Anyone going to stand in line for this thing? Just wondering

[Trev]

@mingle

That's amusing, considering the uproar over Apple's initial refusal to publish farting soundboards. (EDIT: I.e. People want farts. Apple-branded farts.)

[mingle]

@Trev,

:lol:

[KatManDEW]

I totally do see a use for it. It's just a unnecessary gadget with no real gotta-have functionality as far as I'm concerned. iPod is a different story.  I'm on my second iPod. I just got a new iPod Touch because the headphone jack on my old one crapped out. Although not necessary, the wireless connectivity in the new iPods is a nice feature for folks like me. I only use my pay-as-you-go cell phone about twice per year, so I sure can't justify $500-$1200+ per year for cell phone service.

If Apple or the Blackberry or Droid folks would get smart and offer reasonable cell service plans for folks who don't eat, breath and sleep with a cell phone hanging out of their ear, I would happily cough up the full price for one of their phones. But I'll be damnd if I will pay $500 a year for a service that I would only use for a few minutes, once or twice a year.

[EvilGuy]

@EvilGuy

History is written by whom? Apple has done for personal computing what The Beatles did for rock and roll. They certainly weren't the first, but they brought it to the masses in a way that made everyone stop, watch, and listen.

EDIT: I shouldn't be not so mean today, if you want to believe that Apple brought personal computing to the masses then good on you.

[runequester]

If Apple or the Blackberry or Droid folks would get smart and offer reasonable cell service plans for folks who don't eat, breath and sleep with a cell phone hanging out of their ear, I would happily cough up the full price for one of their phones. But I'll be damnd if I will pay $500 a year for a service that I would only use for a few minutes, once or twice a year.

Those costs are determined by the wireless carrier, not the manufacturer.

[KatManDEW]

@EvilGuy

Apple has done for personal computing what The Beatles did for rock and roll. They certainly weren't the first, but they brought it to the masses in a way that made everyone stop, watch, and listen.

The Beatles were pop music. Not Rock 'n Roll. They did some drugs when they got older and got a little more funky, but Led Zepplin they weren't. "I wanna hold you hand"? "We all live in a yellow submarine"? Yea, that really rocks me out of my socks ;-)

[KatManDEW]

Those costs are determined by the wireless carrier, not the manufacturer.

OK. I'll keep my money. If they want to give me a product and service that fits my needs, they can have some of my money. Other service providers seem to be able to see fit to offer cell service plans that fit the needs folks who aren't mobile junkies.

[B00tDisk]

I specifically avoided mentioning the iPad, but yes, I believe that it is the first of a new class of computing. A class that might not feel natural to us, just as people resisted GUIs in the mid 80s, but is now here to stay. Ok Apple's mk1 iPad might not appeal to you and I... Maybe their mk2 or some other manufacture's device will, but it doesn't matter, as we are now the old blokes in the pub moaning about the new fangled music that's basically just noise

I disagree; it's new paint on an old idea.  The day I cannot, under any circumstances, or any way, go out and "roll my own" hardware, pick my OS of choice (including Mac OS - as long as they're x86 based they're a choice for homegrown PC enthusiasts, and privately Apple can't help but be happy about that regardless of their corporate stance on it) and enjoy computing the way I'd like is the day I give up on it as a hobby, period.

Imagine someone saying that a round track and battery operated toy train is "the future" of scale railroading, or that in five years model plane enthusiasts will all have single-stroke engined Cox "plane-on-a-string" models etc., and that anyone else's enjoyment is just them living in the past.  I'm a big-tent guy, there's room for everybody underneath it, and I'll be damned if I'll sit by and nod my head and pretend it's OK for some nitwit with a degree in interior design dictate what I do, and do not, with computers.

[B00tDisk]

Apple has done for personal computing what The Beatles did for rock and roll.

...be a shallow overhyped boy band?

(p.s., as pointed out the Beatles were pop, and furthermore even Paul McCartney acknowledges they couldn't produce an album as good as anything by The Beach Boys)

[amigakid]

@ Shurk

what if the OS goes crap how do you re-install the OS??  

Do you know anything about modern technology at all?

 hmmmnn.. yeah I do since I do network infrastructure for a hospital.  I'm talking about the average person.  So go ahead and enlighten me on how to re-install the OS without a DVD/cd drive?  Obviously u can't do it over wireless since ur OS is Toast, u can't D/l it since well OS is toast, u cant boot from a thunb drive or mem card since OS is toast.  So im curious.. just how do u expect to without opening it up (remember we are talking about the average user not a techie)?

I also never stated it was a laptop I made a point of how much more a laptop can do referrinf to a price comparison and the fact to get the "High End" Ipad would cost $899.00 and still lack on features

Sync music via Wlan???  Again you miss the point.  If you have a CD you like then you must burn it to a computer, then sync it to Itunes.  A lot of hassle for music.

Another thing I am not whining about it I was simply comparing the usefulness of it to me.

[Trev]

EDIT: I shouldn't be not so mean today, if you want to believe that Apple brought personal computing to the masses then good on you.

Well, technically, Apple is one of the companies that brought personal computing to the masses, but that's not what I was saying. What I was saying was that Apple's products speak to the masses in a way that others' don't.

[Trev]

The Beatles were pop music. Not Rock 'n Roll. They did some drugs when they got older and got a little more funky, but Led Zepplin they weren't. "I wanna hold you hand"? "We all live in a yellow submarine"? Yea, that really rocks me out of my socks ;-)

Pop music is anything that sells, and that was exactly my point. The Beatles repackaged a sound in a way that made it accessible to everyone. Led Zeppelin was (and is) selling records, but they don't have the nearly universal appeal of The Beatles.

I'm not advocating for sheep-like behavior, but these products speak to people in a way that can't be dismissed out of hand. Apple, like The Beatles, is doing something right.

[Trev]

(p.s., as pointed out the Beatles were pop, and furthermore even Paul McCartney acknowledges they couldn't produce an album as good as anything by The Beach Boys)

Neither can Brian Wilson, these days.

[Trev]

But don't worry, everyone. Jobs will fall ill sometime soon, the Twitter generation will lose its messiah, and Wall Street will throw Apple under the bus.

[KatManDEW]

I disagree; it's new paint on an old idea.

My feelings exactly.

Love the shallow overhyped boy band statement ;-)

Apple - Blackberry - Droid: If you're listening, I'll pay good money for what I consider to be some great produsts that you are offereing. But I won't pay for cell service that I won't use.

I realize of course that the customer is always wrong.

[Trev]

@KatManDEW

They're not listening. ;-) If Apple can sell candy-coated s**t to four people and gold-plated nirvana to one person, it's candy-coated s**t all the way. And six months later, everyone else will be selling candy-coated s**t, too. You're arguing against human nature.

Personally, I don't think Apple's products are s**t, and anyone claiming to have gold-plated nirvana is probably selling you lead. Or something like that. :-P