Posts Tagged “hardware”

Hello MacCraicers , know these posts have been thin on the ground but just want to point out the odd price (possible saving) situation that is occurring re mobile connectivity that you might choose for the iPad you may have bought in Ireland on launch.

At the moment and I’m taking the base model iPad for the simplest comparison, the 16GB model with just wi-fi retails for €499 while you will pay an extra €100 premium for the 3G model (this pricing differential is the same for the different models in the line).

If you choose to get the Vodafone Micro-SIM ( assuming of course you’ve paid the €100 premium for the pleasure of the 3G model) you have option of paying:

1 day iPad Plan

€3.99 per day

5GB data allowance

30 day iPad plan

€20 per month

500mb data allowance

Remember, like AT&T there are no termination fees for ending the contract after 30 days or a day depending on which plan you choose above.

Now here’s where this gets strange, at the moment Vodafone Ireland are pushing on their site the Vodafone mobile broadband hotspot (Mi-Fi anyone)

for the following tariffs:

Vodafone mobile broadband

€19.90 per month

10GB data allowance

Vodafone mobile broadband unlimited

€24.90 per month
“Unlimited” data allowance

You can purchase the hardware on Vodafone Ireland’s online store for €39 with the above plan of choice.

So let’s think about this for a second, you can pick up a 16GB wifi iPad €499 + VF mobile broadband hotspot €39 = €538 and for sake of comparison you choose the VF Mobile Broadband package-10GB monthly allowance (€19.90 per mth X 12mths) €238.80 gives a figure €776.80 for total cost of ownership initially.

However, if you decide to pay the premium & plump for a wi-fi+3G model and VF data plan then it works out as follows – 16gb wi-fi+3G €599 + again for comparison take the 30 day iPad plan-5GB allowance (€20 per mth X 12 mths) €240 which gives a figure of €839 for initial total cost of ownership

This means that you can save €62.20 by plumping for the first option of buying the base wi-fi model with Mi-Fi initially and enjoy double the monthly data allowance (10Gb vs 5GB). In 2nd & subsequent years you save only €1.20 per year but still get double the data allowance.

Know which iPad & plan you would choose ?  :-)

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This week, our heroes decide to freestyle it again; bringing you our usual mix of news & humour (which couldn’t get any lower than the “Bodyform” musical interludes from last week)

Freestylin’ list :

Sponsor – GoDaddy

Dave’s app picks of the week:

Contact details

Subscribe in iTunes (link)

 

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Just before we get into this weeks show I want to apologise for the poor sound quality on last weeks podcast.   We are trying to trace the roots of it and deliver the best quality we can.   Over the past two weeks there has been a buzzing that has crept into the podcast and lasted for approximately 30 seconds.   I’m not sure what is causing it but every effort is being made to address this.   Now on with the show.

 

MacCraic Episode 36 for Saturday May 30, 2009 – Return of the Pod-i

Intro

News

Updates

Feature 1 – Apple’s Response: New Macbook Airs, Netbooks & iTablet from MacOSRumors

Justins Tip of the Week – Bulk Deleting Images fromt the iPhone/iPod Touch

Contact details

Outro

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This week Dave talks about things coming down in Amsterdam due to a problem  with elastic, Justin talks about Apples inability to plug a hole and special guest Pat Mahon looks at two firm and solid stands for your bits.

Intro 

News

Feature 1 – Dave - What About those App Prices

Feature 2 – Guest Review – Pat Mahon

Justins Tip(s) of the Week

  • Quickly Put Your Mac To Sleep
  • Eject that stubborn DVD/CD

Contact details

Liverpool Tweet Up

Outro

Subscribe in iTunes (link)

 

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TUAW article is reporting that Apple have told Macworld Magazine that there will be no further product introductions for 2008 (link).

Wow, I’m really bummed over this as I expected a speed bump for the iMacs to bring them up to par with the new Macbook & Macbook Pros feature set. The iMacs usually share their innards (chipsets, CPU, GPU etc.) with the Macbook Pros so I am surprised by this announcement, but not so much so with the Mac Mini which will get some form of refresh I believe at Macworld in Jan ’09.

I’m hoping that they’ll maybe fuse Mac Mini with Apple TV to create a high-end Apple TV and offer an answer to MS Media Server.

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