What is with the price?

[MacBH928]

Can any one tell me why is every one so happy with the iPad's price?

i went over to dell.com, and checked what is under $500, and I get a lap that has:

DVD-drive/burner
Dual Core 2.2 Ghz
2 GB of RAM
160 GB hard drive
Wifi
14" display
it WILL run flash

the ipad is
9.7" display
1 ghz
16gb storage(for real? thats like an SD card)
no flash no camera,
no usb, no sd card slot, no cd, no dvd
physical keyboard to be paid for.

so why is every one so amazed at the $500 price?
I think its OVER priced,

unless you know something I don't please tell me,
I believe there is no radio too

 

[TwinCities Dan]

It's not a lap, and it's not a Dell...

 

[spinnerlys]

Really? Is that laptop using a multi-touch IPS display? Is it less than 700g light and less than 14mm thin and has a battery life of up to 10 hours? Does it have Mac OS X or the iPhone OS X?

Bigger and faster is not always better.

But here we go again.

 

[bnerd]

#1 the Dell device you researched does not have a multitouch glass display covering its front side ... its using cheap plastic materials.. very cheap color display. Vendors of the device help cut the price by putting ugly stickers all around the keyboard. And I can go on and on and on.

So thats your answer.

 

[MacDawg]

You are comparing 2 different types of devices
It isn't a laptop, it is a tablet

Buy the Dell
Live long and prosper
And may the force be with you

Woof, Woof - Dawg

 

[Rapmastac1]

Why would you pay 500 for that Dell when you can go and purchase all the parts you need to build a computer? You can get the tower, dual core processor (full size, not notebook size), 4GB ram, 500GB HD, DVD DL+-, and a 19" screen as well.

Oh wait, that is right, it isn't a laptop, oops.

Comparing Apples to Oranges, or in this case, Lemons...

 

[drjsway]

Why get a SEGWAY when I can get a bike that is cheaper and goes faster? Because they are completely different devices. If Dell made a 10" multi-touch capacitive display tablet, then we can compare.

 

[admanimal]

If Dell made a 10" multi-touch capacitive display tablet, then we can compare.

Don't forget that they also have to design and manufacture their own custom CPUs and batteries, and do all of the research and development of their own OS.

 

[Surely]

unless you know something I don't please tell me,

I know something that you don't.... but I'm not going to tell you.

 

[montblanc1]

Dude! Why not compare with apple products?

Think that the 64gb ipod touch is 399 bucks

what do you expect the price of the cheapest ipad?

 

[iKennett]

The price is the one of the iPad's strongest selling points.

 

[steve-p]

Why get a SEGWAY when I can get a bike that is cheaper and goes faster? Because they are completely different devices.

The Segway is a pointless expensive toy that makes anyone look like an idiot when using it - that's the determining reason why not to get one, no need to compare it with anything

 

[ScottNWDW]

I'm very happy with the pricing structure of the iPad. There are 6 different models depending on your need. For me the iPad is one more step in my becoming an all Apple user again.

Currently I have an iPhone and I am using a Gateway Laptop as my main computer, but it's only a year old. (At the time I bought it I couldn't afford the new MacBook I was saving for when my old Windows Laptop suddenly died). My plan was to buy a new MacBook this year.

Now with the iPad introduction, I may just get the iPad (64GB/3G) when it comes out and when I get my income tax refund next year get an iMac instead of a laptop. I feel the iPad will do everything that a laptop could do for me based on how I use my laptop now when away from home. Currently my laptop is at home 75% of the time anyway. I could get a much more more powerful iMac for the price of the MacBook and have a larger screen than 13".

The iPad will also last longer than the 2 or so hours that the laptop does at the moment so when I am on an airplane I won't have to lug around all the laptop cords and all that, not to mention the difference in the weight.

So in a year I feel I will have the iPod, iPhone (probably the 4G to replace my 3G this summer as well), iPad and iMac. I am pretty excited about this. I'll have the iPhone for calls and everything that I do now with it. The iPad opens a whole new realm of possibilities, plus it can be used in place of the laptop for trips and such and for times when a laptop is "too much" and when the iPhone is "too small". Then I could have a big desktop "base" computer in the form of the iMac at home. Am I dropping a MacBook from my future? No, it's just not the focus that it once was. I will probably go to a MacBook at some point when the need arises, like when the Gateway dies.

The Segway is a pointless expensive toy that makes anyone look like an idiot when using it - that's the determining reason why not to get one, no need to compare it with anything

The SEGWAY is a great piece of machinery and I use it all the time at work. It is not an expensive "TOY" as you put it. It is a great tool that helps one in the workplace, well my workplace at least. To you it's considered a toy because you have no use for one.

 

[hss1]

But You Forgot To Take Into Account

Can any one tell me why is every one so happy with the iPad's price?

i went over to dell.com, and checked what is under $500, and I get a lap that has:

DVD-drive/burner
Dual Core 2.2 Ghz
2 GB of RAM
160 GB hard drive
Wifi
14" display
it WILL run flash

the ipad is
9.7" display
1 ghz
16gb storage(for real? thats like an SD card)
no flash no camera,
no usb, no sd card slot, no cd, no dvd
physical keyboard to be paid for.

so why is every one so amazed at the $500 price?
I think its OVER priced,

unless you know something I don't please tell me,
I believe there is no radio too

But you missed off the Ipad has:

9.7 inch IPS LED backlight screen no netbook has this tech IPS screen's are expensive

1000 Charging cycle lithium polymer battery not found in netbooks and PC laptops for $500 nearly all laptops have a battery life of only 300 charging cycles before the battery needs replacing

Rumoured 1GHZ dual core ARM cortex-9 CPU which actually outperforms Intel Atom according to ARM's design spec for Cortex-9

140 Hours 6 days constant music playback with screen off on single charge

10 hours 720I HD video playback

Wireless N Network card

Aluminium and Glass design

 

[bobob]

The iPad's already been good for one thing here at MacRumors - - it separates the wheat from the chaff - - you can clearly see which members can't see the forest for the trees...

 

[MacBH928]

I am NOT happy with the price personally,
if the top of the line ipad was for $500 then ok, but not a 16gb storage one that has no 3g specially considering this is something for "on the go".

Yes, when you compare it to an ipod touch $400 price it looks like a bargain but again the ipod touch is over priced in my opinion, for 32 gb extra you have to pay $100 more. For that price you can get a 250gb hard drive.

Apple can post any price they want, but I was amazed that people are so excited about the price, specially given that apple expects you to buy an iphone, ipad, macbook, and desktop because every one of those is different. So that $500 should be well spent.

I am also no sure you can calculate this right, how many movies or TV episodes can 16 GB can store?
I just checked, its only takes 5.67 movies in HD(Surrogates for Bruce Willis), so you have to constantly to download and delete, because there is your movie collection, you apps, you pictures, and your music, and I do not know what else.

$500 is not that expensive, but for a 16GB storage , no camera, no flash browsing, no multitasking , I just don't see this as a bargain specially if you got a laptop already.

If it was like 200 GB storage, full browser, with a camera to ichat and skype, and you can multitask like a laptop, $500 will be something to drool over. I think even $1000 will be amazing!

I am not apple hater, I am not hardcore user of the 80's , but I bet I was there before 50% of the current mac user base(since 2002 personally). I was just amazed why everyone is so happy about the pricing, I thought it was over priced personally.

The only thing I see amazing for $500 price point is the battery life, 10 hours is amazing.

 

[dave1812dave]

I am NOT happy with the price personally,
if the top of the line ipad was for $500 then ok, but not a 16gb storage one that has no 3g specially considering this is something for "on the go".

Yes, when you compare it to an ipod touch $400 price it looks like a bargain but again the ipod touch is over priced in my opinion, for 32 gb extra you have to pay $100 more. For that price you can get a 250gb hard drive.

Apple can post any price they want, but I was amazed that people are so excited about the price, specially given that apple expects you to buy an iphone, ipad, macbook, and desktop because every one of those is different. So that $500 should be well spent.

I am also no sure you can calculate this right, how many movies of TV episodes can 16 GB can store?
I just checked, its only takes 5.67 movies in HD(Surrogates for Bruce Willis), so you have to constantly to download and delete, because there is your movie collection, you apps, you pictures, and your music, and I do not know what else.

$500 is not that expensive, but for a 16GB storage , no camera, no flash browsing, no multitasking , I just don't see this as a bargain specially if you got a laptop already.

If it was like 200 GB storage, full browser, with a camera to ichat and skype, and you can multitask like a laptop, $500 will be something to drool over. I think even $1000 will be amazing!

I am not apple hater, I am not hardcore user of the 80's , but I bet I was there before 50% of the current mac user base(since 2002 personally). I was just amazed why everyone is so happy about the pricing, I thought it was over priced personally.

How do you square "on the go" with the size of the iPad, which of course, can't be conveniently carried in a pocket? How many people are going to schlepp an ipad around town in a bag? Women with large purses might not mind the extra POUND and a HALF, but I don't foresee many men dragging the iPad around in some bag. Sounds damn goofy. kids might carry backpacks, but the average adult?? NO WAY!

 

[flopticalcube]

1000 Charging cycle lithium polymer battery not found in netbooks and PC laptops for $500 nearly all laptops have a battery life of only 300 charging cycles before the battery needs replacing

That is simply not true. Many netbooks for far less than $500 have LiPoly batteries that last for 1000 cycles. They also offer a far greater range of features and much more flexibility than the iPad. What you are paying for in the iPad is technology like the IPS touch panel, custom CPU, flash storage, etc. Cheap netbooks and laptops are built from off the shelf parts using tech that has been around for 5 years or more. Its a matter of personal choice really. Perhaps some cheap netbooks will start to appear with touch panels to rival the iPad in the near future. They already can get up to 11 hours of battery life under 3lbs or so for less than $400.

 

[Jaro65]

The Segway is a pointless expensive toy that makes anyone look like an idiot when using it - that's the determining reason why not to get one, no need to compare it with anything

So what exactly is your contribution to humanity? Easy to criticize other's work, right?

Segway is brilliant. I was in DC just a couple of weeks ago. And saw a bunch of tourists on a sightseeing tour by the White House. All of them, and their guide, were on Segways. Pretty ingenious.

The Segway is a pointless expensive toy that makes anyone look like an idiot when using it - that's the determining reason why not to get one, no need to compare it with anything

So what exactly is your contribution to humanity? Easy to criticize other's work, right?

Segway is brilliant. I was in DC just a couple of weeks ago and saw a bunch of tourists on a sightseeing tour by the White House. All of them, and their guide, were on Segways. Pretty ingenious.

Though I am curious: what makes you think you look like an idiot when you're standing up?

 

[MTI]

Why buy an iPod when you can have a Zune?

 

[MacBH928]

Why buy an iPod when you can have a Zune?

Okay, so in all honesty, and without being fanboys ,
if for the same price the hp tablet had more features(we know which ones) and it runs windows 7 , you will still choose the ipad?

we know the iphone is better compared to a blackberry
we know the ipod is better compared to zune
but we know hp tablet(or any other if it is with the missing features) is better than the ipad, why will you still buy the ipad?

The only good reason I can think of is sync with your other Apple devices, unless there will be killer apps coming to the ipad

 

[mtnDewFTW]

The only reason I'm not about to make you feel like an idiot and cry is because I don't want to get banned from the forum.

But, I'm keep it as simple as I can, because I know how some people, who are probably underage and don't even understand technology or the way things sell.

First of all, Dell is not introducing anything new. The iPad is a completely new device that no one has even gotten to play with. And the fact that this device is only $499, it truly is amazing. That something SO new, yet so different from everything else that is already out there today, can be so cheap.

Apply have revolutionized slate devices. And yeah, you can go get your crappy little Dell and be happy with it, while I'll be sitting here with the iPad just looking at brand new technology that makes my life my easier.

You sir, just don't understand technology and the way it works. So I suggest that from now on, before posting something, THINK ABOUT IT. Ask yourself this: "If I post this thread now, will I look like an idiot to the rest of the forum?"

And if you decide to go for it, I hope you try and troll harder than you did now, because this thread, shouldn't exist.

 

[GermanSuplex]

Okay, so in all honesty, and without being fanboys ,
if for the same price the hp tablet had more features(we know which ones) and it runs windows 7 , you will still choose the ipad?

we know the iphone is better compared to a blackberry
we know the ipod is better compared to zune
but we know hp tablet(or any other if it is with the missing features) is better than the ipad, why will you still buy the ipad?

The only good reason I can think of is sync with your other Apple devices, unless there will be killer apps coming to the ipad

We don't know the HP tablet is better than the iPad. However, I am confident in saying the iPad will do what I need it to do better than any other tablet.

There are devices $499 or less that do "more" than the iPad, if you consider "more" having flash or running a desktop OS. I don't consider those "more" though. I already have a laptop if I want to do those things. What I don't like is lugging a big bag around, pulling out a giant power chord (or worse, forgetting my power chord or portable mouse) and having to set up file sharing with my desktop or transferring stuff over with a USB stick to share files between the two (almost ALL of which is videos or music).

The iPad is going to allow me to sync those files from my home PC quickly and easily and without much thought. I'll be able to do most of what I use my laptop for on a smaller device with a nice screen. I can live without Flash or the desktop applications. When I'm in an airport, I hate pulling out a laptop just to do a few things on the web. The laptop will be relegated to the times when I'm on a long trip or when I need to do something productive (which is rare... my laptop is mainly used to pass time at work).

 

[greygray]

One's an Apple and the other's a Lemon.

 

[bobob]

What I don't like is... pulling out a giant power chord.

I agree, but there are just some occasions when the situation just demands it!