[thebignewt]

They are betting this will get people to go "mobile" for the first time, or instead of their big 'ole Dell laptop that's getting old. Nobody like Evilhunter101 will get one. It's for virgins, like the iPhone was for smartphone virgins. I've got an iTouch, iPod, BB 8900, MotoDroid, Dell 100lb laptop, Kindle, and a brand new Win7 pc, so I won't be buying anytime soon. But I can see an appeal for some with it, and like other Apple products the ads will make it look so cool and fun that 40 something year old wife will be puttin' on the Victoria Secret outfit to get some of that goodness lol.
EDIT: the Gizmodo piece points out some very bad features. Let's hope the housewife babe isn't into multitasking or doing video of her Vic Secret outfit for the man.

[STANGS347]

It's not exclusive to AT&T. You can get micro sim cards for it to work on other gsm networks like T-mobile. The only thing AT&T is doing, is giving a price break on the service. So if you buy an Ipad you can get AT&T service for cheap or pay Tmobile or another gsm carrier, that has micro sim cards, and pay a higher price. AT&T is giving a low price to intice you to use thier service. Why pay more with T-mobile or someone else when they (AT&T) offer it cheaper? Its called bait and hook. Plus AT&T exclusiveness ends in June. That is 5 months away so there is plenty of time to see what happens. They might not have talked about it today because they didnt want to take away from the Ipad. Basically, all this crap is people guessing untill VZW or Apple tell us other wise. I could care less, I like my BB better anyways and have an itouch. I don't need an iphone.

[Entertainment72]

so by your logic, nobody needs a tv larger then a 13" because a 55" or less is the same thing, just larger. people just love to hate.

Not hate but I think the MaxiPad doesn't know what it wants to be.. an iPod Touch? An E-Reader? A notebook? What exactly is it.. I for one am in the market for a notebook type device and I was considering this but after seeing it's features and the like I don't see where another $200-300 MacBook will blow this thing out of the water. Maybe it's me but I don't get it... even Jobs said there wasn't a market for netbook type devices years ago of which I think the MaxiPad is more than anything. Apple was so much under pressure to create a netbook type device that they caved in and unfortunately for them will cost in the future.

Notebooks are getting smaller and smaller... lighter and lighter.. this pad has no mass market appeal. Sure Apple will sell a good share in 60-90 days but wait 4-6 months after that and sales will downright die.

[thebignewt]

Yeah it's just another girl at the notebook dance, maybe more expensive to dance with and maybe no better dancer than the other girls either. She'd better dress up real pretty for the ads IMO. I could be wrong but this might not be priced quite right for what you get (and how many movies and CDs can you store on 32gb?).

[scorpiodsu]

I guess someone out there will buy it but not me. I already have an iPhone and MacBook pro. This would be useless to me.

[Yodes]

I can already do everything there with my iPhone or my Droid. I was wanting Apple's take on the netbook. Not this oversized iTouch with no flash, voice, and SMS capabilities.

[hagerr37]

The only people I see who will have a need for this are those who are art oriented or even architects that don't already have laptops or net-books. This device would be perfect for showing and/or modifying blueprints if someone (has) created the app for it.

Most architects use windows...as most programs used are not produced for Macs.

Also, I cant see myself in hysteria needing one of these, but I can see where it would be a good product, I have two net-books, a laptop, a Storm2, an iPhone, a Wii, and had a PS3. So I have all the stuff overlapped pretty much too, but I can still see where I could use one. For one my net books arent less than two pounds. With the iPad I could have all my movies I have bought in iunes and be able to watch them on a respectable screen. However as a college student a new laptop would be better than an iPad, but this product is mostly a product for people who are waiting for an Apple netbook, which is what this could be compared too.

As for me, I think it is cool, would buy one if I had the money, but its not gonna be something i save up for.

[ronin152]

I think the Ipad is great. I hate sitting at my desk infront of my laptop and browsing the web. It would be awesome to just chill on the couch and watch tv at the same time and surf the web. I think the ipad will also do very well with people who are not to computer savy but just want email and web browsing that is in a small package.

[vincentnyc]

i will get one if it has a build-in hdtv tuner so i can watch hdtv shows.

[spawn026]

Not hate but I think the MaxiPad doesn't know what it wants to be.. an iPod Touch? An E-Reader? A notebook? What exactly is it.. I for one am in the market for a notebook type device and I was considering this but after seeing it's features and the like I don't see where another $200-300 MacBook will blow this thing out of the water. Maybe it's me but I don't get it... even Jobs said there wasn't a market for netbook type devices years ago of which I think the MaxiPad is more than anything. Apple was so much under pressure to create a netbook type device that they caved in and unfortunately for them will cost in the future.

Notebooks are getting smaller and smaller... lighter and lighter.. this pad has no mass market appeal. Sure Apple will sell a good share in 60-90 days but wait 4-6 months after that and sales will downright die.

True, but look at what you just said; It's an e-reader, notebook, ipod touch and can be bought for around 499. I bought a netbook for 399 and a nook for 250, neither of the two will do what the ipad will do in a nutshell. It isn't for everyone and people can either love it or hate it, it is a free world afterall, but its people who feel the urge to downplay anything they don't want like it's garbage. People saw the kindle and thought, who the **** would spend this much to read a book. Now it's the biggest trendsetter. Besides the joojoo, there really isn't another tablet on the horizon that has the potential to do what apple is doing for the price

[spawn026]

Read this:

8 Things That Suck About the iPad - apple ipad - Gizmodo

and? no camera, oh no now I can't show people what I'm doing while I'm on the computer, for shame; no physical keyboard, well it is a tablet; no tmobile 3g, neither does the iphone; the name, sure are reaching;
it's reasons like this that just prove my point.

[iLovemy_bb]

It does come unlocked, you do not need to use AT&T's data. However you will need a new micro sim, steve said. I'm really iffy about this, an iPhone can do almost everything mentioned in the press conference so I don't see the point other than a larger screen. There isn't even a camera in there which most people would've liked, myself included. It makes me just want to sit and wait for a price drop when the next model will come out in probably a year and they will have added a camera like the MacBooks. I don't really get why they decided to make a Wifi only device and 3G+Wifi device.. I would've just made one or the other. I know it was probably to make it affordable but I would've just made one device, save on production costs and then passed on those savings to cut the price.

I was really impressed with the data plans though, very attractive price points and I love the fact that we can access the plans through the device itself and there is absolutely NO commitment! Very, very happy about that.

How about everyone else, thoughts?? Good Apple invention? Bad one?

Good intentions, horrible design.

[iLovemy_bb]

and? no camera, oh no now I can't show people what I'm doing while I'm on the computer, for shame; no physical keyboard, well it is a tablet; no tmobile 3g, neither does the iphone; the name, sure are reaching;
it's reasons like this that just prove my point.

These reason prove all of our points. I think Apple and AT&T are just in bed together.

[iLovemy_bb]

True, but look at what you just said; It's an e-reader, notebook, ipod touch and can be bought for around 499. I bought a netbook for 399 and a nook for 250, neither of the two will do what the ipad will do in a nutshell. It isn't for everyone and people can either love it or hate it, it is a free world afterall, but its people who feel the urge to downplay anything they don't want like it's garbage. People saw the kindle and thought, who the **** would spend this much to read a book. Now it's the biggest trendsetter. Besides the joojoo, there really isn't another tablet on the horizon that has the potential to do what apple is doing for the price

You people are just blind to what's already out there. Look up Archos 9 and you'll see. Plus we want tablets(full touch with a pc OS) not some huge device that is an exact replica of a smaller device which the stuff looks better on anyway.

[iLovemy_bb]

I think the Ipad is great. I hate sitting at my desk infront of my laptop and browsing the web. It would be awesome to just chill on the couch and watch tv at the same time and surf the web. I think the ipad will also do very well with people who are not to computer savy but just want email and web browsing that is in a small package.

It doesnt even have a kickstand

[md12]

Exactly, your iPhone does what you need...why get an iPad than? That's my concern, I have my BlackBerry and an iPod Touch, I don't need anything more. But hey, that's just me. I don't need or really want a device from the middle grounds of laptops and phones.

Ha only someone on this site would be concerned that they have a berry and an iPod Touch and just don't need an iPad

[iLovemy_bb]

Most architects use windows...as most programs used are not produced for Macs.

Also, I cant see myself in hysteria needing one of these, but I can see where it would be a good product, I have two net-books, a laptop, a Storm2, an iPhone, a Wii, and had a PS3. So I have all the stuff overlapped pretty much too, but I can still see where I could use one. For one my net books arent less than two pounds. With the iPad I could have all my movies I have bought in iunes and be able to watch them on a respectable screen. However as a college student a new laptop would be better than an iPad, but this product is mostly a product for people who are waiting for an Apple netbook, which is what this could be compared too.

As for me, I think it is cool, would buy one if I had the money, but its not gonna be something i save up for.

If you wouldn't save for it then it's pointless,; very contradicting statement. If you saved money, you'd be able to buy, but you're not willing to save to buy. It can afford this thing and I'm not gonna get it.

[iLovemy_bb]

I can already do everything there with my iPhone or my Droid. I was wanting Apple's take on the netbook. Not this oversized iTouch with no flash, voice, and SMS capabilities.

Freaking thank you, someone else in here kept it simple.

[iLovemy_bb]

I am sure there will be a market down the road for it. To be honest i just think this thing is aiming to Ebook readers, apple will be getting 30 percent of that revenue according to the wall street journal. The AT&T news were surprising given all the coimplaints about it. This makes me believe that VZ may not see an iphone and i think the whole google rivalry has something to do with it. (Nexus one comes to vz this spring).

people hate this thing!

[spawn026]

You people are just blind to what's already out there. Look up Archos 9 and you'll see. Plus we want tablets(full touch with a pc OS) not some huge device that is an exact replica of a smaller device which the stuff looks better on anyway.

Er, no I know about the archos and I know it didn't do well. I have been waiting for something so I didn't just dive into a device while spending money. I was hoping the joojoo would come out even with all of the lawsuits but negative there. The windows tablets were just, odd. They did show a nifty one by asus that was a dual screen, one eink and the other lcd but they didn't seem to have a date. I'm up on this stuff

[cityhopper]

The iPad is an underwhelming tablet.
The iPad is an innovative netbook e-Reader.

No handwritten recognition was a huge let down. However, I still find that the iPad can be a great pseudo tablet for students, professionals, avid readers, and anyone interested in reducing the amount of books/paper they carry. The lack of GPS is also an let down (non-3G) model.

I do not have a eReader, so I probably will pick up an iPad at some point. I may wait for version iPad 2.0. Although, I am not sure an iPad will eclipse the need/want for an iPhone to compliment my BB

Disclosure: I am a tech product junkie.

[dcgore]

It's kinda hard to tell right now whether or not i will be using one of these things. I have a macbook air and it's kind of a ipad in itself b/c of its size. So the ipad is not a full fleshed computer but is more than an iphone.
To me this is going to be like a coffee table accessory so that people can pick it up and surf the web and so silly things like get movie tickets and whatnot but i couldn't work on a spreadsheet on this thing.
I really think it's apple's ebook reader and the fact Steve Jobs said that they wanted to be on Amazon's shoulders ratifies what the ipad is going after.

[vikingjunior]

I think a itouch with AT&T 3G + WiFI would of made more sense. They could of offered the service for like $15 a month.

[JRSCCivic98]

Am I the only one who thinks that Apple saw what the eReaders are doing to the market, went back to an old idea (the iPad was supposedly on the back burner for a while in the past few years), revamped it up a little and brought it to market to make money not with the device but with sales of books and media for it? I mean, seriously, I was really hoping the iPad would run full OSX and that would have been AWESOME, but the way it is now... it's just a large iPod Touch with 3G capabilities (if you want that ability). I dunno, seems a bit of a "bunt" rather then a "home run" from Apple this time around.

But hey, at least it looks like OS4 will bring about wallpapers for the iPhone, lol. It the majority of those features (picture control, etc.) is available to the iPod Touche and iPhone with an OS upgrade, I don't think a lot of people will see the iPad as nothing more then... just having a bigger screen.

BTW, I kinda chuckled a bit when you see the interface drag a little with clicks/double-clicks to bring up window options, etc. (Watch the Engadget video to see this.) I hope the software is still being tweeked to get rid of that or I'm going to start seeing Apple in the same light as RIM. lol

[thebignewt]

Yeah, it's just a bigscreen iTouch is about it, and for a few hundred more. I've got a Kindle, and it's excellent for reading. You don't need one as big as the MaxiPad for books, new hardbacks are $10, old books are $6, newspapers are $.50. They're not gonna beat those prices. Kindles and the Sony book reader and the B&N reader all have a whopping 1.3 GB of memory, which is plenty for 1500 books, so text takes up no memory. They also have no backlight so their batteries last a very long time. If the Maxipad needs a backlight it will be horrible as a bookreader for that reason alone, the battery will go very quickly. I fail to see why it's any better than the iTouch I have except for the bigger screen, which is why people will spring for it maybe. Or maybe not.