If you don't think iPad fills a need, then you are not in the target market.

[CarboysDesire]

It's that simple.

All this complaining about how it fails, but honestly the iPad is something I need, and want!

I have a 17" laptop that I use for my main computing. In addition I have an iPhone 3GS.

Since getting my 3GS I have been using that instead of moving around the house with my laptop cuz it's too clunky. I could buy a smaller laptop but I don't want to because when I do serious work on it I prefer the bigger screen.

I often spend up to two hours surfing on my iPhone. The problem is the iPhone is too small. Yeah, it's OK, but if I could get a bigger one HELL YES I would!

So the iPad fills my need perfectly. I can already see myself lounging on the sofa with the iPad with a huge smile on my face.

Also, travelling with the iPad is going to be amazing for the same reason: the iPhone is too small and my laptop is too big.

I cannot wait.

 

[icechunk]

yep

I agree. I think there is a certain disappointment that its not as revolutionary as say the IPhone. It will appeal to a niche market and not something most people want/need.

In fact, I don't think it should be compared to a laptop/netbook. Its a media device and not really a general computing device.

Though I would definitely like to have one

 

[MacSiggy]

I wholeheartedly agree. I have an iMac and an iPod Touch and I use the Touch a lot for social networking, email, apps, YouTube etc I'm always dipping in and out on it. Like you say it is great but the screen is limiting. I don't want to be lugging a laptop around the house from room to room so an iPad is perfect for me.

There will be plenty of non-Mac owners who will be attracted by the iPad too. I call it Coffee-Table Technology:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wa1gDW-Bxic

 

[BreezyXC60]

I agree. I think there is a certain disappointment that its not as revolutionary as say the IPhone. It will appeal to niche market and not something most people want/need.

In fact, I don't think it should be compared to a laptop/netbook. Its a media device and not really a general computing device.

Though I would definitely like to have one

I agree and can't wait until people realize this, there would be a lot less complaining. I think the iPad is going to be a huge success.

 

[Steve686]

Whoever thought Apple was going to create a device that would compete DIRECTLY with it's own MacBook series of computers for under $1000 must have been smoking the crack pipe.

I'm sure down the road, there will be an iPad Pro version that will be more robust and sit on the same level as the MacBook line, both in price and functionality.

 

[lordhamster]

It's that simple.

All this complaining about how it fails, but honestly the iPad is something I need, and want!
...
I cannot wait.

You've hit the nail right on the head. I'm so sick of all these whiners saying nobody "needs" this. Of course nobody NEEDS an iPad. Nobody NEEDS an iPhone a Blackberry a laptop etc. These are all luxury goods many people want because it makes their lives more pleasant in some way.

I'm an IT consultant who does lots of airline travel. When I do my work I need to use a full size laptop... no way around it. When I travel I take my netbook, but that is just too small for any real work. My iPhone 3GS covers me for those times when I'm too lazy to drag the Netbook.

I'm very excited about the iPad because I'll finally be able to replace the netbook with something easier to use in a much better form-factor. For 90% of the things I need to do while traveling It will be fine. For that 1 time out of 100 when I need to change some settings on a server somewhere, I'll just friggin' use VNC to connect to my main computer. Big friggin' deal.

 

[gr8tfly]

It's that simple.

All this complaining about how it fails, but honestly the iPad is something I need, and want!

I have a 17" laptop that I use for my main computing. In addition I have an iPhone 3GS.

Since getting my 3GS I have been using that instead of moving around the house with my laptop cuz it's too clunky. I could buy a smaller laptop but I don't want to because when I do serious work on it I prefer the bigger screen.

I often spend up to two hours surfing on my iPhone. The problem is the iPhone is too small. Yeah, it's OK, but if I could get a bigger one HELL YES I would!

So the iPad fills my need perfectly. I can already see myself lounging on the sofa with the iPad with a huge smile on my face.

Also, travelling with the iPad is going to be amazing for the same reason: the iPhone is too small and my laptop is too big.

I cannot wait.

I'm in EXACTLY the same situation - 17" ubMBP and 3GS iPhone. I'm looking forward (can't wait, actually) to the iPad for exactly the same reasons.

I've been wanting to add this to the discussion of "it is/isn't for me" argument: if you don't understand why Apple has (until the very near past) only shipped one-button mice, you don't get what this is about. It's about abstracting the computing technology from the user experience to another level - something which was the goal of the original 1984 Mac - and why (I'm sure) Jobs said it was so important.

edit: In the video posted at Apple, Jonathan Ive paraphrased my favorite quote by Arthur C. Clark: "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

I already had thought this of some aspects of the iPhone UI. With the iPads new A4 SoC, I think they're even closer (based on the smoothness and speed which were obvious in all the demos shown so far). It takes an incredible amount of work to design such an interface (I'm ret. sr. dev. engineer - been there, done that. Experience shows that the more advanced your GUI demo is, the less believable your bid for actually implementing it is. Those who don't design it, don't understand what it takes to do the "magic".)

 

[d21mike]

Wirelessly posted (iPhone 3G: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7D11 Safari/528.16)

Me too. Exactly what I want. I would consider myself a power windows user with an iPhone.

 

[CarboysDesire]

I'm glad to see some agreeance. Right on!

Good point that the iPad is a luxury item...it's not meant to be in replacement of a laptop or the iPhone...it's a luxurious addition to my world of computing.

If you don't have the need for such luxury, or the cash, then **** and let those of us that do embrace this thing in all its glory! I actually considering the purchase of second one for the spousal unit. At that price, why not?

 

[dscuber9000]

I think Apple is going after what I like to call the "Wii audience." Y'know, people too intimidated to use a laptop (or switch completely to a Mac) but want something more than an iPhone.

 

[lordhamster]

I'm glad to see some agreeance. Right on!

Good point that the iPad is a luxury item...it's not meant to be in replacement of a laptop or the iPhone...it's a luxurious addition to my world of computing.

If you don't have the need for such luxury, or the cash, then **** and let those of us that do embrace this thing in all its glory! I actually considering the purchase of second one for the spousal unit. At that price, why not?

I'm definitely getting one for my mother and another my wife. For my mom so she'll stop calling me with support questions all the time. For the wife so that she won't steal my iPad.

 

[Pnut13]

I think Apple is going after what I like to call the "Wii audience." Y'know, people too intimidated to use a laptop (or switch completely to a Mac) but want something more than an iPhone.

You know you might be right
There are a few people that ae no need for a laptop (no need because of their job)but also might have had an inkling to get a notebook and/or a Mac. An iPhone or iPod touch are too small. Esentially a iPad with just the WiFi is a bigger iPod touch. An iPad with WiFi and 3G is a bigger iPhone, with CHEAPER monthly fees.
The Wii was sucessful in getting people that arent "gamers" to at least try a videogame. Making this $499 to $829 at best is also a lot cheaper than what was Rumored here and elsewhere ($700-$1000 was the cheapest I heard)

 

[8CoreWhore]

Tada! This should be obvious - BUT NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!