For those on the fence, have you considered trying an iPad?

Yeeeeah, no.

First and foremost 50 dollars for a “try” is too much.

Secondly the iPad is vastly overhyped. It’s basically just a big iTouch but it’s marketed as a tablet PC, which it isn’t.

Nahhh waste of 10% imo

HP slate > Ipad can’t wait to get one

I wouldn’t spend $50 to try it, but there will be an iPad in my future a little further down the road. I’ll admit the hardware is similar to the iPod Touch, but will do much more. For example, iPhone OS 4.0 (will not be released until later this year) has dedicated support for in-car systems link

I could go on, but people are going to continue to parrot the “just a bit iPod Touch (there’s no such thing as an iTouch) and there’s really no arguing with them.

My netbook died a month ago and I am not going to bother with another PC POS netbook.

There are some things I’d like to see… not having a USB port for instance. There are some reports of wifi issues (Apple has posted troubleshooting articles on this) and so forth. Generally, I don’t buy “out of the gate.”

My iPhone was a true game changer for me in terms of cell phone technology, I expect that when I get an iPad I will feel the same way.

If someone in the office beings one in, I’ll play with it.
I have no reason to buy one.
Not one.
I’ll probably but a new iPhone from Verizon. I’ll look forward to that at least. I like Apple’s phone but I’m not about to buy everything they sell.
The iPad doesn’t provide me with any service that isn’t already being met through other means.

@netgrrl thank you for your response. I admit to being one of the “it’s a big iPod Touch” folks. Can you set me straight? How is it not a big iPod Touch, with a few extra apps (like movie watching via Hulu & ABC). Other than dimension and a few apps, what are the differences?

Well, as I said, the hardware is somewhat similar. But we have to get away from that to what it can do.

What people have to remember is that it’s not meant to replace a laptop. If you have a laptop or netbook (bleah) you like, it makes sense to stay with it. But for many, many people their laptop is very underutilized, they simply don’t need all that power.

Real road warriors will always need a full laptop.

Work functions for one thing… iWork (Apple’s Office-compatable work suit) for iPad (Pages, Numbers, Keynote). Re: Keynote – iPad supports VGA output for driving a projector directly. Users can markup slides and point with a virtual laser pointer as the presentation continues.

(My own note here. Microsoft has said they will not be making an Office Suite for iPad, thank you very much. However, I can create and edit Word or Excel documents on my iPhone now with the DocumentsToGo app. DocsToGo has said they are working on their iPad app. So take that, Microsoft.)

Also in the plans are support for direct network printing from iPad apps, as well as support for accessing shared files from a local file server. Enterprise support for Enterprise needs such as Data Protection, Mobile Device Management, Wireless App Distribution, Improved Mail & Exchange Support, SSL VPN Support.

iPhone OS 4.0 (which will be released later this summer) will bring multitasking to the iPad (useful for Skype or other VoiP – continue to receive calls even though it’s not the foreground app, task completion (start several photos or a video uploading but continue doing something else while you are uploading), threaded, unified mailboxes, folders (which gives you sight access to more than 2,000 apps – why you need that many is anyone’s guess).

Then of course there’s bluetooth keyboard pairing if you really need one.

Apple has been clear they aren’t trying to take over the laptop market with an iPad. Why would they want to cut out their own line of MacBook Pros, for one thing? But there are many instances where an iPad is all most people need.

One thing that has confused me is why Apple released the iPad now when iPhone OS 4.0 isn’t going to be released until later this year. (It’s not ready yet, I am running the beta on my iPhone now and it’s got… some issues. :)

Yeah sure, just let me pull $400–900 dollars out of my ass…....

@netgrrl thank you for the response. There were a few things I didn’t know about (office-compatible work suite, VGA otuput, direct network printing, shared files). But a few things you list would seem to prove the opposite of your point – as you said, the iPhone/iPod Touch can already do DocsToGo, and will receive the iPhone 4.0 software as well.

I would, indeed need the bluetooth keyboard. I tried an iPad at the mall the other day – my fingers are too big for the built in keyboard even when held in landscape mode. So I can’t put my fingers the way I would on a “normal” keyboard, but it’s far too unwieldy to do thumb-typing like we do on the iPhone.

Again, thanks for your response, I appreciate it.

Nope. I’ll wait for the Adam, which is actually a tablet PC, has a longer battery life, and a camera, and supports Flash so I can visit any website I want to, and isn’t intravenously connected to AT&T.

Alternatively I could just go into an apple store and play with one for free.

If you mean trying as in going to the apple store and messing around on it yes. I was interested to see it but I don’t see the use and have no want to by one.

LOL I knew when I was writing it that it would seem that way. There are so many things I can do from my iPhone, blog, fill orders online, paypal / plus edit word docs, yes. But I would be even happier doing it on a slightly larger screen.

My son has huge hands & even he has no problems with the touch screen on the iPhone. At first it feels weird for most ppl, but you’d be surprised how quickly you can get up to speed.

I’m really looking forward to using some of the photo & drawing apps on an iPad later on. (I have no plans to buy one immediately myself.)

Nope. Don’t have the money for it, plus I hate feeling like a slave to markets and “OMG I have to buy this new piece of technology as soon as it comes out otherwise I will be left behind”. Plus I would feel like a tool even owning something called an IPad.

@netgrrl Just to clarify my “it’s just a big iTouch” remark is to be considered on top of the fact that the iPad is basically a tablet pc which only interfaces through wireless, has no USB ports and no SD slot, has a dumbed down version of a Mac operating system on it, (which would be bad even if it wasn’t dumbed down, since the list of programs that exist for Mac is and always has been low) and all in all has far less options than a much older tablet pc wth the only plus of the multitouch technology. Which isnt much of a plus, if you ask me.

Furthermore it isn’t HD as they claimed, the actual definition is around 1024×768, in a 4:3 proportion, meaning that actual 720p 16:9 videos will be crunched down.

I expected much more from apple, i’m seriously underwhelmed. What they hyped as the revolution of tablet pcs turned out to be basically at least 5 years behind, expecially considering the technology apple is generally dishing out, it’s either a really crappy tablet pc or a really good toy.