The Apple iPad Thread

[danielf]

Originally Posted by Chris

If she just wants an eBook reader, she might be better considering something like a Kindle. Honestly, War and Peace in hardback would be lighter to hold than an iPad.

Well, you know what it's like. She could get a Kindle, but then you would want a colour screen, take it on vacation etc. So, we're holding out a while until something comes along that really tickles our fancy. Expandability will be high on the list though, and that pretty much rules out any Apple product (imo).

[dilli-theclaw]

I have both and would much rather use my kindle for reading. Also dont' forget if you get the 3g one you also get /very basic/ free internet with it.

[MadGamer]

I want one of the new MacBook Pro's but the one at 1,849 looks a bit steep

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by MadGamer

I want one of the new MacBook Pro's but the one at 1,849 looks a bit steep

This is an IPad thread

[peanut]

For those who are thinking about getting one, the price now of a 16gb wifi iPad 1 has now dropped to £329 (HMV etc). Slightly better than £420.

Edit
Sorry didn't see haydnwalker's post yesterday which stated the new price.

A practical question ... I'm having trouble scrolling about within my posts as I type them ... There are no scroll bars and no arrow keys on the iPads virtual keyboard. Am I missing something or does it just not work very well?

[peanut]

Hold your finger down till you get the magnifier then 'push/drag/scroll' it up. That's how it works on the iTouch, so maybe it's the same.

[dilli-theclaw]

Originally Posted by Chris

A practical question ... I'm having trouble scrolling about within my posts as I type them ... There are no scroll bars and no arrow keys on the iPads virtual keyboard. Am I missing something or does it just not work very well?

I can scroll around (with one finger) within the box while typing just fine. I have attached a piccy to see if you are on about the same thing?

and as peanut says if you press and hold the cursor should change to a magnifying glass so you can pick exactly where you want to be.

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by Chris

A practical question ... I'm having trouble scrolling about within my posts as I type them ... There are no scroll bars and no arrow keys on the iPads virtual keyboard. Am I missing something or does it just not work very well?

Use two fingers at the same time in the box and it will let you scroll.

[Tezcatlipoca]

Originally Posted by ooogemaflop

for the same money you could buy a new desktop and aint you heard of sleep mode lol lol

True.

I couldn't take a desktop PC with me when travelling, though, nor laze about with one in bed or on the sofa. I could do that with a laptop, but I don't want a laptop.

Plus a new desktop would be boring, & less shiny

Originally Posted by haydnwalker

Apple are definitely a company that want to take your disposable income, regardless of the product.

I'm sure they'd get more fanboys if the prices were a bit more reasonable

Originally Posted by Chris

Apple's image is reinforced by the price. They are very good at what they do - high-end consumer electronics that are very well designed, (usually) well made, and priced in a way that says 'premium product'. Enough people are prepared to lash out what it costs to buy something with the Apple label on it, they really don't need to drop the price.

Although the MacBook & iMac have an "Apple premium" on the price, the iPad prices are actually already reasonable, when you consider the competition, and Apple certainly has no need to reduce them (not just because it sells like hotcakes anyway at the current price, due in part to the branding).

Something that none of Apple's competition for the tablet market has managed to do yet in the 11 months since iPad 1 was released is actually bring out a competing tablet with comparable specs, build-quality, and software for a lower price...Strange as it may seem when you think of the price of the iMac, MBP, etc., the iPad is actually competitively priced rather than the usual Apple price of "more expensive than everything else".

The Samsung Galaxy Tab was the only real competition last year. Although it had fairly comparable specs to an iPad (but half the screen area due to being 7") it still cost the same price as an iPad.

The first "quality non-Apple tablet" out of the gate this year is the Motorola Xoom (due in April). Fairly comparable specs to the iPad 2, but with more RAM and a higher AR screen (16:10 instead of 4:3) [Improvements which most consumers probably won't actually care about... the average consumer for these doesn't seem that fussed by tech specs, something Apple knows]. The price? The same as the iPad 2 (£500 for 32GB WiFi-only, £600 for 32GB WiFi+3G).

Samsung is bringing out a new Galaxy Tab later this year, the Galaxy Tab 10.1, with comparable specs to the Xoom & iPad 2. And you can bet that it will cost the same as an iPad 2...

HP & RIM (BlackBerry) both have their own tablets due at some stage (the TouchPad and PlayBook respectively). They may manage to be more competitive on price (especially HP), but at the moment they're still pretty much vapourware until HP or RIM actually start giving out real info on release dates & pricing etc. ...


---------------------------------------------

Apple owns the tablet market at the moment. Tablet = iPad for most people.

It controls the hardware, the software, the app market, and the retail. It knows that every unit it produces will shift easily, and it can bulk buy components cheaper than its competitors can (also, one reason 2010's competitors were primarily 7" rather than 10" is that Apple allegedly bought so many 10" screens that there weren't enough left for anyone else...).

Other than HP & RIM, all the other competitors (i.e. the Android OEMs) only control the hardware, so only make a profit on the hardware... and they can't sell their products direct as they don't have their own chain of stores like Apple does.

It'll be very interesting to see the evolution of the tablet market this year, given that there is finally going to be some serious competition... I can't see anyone stealing Apple's crown though, certainly not this year.

[Cobbydaler]

If you just bought an iPad 1 in the States there's the possibility of a refund/return:

As The Reg reported on Wednesday, Apple has dropped the prices of the original iPad line by $100 in the US and ₤100 in the UK – and, presumably, comparable amounts in other markets as well. Luckily for recent buyers, Apple's Sales and Refund Policy has comforting news:
Should Apple reduce its price on any shipped product within 14 calendar days of shipment, you may contact Apple Store Customer Service at 1-800-676-2775 to request a refund or credit of the difference between the price you were charged and the current selling price. To receive the refund or credit you must contact Apple within 14 calendar days of the price change.
Sounds reasonable – but when we called our local Apple retail store here in Vulture Annex's San Francisco home, we were told that their policy was more generous than that: in the Cool Grey City of Love, you have a full 30 days to claim your refund.

Wonder if they'll be touting the 30 days in the UK?

Link

[gazzae]

Originally Posted by Stephen

Use two fingers at the same time in the box and it will let you scroll.

Phwoarrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[Tezcatlipoca]

Some benchmarks for the iPad 2...

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4215/a...rvr-sgx-543mp2

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4216/a...p2-benchmarked


Stomps on the iPad 1... and also (at least for graphics) the Xoom...

[Tezcatlipoca]

Apple has confirmed that the international launch is still going ahead this Friday 25th March, as planned (unlike last year), and has also finally confirmed the pricing...A very pleasant surprise is that despite the VAT rise since the original came out, iPad 2 is actually going to be cheaper than iPad 1.

http://www.apple.com/uk/pr/library/2011/03/22ipad.html

Originally Posted by Apple UK

iPad 2 with Wi-Fi will be available in ... the UK on 25 March for a suggested retail price of
£399.00 inc VAT (£332.50 ex VAT) for the 16GB model,
£479.00 inc VAT (£399.17 ex VAT) for the 32GB model,
£559.00 inc VAT (£465.83 ex VAT) for the 64GB model.

iPad 2 with Wi-Fi + 3G will be available for a suggested retail price of
£499.00 inc VAT (£415.83 ex VAT) for the 16GB model,
£579.00 inc VAT (£482.50 ex VAT) for the 32GB model and
£659.00 inc VAT (£549.17 ex VAT) for the 64GB model.

iMovie and GarageBand for iPad apps are available for £2.99 each from the App Store on iPad or www.itunes.com/appstore.

The Smart Cover is available in a range of colours in vibrant polyurethane for £35.00 inc VAT or rich leather for £59.00 inc VAT.

That actually also undercuts the Moto Xoom (£499 for 32GB WiFi, £599 for 32GB WiFi+3G).

After the VAT rise in January, the original iPad cost £439 / £510 / £612 (16GB/32GB/64GB) for the WiFi only version, and £541 / £612 / £714 (16GB/32GB/64GB) for the WiFi+3G version. The original prices under 17.5% VAT were e.g. £499 for 32GB WiFi, £599 for 32GB WiFi+3G.


Some people have moaned that we're still being screwed over compared to the US prices, but it's not really that bad when you consider that US prices are always excluding tax.

e.g. 32GB WiFi only:

US price (no tax) = $599 = £365.80

UK price (with 20% VAT) = £479

UK price (excluding VAT) = £399.17

Still a bit more than the US, but not by a great deal at all.

I am going to get one on Friday. I hope. I worried they will sell out before I get there as I will be there around 6pm, an hour after sales have started!