I feel stupid now...But it's Apple's fault!

[corriewf]

When the iPad first came out, I quickly wrote it off. I didn't like how it had the iPhone OS. I didn't like not having usb ports etc. I didn't like not having an SD card reader. I didn't like it not having a cam for chat. I thought all the apps were just blown up versions of what I have on my iPhone.

I went by the Apple store and Best Buy when the iPad launched. I turned down a wifi version when the manager said they had two left. I played a couple of the games on the demos and thought " ahh not worth it for 599 when I have an iPhone. "

For the first time a few days ago I was actually able to spend a decent amount of time with a demo unit and the apps are so superior to the iPhones. Yes, it's the same OS, but I got to see how much different everything works in it. Apple REALLY took the time to customize a lot of...well everything, for the iPad. Then I find out with the camera kit you have a SD card reader AND that one of hte default aps, pages, allows me to import Office Word files that I can edit and email out. This makes it a netbook replacement for me.

With this said, I signed up for the notify me list a couple days ago for....the wifi version...the one I could have had almost two months ago. Now I am waiting for what could be forever in geek time.

Seems in the meantime Apple added a guide to their website further explaining all the iPad features. Either I missed this before or they just added it, but if I had seen it two months ago, I would have bought the iPad day one. http://www.apple.com/ipad/guided-tours/

Anyone that says the iPad is a big iPod Touch needs to see Apple's guide again linked here: http://www.apple.com/ipad/guided-tours/ I really think that Apple should have advertised some of these features more before the launches. Not that they are hurting in sales or anything.

 

[Blakjack]

Yea u just missed them. They have been there for some time now. U can't ever really doubt any of apples products. You already know what you are getting from the jump. They will never give you everything you want but what they do give u, you will love.

But what I gather is that u didn't really want one because u didn't do ur research sounds like. U played with one briefly, but u didnt really dive into its abilities and notice its potential. Let it be a learning lesson. At least u know now and congratulations.

 

[eneisch]

FYI - Pages is not a default app. It costs $9.99 on the app store. Still a good deal in my opinion for a word processing program.

 

[corriewf]

FYI - Pages is not a default app. It costs $9.99 on the app store. Still a good deal in my opinion for a word processing program.

Really? Why do they cover it as if it was a default app....Argg! That's a shame, but not a deal killer for sure.

Here's the thing about research, I thought I did my research. I even went and checked them out ( demo units ) quite a few times. The problem with the demo units is that you don't get much time with them. People are constantly waiting on a free one to become available to play with so you feel pretty rushed to check it out. When you check them out they have all kinds of stuff on them that people have downloaded and played with. The first few times I played with one, I don't even think I touched one of the default apps or the news apps etc. It's real easy to miss out on some of the iPad exclusive awesome in the shuffle of the demos.

I was looking for something that would replace my netbook for surfing the web and word processing. The apps I have used on the iPhone never offered the robust features that the Pages app offer. Wish I had known.

Think since I reserved a wifi only version, I might be able to get one soon?

 

[steviem]

I saw it online and thought meh, N900 can do better.

I used one for 5 minutes and thought that it's pretty cool, but wasn't sure what I'd do with it.

I used it numerous times in NY, and knew where it fits in for me, but couldn't find one for sale.

Came back to the uk, queued for 30 minutes yesterday and it's amazing, using my old iPhone apps and boy, have I missed iPhoneOS!

 

[corriewf]

I saw it online and thought meh, N900 can do better.

I used one for 5 minutes and thought that it's pretty cool, but wasn't sure what I'd do with it.

I used it numerous times in NY, and knew where it fits in for me, but couldn't find one for sale.

Came back to the uk, queued for 30 minutes yesterday and it's amazing, using my old iPhone apps and boy, have I missed iPhoneOS!

Glad I am not the only one that the functionality of the iPad did not POP right out to. Hell, even a manager at Best Buy called it a big iPod Touch. The way they joked on launch day about it, was as if the units barely sold. Now they tell me how they can't get any in stock as if it's the best thing since sliced bread. Note to self, never base my opinion off demo units again.

 

[steviem]

The best was yesterday, the manager of IT saw it sat on my desk, just running through the slideshow and he went 'I got a frame from whsmiths that can do that for £60'. So I passed it to him, he looked at the ft app, looked in iBooks, went onto a few websites and looked through photos. He suddenly really changed his tune and the company's Mac Specialist (who is useless BTW) was asked to get quotes for 10 32GB wifi iPads

 

[corriewf]

The best was yesterday, the manager of IT saw it sat on my desk, just running through the slideshow and he went 'I got a frame from whsmiths that can do that for £60'. So I passed it to him, he looked at the ft app, looked in iBooks, went onto a few websites and looked through photos. He suddenly really changed his tune and the company's Mac Specialist (who is useless BTW) was asked to get quotes for 10 32GB wifi iPads

Wow, it's a shame he couldn't have figured that out before you bought yours so they could buy you one.

 

[None Such]

When the iPad first came out, I quickly wrote it off.

I think your response is pretty common actually. I saved all money and giftcards from Christmas in anticipation of Apple's new tablet. Once it was unveiled I was a little underwhelmed because it looked like a big iphone and I already had one of those. I talked with it with a friend of mine and we both felt that way. Then months later after we both had looked at what they were doing with the apps on it and how good they looked we both changed our tune. After looking into it more I decided it was for me and got in line on release day. I'm completely happy with my choice. My wife ended up getting one as well after playing with mine. I have several friends that ask about it all the time, they were laughing at it at first and thought it was silly.

 

[None Such]

The best was yesterday, the manager of IT saw it sat on my desk, just running through the slideshow and he went 'I got a frame from whsmiths that can do that for £60'. So I passed it to him, he looked at the ft app, looked in iBooks, went onto a few websites and looked through photos. He suddenly really changed his tune and the company's Mac Specialist (who is useless BTW) was asked to get quotes for 10 32GB wifi iPads

This week our IT guy said "hey I heard you got an iPad, do you mind bringing it in so I can try something out on it? I'm getting requests to install Citrix on them so people can have access to their desktops and I've only installed one over the phone." I said sure, I'll bring it in and you can play around with it. He said "oh I don't care about the iPad itself I just want to know how to do this since I'm getting requests for it.

So I bring it in and he is using it, installs it really easily and he keeps saying things like "wow this isn't that heavy. The zoom on this is awesome. On my droid you have to hit the + button a 100 times. wow the apps are so much better on this. how much was this? wow that's not bad, you could get a netbook for this much but this isn't clunky and is really slick. He kept going on and on about it." Basically the grumpy IT guy(aren't they all) who is generally anti-apple loved it. What's even better is he hooked it up to the company's wireless router for me so when I bring it to work it is no longer just and e-reader.

 

[bigjnyc]

lol I still dont understand how this is apples fault? unless you were living under a rock you would seen all the hype this thing was getting. If you watched the keynote you would have seen that steve jobs touted it as a revolutionary device capable of doing so much. and that guide was on the website the same day the device was announced and well before it was released.

 

[spammerhamster]

lol I still dont understand how this is apples fault? unless you were living under a rock you would seen all the hype this thing was getting. If you watched the keynote you would have seen that steve jobs touted it as a revolutionary device capable of doing so much. and that guide was on the website the same day the device was announced and well before it was released.

Probably because not even Steve could show how amazing the iPad can be. Because the power of thousands of app makers had not been activated yet. He could only show some common tasks. Browsing, reading books, google maps. Things you could do on your regular phone.

 

[chrono1081]

Basically the grumpy IT guy(aren't they all) who is generally anti-apple loved it.

Agreed! And I work in IT.

For some reason IT people have a fanatical hate towards apple. My coworker actually stormed out of the office pissed off when I asked him why he gets so nasty when I have my iPad with me. (He literally does get nasty when he sees it on my desk and refuses to look at the screen and keeps calling it ****...yet he's never touched the freaking thing! Amazing someone can garner that much hate over a damn piece of electronics!). I should stir the pot and name it after him and pet it lovingly when he walks in the room

I love my iPad and I was very skeptical at first. I thought it looked nice but I thought I would never have a use for it until the last time I was home on vacation. I lugged my laptop all over the house because I wanted internet (I don't watch TV) and as I was doing this I realized that I was the PERFECT person for an iPad. Needless to day I ordered one and have been enthralled with it since.

 

[steviem]

This week our IT guy said "hey I heard you got an iPad, do you mind bringing it in so I can try something out on it? I'm getting requests to install Citrix on them so people can have access to their desktops and I've only installed one over the phone." I said sure, I'll bring it in and you can play around with it. He said "oh I don't care about the iPad itself I just want to know how to do this since I'm getting requests for it.

So I bring it in and he is using it, installs it really easily and he keeps saying things like "wow this isn't that heavy. The zoom on this is awesome. On my droid you have to hit the + button a 100 times. wow the apps are so much better on this. how much was this? wow that's not bad, you could get a netbook for this much but this isn't clunky and is really slick. He kept going on and on about it." Basically the grumpy IT guy(aren't they all) who is generally anti-apple loved it. What's even better is he hooked it up to the company's wireless router for me so when I bring it to work it is no longer just and e-reader.

Hey! I'm an IT guy!

 

[Jaro65]

Yet another "EPIC FAIL" to "I'm addicted to iPad" conversions.

 

[corriewf]

I think your response is pretty common actually. I saved all money and giftcards from Christmas in anticipation of Apple's new tablet. Once it was unveiled I was a little underwhelmed because it looked like a big iphone and I already had one of those. I talked with it with a friend of mine and we both felt that way. Then months later after we both had looked at what they were doing with the apps on it and how good they looked we both changed our tune. After looking into it more I decided it was for me and got in line on release day. I'm completely happy with my choice. My wife ended up getting one as well after playing with mine. I have several friends that ask about it all the time, they were laughing at it at first and thought it was silly.

Yeeup! This is exactly what happened to me. All I saw was the ability to read books ( I'm old fashioned, don't like reading books on computer ) and the email app looked different. I just didn't see that many changes from the keynote. Oh wow an app to read the new news on a website I never go to on any of my computers.

I took the hype as just regular Apple hype. I really DO believe Apple could release a somewhat lackluster product and it will be quite accepted easily.

Now fast forward to the present and the apps are truly amazing quality. The developers have really stepped up and made this thing very amazing. This was not what I saw back in early April. In early April I saw a X2 button that made the Facebook app look blurry.

Anyway, seems my confessions here has awarded me a reprieve. After waiting 2 whole business days, I just received my email that my iPad is waiting for me. It's the wifi only version, but that's all I need.