I May Be Spending $600
It was just two and a half years ago that Apple released the iPod touch. At the time, I was disappointed at its limited storage capacity. Because of this, I concluded that I would not be spending the money to buy one. But times have changed. Expectations have changed. And, though my income has shrunk, I’m rethinking what I will and will not spend money on. What changed all that? Apple’s release of their long-rumored tablet computing device, called the iPad.
First, the features. The iPad looks like a big iPhone and is essentially a portable internet and media device. It gives you easy access to the internet, email, videos, music, and pictures. It runs all the iPhone apps, including new apps designed to take advantage of that 9.7″ screen. It connects to keyboards, it connects to projectors, and it connects to the internet via WiFi and 3G. It’s fast, portable, and exciting.
Second, the price. Here’s where everyone was floored. 16 GB for $499, 32 GB for $599, and 64 GB for $699. That’s for the model that has only WiFi connectivity; the 3G capable model is more. That’s so much less than everyone was expecting. I was anticipating a price at $799, which was the highest that it could go for me to even consider purchasing one. For the largest model to come in $100 less is incredible. The model that I would consider buying is the 32 GB model, and it’s at a price so much lower than I had anticipated.
So what to make of all this? Does Apple have a hit on their hands? The product is available in 60 days (WiFi version), so we’ll find out soon enough. But here’s the fact that has got me excited about the future success of the product. At the price point, I’ll be pitching this to almost everyone I know. For example:
1. My mom has a desktop computer, but nothing portable. She travels with some frequency, though, meaning that a mobile device like this could be potentially convenient. An iPod touch is too small for her to use conveniently, but an iPad could be the perfect compromise. Now she can send emails and use the internet while away from home.
2. My dad has a desktop computer, nothing portable, and no internet access at home. But he does have wireless internet access at work and at the library. An iPad would give him the ability to stay connected in a lot more places and give him something inexpensive to do it with.
3. My sister is graduating from college in May. She has a laptop and a desktop, but because she’s going into the design-based field of landscape architecture, she has a need to show off her creative work. The iPad means an easy to use, beautiful to look at device, that she can easily take to share her work with employers or clients.
4. My teenage cousins spend a large amount of their lives connected to the internet. But the price of a laptop (and the lack of need for all its functionality) means they are often stuck going down to the basement to use their family computer. An iPad would mean great connectivity, combined with the productivity tools they could use. I didn’t mention it above, but the iPad runs productivity apps like Apple’s iWork suite. I would wager there will be plenty of other word processing applications out soon enough.
5. A professor of mine uses an Apple laptop and has an Apple desktop at home. But when traveling, she has no way of bringing along a wide variety of media, like books. But since Apple has announced a brand new store for books, she could easily buy books for her iPad and take them with her on any trip. It also allows for easy photo sharing with friends and family.
6. Me! Every day, I carry my laptop around with me. But how often do I need to access my entire music collection (12,000 songs), or my entire photo library (13,000 pictures), or every word processing document I’ve ever made? The answer is, of course, never; lugging around my laptop means 6 extra pounds on my back for a lot of functionality that I don’t use. With the iPad, I can work with word processing documents, display presentations, use the internet, and read emails, all with a device that adds almost no weight to my backpack.
In 60 days, the WiFi version comes out (90 days for the WiFi+3G), which means 60 days for me to save up some money. Of course, I won’t buy without some good product testing first. But right now, I’m on top of the world. It’s the features I want, with good design, and an irresistible price. For my money, it can’t be beat by anything on the market today. Nothing even comes close.
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