iPad

[Nodak]

Same here with no AT&T coverage. I never could understand why Apple chose AT&T -- coverage sucks compared to Verizon (once you get out of large cities). For that reason alone I have not even considered an iphone or ipad.

Yeah, I like the way they show their coverage map on TV. However if you go to their web page my area is shown as covered by AT&T partners. Then the fine print states that if you get too much of your service from partners your account will be canceled.

 

[ERD50]

I never could understand why Apple chose AT&T --

It is simple - because AT&T was the only one that would offer it on Apple's terms.

Typically, the carrier would dictate much of the design and user interface to the manufacturer. Apple was telling them "you guys suck, we want to do it different. We want to offer obvious things like visual voice mail and you guys have had your heads in the sand for too long to even realize that your customers want this feature", etc, etc.

Verizon and Sprint said take a hike. AT&T didn't. And here we are.

For those considering an iPad or iPod Touch - don't forget that it can be used w/o any contract at all, as long as you are in free wi-fi range, or just using it locally. You can download apps at home over wi-fi, and use them anywhere (if the app itself does not require connectivity). DW has an iPod Touch, she loves it, and we have no contract with nobody on it. Wouldn't bother us a bit if we were in an AT&T dead zone.

-ERD50

 

[DangerMouse]

Ah yes but the rumour on the internet is that there is going to be a CDMA iPhone for Verizon later this year. So for all you people who are worried about AT&T coverage, your problem might be solved.

 

[IndependentlyPoor]

iPad mania

The sales numbers are shocking (at least to me).

Apple Inc, trying to revive demand for tablet-style computers with its iPad, said it sold more than 300,000 of the devices on the first day of their debut weekend.

Users downloaded more than 1 million iPad applications from Apple’s site and bought more than 250,000 electronic books from its online store during the first day.
​

from:
Apple Says It Sold More Than 300,000 IPads First Day (Update2) - Bloomberg.com

AAPL up 0.86% as I write.

Boy, did I call this one wrong. I figured sales would be good, but that the market was expecting nothing short of a tsunami. Well...
splash, glug. Burble.

 

[Zathras]

Yeah, I thought they would do well, but I didn't expect 300k on the first day.

 

[audreyh1]

Some analysts have been claiming 700,000 iPads sold - which is amazing since it is the US only, AND not the 3G version!

Apple, however, will only admit to "more than 300,000" sold. They like to keep their mouths closed about actual sales numbers until they give the quarterly earnings numbers. That's in about 2 weeks.

Audrey

 

[ERD50]

Yeah, I thought they would do well, but I didn't expect 300k on the first day.

Which would mean that one out of every thousand men, woman and children in the US have one on the first day they were available. It should have been a census question

That just seems incredible. I probably said this a few pages back, but I do look at the iPad as a bit of a niche product. It is essentially a large iPod Touch - good in some ways like the large screen, but bad in some ways as it is now too big to just put in your pocket. And at that size, it does less than many netbooks.

Not to say it doesn't fit the needs very well for many people, but those are drawbacks for some. So those numbers are astounding to me.

-ERD50

 

[FUEGO]

Based on my facebook friends' status updates, 2 out of 150 or so bought an ipad on opening day. Or 13 out of 1000. Of course these friends are mostly 20- and 30- somethings, well educated and upwardly mobile (plenty of extra cash to burn and/or high credit card limits).

Here's one post:

"Dear Apple, this is really awesome. Even though facebook hasnt released a proper App for it."
posted from my i-phone

Interesting that both friends are iphone and macbook users, and apparently LOVE apple products. Guess it takes that to pony up $500+ for an ipad. Most PC/Windows users are accustomed to seeing advertisements for $200-300 netbooks and $300-400 desktops and laptops.

Personally, i'll wait for a year or two to consider any products in this category. Our 1 year old netbook does way more than the ipad and suits our family's needs very well currently. Here's to hoping Dell or HP or HTC/Google or someone can make an ipad knock off that retails for $200 (on sale) and has 5-10x the storage capacity and can do more stuff. And has a USB connection or 3. Oh yeah and a 10 hour battery life! Thanks, signed One Demanding Consumer.

 

[Zathras]

I figured if it was a niche product, it is a pretty big one
I carry my laptop around to my 'gaming' group. That is history as soon as the 3G model comes out.
I am planning on getting a digital reader, that will be the iPad.
I also like surfing the web whenever I find myself with some wait time (doctor office, just taking a break, car in shop, etc). If it was planned, I used my laptop, if not, I used by Iphone. Now, I will be using my iPad all the time.
Maps in the car, iPad.
Reading Magazines, iPad.
Classifieds (either newspaper, Craigslist or other), iPad.

Now, I know it won't fit everyone as well as it does me, but it certainly seems to be a large enough market to work with.
Final results of course won't be in for a few quarters. Heck, perhaps all 300k buyers were all developers and no one will be using it

 

[Zathras]

Personally, i'll wait for a year or two to consider any products in this category. Our 1 year old netbook does way more than the ipad and suits our family's needs very well currently. Here's to hoping Dell or HP or HTC/Google or someone can make an ipad knock off that retails for $200 (on sale) and has 5-10x the storage capacity and can do more stuff. And has a USB connection or 3. Oh yeah and a 10 hour battery life! Thanks, signed One Demanding Consumer.

Ummm, it HAS a 10 hour battery life.
However, it sounds like you want a netbook, which you already have. So I don't see why you would want the iPad to be turned into something you already have.

 

[Lakedog]

According to the Bloomberg article mentioned above, the 300,000 included "deliveries to channel partners" so there's no way to know how many of those actually sold. Will be interesting to see how well it sells in the next few months.

 

[ERD50]

Personally, i'll wait for a year or two to consider any products in this category. Our 1 year old netbook does way more than the ipad and suits our family's needs very well currently.

hmmmm, in a little over a year, we will be shopping for our youngest ones college computer. Apple has had some kind of iPod promotion each summer/fall, so maybe iPads by then? Which means I might eventually get it as a hand me down, when they eventually move up.

Although, she has been using my Linux netbook the past few months, and that seems to be doing the job for her. That would be tempting, but I still don't know enough about Linux to be effective at troubleshooting it, esp long-distance, so we will probably go Apple again.

-ERD50

 

[FUEGO]

Ummm, it HAS a 10 hour battery life.
However, it sounds like you want a netbook, which you already have. So I don't see why you would want the iPad to be turned into something you already have.

What I'm saying is, the competing non Apple device I am looking for has a longer battery life versus the netbook I currently own. I'm aware they have a stated "up to 10 hour battery life".

I would certainly consider losing the convenience of the built in keyboard a netbook offers if it had most other connectivity features (like a few usb connections) that would allow easy plug ins of existing peripheral devices (like a keyboard). Technologically I think we are 95% there. Trash the keyboard off a netbook, and superglue the touchscreen monitor to the guts of the netbook and you got it. Oh yeah, replace the 160 gb magnetic hard drive with a SSD drive. You don't get it for my $200 price point though!

I just need a very versatile extensible multipurpose customizable highly mobile computing/entertainment device. Cheap. = NETBOOK (for now).

Edit to add: Oh yeah, and one that can implement Flash in a web browser.

 

[Meadbh]

If this bunch of old pharts can come up with 263 messages about the iPad it must be a pretty big niche market.

 

[FUEGO]

If this bunch of old [very wealthy highly technologically savvy some not so old] pharts can come up with 263 messages about the iPad it must be a pretty big niche market.

Bolded text mine.

Given that CNN.com had about 3 out of 9 of their headline news stories addressing the ipad phenomenon, it isn't too surprising all the chatter going around the internets!

 

[ERD50]

If this bunch of old pharts can come up with 263 messages about the iPad it must be a pretty big niche market.

Yep, I guess I should have said 'subset', rather than 'niche'. Those who like the iPod Touch for its small size may stay away; those who feel that if they are going to carry something bigger it needs the capabilities of a netbook may stay away.

But that clearly leaves a large market of people in the middle. A 'big niche', if you will.

-ERD50

 

[homestead]

My son works at an apple reseller, they sold out the first day with 50 units.

Apple's iPad: Will It Blend? - Mac Rumors

 

[audreyh1]

Yep, I guess I should have said 'subset', rather than 'niche'. Those who like the iPod Touch for its small size may stay away.

ERD50

I'm one of those who was easily targeted for the iPad, because I enjoy my iPod Touch, but I've been frustrated by the small screen size for web surfing, and I wished to have some cell connectivity but didn't want an iPhone (too small anyway and $$ subscription and I don't care about voice).

So there have been a group of us out here just waiting for a bigger iPod.

Of course the additional functionality is a big deal too.

Some folks may like their small iPod Touch. I'll still use it as my music player. But I've been waiting for the iPad for a couple of years! I expect I'm not alone........ (well, obviously).

Audrey

 

[audreyh1]

Analysts do not expect the 3G version of the iPad to be quite as big as this initial release. I wonder why, as I am definitely waiting for 3G connectivity.

But the iPad will be launched internationally at the same time the 3G version is released - so that might boost the numbers.

Audrey

 

[Nodak]

Ah yes but the rumour on the internet is that there is going to be a CDMA iPhone for Verizon later this year. So for all you people who are worried about AT&T coverage, your problem might be solved.

I have been following that rumor very closely, hope it is true. My Verizon contract will be up this fall and I would love to go with an iPhone; if it doesn't happen I will get a Droid.

 

[Zathras]

Analysts do not expect the 3G version of the iPad to be quite as big as this initial release. I wonder why, as I am definitely waiting for 3G connectivity.

I was thinking the same thing (waiting for 3G that is).
But then my inner tech geek joined forces with my rational mind in a very rare alliance and convinced me to go get one now
I am rarely away from Wi-Fi, don't travel much at all, and ... well... dangit, I just couldn't wait 3 more weeks!

 

[FIREd]

I went to the Apple store this morning (shopping for a new AirPort Extreme), and I have to say that I had to wipe a bit of drool off my chin after test driving the iPad. Huuummm, I have a birthday coming up...

But I have heard that some people are having wifi connectivity problems (Apple forums). So, I'll wait a bit before jumping in.

 

[Rambler]

...I carry my laptop around to my 'gaming' group. That is history as soon as the 3G model comes out.
I am planning on getting a digital reader, that will be the iPad.
I also like surfing the web whenever I find myself with some wait time (doctor office, just taking a break, car in shop, etc). If it was planned, I used my laptop, if not, I used by Iphone. Now, I will be using my iPad all the time.
Maps in the car, iPad.
Reading Magazines, iPad.
Classifieds (either newspaper, Craigslist or other), iPad.

Now, I know it won't fit everyone as well as it does me, but it certainly seems to be a large enough market to work with.
Final results of course won't be in for a few quarters. Heck, perhaps all 300k buyers were all developers and no one will be using it

I just ordered two iPads...one 3G and one Wifi. 3G for me, and Wifi for Wifey... for all the above reasons, plus a few others. Actually, we will both use both of the iPads interchangeably, but I will likely use the 3G for work alot, and DW will likely only need hers at home, so that is why the difference.

I travel with my company laptop all the time (not too heavy, but heavier than the iPad, and DW's laptop is definitely heavier - and she is frustrated with the slow speed of her Netbook and with the number of times it has been to the shop for repairs). The iPad will allow me to do all of the above, plus have my company email at hand wherever I am. Plus, it will only cost me $15 each time I visit the US instead of the usual $15-25 per day that the hotels charge for internet access.

...and (Audrey1 will appreciate this), when we get our RV, DW can look up camp sites while we are on the move...or hotels if we are in the car, or restaurants, or whatever, and actually be able to read them.

The clincher: I will only need to turn on the 3G when we visit the States, and turn it back off when we come back to Japan...all from the screen of the device itselft...no going to the AT&T store, no hassles. If we find we are in the States more often, we'll just leave it on. To counter the $15 per month charge, I just found out that we were still paying for an old dial-up (which was used to monitor our solar system until some parts failed and were not replaced), and canceled it ($13).

Am I excited? Absolutely! I love my iTouch that I got at Christmas. I will admit that if I did not have the iTouch, I would not understand the hysteria about this thing. My travel briefcase is going to get a lot smaller...no more books, no more paper magazines, no more cords (due to short battery life). I can hardly wait...DW's will arrive at our place in California in about 10 days, and mine will be in the first week of May.

R

 

[Zathras]

I just ordered two iPads...one 3G and one Wifi. 3G for me, and Wifi for Wifey... for all the above reasons, plus a few others...
R

Thank you! That is an awesome idea. My wife mentioned the same idea just a little bit ago.
Not sure we will do that yet, but if she likes it, we may.
I am just not sure the 3G is worth it to me as I don't travel much. However, I would make use of it occasionally and it sure would be more convenient.

 

[audreyh1]

...and (Audrey1 will appreciate this), when we get our RV, DW can look up camp sites while we are on the move...or hotels if we are in the car, or restaurants, or whatever, and actually be able to read them.

Yeah - it's nice to be able to look up stuff on the move.

Now in the RV we have this covered. We usually leave our RV wifi box plugged in while we are rolling so DH can grab his laptop and look things up as needed. Our RV wifi box has the cell card plugged in.

But there are technical issues - like resetting the box when it gets stuck, or the size of the laptop and it's bag. So grabbing the 3G iPad itself will be easier.

But I've been missing the internet connectivity when running around in the car since it's has not been practical to have a wifi box set up in the car (inverter needed for one thing)! That's just going to be great!

Audrey