Refurbished ipad question.

Rikki

I'm looking at refurbished ipads. Are they a good buy?

Also wifi verses wifi + cellular.
IWe are going to using this on the move and other countries. Should we go for cellular or buy and use use a mifi with a 3g sim?
(We will not be able to buy a sim abroad as not in one place for long.)

Neil49

I purchased a refurbished iPad direct from the online Apple Store and it was in unmarked condition. In fact the outer casings are replaced and it is reformatted and setup from scratch by Apple - so Yes, it was a good buy.

I did, however, end up selling it simply because it was a bit on the heavy side (an iPad2 9.7") and I now have a 7" Samsung Galaxy Tab2 which is half the weight and ideal for taking on holiday.

As far as wifi/3g goes, I tether mine via my mobile phone in the UK and just use wifi abroad.

albionrovers

I've got an Ipad 1 refurb and it was like new, still is.

StuC75

why not just stick to using free wifi when abroad? roaming data likely to be quite expensive - much easier to buy a coffee and use free services!..

bcl999

I bought a 3g Ipad when they first came out but recently replaced it with latest one and this time I bought Wi-Fi only. I changed my phone contract to one with unlimited data and can use the phone as a "hotspot".

Lifeforms

An ipad mini refurb is a good buy for those looking for a smaller tablet.

What mobile phone providers are you with, and what are you looking at when you talk about countries.

There's no sim that you can fit in/mifi it and not pay dearly to roam, especially outside of Europe on top. When I've been abroad in Europe with my ipad I used wifi where possible, or tethered to my phone with Vodafones euro traveller but it's £3 a day. However that meant I basically took my contract with me, so call mins, texts and data allowances and could use that. It worked out cost benefit for me, as well as not having to worry with the phone itself about data charges and coming back to a big bill.

I'd talk to the mobile provider companies to see which offer 3g sims for overseas to where you need it to work with, and for what costs (for a 3G ipad. Or which offer similar to voda and consider if it's something you;d do, consider transferring over, or setting up a pay monthly sim or somthing.

In this country I happily use a mifi unit with my ipad. I use disposable 3 sims bought off ebay, or amazon as you get more data for your £, unlike going into a shop and getting one, or getting told to sign up to a 12 month contract

Rikki

I don't have a data contract phone at the present. I will need to update my phone sometime soon. I'm with o2. Thinking about it although my phone is dated it does have a data option. Never used it as when I got the phone data on mobile networks wasn't available, it's over six years old.
The country I'm looking at is Norway.

I'm thinking for use in this country when I cannot get a wifi signal. Have a mifi plus a 3g disposable sim and then just use free wifi abroad. (Look at the mobile phone option.)

Then when I change to a phone contract with data

So this is telling me the cellular option ipad could be for me an expensive unneeded option.

Lifeforms

It depends if you're out in an area with no or poor wifi an awful lot. A cellular ipad is great for that, as long as you realise it's an ongoing cost, on top of the extra cost to buy.

(6 year old phone wont give you tethering which you need for ipad ease of connection/any tablet) If you update your phone to a smart phone, get with a company who allows you to tether, with a decent amount of data you could get away with just that. If you also then have a company who will allow you decent roaming data on top (like I said about vodafone and taking my contract abroad) you would probably be fine. Not video browsing etc, but looking up stuff, emails and such like yes.

Mifi's will fit the cellular gap. They are cheaper, new, contracted, or bought outright. Can usually be unlocked and therefore take a data only sim from any network, and using amazon or ebay for buying them can save a fair bit of cash than a cellular ipad and also monthly, or yearly contracts.

Just more what suits your carrying ability. Like an ipad with a phone to tether (be aware this drains battery) or Ipad with your phone anyway, then a mifi unit on top which only has a set time period of use, again runs battery down. and on

Also whether it's cellular, phone, or ipad which you get an internet from, the signal has to be there in already. It can't magic one out of thin air. So if you use it to go down to your fathers once a month and you know he has no home internet, but a 3 signal is great, then you'd look at using that network. But if you're all over a country and it a terrible 3 reception, then it's a bad network to use. Surfing on non-3g is sloooowww, so ideally you want 3g signals

Rikki

Can you use the 3g disposable sim cards in the cellular ipads?

Lifeforms

I don't actually know, but I have seen it mentioned before that you can cut them down. Be aware that new mini ipads have nano-sims, ipad 4 and below are micro sims. there may be thickness issues with normal sims cut down size wise.

In addition as to whether you could go to say giffgaff and get one of their mobile deals, cut it down and only use the data. I don't know, never tried it. Prolly not as I'd imagine even if it worked it would be against most places Terms and Conditions. Which is something you need to check if you go down the new smartphone and tethering option. A lot of places block tethering, or it goes against their own T&C. This would also be likely with mifi units too.


Be worth confirming, as I haven't said before, that if you bought a cellular model of the ipad you do not need to have an activated working sim inside it to use it. With no sim in, it just reverts to being a wifi model.

Markmil07

I have just got huawei Mifi from orange on 1 month contract for £27 with 2gig. Cancelled as activated and got 3 sim off ebay for 3 months plus an unlock code?. Also via topcashback makes it really cheap and works well