Preorders for Apple iPad slow after 120K first-day rush - Page 3

A solution exists. Get a phone with 3G and WiFi. Tether it to the iPad (the iPad can't restict what kind of connection your WiFi signal is coming from). VoilÃ*. 3G data with a non-3G iPad.

Are you really going to regularly consume more than 16GB of media between syncs? What's that, 30 hours of videos? Games don't have to be huge. If it's a desert island situation, then fine, but I don't carry the kitchen sink with me all the time. What I put on my iPhone only expands to fill the unit. If I need more space, I have my smart playlist sync fewer music tracks.


Gross margin doesn't mean much in itself. Are you going to rag on Microsoft for having an 80% gross margin?

FWIW, Apple has an overall 10% net margin, and I don't see why that's so outrageous. If their net margin was 50% then I would agree.

You're making a mountain out of a molehill. There are no international pre-orders now and the iPad is not coming to the rest of the world until late April. Apple is in negotiations to extend the ibookstore to other parts of the world and it's possible that this could be done pre-launch.

At the same time, only the US website includes iBooks as a feature, the other websites (ie. Canada) don't mention it at all. In other words, iBooks is not listed as a feature outside of the US. The US website also states that it is US only. Apple has publicized its US only nature and is actively trying get more content deals outside of the US, and the only oversight is your own for not realizing that. I wouldn't expect many returns due to a lacking iBooks app.

Has anyone using that analogy ever considered what would happen if you actually shot anything in a tank? Are we talking about your standard ten gallon house aquarium or something at Seaworld? Neither is bull proof as far as I know, unless Shamu has a Secret Service-type detail I'm unaware of and Seaworld wouldn't be easy, which defeats the aim of the analogy. At least the old barrel version made a bit more sense?

Doubtful. You don't even see netbooks in trains, planes, and coffee shops and those are supposed to be wildly popular. Instead, you see people with real laptops.

Care to give some examples, or are you just talking out of your ass like a typical fanboi?

AT&T has a USB laptop connection card which along with the USB to iPad adapter and the matching AT&T app in the App Store could allow wifi iPad versions to have 3G later.

If enough sell this might be a option later. But would likely cost more than the monthly plan on the 3G iPads.


Your right, seasoned users know with time comes more data, features and larger OS updates which require more storage space. One can make their devices last considerably longer buying the device with the largest storage possible to begin with.

For instance on my 3 year old MacBook Pro I've upgraded the hard drive twice and Apple hasn't come out with a substantially more powerful MacBook Pro since. With the iPad does Apple honestly expect us to buy new devices every time we need more storage?

I've owned several iPods of various sizes, my music collection outgrew them, so now the only one I now use is the iPod Classic as it holds all my music and more if I ever should get anymore, plus I can use anything I have anywhere, unlike the smaller capacity versions.

Meanwhile I regret the loss I took on all those previous iPods, selling them used. I won't repeat that mistake with iPads costing several hundred dollars.

Not to worry--meaningless drivel anyway.

I never said that everyone will be thrilled with the 16GB version. You're right, that amount of memory doesn't get it done for everyone but that's not the same as suggesting, as I believe you did, that the 16GB version will not be adequate for anyone.

The fact is that for many customers, 16GB is plenty. For Apple, what matters is that more than a few customers will find that with that much memory, the iPad will be a very useful device. Apple needs happy customers to build a base for an innovative device like the iPad. If you, personally, need more, then your choice is to either buy a more expensive model or wait for the base model to come with more memory. But the relevant question is, will a large percentage of folks buying the 16GB version find the device meets their needs. I believe the answer will be yes. For that person, buying one of the early iPads is not a terrible idea. For you, clearly, the smarter move is to save some money and wait for the next version. By the way, that's what I intend to do, so it's not like I think you're making a mistake.

Regarding Apple not offering 3G as an add-on, there are third-party manufacturers out there. An entire industry developed around making accessories for the iPod. It's likely something similar could happen with the iPad. Consider that if you opt for the Wi-Fi only model and find that you get what you need going that route, you've saved yourself more than $100 plus whatever it costs to get hooked up. On the other hand, if you get 3G and wind up not using it, you're out that extra expense with nothing to show for it. My view on this is that if 3G is not essential in your estimation at the time of purchase, it's best to not get it. It's not like an iPad is a 10-year device. I doubt these units have much more than a three-year life span. There could be cases in which a dramatic change in circumstance results in 3G becoming a must-have feature but I doubt there are many people for whom that drastic change would be probable during the life of an iPad.

Also, if you don't see an immediate use for 3G but would consider an additional 16GB essential, wouldn't the logical way to go be to acquire the Wi-Fi-only version with the additional memory, especially considering it cost less than the base Wi-Fi 3G version. Why spend money on something you probably don't need and not spend it on something you think is essential. Of course by waiting you can have both for about the same money but I suspect you're going to be waiting past 2010. This calendar year I'm willing to bet what you see is what you'll get.

I thought tethering is not an option at this time? Could be wrong, but wasn't this a topic on AI sometime ago?

Explain how you are going to take photos from your digital camera and put them on your iPad so you can view them on that big screen that people are bragging about. That's right, you CAN'T! Apple puts an SD slot on the Macs and MacBooks, but they leave it off the iPad, yet claim it is great for viewing photos! You need another accessory or your Mac/PC to transfer photos into an iPad. Most people take their laptop with them because it does what they want it to do. So you will be lugging around a bunch of crap to make the iPad justified when your laptop does more.

Big surprise. The fanbois ordered an iPad, and then the pre-orders plummet while the rest of the world realizes they don't need a $500 iPod Touch when they already own a laptop. The PowerBook G4 12" would outsell an iPad.

Actually Apple does have an option to replace the battery $99.00 + $7--see Apple site and

http://www.informationweek.com/news/...ubSection=News

Word! I'm already buying a 16GB-3G version for Mother's Day based on the current issue, but for myself I'll have to play with it and compare it to the next MBPs, iPhone HW, iPhone OS v4.0, see when the iPad will get it and the iPad ecosystem will grow over the coming months. So far, it's a no go for me.



Word! The last MBP is a great example of a "non-Rev A" product that has a lot of odd changes that prevented me from buying the last MBPs that must be resolved before I buy my next one.

The Rev A. comments are all about external design yet each new release is significantly changed internally that it's always a 'Rev A" product. It's such a silly reason to buy or not buy a product. Read the reviews and if it fits your needs then buy it. No need to buy it the first day or week it comes out. Wait a bit to see how it performs.



That is about the worst argument I've ever read on these forums... and that includes everything Teckstud ever wrote. I've got a meeting so I'll let someone else tear it apart but you may want to edit your post before it gets shredded.

Tethering is not an option with AT&T and the iPhone.

That's a whole different topic from tethering a device from a service that allows tethering TO the iPod Touch or iPad.

A rather pointless article if their purpose is somehow to insinuate lack of demand for the ipad, for a couple of simple reasons:

A. Max 2 devices per person really limits demand.

B. Max 2 devices even for businesses limits demand even more.

C. Large majority of people (by some accounts) looking for the 3g enabled version.

Taking all these in mind it's a no brainer in terms of sales decline. These things are selling as hotcakes, to me 170,000 in a few days solely in the U.S. with sales limits and no 3g model, means when the 3g ipad hits the UK, Europe and Canada in a few months we will be looking at about 2,000,000 to 3,000,000 million sold. Not bad!

Most of us don't feel compelled to carry around with us our entire digital collection. It's really not how a device like the iPad is intended to be used. Comparing memory needs on a laptop with the iPad is akin to doing the proverbial apples to oranges comparison. It doesn't apply.

Unless you intend to be stranded on a desert island (presumably with a supply of power to recharge your iPad with) just how much content are you going to require at any given point in time? If you're on vacation and you need enough content to be spending your entire trip accessing your iPad, the trip was a waste.

I think 16GB is a good starting point for the iPad and we all know that will go up dramatically every time a new version is released. Unlike the early days of the iPod, when memory was much more meagre, I don't see it as a big issue with the iPad.

You should try it. Since you sound so smart and knowledgeable about it. Quoting no less an authority than Cramer!

And tell us how it panned out.

I guess there are only 120k truely brave/stupid fanboys that would buy it before seeing/using it in person (aside from the 0.01% that actually has).

Why would you be complaining about 50% or 150% or whatever? Is someone is forcing you to buy the product against your free will?

Sheesh.....

Incidentally, Apple's actual net profit margins are more like 20%, not 10%.

The whole thing is bogus anyway. The order numbers also include everything else someone could have ordered and they have no way of knowing what's what. Perhaps what dropped off was non Ipad buys. They just can't say.

Also they don't have access to the reserves for in store pickup.

And in the end, all that matters if what money is handed over. So what if there's 500 million reserves placed if only 50k folks show up and actually buy.

What is really bogus is the effect these so called experts could have up or down on the stock value based on their estimates.

Yes. Do you have a point?

Outstanding observations. Careful, though. You're making way to much sense for this thread.

http://forums.appleinsider.com/showp...&postcount=183

It fits in a bag better than any laptop.
It provides a way better browsing experience than any small laptop.
It provides a better ebook reading experience than any laptop.
It has a better touchscreen than any currently available laptop.
It integrates music playback features better than any small laptop.
It's way better at accelerometer-based tasks than any laptop.
It syncs your data with your main computer more easily than any laptop.
It's a better virtual musical instrument than any laptop.
It's a better game machine than any netbook.
It's better for watching a movie during a cramped commute than any laptop.
It's a better device for anyone who needs to use it while standing (i.e. doctors) than any laptop.
It's a better kitchen wall or refrigerator front internet device than any laptop.
It's a better textbook replacement than any laptop.

no it doesn't. No contract is signed at time of buy. You sign up whenever you want. And drop it when you want.


if the ipad was a Kindle or a Nook that would be a problem. But it's not. the ereader is only one function. International folks can still surf the web, read emails, play games etc.


Wrong. From day one they said that it was US only with other countries coming soon. They have to deal with licensing, royalties etc just like when the books were paper published, and just like they do with all other media.

This has turned instantly into yet another generic "what I like/hate about the iPad" thread. As if we needed more of that debate.

In terms of the sales numbers (does anybody still want to talk about that?), the method being used to measure preorder demand is deeply flawed. Little doubt order numbers are assigned by the Apple Store sequentially for all products, so iPad orders can't be estimated this way unless we know the rate these numbers were being assigned before the iPad preorders began. On this basis, AI sez that iPad orders have "died off?"

I was one of those who bought the iPad on the first day: 64GB, 3g version. We had been looking and saving up for an Air for a while now (2.13ghz, 128GB SSD version), because my wife wanted a portable device that she could watch her TiVO shows (downloaded to her Mac and converted to mp4), movies & use our sling-player while traveling. While the Air was a thin, 13" screen, fully functional laptop, it was more than what we needed.

The iPad fits our needs *exactly* - Portable, long battery life, multimedia, sling-player active (now on 3g!), -AND- with the 3g aspect, she's not tied to WiFi like she would be on the Air. (We could get a 3g card & service for about twice the monthly price, and we'd be bound to a contract, if we tried for 3g for an Air so that wouldn't work for us.)

So - while the iPad might not be a "Netbook" or what folks wanted it to be, for what it is I think it will serve our purposes well.

Cheers!

1,000 orders per hour is still pretty amazing.

in comparison Google sold 20,000 Nexus One's the entire WEEK.

Exactly. The people complaining about it are judging it based on what it isn't, instead of what it is. Of course it fails at being something it isn't intended to be. It seems to be a pretty solid device when you look at it based on its own merits.

Agreed, though I'm not sure about whether iPads can be preordered from Apple stores, and preorders placed online for pickup at a store would theoretically be counted by the order number method.

Much too much is made of the analyst effect. It is in fact negligible, to not at all.

It is much more intimate than any laptop.

Hes just jealous.

That is because Apple actually innovates. Google just copies everything that Apple does. FAIL!

Man, I hope not. The analysts are already doing a pretty lousy job of talking about technology in general because they lump drastically different market segments together.

Think of it this way. Businesses (and I mean like generic moving-paper-around businesses here, insurance companies or whatever) buy computers for specific reasons, and make specific purchases based on that. Individuals may buy computers to emulate what their employers have, but they might also buy based on entirely different requirements. For years, businesses, business-emulating individuals and individual-individuals (shut up, it's a word) have largely ended up buying the same basic things, because those were the only things available. Analysts lump all those into one big pile because those groups have ended up buying the same things but for radically different reasons.

In other words, analysts break down the markets based on what products are available, not based on what people actually want. Which is kind of understandable *it's easier just to throw all the reported sales and revenue numbers into a big spreadsheet than it is to go out and actually measure market demand. But still, it stinks.

I'm not so sure about the complaints about this thing. I think the iPad will be that real start of cloud computing. I just installed an app on my iPhone that lets me watch my entire video collection from anywhere in the world.

All the iPad needs is an app that will do the same for photos. Or, just use your facebook (or [insert photos service here]) photos...that's where most people are storing their pics these days anyways.

There's no need for 3g if you have an iPhone. If I'm out and about, and I need net access THAT bad, I'll tough it out with my phone.

There's no need for more storage space or USB, if you're just remote accessing your home computer.

I do wish it had a camera for video conferencing, but I can do that from my home PC too. Video conferencing has never really taken off, despite being available for many years. Turns out that people don't want it, for the most part. People like being able to be ugly (or naked) and talk on the phone.

I'm a med student, and I'm interested in what this can do for access. I've 100GB of medical videos that I'd like to be able to watch anywhere. I'd like to be able to read (and hopefully) annotate my textbooks anywhere, WITHOUT lugging around 50lbs of books.

Never having to buy a bookshelf again also sounds great. That alone will cover the cost of the damn thing. I probably buy a new bookcase every 2 years. Between my textbooks, and leisure reading for my me, my wife, and daughter, we do buy a good amount of books. The iPad will eliminate the need to store them.

Not looking forward to re-buying my favorites for the iPad though...ugh. Wish they had some kind of credit plan for those of us that already have the "real" books.

Wouldn't adobe have to write a version of flash for the i-products first? and so would VLC. I don't see that happening. Also, read the specs for the ipad media support specifics, it plays AVI files already. (Obviously specific specs apply)


You're worried people think you are gay because you use Apple computers? You have some serious issues. Also I've been using a friends kindle for a bit now and we both have come to the conclusion that e-ink is still difficult to read in certain situations without backlight. So, damned if you do, Damned if you don't. Nothing is perfect and I'd rather have a multimedia device than just a reader if I'm going to have to compromise the reading experience.


I will. As you guys have seen me say before. Telepromter ($400 value), Illuminated film slate (value $1,500 admittingly waiting for an update to the software to make it perfect, but it's still very usable as a script super's tool), Pro-tools controller in live situations ($500+ value), camera focus/ Iris remote ($ unknown value; just being fair the app I am referring to is Iris only, but updates to both remote and cameras are coming soon enough and may even provide capabilities that I have chided others for saying could be a reality), script writing (not much value added here, but scriptwriting software has gotten antiquated and overpriced, competition has opened up on the ap store and I'd rather have the freedom to compose when inspiration strikes without lugging around a laptop. If you need more let me know.


I've seen a few people mention this and I had assumed the same thing. However others have said that there is no official information on activation fees. I looked into it (even posted on at&t's forum and still waiting for an answer). Is there any documentation to support that there won't be activation/ termination fees? I got a wifi ipad pre-ordered, but I'd like to have a 3g pad as well, but not if there are going to be cancelation fees of any sort. If I use 3G for 6 months out of the year, tuning the service on and off could be another $100+ and that's just not for me since I already pay AT&T for a data plan every month.


I agree the remote is one of many unsuspecting "killer aps" for the ipad. I'd love to use it as a touch interface with cover flow etc for the Apple TV, games on the ATV and game controller (maybe better on an ipod), interactive media on your TV etc all sounds good to me.

BTW here's a link to an IR remote adapter. Not the one I was thinking of, but this one's cheap (and ugly). So there will be ways of controlling legacy gear as well, but this makes me wonder how long it will be before wifi/ BT starts to be integrated into other devices. I recently saw there was an initiative to integrate BT controllers into cameras for devices like the Ipod to act as controllers.

http://www.ohgizmo.com/2010/01/08/ce...ne-ipod-touch/

I am totally excited over the iPad not only will it make a great entertainment device, but it can TOTALLY be used for business purposes, especially in a virtualization environment.

Anyone heard of Cloud Computing? Hello! This is where the IT industry is going right? Well how about running XenApp and/or XenDesktop on the iPad. It is available for the iPhone now, so therefore it will totally run on the iPad. Yes printing will become an issue but it is just a hurdle at this point.

I plan on getting a 16GB WiFi and a portal WiFi router like the Sprint 4G MiFi which I am sure (as an iPhone AT&T owner), the WiFi experience will totally rock over AT&Ts crappy 3G network.

Music / Movie / Games / e-Books/ Internet / Business Apps over Virtual Technologies what more can you ask for...?

you will lose that bet.

doesn't seem like a bunch of crap to lug around to me, just a little dongle. sucks that it isn't built in or in the box... but the option exists and it is trivial to use.

iPad Camera Connection Kit
The iPad Camera Connection Kit gives you two ways to import photos and videos from a digital camera: using your camera’s USB cable or directly from an SD card. iPad supports standard photo formats, including JPEG and RAW.

People are starting to see on their Credit Card statements how long it's REALLY going to take to pay all these fancy toys off... :eek:

i think that just about wraps it up.