iPad value for the money

[Jackintosh]

While I think the iPad is an incredibly great and innovative product, I question what we're getting for this premium, and what I think is excessive, price tag.

When I look at a new Mac Mini for about the same price - $699, I'm getting a true, full functioning computer running a far more sophisticated OS. With a 2.4 Ghz C2D processor, 320 GB drive, DVD superdrive, much better graphics card, and a huge array of versatile I/O ports, I question the high cost of this simpler iPad machine.

I know the iPad provides a portability function the Mini cannot and is targeted for a different audience (and use), yet in pure computing capability terms it's not even close for the money.

It could probably be argued that Apple's time, expense, and research justifies the cost, as well as the fact that Apple was first in the market to develop such inspiring innovation. But still it gives one pause to think.

 

[miles01110]

But still it gives one pause to think.

What's there to think about? People who think it is worth the price will buy it. People who don't think it's worth it won't buy it.

 

[Jackintosh]

What's there to think about? People who think it is worth the price will buy it. People who don't think it's worth it won't buy it.

In these economic times, most intelligent people just don't stop thinking and buy whatever Apple (or any other company) pitches to them. Thinking before compulsively buying is probably something a lot of us would benefit from.

 

[miles01110]

In these economic times, most intelligent people just don't stop thinking and buy whatever Apple (or any other company) pitches to them. Thinking before compulsively buying is probably something a lot of us would benefit from.

What does "these economic times" mean? It's well established that the Apple crowd tends to be more economically well off than the average consumer in the first place. Even so, purchasing pretty much anything is a personal choice. If someone purchases an iPad instead of a month's worth of food, that's their decision.

 

[Julien]

...When I look at a new Mac Mini for about the same price - $699, I'm getting a true, full functioning computer running a far more sophisticated OS. With a 2.4 Ghz C2D processor, 320 GB drive, DVD superdrive, much better graphics card, and a huge array of versatile I/O ports, I question the high cost of this simpler iPad machine.....

Why are you comparing apples and oranges? I can get a hair cut that will last a few weeks for the same price as a pepperoni pizza.

 

[Jackintosh]

What does "these economic times" mean? It's well established that the Apple crowd tends to be more economically well off than the average consumer in the first place. Even so, purchasing pretty much anything is a personal choice. If someone purchases an iPad instead of a month's worth of food, that's their decision.

I think you're missing my point. I'd rather hear other opinions.

 

[Piggie]

I love my iPad (even though I don't have a use for it)

But I'd agree it is not in any way "Good Value For Money"

In the sence of, if I take my same £500 down to PC World (or browse online) I could buy a full laptop with a higher res screen, better speakers, a real keyboard a hard drive MASSIVLY larger than even the top 64GB iPad, a Full OS and be able to run any software I like on it.

That Laptop would be a far far better deal.

We are paying a lot due to the novel touch screen, size and the Apple Brand.

If you want an iPad you just need to accept that.

It's a lovely device (if you accept it for what it is) but you can't really call it Value for Money compared to what else you could buy with the same money (computer wise)

One could argue that such a "limited" device should by it's very nature be less than a full laptop's price.

Just accept it for what it is.

At least it will retain good resale value

 

[miles01110]

I think you're missing my point. I'd rather hear other opinions.

That's fine, because I think your entire argument is flawed. Microeconomically, "premiums" don't really exist.

 

[Trek2100]

Why are you comparing apples and oranges? I can get a hair cut that will last a few weeks for the same price as a pepperoni pizza.

Now you've gone and done it Thanks a lot! I got a haircut this morning, stopped at Starbucks and drank two cups of coffee while using my iPad checking my email and web surfing and I was just thinking about ordering a pizza.

BTW, anyone who questions the purpose and usefulness of the iPad really doesn't need it, so don't buy it or critize those who do find purpose for it. For me, the portability, ease of use and growing number of productivity applications is amazing. Have a nice day

 

[Jackintosh]

Now you've gone and done it Thanks a lot! I got a haircut this morning, stopped at Starbucks and drank two cups of coffee while using my iPad checking my email and web surfing and I was just thinking about ordering a pizza.

BTW, anyone who questions the purpose and usefulness of the iPad really doesn't need it, so don't buy it or critize those who do find purpose for it. For me, the portability, ease of use and growing number of productivity applications is amazing. Have a nice day

I'm not criticizing anyone or anything, and as a matter of fact I'm praising the iPad. I'm on a retail store wait list for one myself. Just questioning the cost of what we're getting. I hope we're allowed to share thoughts about value of things from Apple without getting bashed as a non-conformist.

 

[Doylem]

I don't feel the need to compare my iPad with my desktop iMac. It's precisely because they offer such a different experience that I bought the iPad a couple of weeks ago. Yes, I could have bought a machine with more horsepower 'under the bonnet'... but I have specific uses for the iPad, mostly to do with presentation and portability. It's fulfilling my expectations...

 

[Macjames]

I think the base cost is reasonable for Apple, but if you want more memory then yikes!

 

[AC Rempt]

I'm browsing this forum, reading this thread and now replying all via my iPad. I used to do this with my $1,500 MBP or my $1,500 iMac, so I think in that sense, the my $500 iPad is a good deal.

If I compare it to PC laptops available for $500, it's still a good deal because it's a better made product that is more efficient and less cumbersome. I shopped for quite a few net books before the iPad came out, and they just don't meet the quality of the iPad. The screens were weak, the intface cramped and difficult to read, and the keyboards frustrating. To me, the iPad is a better product for the money.

For a few dollars, I bought the AirVideo app, so now I can watch video from my iMac on top of video from ABC and other sources. As a prattle video player, the iPad is a good deal.

I can and do use my iPad for games, surfing and reading, but I also use it for work, for grading student essays, tracking their graddes and emailing them. I feel that I am getting more than my money's worth out of the iPad.

All these things considered, I think it's a steal. YMMV.

 

[Trek2100]

I'm not criticizing anyone or anything, and as a matter of fact I'm praising the iPad. I'm on a retail store wait list for one myself. Just questioning the cost of what we're getting. I hope we're allowed to share thoughts about value of things from Apple without getting bashed as a non-conformist.

My comment was not directed at you personally. Sorry if you took it that way. It was only a response to the "Apples and Oranges" comment. IPad does not equal laptop nor was it ever meant to be a laptop replacement. Perhaps someday it will. It will never replace my MBP, at least not now.

 

[Jackintosh]

My comment was not directed at you personally. Sorry if you took it that way. It was only a response to the "Apples and Oranges" comment. IPad does not equal laptop nor was it ever meant to be a laptop replacement. Perhaps someday it will. It will never replace my MBP, at least not now.

Yes, I see that point of view. This is exactly the kind of discussion I was looking for.

 

[OGDaniel]

In these economic times, most intelligent people just don't stop thinking and buy whatever Apple (or any other company) pitches to them. Thinking before compulsively buying is probably something a lot of us would benefit from.

Don't start talking about "economic times", friend. Regardless of how many homes are being foreclosed, or blue collar workers being laid off, that won't change the fact that there are still Ferrari's, yachts, mansions, and yes, 3 million iPads being bought. Anyone who has to think about hard economic times, doesn't have to worry about whether or not they should buy a Mac Mini or an iPad because they just got laid off and need a new job.

As for your original point, there is no comparison I think. It's like comparing a year of payments on your house's mortgage, or getting a new car. Both can be very important, but they're very different.

 

[Rick in NC]

The iPad is a tool that. Has a specific niche for those people, like me, that finds it's type of portability and productivity useful. Sure, it isn't as powerful than a laptop of similar price, but the fact that it gives me what I need- instant Internet access, email, browsing, PDF support (I am a music teacher that needs all if this), makes it worth the money.

In the two weeks I've had this, I have been able to prep for the fall semester in ways I was never able to before. Music I needed for gigs are here. Ebooks make my library of PDFs accessible.

Is it a replacement for a desktop or laptop? Absolutely not. But this is like a scooter to my car. Sure, the car is more useful. But the ipad is more efficient and quicker for the small errands. And I feel was worth saving a couple months for, especially since my laptop still has a couple more years of use.

Tell you what, though. The more I use this, the less I feel leashed to my laptop.

 

[Dsr1205]

I'm not criticizing anyone or anything, and as a matter of fact I'm praising the iPad. I'm on a retail store wait list for one myself. Just questioning the cost of what we're getting. I hope we're allowed to share thoughts about value of things from Apple without getting bashed as a non-conformist.

bottom line: It doesnt matter how much X costs in deference to Y. The question is: Is X worth it to ME? You cant "discuss" this subject because beauty and value are in the eye of the beholder.

 

[2Evan]

Is the iPad good value? Well, what do people need it for? Here, I was looking for work productivity. Browsing the net and doing my email only (games I couldn't care less) would't cut it for me for about 1000$, all included - and those could be done on the iPhone. But boy, has it evolved quickly. At the launch in the US, file management and Office suite support were issues. Today, with excellent apps from the devs, I use the Pad for 95% of my work. Sorry Mini and MBP!

(now if they could only do something with these Flash vids ....)

 

[Julien]

My comment was not directed at you personally. Sorry if you took it that way. It was only a response to the "Apples and Oranges" comment. IPad does not equal laptop nor was it ever meant to be a laptop replacement. Perhaps someday it will. It will never replace my MBP, at least not now.

It's worse that that because a MBP would be grapefruit and oranges. The OP is comparing the iPad to a Mac Mini.
Now that is apples and oranges.

 

[TraceyS/FL]

bottom line: It doesnt matter how much X costs in deference to Y. The question is: Is X worth it to ME? You cant "discuss" this subject because beauty and value are in the eye of the beholder.

This.

It is priceless to me in my mobile needs at the moment.

I hesitated because of the cost - i'm one who does have to think about every penny, and then some - but knew that it would do what i needed at the time. It was either this or a smartphone with data bought off contract. I made the best choice.

I'm probably only doing 60% of what i wanted too with it so far too. We need another one... but that will have to wait a long awhile at the rate i'm going.

 

[Piggie]

I have to laugh a bit at some of the descriptions above.

It's amazing many people here were actually able to function as human beings or do anything up until a couple of months ago when the iPad came out

 

[poloponies]

I have to laugh a bit at some of the descriptions above.

It's amazing many people here were actually able to function as human beings or do anything up until a couple of months ago when the iPad came out

I was doing much of the same, traveling with a Kindle, iPhone and MacBook (I took all 3 with me to Europe last year on a 2-week vacation, the iPhone primarily for movies/music). I now do nearly everything with the iPad alone and when I go to Europe this month for another vacation, I'll be taking just the iPad. Do I get value for my money? Absolutely.

 

[Piggie]

I was doing much of the same, traveling with a Kindle, iPhone and MacBook (I took all 3 with me to Europe last year on a 2-week vacation, the iPhone primarily for movies/music). I now do nearly everything with the iPad alone and when I go to Europe this month for another vacation, I'll be taking just the iPad. Do I get value for my money? Absolutely.

Could you not Read Books, Play music or watch movies on your MacBook then?

I have an iPad but I'm not going to start making out it can do all these fantastic new things that nothing else could before.

iPhone as a Handy Device I can appreciate as you can just stick it in your pocket which you can't do with a Laptop which you need to carry, but an iPad is about the same size as a small laptop (from a need to carry point of view)

 

[TraceyS/FL]

Could you not Read Books, Play music or watch movies on your MacBook then?

I have an iPad but I'm not going to start making out it can do all these fantastic new things that nothing else could before.

iPhone as a Handy Device I can appreciate as you can just stick it in your pocket which you can't do with a Laptop which you need to carry, but an iPad is about the same size as a small laptop (from a need to carry point of view)

I spend 8 plus hours out of my house in waiting rooms a WEEK, not including the travel time, where there is no wifi available to me to use. My 3yo 17" mbp is not practical to use in those waiting rooms and the battery life was down to 30 minutes until they replaced the battery out of warranty for me. I don't have data on a phone.

I got tired of every Tuesday having to borrow a computer at speech therapy to read an email that needed attention and other normal things that I could be doing with the iPad. And it just didn't happen on Tuesdays, it was the Monday-Thursday appointments.

I'm sorry if you find that corny, but i wasn't functioning like i can now. I had to buy SOMETHING to get the job done, and in my case the iPad was the better solution than a smartphone or mifi type of solution.

How many "stay at home" moms do you know that love their smartphone and won't let you take it away from them? Well, my touch was only getting 1/4 of the job done for me....