Apple Announces April 3rd Launch Date for Wi-Fi iPad in the U.S.

[NebulaClash]

I'll be ordering one for sure. Anyone see any compelling reasons to wait for the 3G version?

As noted, this decision will depend mostly on where you will use your iPad the majority of the time. If this will be a living room device to take the place of your laptop when at home and relaxing, the WiFi version will probably do the job just fine.

If you are going to take this on the road and don't want to depend on finding a Starbucks or a friendly hotel, you'd better wait for the 3G version. You'll just be frustrated when you need Net access and can't find a free hot spot.

If you are in between, using it mostly at home, but sometimes you want to throw it in your backpack, you'll need to figure out just how important it will be to have that always-on access that 3G provides. I think the answer here comes down to whether you are an iPhone user or you can be satisfied as an iPod touch user. If the thought of just having an iPod touch bothers you, you need the 3G iPad.

 

[125037]

Honestly, if you had not linked the press release I'd though you were pranking us. It's very out of Apple's character to launch on a Saturday, especially the Sat. before Easter when many are out of town. Happy to hear you can buy online for store p/u, but wondering if that actually guarantees you an iPad on launch day. IIRC doing that w/ the 3GS did not guarantee you a unit on launch day, but I could be misremembering.

Perhaps knowing many people are out of town was the intention with all of the "limited supplies" rumors.

 

[NebulaClash]

Yawn who cares!!!!!! This thing is way to expensive, magical and revolutionary at an unbelievable price LMAO!!!!!!! The operative word is unbelievable!!!!!!!

iPad NO Netbook YES!!!!!!!!!

See how astroturfers operate? Back when the iPad was just a rumor, and people speculated it would be a sub-$1,000 device, but just barely sub-$1,000 device, the astroturfers said "hey, that's too much money!!!! It needs to be sub-$500 or else it's a fail!!!!"

So it comes out as sub-$500, so the astroturfers immediately switch to "hey, that's too much money!!!! It needs to be as cheap as a netbook for else it's a fail!!!!!"

No matter what Apple does, the plan is to slam them in public regardless of the facts.

 

[jlasoon]

Don't ask Americans where other countires are, because we just don't know!

I don't really give a crap about any other country. it's irrelevant to my needs and my life. Why should I care whether or not Uzbekistan gets an iPad the same day as me? Call me egocentric, but the only thing I care about is when I can get my hands on my iPad. I could care less about you, my neighbor, or the rest of the world for that matter.

It's an AMERICAN company.

 

[Wolfie Scooter]

SNL skit in the making

Can't wait to see the SNL skit with this "magical" device...

 

[gekkota]

I'll be ordering one for sure. Anyone see any compelling reasons to wait for the 3G version?

Pre-paid 3G is a major factor for me in even buying an iPad at all, although I think $130 is a tad much to pay for that option. I want to be able to have internet access when I am not in a wifi area. If I were to buy the wifi-only version, I know I'd be kicking myself later.

 

[bcb23]

I will buy one for novelty purposes for the wife, but I imagine this will sit and gather dust like her IPod touch. Got her the 27inch i7 too, but she still prefers her Asus netbook. Hard to argue with that. Easy, simple, light and long battery. Oh well, just more toys. I am still in the "need a new MBP" camp. The current one is over a year old. I will swing by the Apple stores here (three stores within 15 minutes drive) just to see the lines.

 

[shk718]

i wonder if we'll see iphone os 3.2 that day.

 

[ranReloaded]

Perhaps someone here can lend you a hand?--))

It's funny. Your bug "stops" when I scroll with my iPhone. Touch up and it starts again!

 

[normwood]

Why is the US always privileged? That's just not fair... What about devs from Europe who want to test their apps before releasing them?

Apple is a US founded and based company. The US is their single largest potential market. It only makes complete sense.

Steve

 

[organerito]

What exactly do you think the iPad is ?

Well, it cannot play flash as my computer can. It cannot install any program I want from any source I want like my computer. It doesn't have any visible folder and file structure like my computer. Then I guess it is just a big ipod touch.

 

[AidenShaw]

I'll be ordering one for sure. Anyone see any compelling reasons to wait for the 3G version?

You might want the option to be connected when you don't have access to a WiFi network.

GPS - the large screen would facilitate some interesting mapping
applications, which would be much more useful with the GPS
version.

 

[btcutter]

why negative rating?

It's an fricking announcement for a product release.

 

[skate71290]

After the US beta testers have uncovered any problems

i hate America... you always get stuff first... and i hate Steve Jobs, promising us International Shipping Dates at the end of March, not end of April....

 

[MacHiavelli]

Apple is a US founded and based company. The US is their single largest potential market. It only makes complete sense.

Steve

ROTW peeps . . . . don't worry. The US is being used to test the iPad in terms of performance and price ahead of everyone else . . . . by waiting, you're gonna get a better product


Global launch would be good, but impractical. Makes sense for the US to get the iPad first as Apple is a US based company . . . even if its true genius (Ives) is a Limey.

 

[rhinosrcool]

Wonder if the new MBP will be before or after april 3

No way does Apple release MBP updates before the iPad has its opening!

 

[some12b]

Does anyone know if the iPad can tether onto an iPhone's internet?

 

[OllyW]

For us Europeans this is effectively a full month delay.

CRAP.

Just get one of these and an iPod touch while you are waiting.

 

[NebulaClash]

Well, it cannot play flash as my computer can.

That's a feature, not a bug. Flash will be sidelined quickly. It's the floppy disk of the 21st-century. HTML 5 is the way to go.

It cannot install any program I want from any source I want like my computer.

You can install any program anyone wants to write for the iPad, other than, oh, something obscene. For that you'll have to write your own app

Why would you want to install non-iPad programs anyway? This is a new type of device that runs its own software. And very quickly you'll have a choice of hundreds of thousands of apps that do just about anything. So the limitations will be few and far between.

It doesn't have any visible folder and file structure like my computer.

That's a feature, not a bug. This is the break this device is making from past computers. This is one of the reasons this decade will become known as the decade of the notepad. This is one of the reasons the PC era is about to fade as the mainframe era once did.

Most people do not WANT to see file structures. They just want to open THAT thing. And they will.

Then I guess it is just a big ipod touch.

Nope, this is the usual line the slammers use, but it's just not true.

 

[OttawaGuy]

The late release in Canada must be revenge for Canada beating the US in Olympic hockey.

 

[vitwi]

I don't really give a crap about any other country. it's irrelevant to my needs and my life. Why should I care whether or not Uzbekistan gets an iPad the same day as me? Call me egocentric, but the only thing I care about is when I can get my hands on my iPad. I could care less about you, my neighbor, or the rest of the world for that matter.

It's an AMERICAN company.

example of a very open minded and cultivated american..
no wonder you are going to throw ur money away on a useless ipad because mr jobs tells u to do so..

 

[WhySoSerious]

It's an fricking announcement for a product release.

because the product is a joke/fail. just because something is being released doesn't mean it's a good thing.

"nuclear weapon will be released on July 18th from Russia towards the US!"

you gonna vote positive on that too? just sayin....don't be a sheep man, don't be a sheep.

 

[notjustjay]

The late release in Canada must be revenge for Canada beating the US in Olympic hockey.

I was making popcorn when that last goal was scored I walked back in the room and said, "Hey guys, the popcorn is read-- aww, nuts!"

Anyway, back on topic -- I am surprised that it is taking Apple so long to announce Canadian pricing. It still says "$499 US" in all the marketing pages.

 

[jragosta]

Does anyone know if the iPad can tether onto an iPhone's internet?

Not likely - until AT&T gets around to allowing tethering of Macs to their iPhone, as well.

{Re: the iPad is just a big iPod Touch}. Nope, this is the usual line the slammers use, but it's just not true.

I agree with everything you wrote except this. I guess it's a matter of perception. I love the iPad and will be buying several, but I don't see that it's horribly incorrect to say that it's a big iPod Touch. It's larger, faster, and has 3G optional, but, to be honest, most of what you can do on the iPad can be done on an iPod Touch - just not as quickly or easily. So there's no need to be defensive. When someone says it's just a big iPod Touch, I respond "that's not too far off the mark. It's bigger and faster which means that it's even more suitable for some tasks". There's no advantage in denying its heritage.

 

[jragosta]

The late release in Canada must be revenge for Canada beating the US in Olympic hockey.

Nah. It's revenge for your currency catching up with ours.