Refurbs iPads are basically iPads used in the battery exchange. To change out a dead battery, Apple basically ships you a new iPad. If you dont back it up before you ship it, all data is lost, well sorta. If you buy a refurb and the employees at Apple dont do a slow low level format, then its possible to retrieve data. Even if you do a low level format, there are cheap methods (using cooling) ways to obtain data left on the RAM.

Given how alot of companies these days are violating privacy laws (Google, Facebook, etc), it really is scary to think what Apple would do with all that existing data on the battery exchange. Sure it gets wiped, but what if they copied it for analytical research?

No way in hell is Apple bringing out an iPad 3 in the same year cycle as the iPad 2- It's just not their MO. (This year was the first time two i-Anythings came out in the same year cycle, and even then it was two iPhones that were nearly identical GSM/CDMA versions... they didn't even try to fix the glaring antenna and back glass problems in the CDMA refresh.)

If you use your iPad as often as I do, the speed bump alone makes this a worthwhile purchase.

@3 Paul Constant ftw. Seriously.

@2 for the Not Paying Attention #epicfail

This post is completely unnecessary.

I can confirm that the iPad 5 is going to fuck your shit up

Refurb iPad price looks nice. Still, I'm going to get a iPod touch though at some point. I like to wait a few generations/updates/upgrades before purchasing. Sometimes I'm forever playing the waiting game.

@6 they're only whiteboarding iPad4 now. I expect a lot of changes around Sept 2011 in design.

Will, you are a moron. Paul, you should probably take it as a REALLY bad sign that Will agrees with you... unless of course you believe all his bullshit about a magical 3D iPad coming for Christmas. /eyeroll

@9 u hate how right i am. Take your android and flush it.

Garage Band alone almost makes it look worth the upgrade, but I bet it has some really frustrating, deal-killing limitations. "Numbers" (Apple's spreadsheet app) is limited on iPad to the point of uselessness. I've never seen a spreadsheet that doesn't let you filter your data!

I've already heard rumors about an iPad 20, you're just not reading the right blogs to know the most about incredibly obvious future names of products.