The iPad

[X]

While Online classes would be a good argument, I already have a desktop so I would just do classes from it. 

I dunno.  I'm going to see how this year works out.  That will tell me if I want a laptop or not. 

King

If you have a solid desk top, the iPAD might work for some of your needs. I would also check the warranty for it. I can be rough on my own tech devices and I was pissed to discover that if you drop many devices with touch screens and they crack, the crack voids the warranty. I don't know about the iPAD, but you can look into that.

If you have another means to meet the majority of comp work that you need and don't need the same in your mobile device, go for the iPAD, but make sure that it has everything that you will need it to have.

If you have a good foundation in your home comp and no need for a mobile one, I'm sure you can work around the things that I personally find to be a deal breaker for me.

[Bryancd]

My issue is your attempt to qualify it as the "lemming effect". That insinuates mindless following. The iPad success hasn't been do to mindless following, it's due to the undeniable fact that it does what it advertises and better than anything else right now. It may not be for you, but don't disparage those for whom it does, including me and my wife. Again, don't be the small man on the small hill, look at the bigger picture.

[KingIsaacLinksr]

My issue is your attempt to qualify it as the "lemming effect". That insinuates mindless following. The iPad success hasn't been do to mindless following, it's due to the undeniable fact that it does what it advertises and better than anything else right now. It may not be for you, but don't disparage those for whom it does, including me and my wife. Again, don't be the small man on the small hill, look at the bigger picture.

Actually, X is probably right that a percentage (idk how big, we could argue this alllllll day) are..."lemmings" looking to get it, just because it's cool, it's the next big deal, etc.  I know a few iPhone people who hardly use it for more than just it's phone features....which begs the question of why they got it....

King

[KingIsaacLinksr]

While Online classes would be a good argument, I already have a desktop so I would just do classes from it. 

I dunno.  I'm going to see how this year works out.  That will tell me if I want a laptop or not. 

King

If you have a solid desk top, the iPAD might work for some of your needs. I would also check the warranty for it. I can be rough on my own tech devices and I was pissed to discover that if you drop many devices with touch screens and they crack, the crack voids the warranty. I don't know about the iPAD, but you can look into that.

If you have another means to meet the majority of comp work that you need and don't need the same in your mobile device, go for the iPAD, but make sure that it has everything that you will need it to have.

If you have a good foundation in your home comp and no need for a mobile one, I'm sure you can work around the things that I personally find to be a deal breaker for me.

Ok, I guess I should have made that clear I had a solid desktop to work off of.  Figured everyone knew this.....*whistles innocently*.  ;)

Personally, I don't want a mobile device at all beyond my iPhone.  The iPad/Laptop "need/want" is a response to the demands of school.  It's why I'm not getting one for this fiscal year as I believe I can get by without either so time will tell if I'm right or not in this decision. 

Otherwise, getting an iPad for other, non-educational purposes is purely for having fun with a big iPod touch screen.  I definitely have no huge need of it right now, which is why I don't have one at this time.

King

[X]

My issue is your attempt to qualify it as the "lemming effect". That insinuates mindless following. The iPad success hasn't been do to mindless following, it's due to the undeniable fact that it does what it advertises and better than anything else right now. It may not be for you, but don't disparage those for whom it does, including me and my wife. Again, don't be the small man on the small hill, look at the bigger picture.

Bryan, there are mindless followers. I know several in my life. They buy the latest big thing, then they get pissed it doesn't work right or that it drops in price. I'm not calling you or your wife lemmings, but you can't tell me that they aren't there. You can't tell me that there weren't people buying it because it's the next big thing.

I can admit that there are knowledgeable people that are buying the iPAD. Lemmings aren't the sole buying force behind the success of the iPAD. Is it hard to admit that people are buying it just because of what it is and not what it does?

See, I even said it was a success.

[X]

While Online classes would be a good argument, I already have a desktop so I would just do classes from it. 

I dunno.  I'm going to see how this year works out.  That will tell me if I want a laptop or not. 

King

If you have a solid desk top, the iPAD might work for some of your needs. I would also check the warranty for it. I can be rough on my own tech devices and I was pissed to discover that if you drop many devices with touch screens and they crack, the crack voids the warranty. I don't know about the iPAD, but you can look into that.

If you have another means to meet the majority of comp work that you need and don't need the same in your mobile device, go for the iPAD, but make sure that it has everything that you will need it to have.

If you have a good foundation in your home comp and no need for a mobile one, I'm sure you can work around the things that I personally find to be a deal breaker for me.

Ok, I guess I should have made that clear I had a solid desktop to work off of.  Figured everyone knew this.....*whistles innocently*.  ;)

Personally, I don't want a mobile device at all beyond my iPhone.  The iPad/Laptop "need/want" is a response to the demands of school.  It's why I'm not getting one for this fiscal year as I believe I can get by without either so time will tell if I'm right or not in this decision. 

Otherwise, getting an iPad for other, non-educational purposes is purely for having fun with a big iPod touch screen.  I definitely have no huge need of it right now, which is why I don't have one at this time.

King

Find out if your books are available in a digital format. If it is, find out how much memory you'll need for them. If the iPAD can deliver, it won't be a bad buy. If you need a laptop, go with that option.

I don't know what the textbook scene is like on the iOS, I only looked at a device with a droid OS that is supposed to have a great selection in the pipes. I would personally go with that device because it has a reader side and can run into the double digits in hours on a charge.

My wife is back in school and has decided that she wants one of those because we have two PCs, an ereader, several iPODs, a zune, and a laptop already.

[Bryancd]

My issue is your attempt to qualify it as the "lemming effect". That insinuates mindless following. The iPad success hasn't been do to mindless following, it's due to the undeniable fact that it does what it advertises and better than anything else right now. It may not be for you, but don't disparage those for whom it does, including me and my wife. Again, don't be the small man on the small hill, look at the bigger picture.

Bryan, there are mindless followers. I know several in my life. They buy the latest big thing, then they get pissed it doesn't work right or that it drops in price. I'm not calling you or your wife lemmings, but you can't tell me that they aren't there. You can't tell me that there weren't people buying it because it's the next big thing.

I can admit that there are knowledgeable people that are buying the iPAD. Lemmings aren't the sole buying force behind the success of the iPAD. Is it hard to admit that people are buying it just because of what it is and not what it does?

See, I even said it was a success.

Dude, I have bigger fish to fry. Did you SEE the size of the scorpion I just pulle dout of my pool?!!! ;)

[KingIsaacLinksr]

@X (Because I'm too lazy to quote), I will not likely get an E-Reader version of any of my textbooks this year because renting is cheaper....I think, but I will en-devour to make sure of this little fact. 

Which droid OS thing are you talking about btw?

King

[KingIsaacLinksr]

As suspected, looked up all my books for this term and none are available on Apple or Kindle's Stores.  However, this doesn't surprise me as I had already heard that eBooks for college books are few and far between due to publishers being greedy so-and-so's.  Even if I did get an iPad, there is no great chance I would even look for e-reader books.  I still prefer non-electronic books at this time.  This may change though, I'm arguing with myself on this.  ;)

King

[Bryancd]

I'm arguing with myself on this.  ;)

Well, at least you have a good chance of winning that one. :)

[Ktrek]

Bryan - That was one of the funniest responses I have read on here in a long while! Thanks for the laugh!  :roflmao

Kevin

[Feathers]

Oh wow! I've clearly been missing a treat with this thread!

Very...ah, entertaining.

I go with the religion/politics comment. This is a case where no-one will ever convince anyone else of anyting since everyone's (perceived) needs are different as are everyone's views of how this or that will meet those needs. Like it or not, 'wants' come in there somewhere too.

(For clarity, I'm not accusing everyone of trying to convince anyone else of anything. I'm simply stating it as an impossibility :))

[Bryancd]

Gene Munster, on eof the top Apple analysts on Wall Street is now modeling for 21 million iPad sales in 2011. That's simply astounding. Niche product? I think not.

iPad, Apple's 'Mac of the masses,' predicted to sell 21M in 2011

By Neil Hughes

Published: 08:00 AM EST
Related AppleInsider articles:

Apple expected to sell 6.2M iPads in 2010...
Apple stock projected to hit $300 on strength...
Piper increases first-day Apple iPad sales...
First iPad estimates: 4 million units in year...
Piper: Apple tablet no more than $700, launch...

One prominent Wall Street analyst has increased is forecast for iPad sales in 2011 to 21 million, citing expansion of the device's availability, as well as rapid adoption in the enterprise sector.

Gene Munster with Piper Jaffray said Thursday he believes the the iPad is poised to outsell the Mac in 2011. He had previously called for 14.5 million iPads to be sold in 2011, but now sees Apple selling 21 million.

"We believe the iPad represents a meaningful product category for Apple as a secondary computing device for those who already have a primary computer, a primary device for those who could not previously afford a Mac, and the first Apple product that will be a success in the enterprise," he wrote. "We see the iPad as the Mac for the masses."

His prediction is based on three factors: increased supply and expanded distribution channels, international rollout and adoption in price-sensitive markets, and uptake in the enterprise sector.

Munster said that increased presence of the iPad in retail stores will help to drive sales. Best Buy recently announced that it will expand iPad sales to all its U.S. stores this week, while Target is rumored to sell the device beginning next month.

Earlier this month, the iPad launched in China and 5 Latin American countries. In these "price-sensitive markets," the iPad is more likely to be used as a primary computing device by people who could not previously afford a Mac, Munster said.

Finally, he said the iPad has the potential to take the largest percentage of its sales from enterprise customers. He noted that the company revealed in June that more than 50 percent of the Fortune 100 are deploying or testing the iPad.

Munster believes Apple will control 94 percent o the worldwide tablet market in calendar year 2010, with 10.7 million of the total 11.3 million tablet sales for the year. In the future, he sees Android as the iPad's primary competition, as the next 3.0 release, codenamed "Gingerbread," is said to support tablet devices.

Piper Jaffray has increased its price target for AAPL stock to $390, with revenue estimates increased from $78.96 billion to $83.13 billion. The calendar year 2011 earnings per share estimate has also been increased from $16.87 to $17.75.

[KingIsaacLinksr]

"We believe the iPad represents a meaningful product category for Apple as a secondary computing device for those who already have a primary computer, a primary device for those who could not previously afford a Mac, and the first Apple product that will be a success in the enterprise," he wrote. "We see the iPad as the Mac for the masses."

This right here is why I'm considering the iPad. 

King

[Bryancd]

"We believe the iPad represents a meaningful product category for Apple as a secondary computing device for those who already have a primary computer, a primary device for those who could not previously afford a Mac, and the first Apple product that will be a success in the enterprise," he wrote. "We see the iPad as the Mac for the masses."

This right here is why I'm considering the iPad.  

King

It's also why Gene Munster gets paid a few million dollars per year, to make predictive analysis about companies and their products. I have followed his research for years, he really understands the company. Unlike the shrill machinations of the techie blogosphere.