Should I buy an iPad?

[Uncle Ted]

More evidence that Apple is now THE MAN. Whodathunk?

Reminds me of that old saying:

“"Every movement starts out idealistic, then becomes a corporation, and then eventually becomes a racket." -Eric Hoffer”

"The worst crime against working people is a company which fails to operate at a profit." -Samuel Gompers, founder of the labor union.

[mUUser]

ipad is truly awesome, but don't even think about getting it without 3G capabilities.

[San Juan Sun]

ipad is truly awesome, but don't even think about getting it without 3G capabilities.

Why not?

I've never tethered anything, but people make it seem like a breeze. And since I spend 95% of my time at a place with free WiFi, I don't think I'll use 3G all that much. I'm not crazy about spending $240 a year just for occasional 3G access, that I can get from my phone for free anyways.

Thanks for your advice though. I don't want to seem ungrateful, I'm just trying to make a good decision. I'll likely be buying an iPad 3 this fall anyways, and have the chance to get 3G then if I really need it.

[Jeff Lebowski]

ipad is truly awesome, but don't even think about getting it without 3G capabilities.

Takes me about ten seconds to tether my iPad to my phone and the speed is great. And I can leave my phone in my pocket.

[Uncle Ted]

Why not?

I've never tethered anything, but people make it seem like a breeze. And since I spend 95% of my time at a place with free WiFi, I don't think I'll use 3G all that much. I'm not crazy about spending $240 a year just for occasional 3G access, that I can get from my phone for free anyways.

Thanks for your advice though. I don't want to seem ungrateful, I'm just trying to make a good decision. I'll likely be buying an iPad 3 this fall anyways, and have the chance to get 3G then if I really need it.

I have the same opinion. I am around wifi most of the time. When I am not then I use my jailbroken iPhone and the myfi app to tether it. It is quick and easy.

The one reason you may want to op for the 3G option is for the GPS features. Although using wifi (even with tethering) the iPad can sort of figure out where you are it is much more accurate with the 3G. Of course, $240 can buy a nice GPS these days.

[San Juan Sun]

Takes me about ten seconds to tether my iPad to my phone and the speed is great. And I can leave my phone in my pocket.

What kind of phone and provider do you use? Did you have to root your phone? Do you have to pay extra to your provider to tether your iPad?

[PaloAltoCougar]

Love the iPad and use the 3G a lot. It's especially good on road trips, and the GPS feature is better than the one in the car. I know the iPhone (which we don't have) does pretty much the same things, but the iPad is great to have visiting cities with which we're unfamiliar (info about restaurants, stores, movie theaters, etc., all at your stores). And the big screen is far more geriatric-friendly.

If I can just get three stars on two more levels of Angry Birds' Hogs & Kisses, I'll be a happy man.

[Uncle Ted]

What kind of phone and provider do you use? Did you have to root your phone? Do you have to pay extra to your provider to tether your iPad?

For the iPhone there are two options for tethering:

(1) Pay Verizon and AT&T an extra $20/mo and they will turn up this feature. I believe with Verizon they give you an extra 2GB/mo transfer. I am not sure about AT&T I assume if they haven't match verizon they will soon.

(2) Jailbreak your iPhone and install the mywf or PDANet app.

I opted for the latter given I don't use the cell data network that much. I am mainly around wifi (even at church).

[doctorcoug]

SJS, don't get 3G. Save money and tether. Get an extra battery for your cell if you plan on tethering a lot. You would probably pay for Internet for usage at church, at a restaurant, and driving. Sounds like a waste of money to me.

[Jeff Lebowski]

What kind of phone and provider do you use? Did you have to root your phone? Do you have to pay extra to your provider to tether your iPad?

HTC Hero. Sprint.
Yes, I did root my phone.
No, I don't pay anything extra.

If you don't mind hacking a bit, it (rooting) is not difficult to do. But if you have $1500 to spend, it would be easier to get the 3G model and pre-pay for a couple of years. Don't leave that money sitting on the table.

[San Juan Sun]

This post is from my new iPad. I got the 64 GB wifi from Verizon. It so turns out that I've been paying for tethering capability all along (better watch the bills closer). So the dude at the Verizon store hooked it all up for me in about 15 minutes total. So far, I'm very pleased. Thanks to everyone for your help.

[TripletDaddy]

VZW offers an iPad? Is it a CDMA device? How long have they been selling their own iPad?

[Uncle Ted]

I own two iPhones, an itouch, and an iPad. I nearly bought a Mac mini and MacBook air. After what apple just announced, I'm likely done buying apple iOS products. To demand 30% off of content because they "bring the consumer to the market" is criminal. The iTunes store does not bring me to the market for the vast majority of content I subscribe to. In fact, I know what content I want and then I check periodically to see if there is an app in iTunes. For instance, I want an antibiotic text called Sanford Guide on my phone, yet there is no app. When (now it is more of an if) the app comes, I'll buy it, not because of any advertising that apple provided, but because of my previous knowledge of the content provider.

So, ask yourself, do you want to use products supported by a company practicing these techniques, that inhibit growth in the market? I'm done...

Apple's digital subscription plan is good for consumers...

There has been much hand wringing about Apple’s new in-app subscription system for publishers and even one report that antitrust enforcers have begun looking into the matter.

The purpose of the antitrust laws is to protect consumers, not companies, so the simple fact that Apple will take a 30% cut from publishers who want to offer subscriptions on iOS devices should not be enough to trigger scrutiny. So, my guess at what a theory of consumer harm against Apple might be is this: Apple not only takes a 30% cut of any subscription purchased in-app on an iOS device, it also requires publishers to offer as low a price on iOS as they offer anywhere else. Therefore, a case could be made that a publisher faced with Apple’s 30% fee (and unable to simply raise prices by 30% just on Apple’s devices) might raise prices on all platforms enough to cover Apple’s cut. So, assuming market power of course, Apple’s new policy could affect all digital subscription pricing.

Yet it’s hard to talk about market power in such a nascent sector. Digital subscriptions didn’t exist 5 years ago, and they do now in large part thanks to Apple. The right market structure is sorting itself out right now and yes, Apple does seem to have a well-earned lead as the innovator in the space. But if the original Mac taught us anything, is that a lead in a nascent sector is no guarantee of monopoly and regulators would be creating serious disincentives to innovation if they meddle.

Digital publishing is very much a contestable market. I hardly need to point out that the day after Apple’s announcement, Google made public its own very competitive subscription service. And while the iPad is ahead of the game right now, Android tablets are only now beginning to hit the market. If declining iPhone market share is any indication, Android will nip at Apple’s heels in the tablet space as well. And let’s not forget other formidable (and somewhat-formidable) competitors in the likes of HP’s WebOS, Microsoft-Nokia, and RIM.

Moreover, while the consumer harm is speculative, the potential consumer benefits of Apple’s subscription service are pretty clear:

Ease of Use & Security: Apple’s app store is a tremendous innovation if nothing else because it creates a simple payment system consumers trust. iPad users will tell you they much prefer one-click subscriptions managed through Apple than having to create many accounts with disparate publishers, which incidentally improves security.

Privacy: One thing that sets Google’s offering apart from Apple’s is that they will share with publishers information about subscribers. Apple, on the other hand, gives users the choice of sharing information with publishers, and then it’s only limited information. This should please privacy conscious consumers.

Subsidized Devices: As a recently viral article in Wired suggests, the reason Apple is able to offer the iPad entry price of $500 (which rivals are having a hard time meeting) is that Apple is a vertically integrated company. This means that the 30% from subscriptions potentially subsidizes the iPad’s low price, thus benefitting consumers.

[Uncle Ted]

I own two iPhones, an itouch, and an iPad. I nearly bought a Mac mini and MacBook air. After what apple just announced, I'm likely done buying apple iOS products. To demand 30% off of content because they "bring the consumer to the market" is criminal. The iTunes store does not bring me to the market for the vast majority of content I subscribe to. In fact, I know what content I want and then I check periodically to see if there is an app in iTunes. For instance, I want an antibiotic text called Sanford Guide on my phone, yet there is no app. When (now it is more of an if) the app comes, I'll buy it, not because of any advertising that apple provided, but because of my previous knowledge of the content provider.

So, ask yourself, do you want to use products supported by a company practicing these techniques, that inhibit growth in the market? I'm done...

FYI Doctorcoug, I talked to Jobs and he said he was sorry for trying to be evil like google...

Apple Gives Publishers a Sales Break

On Monday, in an unannounced change, Apple did an about-face on controversial rules that required publishers who sold content or subscriptions in iPhone and iPad apps to offer them through the iTunes App Store, with Apple taking a 30 percent cut. It revised the rules to give magazine, newspaper, music and video publishers more freedom to sell their content directly without going through iTunes.

So go buy that mac mini and macbook air now.

[doctorcoug]

FYI Doctorcoug, I talked to Jobs and he said he was sorry for trying to be evil like google...

Apple Gives Publishers a Sales Break



So go buy that mac mini and macbook air now.

Ok, maybe I'll do it. I won some grant money that would be well spent.