Once again, Steve Jobs has stirred his customers into a frenzy
Photos: Apple Inc. Even before Apple (AAPL) opens its online store for pre-orders Friday morning, the company's fanbase — and the press that feeds it — has been working itself into a lather.
A one-sentence e-mail from Apple PR Thursday afternoon confirming the hour on Friday that buyers in the U.S. can start ordering the company's latest creation — 8:30 a.m. ET, 5:30 a.m. PT — had generated more than 100 pre-dawn headlines Friday morning.
SET YOUR ALARM CLOCKS, screamed 9to5Mac, as if by sleeping in you might miss out.
The New York Times offered relatively sober advice on HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT IPAD FOR YOU. "If you’re already readying your tent and fold-up chairs to wait outside an Apple Store for the company’s latest offering," it begins, "then please read on."
In SHOULD YOU PRE-ORDER AN IPAD?, the Wall Street Journal listed five reasons — from early glitches to future price cuts — it might make more sense to wait.
That suggestion that triggered cries of derision from TUAW's Erica Sadun in IT'S COOL TO BE AN EARLY IPAD ADOPTER. "If you don't hop aboard the adoption train," she tells readers, "you're never going to get to Techsville."
With analysts predicting shortages and Apple warning customers that even a pre-order may not guarantee first-day delivery, you can expect lines outside the Apple Stores come April 3.
Check in here for our live coverage of the scene outside the glass cube on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue.
UPDATE: Shortly before 7 a.m. ET, the Apple Store went off line.
Below: A video debate staged by G4TV on the question of whether it's better to buy now or to wait ("better to avoid altogether" was not represented). In favor of buying: Silicon Alley Insider's Dan Frommer. In favor of waiting: Gizmodo’s Matt Buchanan.
I doubt it will be buggy - they had a lot of time to work out the bugs with the iPod Touch. This thing is going to be awesome, and if not awesome, at least it will be a lot of fun for a lot of people. I love those screens.
Myers215 said: Can someone please explain to me why anyone would pay $600 for an oversized Ipod Touch?Well, first of all, its not someone, but MILLIONS of someones. Second, ask why people are willing to pau $199 for the base iPod touch, add the e-reader capability, the ability to wordprocess and the ability to present keynote slideshows all in the palm of the hand and you mught begin to get the picture.
From what I've seen at the Apple Store, you're going to receive this on April 3 whether you select free or expedited shipping. So why pay for shipping? Just a thought if you decide to preorder....
DavidScubadiver said: Myers215 said: Can someone please explain to me why anyone would pay $600 for an oversized Ipod Touch?Well, first of all, its not someone, but MILLIONS of someones. Second, ask why people are willing to pau $199 for the base iPod touch, add the e-reader capability, the ability to wordprocess and the ability to present keynote slideshows all in the palm of the hand and you mught begin to get the picture.
Call me a troll if you'd like, but I agree with Myers215.
When I walked into a microcenter's "Apple" section and looked at the iPod touch, I was tempted to buy it. Then, the store associate came by, and asked my why I looked at it, and didn't buy it. This is what I told him: If apple comes out with a similar device with a bigger screen, lets us run MULTIPLE apps, is a bit more powerful, runs flash, I would buy it instantly.
A few years later, here we are, and what does Apple give us? An oversized iPod touch.
Please don't call the iPad something with "e-reader capability". You could do that with the iPod touch with apps too. In fact, the other things you mentioned could also be done with the iPod touch.
True e-readers are the Kindle, Sony's PR505, Barnes and Noble's Nook, etc. The reason is that they would truly minimize eye strain while using them for extended periods of time, while giving spectacular battery life. Thats the direction we should be going in.
In conclusion, I am going to wait for some devices like the Notion Ink Adam (Pixel Qi screen and 10+ hours of battery playing HD videos), Entourage Edge (dual screen, one of them e-reader), Microsoft Courier (two screens, one e-reader and one regular), etc. They can all run multiple apps, are e-readers, and can can run flash, multi-task, take notes/draw precisely(resistive multi-touch), and offer terrific battery life!
Apple let me down this time ... not even a camera?
Well, of course the iPad is not for everyone. I am sure you are enjoying your mp3 player as much as you would have enjoyed the iPod touch too. But for many people, after using one, there is no way they'd give up their iPod touch or their iPhone. Its cool to not buy something because it does not meet your desires, just as its cool to buy something because it satisfies them. Do not see why anybody should call you a troll for that.
But to say its not a true e-reader is kind of unfair. It reads books, and the Nook, and the Kindle sell apps so that their books can be read on it, and within days of being announced, Apple forced Amazon to change its pricing model, so true reader or not, it is surely having an impact on publishing. Indeed, an e-reader is not just for books, but for magazines as well. And the iPad alone is going to be responsible for saving the magazine publishing industry, or at least has the potential for doing so. Can't read a magazine on a kindle or nook, at least not with nearly the same elegance, style and enjoyment.
I really think the Ipads with the 3G will be great! Can't wait to see a tether program so you can pay $30 a month and use it with a laptop or the Ipad itself.
I think I'm biased because I already have an Iphone and an Ipod Classic, thus there's no reason to buy the Ipad. However, I could see it being a good purchase for someone who doesn't already have these things and has the cash to burn.
I'm reading books now on my iphone and itouch with the Kindle app. Very easy to read screen size and simple page turning; synchs perfectly with my Kindle. Who needs an ipad?
Disclaimer: By providing links to other sites, FatWallet.com does not guarantee, approve or endorse the information or products available at these sites, nor does a link indicate any association with or endorsement by the linked site to FatWallet.com.
Members of our community may attach files to a post in accordance with the User Agreement. FatWallet is not responsible for the content, accuracy, completeness or validity of any information contained in any attached file. Files have *not* been scanned for viruses. Be especially wary of Excel files which may contain malicious content.
