[eric89074]

Prices always go down after the initial honeymoon stage...
The question is, when does the honeymoon stage end?

In the iPad's case it doesn't look like the honeymoon phase is going to end any time soon. The PB's was about one week.

[sasquatch99]

Now that the 299 sale is over in Canada, it's back to the 199/249/299 sale until 9 Feb.

[FSeverino]

I need to buy two: one for next week, and one the week after. All the definitive ambivalence here isn't helping me time my purchase!

This will make a total of 6 I have purchased as gifts, plus my own. I should have gone to tender for a dozen!

Dont quote me on this or anything, but I havent seen the 64gb any lower than $299 (without codes/coupons) so if that is the one you are looking for then i would assume it would be safe to buy... also, if you were thinking of 32gb then its now $50 cheaper.

If this new sale is apparently until feb. 9 then waiting for that to end will either give a better deal, or original price... so it is up to you.

Personally, I have no problem paying $299 for 64gb (i paid that for my 32gb in Nov) so I wouldnt wait for a lower price if that means not giving it to the person at the time you need to.

[kackburt]

I hope there will be a discount here in Austria or Germany asap. I'd get it from the UK if there would be seller with overseas shipping and low-price ofc :q

Don't wanna buy a 32GB version for over 400 euros! That's is insane if you compare the prices in other country's

[dejanh]

What exactly is the way an iPad actually trounces anything, other than with respect to convincing people that inferior components assembled in a chinese sweat shop are somehow superior. Personally, I don't think PB will ever have anything more than a niche market, but there is not necessarily anything wrong with that - one can make a good product and a lot of money in a well defined niche market. iPads sell because they were first to the market and Apple has a blind cult following. Android tablets don't sell because 1) many are junk, 2) the OS(s) are notoriously buggy, and 3) the app selection other than games is really not very good. Half a million pieces of garbage makes for a electronic landfill, not an app store. My bet is that in two years time, PB will have a moderate but stable and sustainable market share and people will be wondering how Apple lost so much of its tablet market to Microsoft/Windows 8, not Google/Android.

Fixed that for you Agree with the rest. There is nothing great or revolutionary about any of the Apple products. They look good, that's about it. In a society that is all about looks, well, what looks good sells good. Shiny! White! TV says I need it! Where do I pay?!

PB is actually a much better piece of kit, but let's see how OS 2.0 does, and more importantly what happens going forward with future support. I was very bummed out when RIM pulled a fast one on all of the original 9800 Torch adopters and basically said, "yeah, that phone you got 6 months ago...sorry, we won't really support that any more". Torch was by far the worst long-term experience with RIM to date.

[pallav_gupta]

does it makes any difference you and got one ?

[mjs416]

Good luck with that RIM.

I doubt the iPad2 will drop to $299.00; Probably $399.00. If Apple decided to drop the hammer and make the iPad2 $349.00 when the iPad3 is released other tablet makers might as well give up. Either way iPad sales will trounce PB and other tablet sales for years to come.

Seriously? Even $349 is way too expensive for an ipad. It one big giant itouch. I purchased an ipad 2 for my wife at $499 and I feel like I was ripped off.

There won't be anything that can match the iPad3. There still isn't anything that can match the iPad2.

How do you know? Do you know what the ipad 3 spec's will be? How will it be different than the ipad 2?

Again - its one gigantic itouch - why can nothing match it? I purchased one and I am honestly unimpressed. The thing has the portability of a bowling ball. Do you walk around carrying a bowling ball all day?

[ugahairydawgs]

Seriously? Even $349 is way too expensive for an ipad. It one big giant itouch. I purchased an ipad 2 for my wife at $499 and I feel like I was ripped off.

A valid opinion, but you are (according to the market) in a significant minority.

[djnshores]

What exactly is the way an iPad actually trounces anything, other than with respect to convincing people that inferior components assembled in a chinese sweat shop are somehow superior. Personally, I don't think PB will ever have anything more than a niche market, but there is not necessarily anything wrong with that - one can make a good product and a lot of money in a well defined niche market. iPads sell because they were first to the market and Apple has an impressive PR machine. Android tablets don't sell because 1) many are junk, 2) the OS(s) are notoriously buggy, and 3) the app selection other than games is really not very good. Half a million pieces of garbage makes for a electronic landfill, not an app store. My bet is that in two years time, PB will have a moderate but stable and sustainable market share and people will be wondering how Apple lost so much of its tablet market to Microsoft/Windows 8, not Google/Android.

RIM's new CEO has already stated that the Playbook will never have the Android OS. I would agree with that.

I think it would be more advantageous for the Playbook to run Windows 8 if it wants to be more than a niche player. Windows Server is used by many corporations and this is the same market that is RIM's forte. Microsoft dominates in the PC and laptop arenas but has little presence in the tablet market. The Playbook running Windows 8 would make a nice addition IMHO. There is bound to be a shakeout in operating systems for tablets. Microsoft also doesn't have a large presence in the smartphone market. acquiring RIM or at least partnering would add credibility to MS.

And I don't see the price of the PB going above $299 in its current configuration. I read that a 3G model is expected later this year. I can see a higher price for it. I hope they consider 4G LTE as that is where the smart phone market is headed.

[slalom]

i was just in Wal-Mart outside of Toronto. Both the clerk and I were shocked to see the price of a 16gb at $498 on the shelf.

I asked him to check the price in their POS and itscanned at $198.

He couldn't tell me the price of other models because he had no stock to scan.

[BrizzadMan]

i was just in Wal-Mart outside of Toronto. Both the clerk and I were shocked to see the price of a 16gb at $498 on the shelf.

I asked him to check the price in their POS and itscanned at $198.

He couldn't tell me the price of other models because he had no stock to scan.

I noticed the same thing here in Calgary ... I was going to question them on it, but there was no one around to assist. Too bad, cause that will throw off a number of people!