With 18 (!) models to choose from, which iPad is the best choice?

Apple may make their product lines easy to understand, with simple and consistent names, but there sure are a lot of iPad 2 models. Which iPad is the best choice? I picked the 32 GB Wi-Fi model personally, but I can see cases where others might prefer a 3G or base model. Let’s consider it.

The iPad 2 Model Lineup

There are no less than 18 different iPad 2 models:

All of these are iPad 2′s, and selecting one comes down to four basic questions:

1. How much storage do I want?
2. Do I want black or white?
3. Do I want Wi-Fi or 3G?
4. If I pick 3G, do I want GSM (AT&T) or CDMA (Verizon)?

Let’s take these questions in turn.

How Much iPad Storage Is Enough?

I bought a first-generation iPad the day they came out, and it’s seen heavy usage in my house. It was a base model with just 16 GB of capacity, and that’s really put a crimp on the media we could carry around with us. It was plenty for apps, but not enough for music or (especially) movies.

The iPad capacity decision really comes down to a single question: Do I want to store movies on this thing?

If you intend to carry around much video, get more than 16 GB capacity. 32 GB is enough for a few movies and 64 is enough for a few more. Most buyers pick the largest capacity point (no doubt they want to carry around enough to be entertained wherever they go) and a good number pick the smallest (they must not want to watch stored video). I split the difference and bought a 32 GB iPad 2 and it’s been plenty for my use, and I’m a fairly heavy air traveler. But apparently the rest of the world doesn’t agree, since 32 GB is by far the least-common size!

One reason I didn’t go for 64 GB is a new feature in iOS 4.3: AirTunes. It’s now possible to stream video and audio to the iPad and iPad 2 from a computer running iTunes. Since my desktop acts as an iTunes server at home and my laptop contains over 100 GB of music and video, I didn’t feel that I needed as much capacity as in earlier iOS versions. If I want to watch something at home, I can always stream it.

I also purchased the iPad Camera Connection Kit, which makes it possible to watch movies from an SD card. But it’s really finicky, and I’ve never actually done it in practice.

Black or White?

I don’t really care as much about the color decision. It’s up to personal taste, really.

• Black is more understated and traditional, and I feel that the black bezel “works better” when watching movies.
• White is new and different, drawing attention that this is an iPad 2. I felt that the white border was distracting when reading and watching movies, though.

I chose black.

Wi-Fi or 3G?

A 3G iPad is an amazing thing: Pull it out and use it anywhere, any time. It really transforms the use case of the iPad, making it a mobile companion for people on the go.

But many of us are always within range of Wi-Fi, whether it’s our home router, business access point, Starbucks or McDonald’s, or a MiFi. It’s not quite as seamless to use (you have to tell it to use this or that Wi-Fi network) but it’s faster and unlimited. It’s also $130 cheaper.

I picked Wi-Fi only, since I already carry three 3G devices (a Virgin Mobile MiFi, Cradlepoint router, and iPhone 4) and didn’t want another expensive radio. But I’m disappointed with the Wi-Fi range and sensitivity (it’s much worse than the MacBook Pro or any iPhone) and find that, because of a lack of always-on connectivity, I often turn back to the iPhone rather than using the iPad.

I recommend spending the extra money and getting a 3G radio, but which one?

GSM or CDMA?

This seems like a no-brainer, but it’s not so simple. Every Apple owner loves to hate AT&T, so going with Verizon for the iPad sounds great. But the Verizon CDMA model isn’t at all portable outside the United States, while the AT&T GSM model is unlocked and ready to use anywhere. This means the GSM iPad 2 is much more in demand and will likely hold its value better. Plus, AT&T’s network seems to work fine for most users I know.

On the other hand, Verizon’s data plans are somewhat cheaper than AT&T’s for many users. As CNN money reported, AT&T starts cheaper, but Verizon wins past 4 GB per month. This could really add up as time goes by!

Stephen’s Stance

I recommend getting the AT&T iPad 2 in either 16 or 64 GB capacity. Decide if you will want to take a lot of media with you and, if so, opt for the bigger iPad. It’s funny – my own choice was the exact opposite of this recommendation!

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2011. | Which iPad is the Best Choice?
This post was categorized as Apple, Ask a Pack Rat, Everything, Features, Personal, Terabyte home. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

iPad iPod

The iPad iPod interface is all new - but where's cover flow?

Apple hadn’t said much about the iPod application in the iPad. But today’s release of a series of “guided tour” videos clears the air somewhat. The iPod app is neither a port of the small-screen app from the iPhone and iPod Touch nor of the OS X iTunes application. It sports a new look and feel that is a cross between the two, with a column listing media types to the left and a new “bookshelf” view of cover art to the right. Surprisingly, cover flow seems AWOL.

Selecting an album causes it to flip and grow in place, changing to a song list. This is a welcome new concept, since simply listing the tracks in the right column would have left much white space on the screen. Album art can be displayed full-screen, but I wonder just how good low-res images will look. I also wonder whether iTunes LP content will display in part or in full.

iPad AirTunes?

One comment in the guided tour voiceover really caught my attention, though. They mention three ways to listen to music: Use the built-in (mono) speaker, listen with wired or BlueTooth headphones, or “connect iPad to your home stereo system and play your music throughout the house.” Does this mean the iPad uses AirTunes to stream to an AirPort Express? Or that the iPhone Remote app is built in? Or do they mean connecting it through a wired or bluetooth adapter? I’m definitely hoping for direct AirTunes, since we very much enjoy that capability today at my house!

The Connected iPad

Yes, the iPad supports Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync

One area of great interest is the usability of the iPad in corporate and academic settings. Although Apple admitted (late) that the iPad supports Microsoft Exchange, there has been no mention of VPN support. Disclosure of calendar and contact support has been sparse, too, though one imagines it will be at least as full-featured as the iPhone.

It’s Mine!

I remain surprised that no multi-user features have yet appeared. Although iPhones tend to remain with a single person, the iPad just begs to be shared. Yet it appears that the apps are all single-user oriented. This is disappointing.

Consider the Mail app. Most people have an email account or two these days, yet the iPad has no obvious means of separating his and her (or their) mail accounts. Even a mail app-specific password would be nice, allowing one to share the device’s other features but reserve private mail access. Apple assumes that iPads will not be shared, but I’m sure my kids will have their peanut-buttery paws all over mine constantly!

Lots of Books!

It’s great to see Apple stocking the iBooks store with 30,000 free books from Project Gutenberg, and major existing book readers and stores (Amazon, Barnes & Noble) look to be supported. I’m especially looking forward to using Instapaper on the iPad, having fallen head over heels for that app recently.

Hardware Surprises?

The mute switch has become "screen rotation lock"

So far, the only post-announcement hardware surprise has been the fact that the switch that mutes the iPhone will be used instead to lock the orientation of iPad content. Although many speculated that a camera might be added before the ship date, it looks like this will not happen. Although all iPads sport a digital compass, only the 3G model includes GPS hardware.

Apple clarified that the iPad will support just about any BlueTooth keyboard or A2DP audio system, but it remains unclear if it can connect to a standard BlueTooth headset. The specs are also vague on whether the headphone jack supports inline microphones, as found on the iPhone.

Waiting For My Box of Mystery

That's a thick box for such a slim device!

iPad mysteries remain. I’m certainly looking forward to opening the UPS package Apple promises to deliver this Saturday!

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2010. | Is There Anything We Don’t Know About The iPad?
This post was categorized as Apple, Personal. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

Mac Mini (Early 2009) unboxed at last

I’ve been waiting on a Mac Mini to replace my sluggish and crash-prone Firefly/NSLU2 home music and file server, and Apple finally delivered the goods today, after leaving us in the lurch at Macworld 2009! I’ve placed my order for a base-model Mac Mini, and look forward to using Apple’s iPhone Remote with the Airport Express AirTunes as my primary home music playing system.

What’s new with the Mac Mini? And was it worth waiting for? I think so!

• Faster CPUs – The old 1.83 and 2.0 GHz Core 2 has been replaced by a choice of 2.0 or 2.26 GHz chips, both with a much-faster 1066 MHz front-side bus. And these are the new Penryn (probably 3M 45 nm mobile) chips, replacing the old Merom units of the previous Mini, so they run faster clock-for-clock and cooler.
• Upgraded graphics – Where the old Mini relied on Intel’s tortoise-like GMA 950 integrated graphics, the new Mini has the new NVIDIA 9400M platform, also found on the new MacBook. This means the Mini is not only a capable game machine, but can make use of Apple’s Grand Central/OpenCL technology in Snow Leopard, when it’s delivered.
• Dual-monitor support – The Mini has both a Mini DisplayPort and Micro-DVI port, so you can use two monitors at once. It comes with a DVI cable, but if you want to use VGA you have to buy an adapter (unless your monitor is Apple’s massive-dollar LED Cinema Display!)
• FireWire remains – Despite all the rumors, the Mini retains a FireWire port, and adds an extra USB port to boot! But like the display port, the FireWire is an S800 port, so you need an adapter to hook up the older, and much more common, S400 devices.

You might also be interested in my more detailed Mac Mini review, or my post on upgrading the RAM and hard disk drive in my Mac Mini!

But the best reason to use a Mac Mini as a home server is Apple’s software. OS X remains a solid platform, with excellent network file service support, and Snow Leopard should make it even better. The combination of ZFS and two hard drives in a Mac Mini will be killer! Plus, Apple’s AirTunes/iTunes/Remote ecosystem makes a very snazzy home music service. Maybe I’ll add an Apple TV, too?

All considered, this is a solid if uninspiring upgrade. It’s a MacBook in a little box with a FireWire port and half the price tag. Nothing amazing, but a solid choice for a home server, which is what I plan to use it for. As for the configurations, I wonder who Apple is kidding. The $200-extra high-end model adds an extra GB of RAM and a 320 GB hard disk over the 1 GB/120 GB base model. If you want the faster 2.26 GHz CPU, you have to build to order and shell out an extra $150. So the base model is the most compelling choice, since upgrading RAM and disk is straightforward. I’ll use the extra 1 GB  module left over from my MacBook Pro upgrade.

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2009. | The New Mac Mini is Finally Here!
This post was categorized as Apple, Terabyte home. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

This blog post is probably out of date. If you want to set up Exchange ActiveSync, you should instead consult one my guides:
	iPhone Exchange ActiveSync Setup		iPad Exchange ActiveSync Setup
	iPhone ActiveSync Troubleshooting		iPad ActiveSync Troubleshooting

It’s finally here!  The iPhone now has most of the functions of the BlackBerry – over-the-air push and sync of Exchange email, contacts, and calendars!  Apple let the 2.0 OS out of the bag earlier today, and intrepid souls (and me) have taken the plunge and installed it.

While most people, including me, headed to the (also active) App Store to try out the native games, I quickly turned the other way – towards the new Microsoft Exchange integration.

Read on for my first impressions and instructions on getting it up and running.

For the most up-to-date information, see my iPhone Exchange ActiveSync Guide!

This post is part of my series focused on integrating the iPhone with Microsoft Exchange using ActiveSync:

• iPhone OS 3.0 information:
  1. First Look: iPhone 3.0 And Exchange ActiveSync Integration
  2. How To Subscribe To Internet Calendars In iPhone OS 3.0
  3. How To Access LDAP Directories In iPhone OS 3.0
  4. iPhone 3.0 Exchange ActiveSync: Better But Not Perfect
• How To Set Up iPhone Exchange ActiveSync
1. A Few iPhone Exchange ActiveSync Gotchas
2. Can the iPhone Sync With Multiple Exchange Servers?

By the way, the apps are great!  Sega’s Super Monkey Ball is touchy, but I think I’ll get the hang of it.  And my 4 year old loves Jirbo Match!  Too bad the Red Sox weren’t playing or my test of MLB At Bat would have been much more exciting!

Up and Running With Exchange

Seriously, why are you still reading? Head over to The iPhone Exchange ActiveSync Guide for current/useful information!

Here’s the quick how-to for getting Exchange up and running on your iPhone.  Note that this works on any iPhone with the version 2.0 software – the iPhone 3G comes with this out of the box, but original phones will need to be upgraded.  Update: You do not need to buy the Enterprise Data plan from AT&T in order for this to function – it will work with any plan, and even works on the iPod Touch! Update: The process is pretty much the same with iPhone OS 3.0!

We will set up the mail account first, then enable sync for Calendar and Contacts.

1. Install iTunes 7.7 and upgrade your phone to iPhone OS 2.0 if necessary
2. If you already have your Exchange server running with IMAP, disable the account in Mail Settings.  I left mine set up – no telling when or if I’ll need to revert!
3. Set up a new mail account, selecting Exchange as in the photo above.
   
4. Enter your email address (e.g. “billg@microsoft.com”) in the Email box.
5. Enter your Exchange domain and username (e.g. “msexec\billg.microsoft”) in the Username box and watch the text magically shrink to fit.
6. Enter your password (e.g. “OuttaHere!”) in the Password box and marvel at the nifty new “show the last letter entered” feature.
7. The iPhone will now try to automatically discover your Exchange server.  If you don’t have Exchange 2007 with Autodiscovery turned on, it will fail and warn you that it couldn’t validate your account.  You will have to manually enter your server name in the window.  Make sure you enter your ActiveSync server name, not the OWA server (as in Entourage) or the real Exchange server (as in Outlook).
8. Now tap the home button and go into Mail.  You should see your new account appear, and it should show your folders and email messages within a few moments.  Congratulations!  Email is now set up!
   

Next we will enable sync for Contacts and Calendars.

Note:  You can’t sync Contacts and Calendars from both Exchange and iTunes! You must choose one or the other! And the iPhone will delete your old entries when you enable this! Update: You can do both desktop and over-the-air calendars in iPhone OS 3.0!

Ok, enough shouting, on with the show!

1. Once you’re sure email is working, go back into the Exchange Account Settings tab (shown above) and tap Contacts to “ON”.
   
2. The iPhone will warn you about deleting your existing entries, just like I just did!  If you’re sure, tap “Sync”.
   
3. Now the iPhone will enable Sync.  Do not go running up to the Calendar or (new!) Contacts App and expect to see everything there immediately.  It took my phone about 5 minutes to populate these, and I was worried when I saw nothing there at first.
4. Do the same for Calendar and you’re all set.  Wait a few and you will have pretty much full over-the-air Email, Contacts, and Calendar integration!

Initial Impressions

Prepare to be confused by the new Calendar and Contacts apps.  They now include categories, and you can find yourself scratching your head at seeing no entries when you’re in the wrong category.  I left my calendar in “Home” and there were no entries.

I had to tap “Calendars” at the top to return to the screen at right and select “All”.  This could be really nice – I could organize multiple calendars here for work and home.  But it’ll take some getting used to.  Update: Don’t bother with multiple calendars! Update: Multiple calendars rock in iPhone OS 3.0!

Note that calendar entries are color-coded in the calendar, too, which is a nice touch.  I don’t remember any similar functionality on my BlackBerry, but it could be that I just never discovered it.  It took me about five years to figure out how to see missed calls, after all!

The same problem appears with the Contacts application.  Here again, we have groups of contacts, and what you see is dependent on which group you’re currently “in”.  I’ll have to work out how to manage these using Outlook or Entourage.

Thankfully, Apple finally includes a Contacts application on the home screen in OS 2.0.  It was always frustrating to have to go into the Phone app just to look at someone’s info!

The App Store is good, but a little perplexing.  There are about 500 applications up for sale right now, and not all are worthwhile.  There are three “flashlight” apps, for example, all at different prices.  I think the App Store will be quite a mess once all 25,000 or so applications have been added!  It’s already hard to locate anything.

Apple released just two native apps:  A $5 Texas Hold’em game, and a free remote control app for iTunes.  The latter is pretty nifty – it seems to use Bonjour in reverse to present itself to iTunes instances running on the network.  The iPhone shows up in the sidebar and you have to enter a PIN to activate it.  This would be much cooler with an AirTunes device – maybe I’ll have to snap up one of the old 802.11g AirPort Expresses currently offered at MacMall for $59!

There are some other worthwhile apps, too.  MLB At Bat is great – live game updates and video clips of major plays.  I think I’ll be using this a lot!  Definitely worth $5 to me.

I already mentioned a couple of games, but I was more interested in trying out the social networking applications.  AOL released a free version of Instant Messenger, but I’m not sure if it (yet) supports Apple’s always-on push service.  There’s a FaceBook app, too, but it doesn’t look much better than the web version.

This brings me to a major concern about the App Store.  Why make a native app to do something the web does just as well?  I can see where an offline book or map reader would be handy, but why MySpace?  There are lots of Bibles in there already, but where is the off-line/on-line version of Wikipedia that I had hoped for?

Google added a search app, covering both the web and local content on the phone.  But where’s Google Talk?  Shockingly, after literally sharing the stage with Google at the iPhone’s introduction, Yahoo! is entirely absent from the App Store.  Microsoft isn’t there, either.

But there were some nice surprises.  Yelp, Pandora, and Paypal all have free clients that look useful.  Time will tell which of these apps really get used!

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2008. | How To Set Up iPhone Exchange ActiveSync
This post was categorized as Apple, Personal, Terabyte home. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.