Poll: Are you getting an iPad?

52 points by aditya ↗ HN
Now that the details are out, are you going to get one?

151 comments

[ 2.9 ms ] story [ 171 ms ] thread
Where's the "I'm waiting for a decent android tablet" option?
The No option
Thank you. I am aware of which current option is closest to my choice. I was not really referring to that tho. The poll question is a yes/no question, and all the answers are either No, or the answer to an implied "which iPad?" question. I was hoping maybe to get an option to say no, and to answer an implied "why not?" at the same time. Seems more balanced that way.
And what do you think this comment area is for?

Edit: To clearly state what I'd expect to see would be "I'm waiting for <x>" as a comment, not a request for more poll options.

I think this comment area could equally well be used for telling which iPad one would be buying. So by asking for a poll option I not only specify what I intend to do, I also meta comment on the strange implied answer/question part of the poll.

Edit: I would not really have this problem if the question was 'Which iPad will you be buying?' since that is the question most of the choices answer. The "No option" could then morph into "I won't be", or could be omitted entirely, as not voting is the same as "I won't be".

I was writing about this on my blog. I hope it wont be 3 years before we can have a decent (google?) open pad.
Step 1) Buy an x86-based computer in the form factor you like.

Step 2) Insert an Android Live CD.

I never noticed you can vote for multiple options in HN polls. No + 16gb wi-fi = maybe.
I might buy a used one when the 2nd gen comes out.
This tires the eyes like normal LCDs, so for my main use it's the same as a netbook.
No "maybe"? I don't know if I want one yet, but I don't also know that I don't want one.
I need an option for:

Probably, but the device missed the mark with me. The purchase will be for someone who just needs an ebook (now ibook?) reader, web browser and music player.

(comment deleted)
Use the 3G on either T-Mobile or Verizon network with either an Android phone or MiFi unit.
I don't know yet. It looks awe inspiring, and I think that the iPad app development field might be a good way to make a little cash if I get in early enough. People who buy the first generation, though, usually end up wishing that they waited for the second generation device with even more features and power.

Typically the second version works out any quirks and problems that they first one has. So I might wait.

need to go to the Apple store first and see the real usage
I choose No.

I'm interested in playing with one. But I really don't think I will buy one - perhaps my wife will though. ;-)

waiting for streaming media service, bigger screen, faster *G connection, and lower price. but, really just the first one.
I can see myself buying one on with the idea that it will make for some interesting multitouch large screen apps / web-apps.

I can also see myself not using it much. Maybe. Will wait for reviews and to see how the currency converts first, probably.

$499 -> £300? More likely.

$499 -? £499? Less likely.

Needs: 'No and I won't let any of my family or friends buy one either'
You must be fun at Christmas parties.
I think you're looking for reddit... It's that-a-way.
Because Apple is too controlling, right?
Mainly because I'm sick of people expecting me to fix their new computer problems. "I dont know how to do X anymore, my old laptop had a program that did it." Have fun!
I'm not, but I'm very excited about this. Setting the bar at $500 means the android equivalent will be within my price range.

Unlike others, I'm actually buying a netpad for the touchscreen keyboard. If you have chronic RSI, the soft touch needed more than makes up for the clunkiness of tactileless typing.

For RSI-class problems what also matters is positioning of your wrists (they shouldn't be bent). Which is why I'm using a FingerWorks TouchStream keyboard when my RSI gets bad — it has both touch typing and a bent design, which keeps my wrists straight.
Wasn't FingerWorks the company Apple bought to work on the touch interface for the iPhone (and presumably the iPad)?
Yes. Their public product before Apple bought them was a 12" Powerbook that had its keyboard replaced with an enourmous multitouch input pad.
Probably.

Once the "this could be huge" wears off and some real reviews roll in and some 3rd party apps show up, I'll think about it.

2nd or 3rd version will be great either way, I think.

Where's the "I'm not stupid enough to buy the first version of anything" option?
The "No" option.
Except in this particular case the person could indeed be intending to buy an Ipad, just not from the first generation. Which is clearly not the "No" option.
It's not the no option.

For example, if you asked me this question about the iPod (which I own) or the mac mini (which I own) clearly I'd be lying if I said I wasn't going to buy either of those pieces at all.

I probably will buy one of these. But I'll give it a year or two first.

Only if there winds up being a good writing app for researchy notes, annotating pdfs and latexing up those notes thats integrated together, I would love that
I'd get the 3G+WiFi one, but I don't want to wait an indeterminate number of days for it. And I already have an iPhone.
I could get a 10 inch iPhone for a lot, or a cheap Chinese media player that runs Linux for a third of the cost.
I'm all for Linux (my primary development machine) but, really? You would favorably compare the UI of this 'cheap chinese media player' to the iPad? It's just not a contest. If my grandma needs a computer for looking at photos we send her and sending email -- well, guess which device it wont be.
Yes, but he's not your grandma. If he'd done the standard geek thing and said "why would anyone buy this..." and listed some obscure geek reasons then fine, but he didn't.

I'm actually thinking about buying one for myself but it's true that the competition I'm weighing it up against is one or more cheap, no-brand, linux devices (openinkpot e-reader, cheap netbook, tegra webpad, openpandora) at a fraction of the cost.

Depends on how jailbreakable it is.
Yeah, I'm interested in one. I've never purchased an Apple product, but this pad looks pretty neat.
No. I've had it with apple. I bought a few of their products. They're beautiful and clever, but eventually I always end up feeling humiliated by how evil they are - treating me as a user like I was a worthless money machine. Also I find it hard to imagine how I would use such a device - too big to put in my pocket, no e-ink, so it can't serve as a book reader and no keyboard, so I can't use it to create things.
I completely agree. Whoever their target is, it's certainly not me.
Agreed on the lack of e-ink. When I read that Amazon and Sony would have to struggle to provide a touch-screen, full-color interface, I thought that meant Apple had come out with an e-ink tablet. It looks really cool, yes, but frankly I'm disappointed it's not e-ink. That specific feature attracted me to the Kindle in the first place, and I absolutely love that I'm not staring at light.
What is the appeal of e-ink? I breathed a sigh of relief that it was not based on e-ink - a technology that isn't up to the task of doing what this device can do.
e-ink's appeal is in the fact that it is beautiful to read off of. I do however agree that its not the right display tech for this device.
It would also last longer than 10 hours. The display only eats power when you change the screen. That said, its refresh rate isn't great.
eye fatigue... imagine when you stare at a computer screen too long, reading now... your eyes get tired from strain, you could get burning sensation, glare, dry eyes.. all this could lead to bigger health concerns. Thats why e-ink is superior. People have reported issues with led and sight. If you want an ebook reader, the kindle,nook , and ereader are all superior for a hard core ebook reader. links : http://www.computervisionreadingeyeglasses.com/eye_fatigue_s... problems with led: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1677617...
e-ink is the only real replacement for reading of paper (as of today). All other screens simply don't cut it - the resolution is way too low, they flicker, and you'll find that you can't read from them for too long without getting tired.
Why don't people understand what an incredible compromise e-ink is? It does nothing well except emulate words on a printed page. It can't be used for Web surfing, it can't be used for gaming, it can't show photos or videos, and you can't use it to implement any kind of meaningful user interface. It's too slow by two orders of magnitude for any of these tasks.

If you want to try to compete with Apple by building an expensive gadget that only does one thing well... good luck with that.

I think most people do recognize the compromise.

It does nothing well except emulate words on a printed page.

Thats the whole point! People want something they can stare at and read for hours without hurting their eyes. Its target specifically at people who want to get the book reading experience without carrying around a book.

As for the limitations you mentioned, I believe they are well acknowledged. At the moment, people are just happy to keep their eyes in good condition.

treating me as a user like I was a worthless money machine

Could you be more specific?

Yes. Apple makes it impossible for me to do things that I'd like to do and should be able to do with their hardware using DRM and other treacherous computing technologies. I had an iPhone for a while and I just got rid of it because:

1. I had to use iTunes to put music on it. Very inconvenient for me, being an Ubuntu user. 2. As a developer and super user, I was limited in what I can install on my phone. That's a phone I bought, for a lot of money, and belongs to me, and yet I couldn't decide what I put on it - everything had to go through Apple's shop.

Do you know many other companies that poo-poo like that on their customers? The very same people who pay them huge amounts of money?

I don't think Apple is the one pushing DRM, they aren't idiots. Apple's hand was forced in the fact that they had to compromise with the record labels. I'm sure Apple would prefer to sell DRM-free tracks, considering it would simplify the user experience. The record industry is responsible for DRM.
There are hackable and customizable phones out there - the iPhone is not meant to be either. You knew this coming in. It's not like they lied to you.
Right, they didn't lie to me about the iPhone and they didn't lie abot the iPad, which is why I won't be buying one.
Agree. Apple's iTunes game will sooner or later be over. Having to keep mp3s the iTunes way is just funny and one of the greatest indicators of Apple seeing the user as a money machine. Solely the looks and good design of iPhone will no longer be able to hide this truth.
perhaps buy a wifi/3g one and resell it on ebay? (they come unlocked...)
Thinking the same thing. I could always buy it and use it for two months and if I don't like it I can sell it for nearly the price I paid for it. Probably will sell for at most $50 less and just think of it as a "rental fee".
If it had a camera built-in, I'd seriously consider the 16GB 3G+WiFi, but without it, I have some reservations.