iPad: Should You Wait?
February 24, 2010 | VReitano
I want the iPad and I know I will eventually get it, but the question I’m debating is: now or later? Apple is pushing this product as revolutionary; the savior of news. Is it really? Will I buy it (at the “low retail price” of $499 and up) only to have a lower priced, better version come out in two months? I’m not sure, but maybe this article will help both you and I make a decision.
It’s gorgeous, revolutionary and rather inexpensive. I have an iPhone, so I only need the $499 version. That’s a steep price, but everyone seems to forget that at one point Kindles were the same price and people bought them. I bought one for my mother’s birthday last year and she returned the favor on mine. We both love our devices, even if we did get rather cheated on the price. Amazon lowered prices in the summer, just after our spring birthdays. This was a little disheartening, but the Amazon bookstore prices stayed the same, so I really couldn’t complain that much. The books were readily available, delivered swiftly and they always seemed to have EVERY title I needed.
Flash forward a year. My Kindle broke twice; my mother’s broke three times. She finally paid the $50 upgrade fee to get the Kindle 2 (which also came out after our birthdays) and is happy with it, but is waiting to see how long it will take for it to break. They freeze, the text stays on the screen longer it’s supposed to and then POOF! it’s gone, and you need a new Kindle. Amazon is great about replacing them (for free unless you want to upgrade) but this experience is making me weary about purchasing the iPad’s first edition.
Apple, in my mind and experience, has a better track record than Amazon. They’ve been designing computers since before I was born (that’d be the 80s in case you’re wondering), and seem to be doing a pretty good job at it. They revolutionized the smart phone industry with the iPhone and now that I have one, I can see why. It’s the perfect tool for the next generation–it’s sleek, simple and easy to use. It’s a tool that lets me do everything I need to go, from wherever I am. The iPad seems like a supped up version of my trusty iPhone and I can’t seem to say no, except for those nagging voices in the back of my head saying “Remember the Kindle.”
I have my version 1 Kindle, and love it, but am afraid it will break. If it breaks, I guess then I’m free to get an iPad, but if the iPad breaks, what will I get then?
According to these Mashable articles, on their own section of the site devoted to the iPad, it’s a worthy buy. Many of my friends however disagree. Even the Mac fanatics believe it’s a waiting game with Apple to see what comes out next in iPad 2.0, because they aren’t sure that 1.0 will cut it.
So what do you think? I’m going to wait, I think, unless I see it and it’s gorgeous and my credit-card miraculously falls out of my wallet and into the register at Apple…so yea, waiting is the option for now.
Tell me below what your ideas about the iPad, Apple, or just buying new tech tools in general are. I’d love to hear from you!
