Downloading - iLounge
Downloading - iLounge
Downloading - iLounge
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IPAD 2 BUYERS’ GUIDE ALL ABOUT THE IPAD 2<br />
MP4/H.264 Videos<br />
As with music, Apple’s iTunes Store is the exclusive direct-toiPad<br />
vendor of videos, including TV shows, music videos, and<br />
movies. Although the quality of these videos is high enough<br />
to make great use of the iPads’ 9.7” screens, they are expensive,<br />
with TV shows commonly selling for $2-$3 each, and movies<br />
for $10-$15; high-definition versions typically cost more. The<br />
sheer quantity of free or low-cost streaming alternatives is<br />
dramatically higher, depending on what you’re looking for.<br />
In the United States, many new TV shows are also available<br />
through Hulu Plus, an iOS app with an $8 monthly all-you-can<br />
watch subscription fee. Hulu also offers a number of decent<br />
movies, but it’s strongest for U.S. network shows. Competitor<br />
Netflix offers a $9 monthly subscription with unlimited iOS<br />
and Apple TV streaming access to a huge collection of secondrun<br />
movies and TV programs, including children’s content,<br />
documentaries, and many popular old TV shows.<br />
While Amazon and other companies sell some of the same<br />
TV shows and movies as Apple does, the compatibility of the<br />
video files varies, and the price differences are rarely as sharp<br />
as with music sold through iTunes. Apple also offers its own<br />
growing catalog of rentals of major theatrical releases and a<br />
limited number of TV shows, with TV prices starting at 99 cents<br />
and generally rising to as much as $5 per film; some are more<br />
expensive. Rentals and subscriptions seem to be the nearterm<br />
future of video on the iPad, though it remains to be seen<br />
whether Hulu, Netflix, and others will agree to Apple’s new<br />
subscription terms, or bow out of the App Store.<br />
iPad Apps + Games<br />
Once again, Apple is the sole official direct-to-iPad<br />
provider of applications and games. While there are<br />
competitors to its App Store, they are only available<br />
to users who ‘jailbreak’ (hack) their iOS devices, and<br />
Apple has effectively frozen app rivals out by denying<br />
warranty coverage to jailbreakers. For this reason, we<br />
do not recommend jailbreaking.<br />
The App Store has become an incredible source of<br />
new software for iPad owners: today, there are over<br />
87,000 apps and games with iPad support, the most<br />
significant of which we discuss elsewhere in this<br />
Buyers’ Guide. Prices range from free to $999, with the average game price only a little higher than<br />
$1, and the average app price around $3. That said, top games often debut at $5 or $10 prices before<br />
falling lower. Today, the vast majority of titles are $10 or less, and over 1/3 are free.<br />
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