Are you going to buy an iPad?

[shigzeo]

I may wait for refurbished units. I don't know - facing the death of my MBP is hard - like watching a friend's dog die. But I will need a new computer if this thing does die and I don't want another rubbish lappy - time for an iMac, but I cannot carry that back to Canada with me. So, what is a man to do?

[Ron]

No I won't be buying one although I do not think it sucks (poll wording). It would be a cool gadget to have but I don't need one. There are other things I'd rather spend my money on at the moment, like rent.....

[Aeaea]

You've got to figure that Apple isn't stupid. Most of the complaints about the iPad are obvious and they knew people would whine about them (e.g., no Flash, no multitasking, no camera, etc.). While I wouldn't go so far as to say that Steve Jobs bet the company on this device, he certainly bet Apple's technical and marketing credibility on it -- which he wouldn't do for just an iPod with a bigger screen.

We're going to see some awesome things with this device. Some say that it's targeted at non-computer users, but really, how many of them are going to buy an iPad? I think that Apple believes this device presents a person-machine interface that will change the way people work with the internet and their computing devices. That's what's exciting!

Do you want to miss being part of that? Or do you think Apple will fail? I think that's the real purchase dilemma (unless you have lots of money to throw at shiny new toys).

I predict that a couple years from now, the biggest complaints we're hearing today about the iPad will seem irrelevant -- and really, none of them will will make or break the iPad's success. I think we can all rest assured that the iPad is not and was never meant to be a big iPod Touch. I want to be there to be part of things. If it flops, well I'm out a few hundred bucks, but if not, I'm going to have a lot of fun!

[RustySabre]

I will probably get one eventually, because just like very other mobile device I've gotten in the last 5 years I'll convince myself that I really will write a program for it someday (and I will However, I won't be constantly refreshing any web site the day they go on order just so I can be one of the first to have one. Eventually someone besides Apple is going to have the "next big thing", and I want to save my money for that :P

[Thunderclaw]

I'll wait for the iPad 2.0 just like I waited for iPod Touch 2nd Gen.

Hopefully, they'll introduce a camera.

[Aeaea]

I will probably get one eventually, because just like very other mobile device I've gotten in the last 5 years I'll convince myself that I really will write a program for it someday..

So I'm not the only one who does this? That's nice to know. I don't know about you, @RustySabre, but I am running thin on using this excuse anymore with my wife -- but truly I do want to write an app -- no longer do I dream of making money, now it's just to prove to myself that I can do it.

[VejOut]

I'm not getting one but my girlfriend is. She got rid of her Kindle and laptop and plans on using the iPad for what she used both of those for. All she pretty much did with the laptop was check email and surf the web, the Kindle app is on there and will take advantage of the big screen, and she will be able to use her other apps too.

[RustySabre]

So I'm not the only one who does this? That's nice to know. I don't know about you, @RustySabre, but I am running thin on using this excuse anymore with my wife -- but truly I do want to write an app -- no longer do I dream of making money, now it's just to prove to myself that I can do it.

The thing is, I actually have written some stuff for my PocketPC, and I did work on a program for the Palm, but since then I've been pretty dormant in the programming department, so I didn't actually go that route with the iPod Touch. I would still like to write an app for the iPhone, but I don't have a Mac, so I'm kind of limited in that regards.

[erichd]

It starting to show promise, with the developers (Omni and others) who've shown excited support for it. I'll wait, though, as without a camera, it doesn't offer more than my iPod Touch (a larger screen, sure, but I'm OK with the Touch size) that I would readily use.

I can imagine it being great fun to play head-to-head Air Hockey and such, but for $500, I might just buy a foosball table instead. Or save the money and get out of debt

Now, a different poll: do you think it likely Apple will reduce the price, or introduce incentives for people to purchase the iPad? If so, how quickly?

[shigzeo]

Erichd - it is possible that if the iPad doesn't sell well, it will be discounted. It can be. However, we will have to see. Otherwise, I think it fair to expect to see a pretty big demand early on and then as the market adapts to it, see it either move up or down. Apple WILL introduce new features once released.