[hondafanboy]

Originally Posted by roamer012

So i take it that I should not be taking advise on Honda products from you. Apologies in advance, couldn't resist this.

Don't worry , no need to apologise. And you are right , dont take my or any fanboy's advise to buy things. Do what works for you and buy what you need. As I mentioned earlier, Apple products are good but that doesnt mean everyone needs pro version or latest and greatest. Its very easy to go overboard when it comes to buying electronics and especially with Apple devices because of hypes.

[Pancham]

Originally Posted by ValarMorghulis

Folks, need suggestions. Thinking of getting the latest iPad Air 4 64GB. Was wondering is the Apple Pencil useful?
Getting this instead of spending additional 15k on 256GB model.

Oh! I forgot the single most important learning. These devices go kaput very easily. I mean they might stop working 1.5-2 years down the line. Happened with me when my iPad Pro's motherboard went kaput and Apple asked ~ 44k to replace. Read it here: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/gadge...ml#post4847345 (The iPad Thread)

So, try and go for the cheaper VFM option and use it for the maximum time. Over the years, that is how I learned to extract maximum value out of these Apple devices.

[ValarMorghulis]

Originally Posted by roamer012

64gb for iPad is more than enough... Pencil is useful only if you are into note taking or have a habit of writing or are super creative (Drawing, shading and stuff) ... So my suggestion would be to save your money ...

Thanks for the suggestion. 64GB it is. Dropping the pencil for now.

Originally Posted by Anjadekar

...Is there a reason you are inclined towards the Air instead of the regular iPad? How do you intend to use your iPad?

I tend to keep electronic stuff for as long as possible. With the Air 4 having A14 SoC, I'm assuming it'll get at least 5 -6 years of software update which won't be the case with the iPad with its A12 chip. I plan to use it for media consumption and will then slowly replace my laptop with this.

Originally Posted by Pancham

...All these issues vanished with the iPad-pencil combination. An expensive combination no doubt but it turned out to be really useful.
I think you can do fine with the 8th Gen iPad which costs 26.9K with HDFC discount.... And 64GB is a lot in an iPad...

You present an interesting case for the Pencil. Will skip for now and probably get it later. iPad looks dated and might not get updates few years from now.

Originally Posted by Pancham

Oh! I forgot the single most important learning. These devices go kaput very easily. I mean they might stop working 1.5-2 years down the line...

This is an interesting perspective. None of my friends or relatives have their iPads conked off even after 5-6 years. They have slowed down but are still working. Thanks for the heads up.

[roamer012]

Originally Posted by ValarMorghulis

I tend to keep electronic stuff for as long as possible. With the Air 4 having A14 SoC, I'm assuming it'll get at least 5 -6 years of software update which won't be the case with the iPad with its A12 chip.

Consider this:

Source

Apple's hardware has improved leaps and bounds over the years. If we were having this discussion in 2014-15, I would have agreed with you regarding the longevity of silicon in any contemporary device when hardware was playing catch up with software. However in past couple of years, 2017 onwards, apple silicon specifically has improved so much so that normal software are not enough to even sweat the system let alone beat it. I am using early 2015 MacBook pro and my main usage is media consumption, excel , word etc. (No creative software) and still the device feels fresh as yesterday. Comparing apple's silicon with intel chipsets, for long now apple has claimed to have beaten laptop performance fair and square and I will not call it exaggeration in any way.

To cut long story short, since your device will be mainly used for media consumption, I would once again suggest you to save your money and go for normal iPad 8th gen instead of the Air while sacrificing less than an inch of screen real estate (Diagonally) since difference between A12 and A14 will not matter much for your use case. In the process you will be saving more than 25 grands in upfront cost. By doing this you will have greater flexibility down the line in two to three years which is the period by when it is assumed that iPadOS will finally be worthy enough of laptop / desktop replacement. At that time you can probably go the whole hog with keyboard trackpad combo along with the latest and greatest hardware.

Till then enjoy your money and device.

[Sebring]

I bought my iPad in March 2012, and it still performs like new. Nothing has happened to the battery performance. Dad uses it to scroll daily news etc. These things are built to last. Only storage could be better so we were looking at trading it in for the latest one costing 30 grand. But Apple doesn't have a trade-in for iPad

Originally Posted by Pancham

Oh! I forgot the single most important learning. These devices go kaput very easily

[Pancham]

Originally Posted by Sebring

I bought my iPad in March 2012, and it still performs like new. Nothing has happened to the battery performance. Dad uses it to scroll daily news etc. These things are built to last. Only storage could be better so we were looking at trading it in for the latest one costing 30 grand. But Apple doesn't have a trade-in for iPad

And I bought my first iPad in 2013 and it still works too. I consider Apple Products to be the best when it comes to durability. But this time around I was a bit disappointed because the issue I faced was a known issue and Apple decided to do nothing about it other than forcing customers to replace it for 44k. A lot of users across the world faced the boot loop issue. Not cool when you pay 65k for a flagship device. Hence, the disappointment.

Apple devices last long. But by chance if they don’t, the repair/replacement will bite you hard.

This kind of made me feel like the current Hyundai issue. Every car has some persistent problem or the other (e.g. brake issue in the Creta, steering related issues in the i20) but Hyundai chooses to ignore it.
P.S: Also, when you really use it everyday it does take a toll on the device and it's motherboard.

[Anjadekar]

Originally Posted by ValarMorghulis

I tend to keep electronic stuff for as long as possible. With the Air 4 having A14 SoC, I'm assuming it'll get at least 5 -6 years of software update which won't be the case with the iPad with its A12 chip. I plan to use it for media consumption and will then slowly replace my laptop with this.

If you're looking to get 5-6 years of enjoyable use out of your iPad then I think the decision to go for the Air is a wise one. While iDevices tend to get software updates for many years and, as pointed out earlier, and especially on the iPad, the hardware is far ahead of the software, and few apps test it to its limits, the A14 Bionic on the iPad Air will future proof it. The A12 is already two years old and will not age as well, especially given the very impressive year-on-year improvements in Apple Silicon.

If price is a factor then, of course, the regular iPad (8th generation) is a great choice too but if you don't mind splurging a little bit for a far more powerful, beast of a machine that you can really enjoy for many years to come then the Air is for you. Again, I would recommend the 256GB model over the 64GB one, seeing that the Air doesn't have a 128GB version. The WiFi model should be fine as you can always use hotspot from your phone when needed.

Originally Posted by Pancham

Oh! I forgot the single most important learning. These devices go kaput very easily. I mean they might stop working 1.5-2 years down the line.

I am surprised to hear this. This has certainly not been my experience or that of my friends and family. In fact, people tend to hold on their iPads for a lot longer than they do their phones. My, now seven year old, iPad Air is working just fine, though it is of course not exactly zippy anymore.

[The Rationalist]

I have ordered iPad Air 4, any good keyboard with trackpad? Doesn’t need to be something that can attach to iPad. Can’t spend a fortune on the Apple smart keyboard or magic keyboard!

[ValarMorghulis]

Originally Posted by The Rationalist

...any good keyboard with trackpad? Doesn’t need to be something that can attach to iPad. Can’t spend a fortune on the Apple smart keyboard or magic keyboard!

+1 to this query. I'm also on the lookout for a separate decent keyboard. No point spending 14k-28k for an average typing experience.

[Yakuza]

Originally Posted by ValarMorghulis

+1 to this query. I'm also on the lookout for a separate decent keyboard. No point spending 14k-28k for an average typing experience.

The Logitech K480 is decent. No trackpad though.
https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B00...WI0VEHLG&psc=1

[Anjadekar]

Originally Posted by ValarMorghulis

+1 to this query. I'm also on the lookout for a separate decent keyboard. No point spending 14k-28k for an average typing experience.

The Logitech K380 is highly regarded (see here and here, for example) and thought to be far superior to the K480. Keyboards, like headphones, are difficult to recommend as personal preference and comfort play a big role. I got the K380 for my Mac's external monitor but couldn't get used to the rounded keys and smaller size and so eventually had to replace it with Apple's Magic Keyboard.

Try and see if you can go and check one out in person at a Croma or an Apple reseller. These Wirecutter recommendations (for iPad and iPad Pro) may be helpful too.

[Jeroen]

Just bought, or rather ordered, the new iPad Air. WiFi only, 256GB, sky blue and a smart cover.

I bought it online and you can get it engraved, free of charge. So I added my name to it!

It will be my third iPad. I got my first one probably 2010 when I was living in the USA. That was at the time one of the very first. It lasted for 3-4 years, until I broke it, by dropping it in the swimming pool of the Leela, Gurgaon. These iPads are definitely not water proof!

My second iPad I bought whilst we lived in India. It was an iPad air, second generation.

I still have it, but it has had a rough life, and I had to have the glass replaced twice. And again, I dropped it a few weeks ago and the glass is broken again. I have the feeling the touch screen is not working as well as it did. The smart cover function does not work properly anymore either. So rather than have it repaired again, I have ordered myself a new one.

In theory they should be out in the shops here in the Netherlands. But the numbers are limited and when I checked with the Apple Store here in the Netherlands, they did not have this particular model in stock. It is not a big thing, I know what I am getting, but I had wanted to try out that new pencil. It’s a little too expensive to just order and maybe hardly use it.

But I can always add that later. Truth is, due to the Corona, I am not that keen on roaming around shops anyway.

I also added apple care. The technical support can be very handy if you need it. But more importantly it also covers you against accidental damage. And you will understood that my mobile devices do lead a hard life. I used to be on the road, planes, hotels, offices all over the world and the iPad is ideal I find.

I keep a large selection of movies, TV series and music on it, for when I am travelling. And as a general browser and mailing device it comes in very handy.

It should arrive in about 2-3 weeks. I hope the old iPad air will last that long. I will try and open it up, once I have the new one up and running. Like to see the insides of an iPad.

Br Jeroen

[Anjadekar]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

Just bought, or rather ordered, the new iPad Air. WiFi only, 256GB, sky blue and a smart cover.

Hi Jeroen. Congratulations on your purchase! One thought, and I ought to have suggested this to @ValarMorghulis earlier too, is that the 11-inch iPad Pro 128GB (Wi-Fi) costs only $50/Rs 2,000 more than the 256GB iPad Air. Of course, it’s a difficult comparison as the iPad Pro has more features but the iPad Air has the newer processor and nicer colors. Given the small price difference though it’s worth considering if you would like to return the iPad Air in exchange for the aforementioned iPad Pro. I do like the fact that the iPad Pro has four speakers as opposed to the iPad Air’s two as I often end up watching videos on the iPad. While the 120Hz refresh rate (what Apple calls ProMotion), again restricted to the iPad Pro, is important to many people, I’ve not found it to be a significant differentiator.

The fact that the 256GB iPad Air and the 128GB 11-inch iPad Pro are so closely priced didn’t strike me till I read John Gruber’s review of the new iPad Air. Like you, I too like to have extra headroom on the storage front but in hindsight, and especially considering the price difference, perhaps 64GB is enough for most people and so @ValarMorghulis chose wisely.

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by Anjadekar

, is that the 11-inch iPad Pro 128GB (Wi-Fi) costs only $50/Rs 2,000 more than the 256GB iPad Air.

perhaps 64GB is enough for most people and so @ValarMorghulis chose wisely.

Thanks, I did look at the Pro, but I still went for the iPad Air. The price difference here in the Netherlands is about Euro 175 more for an 11 inch iPad Pro 256 GB compared to the iPad Air 256GB I do like the colour and for the Euro 175 extra I don’t think I would get anything that I would really need/miss. Don’t like the face recognition at all on the Pro. Wont be using the external key boards. I can honestly say that over all these years using iPad I have never ever used the camera, so whatever fancy lidar stuff they cram in, not relevant to me.

On stuff that matters to me, e.g. computing power I will always go for the latest and greatest, i.e. A14 chip.

I do want the 256GB, my current iPad Air has only 128GB and I am using nearly all of that. It also means I can only take a limited amount of video’s with me. And I like to be spoilt for choice when I am on an airplane!

So thanks for the suggestion, much appreciated the advise.

Jeroen

[Anjadekar]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

On stuff that matters to me, e.g. computing power I will always go for the latest and greatest, i.e. A14 chip.

I do want the 256GB, my current iPad Air has only 128GB and I am using nearly all of that. It also means I can only take a limited amount of video’s with me. And I like to be spoilt for choice when I am on an airplane!

In that case, you've got the best iPad for your needs. I too like to have a fair selection of content while traveling and have been using my iPad over the in-flight entertainment systems for a while now. Works great!

The new iPad Air looks really cool! I'm sure you will enjoy it