Ipad question

Don't know how long it will be as a newbie before I can post in the classifieds, so I am asking the question here. Am working on getting rid of a Microsoft Surface Pro4 and thinking about an Ipad, since I have now switched to a Mac at home. Don't know much about them and am still new to the Mac world...hoping I can get some guidelines as to what to look for or stay away from. Probably looking at used equipment.

It would be mainly for personal use, email and creating some documents. I don't believe in scrimping to buy cheap and then end up with something that doesn't fill my needs.

Thanks for the input.

Please visit the official Apple iPad site to get all the basics out of the way.. You can do quick comparisons there of the different varieties, iPad Mini, iPad and iPad Pro and see what fits your use/budget..

The iPad Pro is the true content creation juggernaut with the use of the Pencil and the larger screen..which IMO is YUUUGE. The iPad is a good mix of content creation/consumption, but you're using either the onscreen keyboard or Bluetooth enabled one. The iPad Mini is a great content consumption device that's very portable.

I was hoping more for personal input from users as to issues such as: how much ram is enough.....obviously more is better but is 64 enough or is it worth the extra for 128? Some advertise Ipad Air.....what is the "Air" mean? I see many being described as Xth generation....how many generations are there now? Were there any major upgrades/changes from one generation to the next so that there might be a specific generation to avoid?
I am currently running El Capitan on my home unit.....would there be any compatibility issues if I buy a newer Ipad running a newer OS?

The bulk of your questions regarding the generations, model naming and history are all explained in the iPad Wikipedia page, so I'm not going to repeat all that..please read through..

As far as storage goes..the more the better since you can then hold a lot of apps, movies, music and so on. This is not RAM, but Flash storage. I have an old 16 GB iPad 2 that is primarily my Netflix streaming device and for that it works great since I'm not storing anything locally other than the Netflix app. I don't have many other apps on there..

However, if you think you'll be loading up the device with a lot of data, you'll want to make sure you have the storage that fits that need. Adding additional storage requires custom dongles and hardware that might or might not suit you..

As far as the OS goes, the Mac lineup run on OS X/macOS, while the iDevices (iPod, iPad, iPhone) run on iOS. These two are entirely different OS' and are not interchangeable. There are connections (primarily through iTunes) whereby you'll want to use the latest version of macOS with your latest version of iOS that the device supports..

iOS 10.11 is the latest version which macOS Sierra 10.12 is the latest version there. Do not confused by the "10" part of both OS', that's just coincidence..

Apps for macOS don't work on iOS and vice-versa. You have an App Store that's unique to each system for you to download apps, the process is very similar on both..

WOW! Lots of great info. Thanks. So if I bought a used Ipad, can most of them have the flash storage or the harddrive upgraded, assuming they are not already maxed out? Probably seems like a stupid question but I didn't realize the OS was different between the two devices....so can for example a Word document go back and forth between the devices, via email or wifi and be opened and functional?

The iDevices' storage is not upgradable. You only have the storage that you buy it with. So choosing the right amount is very important. Back in the day when I used to take my iPad during work travels, I'd put videos/movies/games on there and I was constantly running out of space..

If you install the MS Word for iOS, it will open any DOC/DOCX file you create on your desktop. Most people use a cloud sync'ing service like iCloud Drive, Box, Dropbox and so on to easily access files across all of their devices.

OK, again great info. Thanks. Now I feel more comfortable shopping for an Ipad.
Thanks again.

@Reinyrooster

I risk to possibility of your taking offence which is the last thing I want.

But here are some basic facts/definitions, if I may.

On any computer, there has to be somewhere you can keep/store the Operating System (OS) and all your data - files, photos, music and so on. That is a Drive.

This can be of the spinning plater type, typically at 5400 rpm or 7200 rpm. Or it can have no moving parts - usually called Flash Storage. Even then, it can be further divided into Solid State Drive (SSD) or PCIe.

Whatever the nature of the Drive, the amount of space available is called "Storage". It could be 250GB, 500GB, 1TB and upwards.

For a computer to work, it needs "working space", commonly called "Memory" or "Random Access Memory" (RAM) or "Non Volatile Random Access Memory" (NVRAM).

On a Mac, the RAM is variable according to the purchaser's choice - anything from 8GB up to at least 32GB (More on the latest models). In some cases, it is upgradeable, post-purchase.

But on an iDevice (like the iPad), RAM is inbuilt and not user variable at point of purchase. So, whatever iPad you might purchase, RAM is predetermined and not upgradeable.

On an iPad or other iDevice, the Storage Capacity is similarly set at point of purchase and not upgradeable. The same is true of the Processor "speed".

Macs run on an OS. All iDevices run on an iOS. Looks pretty similar and easily confused, but in practice, quite different. And, as our Moderator said: "Apps for macOS don't work on iOS and vice-versa. You have an App Store that's unique to each system for you to download apps, the process is very similar on both."

Hope some of this helps; no offence.

Ian

Ian, thanks for the info. While the very basics are similar to my old days with Windows, there are significant differences, so I appreciate all the info that I can get. I used to be a police officer and now prosecute in traffic court........if I was that easily offended, I would have gone bonkers long ago.......having said that, my wife might say I did.......

Reinyrooster said:

OK, again great info. Thanks. Now I feel more comfortable shopping for an Ipad.
Thanks again.

Click to expand...

Excellent. Another thing I would recommend is to look at the different iPad varieties side-by-side. You can do that at your local Apple Store. Then based on your budget, buy the newest generation iPad with the storage size that is greatest.

I love and use this site, http://www.everymac.com/, it lists just about every Apple product. You can look at all models of computer or device and see the differences. The iPad was released in 2010, and have been updated every year with new models and specs, so 7 versions so far. Also, the mini is a newer model and was released in 2012.

I have had the iPad Mini, iPad Mini 2, and now an iPad Pro 12.9 (the original Pro model in the largest screen size). The Minis were nice because they were very compact, but also had limited "real estate" for the screen. I personally do not know whether the Minis will continue to be made or not as I have seen both rumors of it being discontinued AND rumors of the Mini 5 coming.

The common iPad is no more - the 9.7" screen tablet has gone by the wayside and Apple has moved their "regular" tablet to a 10.5" screen.

I like my iPad Pro for things like watching streaming content and for typing various different things (I have the Apple Keyboard) and the battery holds up very well. I have the Apple Pencil and use it from time to time when doing some basic network diagrams for work. It's basically the exact same size and weight as my MacBook Air 13", though, and I usually wish I had a smaller tablet to get work done on the plane.

When looking at used ones, I would personally suggest that you not consider any model that doesn't have TouchID (the fingerprint sensor piece that allows you to unlock the device) because those are the newest versions of the various models and will be usable for the longest period of time (and be able to receive iOS updates which will address security issues).

When looking at used iOS devices, check to be sure that Find my iPhone is disabled, the iCloud account is signed out, and that the TouchID sensor works (typically all you have to do is to try and add a fingerprint - if the sensor isn't working properly, you'll get an error right away). Also look in the Settings -> General -> About information to validate the amount of storage that it was build with. Beyond that, it should be in good physical and cosmetic condition and my personal preference is to find one where the seller has the box (with matching serial number) as this implies that they are a bit more careful with their stuff.

All great info. Thanks everyone.