To begin, I ordered this particular 4th Generation Apple iPad because my mother was tired of me borrowing her Samsung ProTab 10.1 to mostly watch streaming media (live Dish Network, Netflix, Hulu, etc.). See, I have an iPhone 7+, which is an amazing phone, but I also wanted a tablet for two main reasons: 1. The screen size on my iPhone 7+ really isn't large enough (for me at least) to enjoy streaming media, and 2. since I'm a legal guardian for my grandmother, I wanted a device that could accept a detachable keyboard so I could take notes from her doctor during an office visit, or manage her "to-do" list, which often changes on the fly. I felt that, again, a device with a screen size of roughly 10'', and the ability to quicly attach and detach an external keyboard (like this very tablet) would solve those two problems.
One day I stumbled across greatofferstock.com, looking for who knows what, when I came across what I thought was an amazing deal. It was for a refurbished 2nd generation 16GB iPad for less than $***. I was so close to adding it to my cart and checking out, but something told me to see what else Great Offer Stock had in the "Electronics:Tablets" section. While browsing, I was also multi-tasking by looking up the difference between "Refurbished" and "Certified Refurbished." Long story short, I'm glad I did my homework, because when something is marked "Certified Refurbished," it's gone through rigorous inspection and cleaning, as well as a device factory reset... just a whole list to allow the device to be resold, but in perfect if not near perfect condition. Now, "Refurbished" on the other hand, doesn't have to go through this in-depth inspection, and you could end up with a device that quickly becomes defective, has excessive wear and tear, or has a hidden problem that you discover a couple months after purchase, and of course by then, it's too late... the 30-day-return policy is no longer an option.
So, after realizing that I didn't need the latest, greatest iPad, and knew that if I wanted to save money, a great option would be to purchase a "Certified Refurbished" device, I came across this very item: A 16GB Apple 4th Generation Dual-Core Tablet that was not just "Certified Refurbished" but also "unlocked" (meaning I wouldn't be limited to the range of WIFI for data... I could take this tablet to any cellular phone company that offered monthly 4G LTE data plans for tablets... such as Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, US Cellular, etc... purchase a data plan, insert their SIM card, and use the 4G LTE Data plan while out of WIFI range.) Now, I haven't decided if I'm going to purchase a tablet data plan through my wireless carrier, since the lowest plan starts out at 3GB/Month for $30.00 (on top of what I pay for my iPhone 7+ wireless plan, which is just shy of $100/month), but I really like having the option if one day I decided it's something I need. Now, I wasn't thrilled with just 16GB, because it takes no time at all to fill that up, but, I'm okay with it because I'm not going to be using the tablet to download songs or lots of game apps. My iPhone has the GB's to handle that. Anyway, it really didn't take much thought for me to purchase this device, and five days later, it's on my front porch. Upon opening, I was so happy to see that it literally appeared to be brand new. Not one scratch... no cracks... clean and flawless! I turn the device on and it's like I purchased it brand new. It was ready for me to go through the "new device set-up process." Once completed, I realized the battery was charged up to 90%. I went ahead and plugged it in with the factory charger that you get with most Apple phones/tablets. As it was charging, I wanted to update it's iOS to 10.3, which it did and re-booted with no problem. I unplugged when charging reached 100%, and since then I've downloaded some apps that I knew I would be using, including DishAnywhere, Hulu, Netflix (oh, and HD video playback is beautiful (I forgot to mention it has a fingerprint proof/scratch resistant Retina display)! This device could handle several applications at once with no lag, and the battery does last a very long time (compared to newer iPad models and my mom's Android based Samsung TabPro 10.1). In conclusion, if you're looking for a tablet, and you don't necessarly need the latest and greatest Apple iPad, but still want something powerful and loaded with everything you need in a tablet, I'd definately consider purchasing this one! Remember, don't let the "certified refurbished" scare you. Do your homework, and you'll see, it's a smart way get a great electronic device (which mine appears brand new) without paying hundreds of extra dollars just because the origional box was opened and someone decided to return it (for whatever reason). Here's a link to the 4th Generation Apple iPad technical specs: https://support.apple.com/kb/SP662?locale=en_US
Overall, I give this device 9.5/10 (only because I would have prefered more than 16GB, but it's hardly a big deal, especially if you own an iPhone or Mac with greater storage capacity.
Extra's To Consider Purchasing (you should check out the Apple Store website first to see what's compatable with this device):
-External Keyboard (wired via lightning cable or wireless via bluetooth)
-iPad Case