Thread

I’m sure it’ll be like any Apple product… the people who buy the first revision will do so because they can be OMG FIRST!1one! to own it… it won’t be amazing and it might have some issues that will be fixed with firmware upgrades down the road.  Revision 2 will a major update that resolves most of the issues that people had with it and everyone who was considering maybe getting one will happily take the plunge.  After that it’s all new features/price/ease of use/etc while Apple rakes in the cash.

I don’t see myself finding this thing particularly useful, but I’d be more likely to buy a $2000 laptop than a netbook or ebook reader thing like this… I’m ok with not being the target market for what will probably be an otherwise successful product.  Besides I’d probably mess it up… my 10 year old laptop is really banged up on the outside, but the screen is still pristine… same goes for my $20 flip phone (yay for objects that close).

That’s what I think, too. For most people now it is only a status symbol and so it will be for quite a long time. Until it is really well developed, I’m happy with my old equipment and don’t feel a need to waste vast amounts of money just to be one of the first to follow the new trend. There are so many disadvantages so far that it does not seem a good idea to me to join the crowd of disciples now.

That’s what I think, too. For most people now it is only a status symbol and so it will be for quite a long time.

Don’t hold your breath. Once Google gets into the game it’s practically a mass market commodity.

I’m itching to get my hands on one, I have to admit. It would be nice if Apple would hurry up and announce the UK prices - my guess is that they’ll start at £400, but who knows. Apple have a tendency to surprise when it comes to UK pricing, and not in a good way. As a platform I think it’ll be a while before the iPad really matures, but for me the features are already decent enough that I want in from day one. So long as they don’t go mad with the price.

If they apply the usual going rate of 1$ = 1€, you’re probably looking at something like £450. Wouldn’t surprise me.

No, nor me really. It would make a joke of the ‘unbelievable price’ claim though.

i can only imagine this tool to be used in a business action.
id never buy it for my private use. therefore i have a real computer 😉

I bought one for the reasons I described earlier and am surprised how intuitive it is for media-consumption applications and as a handy utility to drive other devices (such as an HTPC via 10-foot interfaces using Hippo Pro as a trackpad/keyboard/remote.)

It easily outperforms my iPhone at web browsing and reading email in locations where a laptop or desktop computer would be too obtrusive.

With Dragon Dictation and a sound recorder App installed, the iPad makes a convincing and convenient platform for note-taking. I’ve been playing with drawing programs and find it less appealing than my big Wacom tablet and an iMac, but more flexible than a pocket sketchbook.

For web developers, this is decidedly NOT a computer that invites serious work, but it has most of what a mobile computer user needs in a pinch: the ability to browse cloud-based storage in Dropbox, to interact with local text and multimedia documents via a keyboard, and to quickly pull answers from resources like Wolfram Alpha or calendars and address books. Sure, I can do these things with an iPhone, but the larger screen makes them less a novelty and more interactive.

Having played with a few non-entertainment Apps on the iPad, I readily expect to see mobile data-collection or sales applications emerge for it in business.

That said, this gadget targets a sweet spot somewhere at the intersection of paper notebooks, readers and browsers, media playback, and discontinuous exploration. It makes a great couch-surfing appliance and digital travel companion.

But my kids think it’s the killer platform for Doodle Jump.

Don’t hold your breath. Once Google gets into the game it’s practically a mass market commodity.

PC are commodities and Apple is still increasing their market share, so I’m not sure I buy this argument.

True. But they aren’t consider a status symbol, are they?

True. But they aren’t consider a status symbol, are they?

PCs? Well Macs usually are. As are flashy PC laptops (my boss’ is bright red and flashes!). And your argument is that it can’t be both a commodity AND a status symbol?

I do enjoy Apple products, but I am not sure why I would need an iPad. I already have the macbook and it is on 80 percent of the time.  When it is not on I have my iphone to keep me in the loop and not to mention my iphone has a camera.  The only reason I can see to get the iPad is to get myself into more debt and show it off to my coworkers.
_______________________________

I’m in debt. I am a true American. -Balki Bartokomous

Probably wait for someone else to get it, then i’ll check it out and decide. Have heard too many negatives to just go out and purchase. So, we’ll see i guess.

Have heard too many negatives to just go out and purchase. So, we’ll see i guess.

What negatives have you heard?

I don’t like ipad, I still love to use notebook.

Imagine if you bought a TV from Samsung and then could only watch shows that Samsung approved of.

Imagine if you bought a car from Ford but were only allowed to drive it to places that Ford approved of.

Why are we so willing to give up our freedom when it comes to computer hardware?

No, I won’t get an ipad for the obvious reasons.