A Pending Purchase

Last updated on 5 January 2018

It’s about this time of year when I ponder and plan what I will do with my tax return. I’m expecting a decent one, as I have a lot of expenses to claim and I also have a feeling I’ve paid too much tax this financial year.

I’ve made a deal with myself that if I receive a return over X amount, I’d like to purchase an iPad. I’m a careful buyer of such purchases. I always try to make sure I receive the best value for my money. I make it my mission to squeeze out the most possible benefit and use from an item. I’m not saying I’m ‘tight’ by any means, just don’t like my hard-earned money go to waste.

Main reasons for using an iPad are: –

• Take notes at conferences and similar events such as professional development workshops
• Read articles, blogs and other items delivered to my Google Reader
• Traveling – use Skype, Evernote and internet for notes, writing and contacting home while away (business or pleasure)
• Hook it up to the network at work – if allowed to, ‘sweet talking’ required
• Take notes in work meetings
• Casual mind mapping
• General internet browsing

 

Benefits include: –

• Notes are input straight to Evernote. No need to transfer hand written notes after the event and can email notes to my work inbox if required
• Minimise need to take my laptop from the study to the couch to only read items from Google Reader (Is that just lazy? I find it annoying to move a 15 inch laptop)
• Make traveling luggage lighter by having little need to take my laptop
• At work – I can become more ‘mobile’ if I’m able to answer library questions from anywhere in the hangar office. I have people ‘grab me for a minute’ when I walk around and I often need to either go to their desk or have them walk to mine.

 

Now, the all important question – to 3G or not to 3G?

I’m leaning towards doing without 3G, mostly because of the extra cost for a data plan. If the majority of my use will be while connected to wifi, I shouldn’t need it. My thinking is that if I urgently need to look for something using the internet while ‘on the go’, I can use my iPhone. I have home internet, plus my iPhone which has a data plan included. So to add another data cost will take my total bill over $100 a month. That’s a lot of data! And money

Another question – how big?

I’m undecided between the 16G and 32G. When I think about it, the iPad will be mostly a work and study device. My notes are in Evernote so the data is not stored on the iPad. I won’t be storing books for leisure reading as I (still) prefer hard copy. Music is stored on my iPhone and Macbook.

 

So over to you. I need some advice.

What do you use your iPad for? Why did you buy one?

Am I missing any possible uses?

Did you opt for 3G? Why? Why not?

How big did you go? Why? Why not?