[Escher]

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 Holy shit, even the top-end 64GB caps out at $699!!! NOBODY would've expected this. From Apple, no less (who could've easily priced it at $999 and never blinked). Awesome. Just awesome. They're gonna sell like crack-laced pancakes at those prices! I was hoping for $799 (but fully braced for $999)...for entry level!

I'm right there with you, Scates! The prices are much lower then I feared. It's going to be an impulse buy -- as soon as you can actually order one. Just wish the iPad had a built-in camera for Skype with video!

[ime_NY]

Concerning the "$999" price slide, I thought that there would be an animation showing the the first "9" flipping into a "6" to show the price @ $699.

But when $499 popped up, my jaw drop...... hands down, with this price, I won't feel buyer's remorse!


Also, I think device would be perfect for the older crowd. I'm seriously considering picking one up for my mom: she doesn't have an iPod or iPhone; she reads a lot; and she only uses her laptop to surf and check email.

[ezkcdude]

Anyone who was in the market for a dedicated ereader should thank Apple tonight. Those prices will drop like stones. Kindle DX? Could be $250 after this. Kindle 2? $100, maybe $150.

For all the hooting and hollering, the iPad *does* a heck of a lot for a device at its price point. It's vastly different than a netbook. I think it will find so many uses in different markets. From the boardroom to the bedroom.

[Robo]

Originally Posted by ezkcdude Anyone who was in the market for a dedicated ereader should thank Apple tonight. Those prices will drop like stones. Kindle DX? Could be $250 after this. Kindle 2? $100, maybe $150.

I'm not sure the prices will drop that dramatically, not yet. I could see the Kindle hitting $199, which should greatly further mass-market adoption ($199 has always been a "magic price"), and I could see the niche Kindle DX hitting $399 pretty quickly and dropping from there. I don't think Amazon is able to just halve prices like you describe.

The iPad isn't really any more of an ebook reader than the iPhone was. I mean, it has an official iBooks app, but it's not installed by default, meaning many (most?) users won't use it. (I'm sure Amazon will make a Kindle app for the iPad, too.) The Kindle devices will still find an audience. The books are cheaper and they have the weight of the largest e-tailer behind them.

[Doxxic]

Originally Posted by Dorian Gray Guys, the price guarantees this thing will be a success. It doesn't matter what its limitations are at $499. In 2002 lots of people paid $499—which was worth a good deal more then—for a clunky, monochrome-screen iPod with a 10 GB hard disk. It played MP3 files, which people copied from someone who had figured out Napster. The iPad has a 9.7-inch screen with a friggin' IPS panel, a handful of radios, near-unlimited apps (and unimaginable ones to come from thousands of developers), a 10-hour battery life, inimitable Apple cool... It's Sci-Fi stuff, except even your mom can use it - and probably wants to.

This is why the keynote should have *begun* with the price, this time.

Me and I suppose most of the audience were expecting a product priced at $700-800 and started feeling a bit disappointed about what you get for that. Until the price was mentioned.

As far as my family is concerned, when one of our white MacBooks breaks, it will be replaced by an iPad, and not another MacBook.

As long as you can't buy movies via iTunes in Europe, I'll import my dvds with Handbrake.

It will be the ideal kitchen computer.

[ezkcdude]

I wonder what the iPad will cost with educational discount? $50 off?

[torifile]

Originally Posted by ezkcdude I wonder what the iPad will cost with educational discount? $50 off?

I doubt there will be any sort of Ed discount. iPods haven't been discounted in years. And iPhones have never been.

[psmith2.0]

True, but do you think this iPad might be positioned to play a larger role in education than the other two items? I don't know, I'm asking. Seems like it could go that way. Especially if that textbook stuff kicks in and takes off?

1-2 years from now, iPads on campus might be a huge, widespread thing...the "everyone has one" standard? It often takes a year or two for some of these things to hit that point (the iPod did, so did the iPhone). And look what happened, and how many got out into the world by that second year and seemed to become the "default choice" for so many (I've still never seen a Zune in real life, BTW).



I imagine that pattern repeating here, if all the pieces are solidly in place (textbooks for purchase, etc.).

[torifile]

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 True, but do you think this iPad might be positioned to play a larger role in education than the other two items? I don't know, I'm asking. Seems like it could go that way. Especially if that textbook stuff kicks in and takes off? 1-2 years from now, iPads on campus might be a huge, widespread thing...the "everyone has one" standard? It often takes a year or two for some of these things to hit that point (the iPod did, so did the iPhone). And look what happened, and how many got out into the world by that second year. I imagine that pattern repeating here, if all the pieces are solidly in place (textbooks for purchase, etc.).

Absolutely. And I really think that they should have an Ed discount. I just don't know that there will be one. But if there is, i'd put it at 10% off.

[psmith2.0]

That's cool. That knocks off $50 (and more on the two higher models). That's possibly a textbook or two right there, huh? Save a bit on the iPad, put the savings into some e-textbooks you may need.

I hope they do it. That would help spur things along.

Too bad we didn't get to see that part of the keynote play out...

j/k...according to McGraw-Hill, they weren't slated to be mentioned with the other publishers, and there was no education/textbook-specific segment planned. At least that's what they're saying.

[alcimedes]

And the McGraw-Hill CEO wanted Steve to dress him like a gimp and lock him up at Apple HQ.


Really.

[Wyatt]

Originally Posted by torifile Absolutely. And I really think that they should have an Ed discount. I just don't know that there will be one. But if there is, i'd put it at 10% off.

I'd love to see an EDU discount. Especially since my wife and I both work for schools.

I really doubt there will be one, though. I just can't see Apple giving up much of what may already be a pretty thin (for them) profit margin on the iPad.

[psmith2.0]

That was the best part about yesterday! I was braced for $999, hoping for $799...and got my mind blown by the $499.

My most optimistic, "there's no way it'll be less than this!" guess/wish was $699...and they beat that by $200! Good stuff. I did not see that one coming at all. If some rumor site had posted that as "leaked pricing info" on Tuesday, I would've laughed them off.

"$499?! Yeah, right...gimme a break!"

[Robo]

Originally Posted by rdlomas Ha. I really wouldn't expect Steve to say anything *other* than it's a breakthrough price. It's just false marketing to make people thing "wow, what a great price. Thanks Apple for giving me the best price you possibly could. Here's my credit card." Whether any of that is true or not, only Apple knows.

I know that Apple wouldn't exactly announce that there would be a price drop coming. But I'm not sure there's any good reason to expect it. It was already cheaper than most expected. It couldn't really get any cheaper without being the same price as the iPod touch. It's already the same price as the 8GB iPhone 3G (contract-free).

[scratt]

Originally Posted by Roboman I know that Apple wouldn't exactly announce that there would be a price drop coming. But I'm not sure there's any good reason to expect it. It was already cheaper than most expected. It couldn't really get any cheaper without being the same price as the iPod touch. It's already the same price as the 8GB iPhone 3G (contract-free).

Yeah. I agree. Steve has stood up there many times selling stuff with an Apple tax and taking groans from the audience.

On this occasion I really believe they cut this to the bone to get market penetration. I am not saying that they're making a loss - far from it. But, I'd be interested in one of the breakdowns of components we usually get from some of the tech sites. Because I have a small suspicion that the iPad is not being sold with their normal healthy margins - at least in the base model.

(Let's not forget that the ticket price compared to components never takes into account R&D. Also the "extras" in the higher end models show the normal "chip tax" that Apple add on for RAM and the radios. So they're re-couping on the high end devices and perhaps subsidising the entry level model profit margin to some degree with that.)

This price is both a welcome move for us, and a sensible move on their part IMO.
To some degree they are in a great position and have a bit of a chance to take a flyer with this, like they did with the AppleTV, simply because they have cash (lots of it) in the bank. And by going for an aggressive price they also give us the chance to take a flyer as customers.

EDIT : Of course if you stubbornly add in the cost of acquiring their own chip designers which have to date *only* produced a copy of an existing ARM design (albeit with better power characteristics) then they are probably in debt on the iPad to quite some degree...

[Brad]

(I've split this ongoing discussion about the iPad and its pricing strategy into a new thread from The new iPad!.)

[rdlomas]

I'm already looking forward to the Jailbreak so I can tether my iPhone for the few times I'm on the go or traveling.

The AT&T pricing was still too much in my eyes for those of us who also have an iPhone.

Just an opinion, but I would have liked to see a plan that was a "tack-on" for iPhone AT&T users that was less than the prices they came up with.

[psmith2.0]

They really should. Seems a bite to hit iPhone AT&T customers twice, when they're never going to be using the two devices at the same time, most likely. One $30 data charge...phone or tethering to the iPad (or using iPad 3G outright, and it somehow all being okay).

[bassplayinMacFiend]

Yea, I already pay for internet at home and on two(!) iPhones (on the same account no less). No way I'm paying for access again. Heck, at that point, might as well get a MiFi thingy and create your own personal WiFi field.

[torifile]

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 They really should. Seems a bite to hit iPhone AT&T customers twice, when they're never going to be using the two devices at the same time, most likely. One $30 data charge...phone or tethering to the iPad (or using iPad 3G outright, and it somehow all being okay).

I was thinking about this and it might more sense to get something like a Mifi from verizon and cancel your iPhone data plan if you're going to have both.

[zippy]

This is a big problem (for consumers) with the whole Cellular data pricing model.

I can buy an internet service for home from a variety of providers and pay one price regardless of how many devices I hook up. And that one price is pretty reasonable.

But this per device pricing model is a rip-off. If it was only $10-15 per month for unlimited, then I might be OK with it. But $30 per device? That could get crazy expensive in a family environment.

[zippy]

Originally Posted by torifile I was thinking about this and it might more sense to get something like a Mifi from verizon and cancel your iPhone data plan if you're going to have both.

The problems with that are:
You can't cancel the data portion of the iPhone. AT&T requires you to have it if you are using an iPhone. In fact, they have language which says that if they detect you are using an iPhone without paying for the data plan, that they will charge you accordingly.

The Mifi only works in a small area (is it something like a 15' radius?). So unless you and your spouse or other family members were around each other all day and night, you wouldn't all have data access.


-
You could certainly get a Verizon data plan + Mifi for the iPads, and then you'd also be able to use it with an iPhone. But the data plans from Verizon are not cheap, and you'd still have the limits of proximity.

I think we are in serious need of a consumer revolt on Cellular data pricing, but I think the best we could do is some price wars between the carriers. And the best way, IMO, to spur that would be for the iPhone and the iPad to be available across all carriers.

[psmith2.0]

The best way to do it is for AT&T to realize they're already supporting gazillions of iPhone users, and those users are paying their bills every month to use that data (allow tethering or whatever). Or, if nothing else, perhaps some sort of $5-10/unlimited "courtesy rate" for current, existing AT&T iPhone customers might go a long way toward making many feel good about some of this.

[zippy]

I still think I'd get the 3G version so that I had it if I needed/wanted it - on a limited basis.

The one bright spot on the 3G pricing was that it was a No Contract, sign up and cancel at any time kind of plan.

So while I might just use WiFi for 80-90% of the time, I'd have the option to purchase a month of data if I'm going to be traveling alot one month.

[screensaver400]

My grandmother is looking at this device to replace her 1.5 GHz 12" PowerBook (by the way, if anyone is interested in buying it, PM me. It's in great condition). He just uses it to play goofy little games, browse the web, check her email, etc.

I'm recommeding she get the 3G model so when she travels she has the option. Since there's no contract, and you activate right on the device, I figure she can pay the $15 for 250MB (enough for her to check her email, pay some bills, etc) just for a single month. On most months she'd use WiFi exclusively.

I assume, of course, she can activate and cancel at will like that... I kind of view it like T-Mobile Hotspot service at Starbucks a few years ago, where you could pay your $7 or whatever it was for a day of service when you wanted it, but didn't pay on the days you didn't.

Edit: What would be even better would be if you paid through your iTunes Store account. No messing with AT&T; everything is handled behind the scenes.

[Messiahtosh]

The iPad is glorious. I want it. Now. 60 days...err 90? DAMN IT. lol

[thegeriatric]

Seeing as I was considering an ebook reader, then this has to be a serious consideration.

[Wyatt]

Originally Posted by zippy I still think I'd get the 3G version so that I had it if I needed/wanted it - on a limited basis. The one bright spot on the 3G pricing was that it was a No Contract, sign up and cancel at any time kind of plan. So while I might just use WiFi for 80-90% of the time, I'd have the option to purchase a month of data if I'm going to be traveling alot one month.

I'd do the same thing if I was getting one. I travel for work about 2-3 times a year, and I always have to get reimbursed for hotel internet access. It would be pretty easy for me to get reimbursed for a month of 3G (about the same as 3-4 days of hotel Internet).

[torifile]

So now I'm torn. I'm pretty sure I don't want to spend more than $600 but I kinda also want the 3G version. And I also want 32 gigs. But I can't do both and stay near my price target.

Obviously, the lack of 3G will be more noticed when i need it, but how often would that be? I'll have my iPhone with me and because they're both on AT&T, service will be equally crappy on both. But I know I would just lament the fact that I don't have 3G next time i'm a passenger on a long car ride or something.

Oh, who am I kidding? I'm going to get both.

[Satchmo]

Originally Posted by torifile Obviously, the lack of 3G will be more noticed when i need it, but how often would that be? I'll have my iPhone with me and because they're both on AT&T, service will be equally crappy on both.

This makes me ponder as to how snappy the iPad will perform in real 3g situations. What sort of connection do you suppose was used during the keynote, wifi?