Are you wanting a new IPAD?
Its official: Apple will begin selling the "new iPad" next Friday, March 16.
But if every dollar is important to you, the question is whether you should buy the new one, or try to snap up an old iPad 2?
New iPad at same prices
Apple CEO Tim Cook -- taking the place of the late Steve Jobs -- was thrilled to announce the new iPad (don't call it the iPad 3!) will sell for the same prices as the current one, beginning at $499 for the most popular WiFi only version.
But face it. That's still a lot of money for most people. So in that case the best news was that Apple will continue to sell the iPad 2 at a $100 discount.
Buy new or old model?
The new $499 iPad gives you:
- High definition video and "retina" display that's four times sharper than the old model.
- Voice recognition software for dictation (though not Siri).
- Access to the fast 4G network (on more expensive models)
- It will have the same 10-hour battery life as the older iPad.
But $399 is now the new discounted price on the current iPad 2, which is tempting. The main difference: The old model's display is not HD, so video is not as sharp.
But if you have always wanted an iPad, and are on a budget, as so many families are, the markdown on the current iPad may be just the ticket to entry.
An even cheaper option
Is $400 still too much? For even less, look for refurbished iPad 2's on Apple's website. We have been finding them for $350, with a full 1 year warranty.
