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Apple Announces Three Million iPads Sold in 80 Days

notjustjay said:
Wait, so you're judging the product yet you've never even bothered to go look at one, let alone try one out?

And then you come here and say it's "so pointless and so useless" and it "doesn't do anything more or better"? Again, to clarify -- you've never actually seen one?

I mean, sure, you're welcome to your opinion, but that's an awfully uninformed one.

And then to come here, and tell others, including those of us who, you know, have actually touched an iPad, that somehow we're crazy for actually wanting to buy this product... well. Let's just say I can see why people think you're trolling.

Put it this way. I was skeptical, and disappointed, too, when I saw the introduction keynote. I didn't get a chance to see one in person until May 28, when they were released in Canada. I walked into Best Buy during my lunch hour to try it out, thinking I'd surely hate it, that I could just buy an iPhone or iPod touch instead and save a pile of money. Or, that even if I did find things to like, that I'd surely wait for revision 2, which would include many more features and maybe even a low price. No, either way, I had ZERO intention of buying one.

Thirty minutes later, I walked out of there holding an iPad of my own. And it has been an arm's reach away from me, constantly, ever since then.
Click to expand...

So it sounds like we are (or were) in the same boots...

I followed (and still am following) every single news item about it just to see if there is anything, and I mean ANYTHING AT ALL that might attract me to it so I actually go to my local store and check it out...

So far nothing, nada... I haven't heard or seen one single thing that iPad does that my MBP or Ipod Touch doesn't.

With this in mind can you please tell me what exactly do you use it for!?!?

You sound like reasonable guy and would like to hear what exactly are you using it for so it is within your reach ever since you bought it...

Please...

Who knows you might even persuade me to check it out myself! :)
 
How anyone can say that it doesn't do anything that their iPhone doesn't do is a testament to their determination to be negative.

In terms of waiting until infinity, some wait because they want the next features and cannot justify the price with the current features. Cool, do you. But there are those of us who have longed for such a device, and the current features do justify the cost for us. When the new version is released with more bells and whistles, we'll probably sell (or gift) the current ones and upgrade.

If I could afford it, I would buy 2 for my parents. They are highly educated, but older and not tech savvy...whatsoever. I know that they'd be able to learn to use an iPad if for nothing else but looking at photos that I send and reading the paper.

Sometimes when people call it useless and gripe about what it doesn't have, they may not think that for some of us or for our loved ones, it has more than enough.
 
WOW 3 Million?

I just have to ask, what is so great about the iPad? there are almost no native iPad apps which sucks!
 
APPLEFAN8 said:
Why on the macrumors page do people seem to put negative as 1? Like when they announced the iphone 4, people voted negative, I thought they were good things.
Click to expand...

Apple could announce free iPhones with one year of free service and it would still get negatives on this site.
 
notjustjay said:
No, no, it makes perfect sense. The iPad is junk because Unix is dead. What's so hard to understand? :D
Click to expand...

Or conversely, the iPad lives so Unix is now dead! Oh wait, iOS is based on Unix....

notjustjay said:
My situation is a bit different because I don't own an iPod touch or iPhone. I was on the iPhone fence for a long time but I can't justify the contract lock-in. The iPad was appealing not only on its own merit, but because of the new ability to buy a 3G data plan without signing a contract and without paying upwards of $30/month. THIS is the real revolution, that Apple has given consumers some clout to fight back against the cell phone carriers and their crazy rates.
Click to expand...

Until AT&T went and hosed the whole program for newcomers. ;)
 
Impressive.

This is clearly not a "hobby."

Despite the mediocre specs right now, I more so look at the future potential of the iPad, not its current, blase form.

iPhone 4 clearly trumps the iPad in terms of specs right now, but imagine what can be done with it's form factor in the future; let's just say there's additional room available in the case for a reason.
 
APPLEFAN8 said:
Why on the macrumors page do people seem to put negative as 1? Like when they announced the iphone 4, people voted negative, I thought they were good things.
Click to expand...

There are people in this world, my beloved but departed from this earth uncle being one of them, who will argue that the sky is red if you remark that it is blue. These are the Debbie Downers (a la Saturday Night Live) of the world. These are the half-empty glass types. They are who they are. We just need to acknowledge that and go on without them.
 
Rot'nApple said:
Maybe the simple fact that it has yet to launch in all the country that Apple's iPhone now can be found on "store shelves"?! :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I think we have differing definitions of "gaining steam". I define that as an increasing number of people buy a device. I purposely didn't include expanding into countries that know it's coming. For example, I would like to see how US sales only are doing. The picture is blurred when new markets are expanded into.
 
-=XX=-Nephilim said:
I followed (and still am following) every single news item about it just to see if there is anything, and I mean ANYTHING AT ALL that might attract me to it so I actually go to my local store and check it out...

So far nothing, nada... I haven't heard or seen one single thing that iPad does that my MBP or Ipod Touch doesn't.

With this in mind can you please tell me what exactly do you use it for!?!?
Click to expand...

Well, you're right that the iPad doesn't do anything new that your MBP or iPod touch can't. But then, a Windows machine can do everything an OS X machine can, so why do people use Macs? A compact car can't do anything new that you couldn't do with your minivan or SUV, so why do people buy those?

My iPad replaced my netbook -- an Asus EEE PC that got 10 hours of battery life. I bought a netbook because I wanted to be able to access my email, surf the web, get to my files, do slide shows and presentations, watch videos, etc. while on the road -- either on weekend road trips, or just when visiting friends and family. I could bring my MBP, yes, but I always worried that my life would be in ruins of all of my data on the MBP got lost or damaged or stolen. Actually, the scenario that bothered me most was leaving the MBP in the car all day, during a cold Canadian winter, because I would need it later that evening. So the netbook was a $400 PC that I basically didn't really care if it got lost or damaged, and it was lighter and easier to carry.

But slow. And clunky. And virus prone. (Yes, despite my best efforts, and despite never surfing anywhere "questionable", I did manage to get infected by a virus. Twice.) Don't get me wrong, it was workable, and life was good.

Then I saw the iPad. It was half the weight of my netbook. A third of the size. Equal runtime. Equal screen size. Roughly equal capabilities. (Sure, the iPad doesn't do flash, and the EEE PC did -- but only barely. It was slow and bloated. And sure, the iPad had no keyboard, and the EEE PC did -- but the netbook keyboard was so cramped and difficult to type on that I called that a draw.) And most attractively to me, it offers me a way to get 3G data on a device for only $15/month, and with no contract. (Note: Canadian carriers.)

I played with one in-store, and was skeptical at first, but the more I tried it out, the more I could see it completely replacing the netbook. Which is exactly what it has done. I sold the netbook last weekend.

I'm typing this message at work. Where I work, access to personal email is blocked due to security issues. So is access to Facebook and the like. With the iPad, and my 3G access, I can now check those during the day. The iPad tucks away discreetly in the corner of my desk, so the IT guys don't get mad at me for having an unauthorized laptop.

So the iPad follows me around now. I check my email or do one last Facebook update from my bed, just before I go to sleep. It's here at work, ready to let me check my personal email. It'll come with me when I visit my family tonight. On Sundays, it comes with me to church and I read a Bible on it. It'll go with me to the cottage this weekend, and I won't even take a charger -- the battery will carry me through.

Sure, you can do all that with an iPhone, but I wasn't willing to sign onto a 3-year (Canadian) contract at $65/month (almost TRIPLE my existing cell phone bill for a no-contract, no-frills voice plan). I can see that if someone has an iPhone, the iPad's not that big a deal.

So it's not a device for everybody, but it's not useless for everybody either. If you've already got a MBP and you're happy to carry it everywhere, and/or if you have an iPod touch or iPhone, then sure, the iPad is less useful to you. But if you don't have one or the other or both -- or aren't willing to take them around everywhere -- (e.g. my circumstances), then the iPad is a great "in between" device.

Then there's the sheer fun of using Google Earth, Google Maps, even Street View, just by rotating and zooming things with your fingers. Google Maps are also much easier to see on a 10-inch screen than a 3-inch one. This is where I argue with the "you can do it all on the iPhone too" people. Sure, you can tick off "access Google Maps" on the checklist for both the iPhone and the iPad. But have you compared the experience on the two screen sizes? Google Maps is so much nicer on the big screen.

So in your case, if you're happy with what you got, then no, you don't need an iPad. But don't call it "useless". At least, not until you've tried one for yourself. :)
 
-=XX=-Nephilim said:
This device is fail...

3 million might have bought and there might be another 10 who are queuing up - but that doesn't mean that device does anything original and useful... apart from filling Apples bank account of course :)

Once device is able to support full internet available today and once it has dozen or so of "killer apps" then maybe, just maybe...

Until then big massive yaaaaawnnnn...
Click to expand...

I often wonder how well Apple haters sleep the night after news like this comes out. :D
 
BC2009 said:
It's funny.... when folks do so much naysaying about a device they hope
for it to fail so they will be justified. They are upset because they
choose not to get one and they want others to follow in their path because
it will somehow make them more comfortable in their decision.

Conversely, some choose to make the purchase but hope others will
follow along so they feel justified in their decision and won't be the target
of the ridicule by the formerly mentioned groups in forums and the media.

Ultimately those who love or hate the product do not change their minds
when it succeeds or fails. But, when it comes down to it, its your money
and the decision should be a personal one and you should feel free to make
it without worrying about what others may prefer. Nobody is wrong for
buying or not buying. However all those folks who went about claiming
what a failure the iPad would be just made themselves wrong -- not in their
decision to not purchase one, but in their proclaiming that Apple had
failed. Clearly Apple has not failed -- I cannot remember the last device
to sell 3 million units in 80 days (has that ever been done?).

I bought an iPad and my only justification for it is that out of the box it
does things for me in a way that a laptop or iPhone could not do. Each
day it gets better as new apps are released and will improve again this
fall with iOS4. The thing is always on and ready to go. I love it.

And I too am awaiting the next version of iPad. I will almost certainly
upgrade and my current 32GB WiFi+3G unit will either go to my wife or
become one for shared family use. My kids have taken to iOS devices so
quickly and are learning much and having fun with the many education
apps available. I wish I could afford one for each member of my family.
Click to expand...

Great post, thanks. As an owner of AppleTV and an HD-DVD player I agree. ;)
 
notjustjay said:
Well, you're right that the iPad doesn't do anything new that your MBP or iPod touch can't. But then, a Windows machine can do everything an OS X machine can, so why do people use Macs? A compact car can't do anything new that you couldn't do with your minivan or SUV, so why do people buy those?

My iPad replaced my netbook -- an Asus EEE PC that got 10 hours of battery life. I bought a netbook because I wanted to be able to access my email, surf the web, get to my files, do slide shows and presentations, watch videos, etc. while on the road -- either on weekend road trips, or just when visiting friends and family. I could bring my MBP, yes, but I always worried that my life would be in ruins of all of my data on the MBP got lost or damaged or stolen. Actually, the scenario that bothered me most was leaving the MBP in the car all day, during a cold Canadian winter, because I would need it later that evening. So the netbook was a $400 PC that I basically didn't really care if it got lost or damaged, and it was lighter and easier to carry.

But slow. And clunky. And virus prone. (Yes, despite my best efforts, and despite never surfing anywhere "questionable", I did manage to get infected by a virus. Twice.) Don't get me wrong, it was workable, and life was good.

Then I saw the iPad. It was half the weight of my netbook. Equal runtime. Equal screen size. Roughly equal capabilities. (Sure, the iPad doesn't do flash, and the EEE PC did -- but only barely. It was slow and bloated.) And most attractively to me, it offers me a way to get 3G data on a device for only $15/month, and with no contract.

I played with one in-store, and was skeptical at first, but the more I tried it out, the more I could see it completely replacing the netbook. Which is exactly what it has done. I sold the netbook last weekend.

I'm typing this message at work. Where I work, access to personal email is blocked due to security issues. So is access to Facebook and the like. With the iPad, and my 3G access, I can now check those during the day. The iPad tucks away discreetly in the corner of my desk, so the IT guys don't get mad at me for having an unauthorized laptop.

So the iPad follows me around now. I check my email or do one last Facebook update from my bed, just before I go to sleep. It's here at work, ready to let me check my personal email. It'll come with me when I visit my family tonight. On Sundays, it comes with me to church and I read a Bible on it. It'll go with me to the cottage this weekend, and I won't even take a charger -- the battery will carry me through.

Sure, you can do all that with an iPhone, but I wasn't willing to sign onto a 3-year (Canadian) contract at $65/month (almost TRIPLE my existing cell phone bill for a no-contract, no-frills voice plan). I can see that if someone has an iPhone, the iPad's not that big a deal.

So it's not a device for everybody, but it's not useless for everybody either. If you've already got a MBP and you're happy to carry it everywhere, and/or if you have an iPod touch or iPhone, then sure, the iPad is less useful to you. But if you don't have one or the other or both -- or aren't willing to take them around everywhere -- (e.g. my circumstances), then the iPad is a great "in between" device.

Then there's the sheer fun of using Google Earth, Google Maps, even Street View, just by rotating and zooming things with your fingers. Google Maps are also much easier to see on a 10-inch screen than a 3-inch one.

So in your case, if you're happy with what you got, then no, you don't need an iPad. But don't call it "useless". At least, not until you've tried one for yourself. :)
Click to expand...


I have never seen such a worthless product that costs so much.
 
By my pondering at Apples normal 50% markup the profits of 3 million iPads at the cost of the base model and not including expenses such as packaging/shipping/marketing/etc.
Apple have earned over $705 million in profit from this "fad". Even if it dies of in a few years time the cookie jar has been well stuffed.
 
gwfattwkr said:
I have never seen such a worthless product that costs so much.
Click to expand...

Why did you quote my post to make this point?

My post describes how the iPad fits perfectly into my lifestyle -- specifically, the "I don't want to carry my laptop everywhere and I don't want to sign up for an iPhone data contract" lifestyle.

It costs a lot, yes. But is it worthless to me? Clearly not.
 
babyjenniferLB said:
By my pondering at Apples normal 50% markup the profits of 3 million iPads at the cost of the base model and not including expenses such as packaging/shipping/marketing/etc.
Apple have earned over $705 million in profit from this "fad". Even if it dies of in a few years time the cookie jar has been well stuffed.
Click to expand...

Good point because it kind of feels like a money grab. Pretty sick and tired of the "iPad is a revolutionary and magical product" stuff. It's a passive content consumption gadget. No more, no less.
 
ValSalva said:
Good point because it kind of feels like a money grab. Pretty sick and tired of the "iPad is a revolutionary and magical product" stuff. It's a passive content consumption gadget. No more, no less.
Click to expand...

I don't think anyone is saying otherwise (except for Steve Jobs -- just ignore him).

Is the iPad magical? Of course not. Is it highly convenient for some people, and lots of fun to play with? Heck yes.

But if it's not something you see yourself using, then by all means, don't buy one. I don't drive a gigantic SUV, because I have no use for one. That doesn't mean I'd laugh at you for buying something so "useless" if you've got one. I don't go to operas or eat at fancy restaurants, but I don't say you're "wasting your money" if you choose to spend an evening that way.
 
Why do people like it so much??? I used one extensivley, and I don't understand it. It has so many limitations, like the iphone, but it's ok with an iphone because it can fit in your pocket and it's cheaper. The ipad will always have to be a supplemental device because it can not replace a computer or an iphone. An iphone and a notebook, on the other hand, are standalone devices. So, I am sticking to my initial impression that the ipad is for people that have enough money to get something that serves no other function than added entertainment: it does not serve the useful and usually necessary functions of an iphone or computer. You have to carry an ipad around in some sort of bag, so one might as well bring a notebook (though it would be nice if the macbook air, another failure of an apple product, had the same footprint as an ipad... that would be perfect).

Besides, the capabilities of the iphone 4 kinda render it completely useless even for supporters of the device.
 
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