi is in the area.

Sooey

I've had mine for over year and gave DH on ipad2 for Christmas. We love them! Ours are both without 3G -- we just use our home wifi and I have a mobile hotspot on my cell phone we can use with our iPads when traveling. I regularly download free books. Most classics that are out of copyright are available free.

But we don't *have* data on our phones. No texting, no data. Just voice. And using home wifi - why not just use a laptop?

Oakley, thanks that's what I thought.

Yes, you can download books from your library's web site most often. If your local library system doesn't offer this, see if another library system in your state does. For instance, if you live in PA you can get a card from the Free Library of Philadelphia and download books from their site. Just remember that they "disappear" when it's time to return them, just like any library book.

I rarely pay for a book. I always use the library.

Primarily portability and comfort. I've never read books on a laptop and don't think it would be that cozy. I can cuddle up with my iPad and read, surf, play games and do most things I would do on a laptop. It also is light and fits in my purse, so I can continue reading the book over lunch that I fell asleep reading last night. Honestly, I'm not a big fan of laptops. I use one if I need to for work and take one with me when I'm out of the office for any length of time, just in case I need to work on documents but I much prefer a desktop for most work. For me, iPad for primarily for fun and desktop primarily for work, but I have found that my iPad is very useful for checking and responding to work e-mails and a few other lite work uses.

Jan just got our annual cell phone statement and it says I used my cell phone for a whole 118 minutes last year... in fact, I didn't even know it had a voice mailbox till she looked at the statement and asked me why I never turned it on?

Oh yes,,and did I mention that we do not have a hardwire landline?

I don't care for computer games and alzheimers has not set in yet, so I don't even write a shopping list,,,I just use that fabulous data processing device thats between my ears..

So I don't think I need an ipod....LOL

I've wanted an IPad for 2 years since my grandson got one and I was sooo impressed. But the price is outrageous. I got my Kindle Fire 2 days ago and LOVE IT! (and the price is right!) Grandson with the Ipad raved about the fire that his sister got for Christmas. (Fire supports flash, Ipad doesn't!) I wanted a tablet to surf the net and not have to drag my laptop over to dd's house when I'm babysitting. And the fire is a bit smaller than the Ipad and fits snugly in my hand. Bonus!

I don't think I would buy one for myself. I don't play games and I don't think I would like reading books that way, plus the expense.

Sue

I got one for my birthday and I love it. DH always seems to know what I'll like before I do. I love it because it's portable, I can move it around the house and the yard with me wherever I go. In the kitchen, for example, I use the slingbox app to have tv on while I'm cooking. Wherever I go I often like to have tv or music going in the background. It's also good for my People app, for Words with Friends, and for surfing the net. My eyes are blurry now, and for some reason I can read the iPad easier than a magazine. I think DH also got it for me because I have trouble pacing myself, and then I run into (health) problems, but with the iPad, it gives me something to sit down and do for a few minutes so I can rest a bit. The I pop back up and get going again...lol.

I had a data plan when I worked, but now that I'm off on leave, I just use wifi. I would get a data plan again in the future. Here you have to pay $35 to turn the data plan back on.

I have the iPod, smaller than the iPad, just as useful.

It uses WiFi through my home computer, no extra bill. I can also use its internet functions anywhere there is a hot spot. I can use all the apps, books, music, etc. without a connection.

I use it dozens of times a day. One, I'm constantly listening to audio books...full length, unabridged, audio books. I have 91 loaded into it right not, more in the Apple page.

I can purchase audio books on line, or I can put any of the audio CD books I own into the computer and download them into the iPod.

I have a Kindle app, so if I have time to sit and read, I can use it. I also have the eBooks and iBooks apps for more reading.

It came with a many-functions calander, contacts lists, clocks (world, alarm, timer), voice memo, calculator, more-than-acceptable camera, an unending note pad, a maps function that is better than my high-$ GPS, a Weather app...the list goes on and on. I have a full version Holy Bible, dictionary and theasaurs (be nice if I was using them right now, LOL)

I am very busy, and alone, all day, every day. I have the iPod tucked into my running bra strap and an audio book going while I go about my chores and work. When I'm alone I don't have to wear the ear bud because I can hear the books fine. If I want to listen to music I pop it in the Bose docking station and the sounds are wonderful.

I don't play games, but I do use it to surf the net when I'm in waiting rooms, etc. I also have a couple movies in it at all times. I can post to my forums, read news, check on anything. I know every store and restaurant in the area that has WiFi!!!

It's an amazing tool.

One thing I use my ipod for also is an inventory program. I am a scrapbooker and have all of my stamps, stamp pads, paints and all the little extras that those who are seriously interested in the hobby use. My collection of things grew and I found that I was forgetting what I had and didn't have and I was buying duplicates. Now when I shop, all I have to do is look it up in my inventory program, and I know if I have that colour or stamp. All of my serious scrapbooking friends have bought duplicates at one time or another by mistake.

It also works for books I own, books I have read etc.

Having an inventory program is also great for insurance purposes.

I have to admit I am spoiled with an iPod, an older iPad and an older Kindle. Love and use them all.