Update: check out our Apple iPad 2 review
After many delays, the Apple iPad is now available in the UK in both 3G and W-Fi-only flavours. The model we're testing today is actually called the iPad Wi-Fi + 3G in full parlance, but iPad 3G will do for us. (Read our review of the iPad Wi-Fi version.)
If you're hoping to get your hands on one you'd better be quick though - Apple Stores had limited stock on launch, while website orders now cite just 'June' as a shipping date.
The iPad 3G checks in at a pricey £529 - £100 more than the Wi-Fi only version. And that's just for the basic 16GB edition - it's an extra £70 for the 32GB model and a further £100 if you want the full 64GB. That means the top end iPad 3G that we're testing here checks in at a sobering £699 – ouch.
Then, of course, you need to budget for an iPad data tariff – check out the fourth page of our review for more details on all the costs.
If you're more interested in the iPad Wi-Fi, then check out our main Apple iPad review.
The iPad 3G is a little different in terms of appearance – it has a black plastic strip at the top of the back of the iPad, which makes sure the iPad gets decent 3G reception. An all-metal case wouldn't be any good for this.
There's also the microSIM slot, so you also get a SIM eject tool as well as the Dock Connector to USB cable. Sadly, there's no dock in the box, but you do get a power adapter.
The other big boon of the iPad 3G is that you get GPS capabilities, so you'll get a better experience in, say, Google Maps and geo-tagged tweets, for example. Both models do have a digital compass, though. However, testing in our other iPad review for the Wi-Fi-only model indicated that the iPad Wi-Fi was still fairly good at picking up the current location via Wi-Fi.
The iPad uses iPhone OS which, at the time of writing, is yet to support multi-tasking. However, iPhone Os 4.0 is imminent, which will mean that multi-tasking apps will be supported.
The use of the iPhone and iPod touch OS means that the iPad is a great living room-type device. It's great for just popping online or emailing sporadically. We've seen tablet-type computers before, of course – most notably courtesy of Microsoft – but they haven't stepped up to the plate. Instead, they've had dodgy handwriting recognition and poor controls.
As usual with Apple, they've taken something established and done it better – and that's even before you get to the apps which take the iPhone and iPod touch model to a completely new level.
Even Windows 7, with its touch compatibility, isn't quite up to the job of providing a completely intuitive touch-based interface.
So no wonder Apple has had so much success with iPad. But remember this is just the beginning – we'll soon see tablets based on Android (like the Dell Streak) and, later in the year, Google's Chrome OS. So let's look at iPad 3G in depth.
Your comments (9) Click to add a new comment
jamescol
May 13th 2011
9. I love my i pad it does everything i need it to do it is the i pad 1 with a 64gb wifi + 3g model and its immaculate only gets used 4 times a month and its worth a massive £699 and a case which is £50 i dont care what the price is its a very good tablet and the i pad 2 i dont like and all. The other tablets dont look as good as the quality onnthe apple i pad the blackberry playbook looks good but the only problems are with the i oad 1 is that theres no cameras no retina display
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cornflake
October 5th 2010
8. I was a sceptic until I picked one up and played with it. OK it is a bit pricey, but it is a lifestyle changing bit of kit. The screen size is perfect. Just the ibook, email, BBC News & Maps was enough for me let alone all the other apps etc. OK the lack of printing is a problem but they are addressing that in November apparently http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2010/09/15airprint.html
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dazzy
August 1st 2010
7. Personally I think the Ipad has too many drawbacks to make it a viable option for me. No USB and SD Card support are massive.
I am now swaying towards a Meego tablet early next year as the User Experience looks so much cooler than the ipad of Win7 tablets.
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yocto
June 4th 2010
6. @healeydave
Good point about Apple always being able to bring us gorgeous, slick, innovative and relevant kit. It’s no wonder really that those who have bought their products over the years develop such feelings for the company. Still not convinced about how relevant a tablet device is, but then having said that, when mobile telephones first appeared I didn’t think I needed one of those!!
It says a lot that you got another one for your wife. Though, I would have waited for the next generation one, got that for myself and fobbed the old off on the Mrs ;-)
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healeydave
June 3rd 2010
5. @yocto,
I think I might have already answered some of your questions in my previous comments (2) but I guess you posted your comment in relation to the blog without reading the comments too.
I've been using the iPad for nearly 8 weeks now and at 4 weeks I had already ordered a second for my wife. I am a self confessed fanboy but I buy Apple kit because of previous experience and trust in the products they create. I think people are deluded if they think any one person (even a fanboy, myself included) would continue to buy products blindly from a company if just one previous product disappointed. In my experience, you do that once and once only!
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yocto
June 2nd 2010
4. Still unable see a use for this device. If the main purpose of this is for using it for when sitting around on the sofa/ in a café/ on the move, surely a smartphone (iphone/ nexus one, etc) could do what this does but is way more portable (in you pocket, no need to carry a bag around) and useful (as you can make calls!). Plus, surely a laptop/ netbook would be way more useful for those times when you wanted added power/ user experience, that a mobile telephone can’t provide. As good the Apple touch screen keyboard is, a physical one is still way better to use. Also, having the screen hold position without having to physically hold it the whole time or finding something to lean it against or crouching over the device, must be way more convenient. At the moment l can see the only appeal is, if you want something that looks really cool, want the latest gadget and love Apple. I suppose this may be useful to those who have an iphone but can’t afford a macbook (which would do everything the ipad does (and more (well, apart from having a touch screen!)), is just as portable, and just as sexy). I imagine the fantastic sales this has produced is purely down to the fact that it is from Apple. I can see that the ipad works like a dream but are the people buying and praising this ‘fanboys’ who would buy anything from Apple, or are they seeing something that I’m missing? I will be very interested to see how the sales for similar devises fair, ie Dell Streak etc, and if a market for such a device can be sustained. Please could we have a review on whether such hardware is useful, considering a typical buyer/ user would have a smartphone and a desktop/ laptop? It seems a tad pricey for just a fancy accessory!
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dlff
May 30th 2010
3. I just do not see myself carrying this thing around. For the kind of money they are asking for. I can get a high spec note book which I would have preferred. I am now an iphone user but seriously thinking of migrating over to Android when it becomes more stable.
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healeydave
May 29th 2010
2. The streak is too small, it's larger than a phone but not enough to make browsing on it a valuable enough experience to drag you away frothe desktop in my opinion.
People moaned about the iPad wondering where it fits in, but until you actually use one (not in a shop even) but actually use it to replace some of the day to day stuff you'd normally do stuck at the desktop, you cant appreciate the size of the display is perfect. The snappy & polished touch UI are big factors too.
I used to prefer staying at my desktop compared to using a laptop on the sofa because the laptop (despite having a bigger screen than the ipad) was always the same sort of user experience as the desktop but on a smaller scale and hence added no value to the user experience, just devalued it. The iPad is different, it's a case of getting a great balance between screen size, form factor and enhanced UI. Trudging a mouse pointer across the screen of a laptop is slow and laborious compared to just touching what you want.
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betafly
May 29th 2010
1. What if you haven't made up your mind? With streak's launch just round the corner and at a more manageable size plus running an open OS in Android. Hmmm need another (non fanboy based) opinion
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