Purchasing the iPad: When? Where? Which one?

Parents, in the words of that most famous of Hitchhiker's Guides...

Image: "don't-panic-ipad" by Kevin Sonney [CC BY-NC-ND]

Despite the urgings of any over-eager Year 4 children, there is NO need to rush out and purchase an iPad THIS WEEKEND! Absolutely no need whatsoever. Any continuing students only need to have their iPad ready to bring to school on the first day of Term 1, 2014, so you have plenty of time to plan your purchase.

Here are two factors which may influence your decision on...

WHEN?

1. Setup Night - Monday 18th November

The purpose of this event is to show parents who may be unfamiliar with iPads and its operating system (iOS), some ways to make the most of this fabulous learning tool. Your children will receive all the training they need "on the job" next year so this event is designed for parents. The only reason we hold setup night this term, is to make families aware of the measures that you can take to ensure safe and appropriate use using the iPad's "Restrictions" settings, in case the iPad is being used recreationally over the holidays.

If you cannot attend on this evening, the information is available in the Parent Handbook - Setup Guide on this blog. If you have purchased your child's iPad by this date, please bring it along and our technician, Mr Trevor Weatherhead (Class IT) will be available to add the necessary certificate to the device so it will be able to access the school's wireless network. If you have not purchased the iPad by this date, school iPads will be available for you to explore and the wireless certificate will be added in the first week of school next year.

Please note that installation of this wireless certificate is perfectly safe. It is simply a "key" to the school's wireless, not a modification to the device and will not change the functioning of your iPad in any other way.

2. The Festive Season

Many families decide to enlist the help of Father Christmas (and several birthday fairies as well!) when purchasing the iPad so if you want to have it wrapped under a tree by December 25, you will need to check with vendors about availability of particular models during their busiest retail season.

WHERE?

Brisbane Catholic Education negotiates deals with preferred suppliers for particular school laptop purchases but to date there is no such arrangement for mobile devices like iPads. Apple sets prices nationally for its own resellers so you may do better with larger retailers. I have no wish to promote any particular store but your own favourite will probably stock the full range of iPads. Most will price match if you ask. Some may even throw in an extra such as an iTunes card. These will not be required for school apps but will always come in handy. Stay alert for special deals in the lead up to Christmas.

There is an Apple Store at Westfield Carindale and they have been exceedingly helpful to the school for service of school iPads. The Apple Store staff are very knowledgeable and always happy to explain the different features of different models or let you try out the iPads on display. You will pay full recommended retail price at any Apple Store and all Apple resellers but you may prefer this shopping experience.

The cheapest option will be the iPad 2. Most retailers will offer hire purchase options that allow you to pay the iPad off over one or two years with weekly, fortnightly or monthly repayments. You will need to undergo a credit check and you will end up paying more overall but this may be a preferred option for some families. Anyone who faces great difficulty making this purchase for your child is urged to contact Paul Leeson or Anne Kelly at the school office to make special arrangements. No family should be put at financial risk by this investment in your child's education.

(...If you happen to be purchasing any iTunes cards for Christmas stockings, don't ever pay full price. Target, Big W, Kmart, Harvey Norman etc frequently offer discounts such as two $20 cards for $30 or similar. Keep an eye on the catalogues.)

WHICH ONE?

As previously advised, any full-sized model of iPad, in either colour, with a camera and a battery that lasts a school day will suffice. A new iPad model will be released for sale this Friday 1st November. Some families will want to take advantage of purchasing this latest model which has the highest specs and will therefore be a viable device for longer. Others will take advantage of the now cheaper prices on older models. There are so many variables that it's difficult for us to make any particular recommendation. The decision is totally up to you and your budget.

Most iPad models are available in 3G and Wifi. Your child will only ever need wifi for school. If you want the iPad to have internet access while travelling away from home you will need a 3G model. (Though you can also tether the iPad to a mobile phone for internet access. Check the data limit on your phone if you're doing this as you may incur additional charges). The iPad's 3G function requires a SIM and you will pay for data from an internet service provider. However if you do purchase a 3G iPad, your child will not be permitted to have the SIM inserted while at school. This is for their own safety as the school's wifi network is secure and internet access filtered. This would not be the case using a 3G connection.

Be wary of purchasing second hand iPad models. Battery life span is dependent on good battery care and you do need it to last two years at school. There is no way of knowing how well the battery in a second hand iPad has been treated.

If you already own an iPad, you may wish to upgrade it for yourself and reset the older model for your child to use. The visible difference between models during normal classroom use, with covers on, will be negligible.

GOOD LUCK!

I hope this post makes things a little clearer for you all. Please use the comments below if you have any further questions, or if you want to share news about a great offer you've found on iPads. It's a great place to discuss strategies. Don't be shy!