iPhone Cost, Personal User

[DietSquirt]

Hi Everyone, I hope I can get some input on an issue I'm facing. I recently retired due to health issues and have limited finances. I was given an iPad (the latest and greatest) but I'm beginning to think it's just a marketing device to get money out of my pocket. At this point my impression is that it apparently needs its own internet connection, and everything you do with it has a cost.

I haven't been able to find a rundown on the true cost of owning one of these things and am hoping someone can provide that or a link to some objective information. For now, It's unregistered (the first thing it wanted was my credit card number) and powered off, in the desk drawer.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Edited to change "iPhone" to "iPad". I can't even get the names of thes things right!

 

[DietSquirt]

PS It might be an IPod Touch. If it helps to identify it, it's whatever just came out a month or two ago. It was the latest and greatest as of Mother's Day.

 

[strongm]

iPad 2 ...

 

[vacunita]

First we need to determine what it is.

Is it small like the size of a cell phone, or larger like the size of flat medium sized book?

If its the first one its an iPod or even an iPhone. If its the second one, its an iPad. Maybe an iPad 2.

As far as cost goes it depends on several things. If its an iPad then it depends on whether its the Wifi version or the 3G version.

If its an iPod its only Wifi, and if its an iPhone well it should already have a cell phone plan.


With that said, unless its one of the cell phone plan versions, the cost is down to what you want to do with it. There's no pre-requisite to spend any money, and iTunes requires a card simply to create an account (though its not completely necessary). you can browse the web, and download apps for free. There are of course paid apps which would be the ones that may charge your credit card for the app purchase, but after that, there very few that charge for actual usage.

Basically spending is in you control. If you don't want to spend then you don't have to, and it won't sacrifice usage of the device in any way.

There also the alternative of using pre-paid cards you can buy at any store like Target, Walmart, etc...

There are plenty of free apps to use, and if you have wireless Internet connection at home it can use that or it can use any number of free wifi spots that you can find.


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Phil AKA Vacunita
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[mintjulep]

At this point my impression is that it apparently needs its own internet connection, and everything you do with it has a cost.

Whatever iDevice it is doesn't change the answer.

To do anything remotely useful it will need an internet connection. I'm not sure what you mean by "its own". They all have the option and ability to connect to WiFi. So if you have a WiFi router already then you can use that and it won't cost you any more that whatever you are already paying for your home internet access. If you don't use WiFi than if it's an iPhone or iPad it may have the ability to access the internet over a mobile phone network. That of course is a paid subscription service.

After you have it connected it will only cost you money if you use it for things that cost money.

 

[fisheromacse]

my wife has an ipad2 wifi.
she has yet to spend _any_ additional money on it in the past several months and has found a number of free apps that she just loves!
she just got a apple app store gift card from my brothers, so i am sure she will spend it soon.