Yup its completely useless nobody is going to use it because there's no use. Those guys working at apple must be complete idiots right?

It's useless if you already own an iPod or an iPhone, yeah. The few new functions aren't going to justify its price tag.

I'm pretty sure that there's more than one person out there making software specifically for the ipad.

Apple is releasing their office suite for the ipad so there's one thing right there. It can be used. I guess its not useless.

The thing is almost everything apple makes is a shiny version of something that already exists with half the features and twice the cost. Even if you don't need everything a netbook can do why would you pay twice as much for something that can't do those things?

because it does those other things that you want exceptionally well

What are the other things that apple sells with the half features/twice cost ratio cuz I can't think of any other things

Yeah but what can third party developers do with the iPad that they can't do or that hasn't already been done on the iPhone or iPod? Apple is just asking developers to use the updated SDK to design alternative looks for the iPad that makes use of its large screen, kind of like how the YouTube app for iPhone is the exact same as the iPad version except they have different layouts. What kind of revolutionary software are you expecting for the iPad that would justify cashing out $499 ($629 if you want 3G) and using it instead of a netbook or an iPhone?

i dunno, it has some better hardware in it so I'm assuming it'll be able to do plenty of things that the iphone can't. I also don't necessarily think that the software needs to be revolutionary for apple to justify the price point, the only justification they need is that enough people will buy it so that they'll make a profit(it's Apple's obligation to its shareholders as a corporation).

there's little incentive to buy it if you already own an Apple device that runs on the same OS.

which quite a few people don't!

I might not, but I already know of at least two older people who want them because they like the OS but have tried iPods/iPhones and cannot see them very well due to their poor eyesight.  In fact, this device is fantastic for them, the OS is easy for them to use but also easy for them to see.

I don't think that's the only justification, but it is the biggest one I've come across from people saying they want it in the last two days!

It's not like they buy anything anyway *_*

The point of the iPad is not to be a platform for Apple's media, it's supposed to be a hybrid between smartphones and laptops; a netbook killer.

Although I'll admit I haven't watched the whole video of the release conference, I'm pretty sure they didn't pitch it as a netbook killer or a smartphone/laptop hybrid. If you're disappointed about that, you can only blame yourself for believing every word of the hype and rumors generated by the media prior to this MYSTERIOUS DEVICE's release. No one knew for certain what would be unveiled, but apparently the term "netbook killer" had been floating around for a while. I just read the text press release and didn't see any quotes by Steve Jobs referring to it as a hybrid device or a netbook killer, other than being "thinner and lighter" than a netbook.

A thinner, lighter, shinier, multitouch device from APPLE. This is all you should have been expecting.

I think the reason drule etc (me) think it's so dumb is we're all various level of "power user" and we just can't get our head around a product that offers LESS flexibility than something in the same price bracket with basically the same purpose like a netbook or even just an iphone (velffire's blind professor not included). But really the AVERAGE computer user doesn't even want most of that shit they want to be able to read their emails and newyorktimes.biz and this gargantuan iphone does that shit for them but starts up quicker and has a longer battery life supposedly. Not being able to run any software you like just apple approved appz seems really restrictive to us but to that kind of user it's just not having to worry about malware and shit.
It's a computer for babeys and talking to most non-gamingforum people that's exactly what they want

Although I'll admit I haven't watched the whole video of the release conference, I'm pretty sure they didn't pitch it as a netbook killer or a smartphone/laptop hybrid. If you're disappointed about that, you can only blame yourself for believing every word of the hype and rumors generated by the media prior to this MYSTERIOUS DEVICE's release. No one knew for certain what would be unveiled, but apparently the term "netbook killer" had been floating around for a while. I just read the text press release and didn't see any quotes by Steve Jobs referring to it as a hybrid device or a netbook killer, other than being "thinner and lighter" than a netbook.

A thinner, lighter, shinier, multitouch device from APPLE. This is all you should have been expecting.

they never marketed as such, in fact Apple has explicitly said it's not interested in netbooks. drule is just projecting what he wants on to the device and because it doesn't live up to everything that he wants it to be makes it completely useless presumably because he lacks the ability to step outside his own perspective and "think different"