Anyone get an iPAd yet?

Well, let me share a story with you Rick. And I'll try not to be so "snarky" this time.

I was standing in line at the Apple Store yesterday, waiting for my turn to spend my not-so-hard-earned money. In front of me was a college kid, a UT student for sure. We started chatting about the iPad and he said he's studying electrical engineering and has never owned a Mac before. He wants an iPad because the design and functionality appeal to him over anything else. As we were talking his phone rang, and it wasn't even an iPhone.

Behind me in line was a 70-year-old man. He and I struck up a conversation about computers and he basically echoed exactly what I said above. He was a PC user for years, but switched to Mac last year. With the iPad he realized that it could do everything he was using his laptop for, in a smaller package with a more intuitive interface. He said if the iPad had been made by any other company, he'd be just as likely to get it. After using his Mac for a year, he was comfortable with Apple products, but that wasn't WHY he was buying it. He said the difference between Apple and everyone else is that the others take a laptop and try to make a tablet that does everything a laptop can do. Apple looks at how people use these machines and craft them around the user experience from the ground up. This from a 70-year-old guy who had been using a Mac for a year or less.

It may be about Mac vs. PC for you, and that's fine. But judging from the people I met in line at the Apple Store, it's not all about that. Some, sure. But not all.
 
I don't really feel that it's all about PC vs Mac. I am an absolute Mac-head - I have an iPhone, two iPods, a Macbook Pro, and a Mac Pro.

I have zero interest in the iPad. It doesn't do anything new for me. Could my mind be changed down the road? Sure. But for now, it's just a toy...
 
The real test of the iPad for me will be NAB. I'm not taking my laptop with me, just the iPad. If it can keep up with my needs for that week, it may be a keeper.
 
I'm with you Will...but I'm "brand-blind". I have a Mac Mini, a G5 tower, iPod Touch, Shuffle, 3 PC laptops and 4 PC desktops and use whatever gets the job done best.

I will have to get one for testing as we develop apps for iPhone/Touch/iPad, but that will be the companies.
I'm waiting for the 3rd or 4th generation to personally own an iPad. Very cool toy!
 
The real test of the iPad for me will be NAB. I'm not taking my laptop with me, just the iPad. If it can keep up with my needs for that week, it may be a keeper.

If it only had a camera so you could take pictures of all the cool new gear.....
 
That's what my T2i is for. :D

Unfortuntately the iPad Camera Connection kit (with SD card reader) isn't out yet. So I may have to use the iPhone camera.
 
I'm surprised people are so passionate either way about the mac/pc thing. I don't get it.

I don't get it either. Sometimes, I don't get myself. Sometimes I have to ask myself if I am pointing out flaws in a product because I am being objective or because it is made by APPLE. But I think it boils down to the fact that people get worked up over something that they can't really understand. Non-APPLE users can't understand the fuss, and APPLE users can't understand why we can't understand the fuss. It's a vicious cycle. The debate is rarely about the product itself. I mean, on the surface it is. But, the subtext is usually, "why can't you see how cool this is?" vs "I don't get the point?" APPLE's are glitzy, shiny, dreamy and usually cost more. PC's always have a cheaper solution, even if it ain't pretty. To use a 'The Outsiders' analogy, Mac guys are Soc's and PC guys are Greasers.

[FONT=&quot]Let's face it, APPLE is the best in the business. In fact, they are the ONLY one in the business when it comes to offering an in-house computing solution from soup to nuts. They design the hardware in 'em. They build 'em. They write software for 'em. They maintain 'em. etc. And, NO ONE can dispute how beautiful their products are. I have a Palm Pre, syncing, synergy, runs multiple apps, much cheaper cell plan, etc. but I'll admit the iPHONE is loads sexier. Apple's design team is filled with innovators and they market their gear brilliantly. I don't think anyone can dispute that. But, you are paying a premium for it. So, it should be a cool design. It should do all it says it can. It should offer something the other guys can't because you are generally paying 2 or 3x more.

But, any time Apple comes out with a new product, with the type of hype we are used to seeing with a new product launch, it does stir up the debate. It may not stir it up for everybody, but it does create a dividing line for many. So,
I hear what you are saying Stephenmick. Those 2 guys appreciate the iPAD for what it can do for them regardless of the brand logo. But, I still think that whenever APPLE releases something new, the Soc's and Greasers get ready to rumble.
[/FONT]
 
I am really excited to see MAC PC debate again. I was just thinking the other day there is not enough of those on the Internet.

Its interesting that all someone has to do is ask who has an ipad and we are into the debate.
 
If it only had a camera so you could take pictures of all the cool new gear.....

Honestly, while I love that my iPhone can take pictures I find that I don't bring along a real camera as much because of that very reason. Then I end up with so-so pictures. Anyone else have that issue?

My wife says... "Oh, take a picture!" I whip out the iPhone and even she looks at me sideways. It's handy though! :)

If I had a T2i it would be around my neck the whole time.


MAH
 
Honestly, while I love that my iPhone can take pictures I find that I don't bring along a real camera as much because of that very reason. Then I end up with so-so pictures. Anyone else have that issue?

My wife says... "Oh, take a picture!" I whip out the iPhone and even she looks at me sideways. It's handy though! :)

If I had a T2i it would be around my neck the whole time.


MAH

I completely agree.
 
I never got the feeling the posts in this thread were all about a mac/pc issue (until it was overtly made that way).

Another case in point - I use a macpro, and a macbook... my wife uses a macbook and an iPhone... we are definitely a mac-centric household. Yet I don't have any urge to get an iPad anytime soon. Perhaps in the future I'll see a need for it, but right now I don't think it really offers me anything I need or want.

On the other hand - my father, who is now 70, called me recently to ask me what I thought about it. He uses a PC laptop, has used PCs his whole life (well, as long as they've been around anyhow) and is by no means a techy. But he travels a lot, and finds the web surfing on his phone to be a pain given the screen/button size, and his laptop is a bit bulky to carry around. He got a netbook, but hasn't been happy with it for a variety of reasons. So now, he's looking at the iPad as a possible replacement.

Point is - as Stephen said - it might be a mac/pc thing for some people out there... and those people will ALWAYS see any computer discussion as a mac/pc issue. But for many, it's simply about what they need from a computer, and what fills that need in the best way.
 
I never got the feeling the posts in this thread were all about a mac/pc issue (until it was overtly made that way).

Another case in point - I use a macpro, and a macbook... my wife uses a macbook... we are definitely a mac-centric household. Yet I don't have any urge to get an iPad anytime soon. Perhaps in the future I'll see a need for it, but right now I don't think it really offers me anything I need.


When you play with my iPad (sounds gross), you will want.
 
I don't get the bonus of having a lighter faster "laptop" that is missing some key laptop functions.

But the iPad isn't how you have described it.

Until you use one, my guess is that your perception will be skewed and limited.

You cannot compare it to laptop or a netbook. I've had both. I use Macs and I had a Lenovo and Dell netbook.

The iPad is so different, and so addicting it's hard to describe what it is.

Read the post by the person who woke up not wanting an iPad and then buying one by lunch.

We haven't put ours down since we got it on Saturday.

Two firm PC friends dropped by last night, couldn't put it down during the BB game, and then ordered two this morning.
 
The Epicurious iPad app is awesome for cooking and meal planning. Highly recommended.

We love that app.

It's free.

Today I downloaded all my Panasonic and video related manuals in pdf format to our iPad.

We used GreenReader to navigate. Absolutely fast and amazing.

99 cents.

This doesn't run a Mac or PC OS. It run's a modified iPhone OS. I don't see this as Mac or PC.

I see it as a new way or hybrid way of accessing information.

I know that with bluetooth and wi fi interaction, we'll see this used as an interface for some video apps. That's my expectation.
 
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