Apple iPad: Pre-order complete
Summary: All that hype and in less than six minutes I’m left $533.93 poorer and anxiously awaiting the arrival of my new toy. You definitely have to hand it to the Apple marketing crew. Not only did I set my alarm and make sure I purchased right at 8:30am, but I did this knowing that there will probably be more than enough iPads available at the Apple Store on April 3rd.
Last night I set my alarm to make sure that I was at my computer and ready to pre-order an iPad as soon as the gates were opened on the Apple Store.
My morning routine usually involves helping my wife get the kids ready for school, so this morning was no different except that all fun stopped at 8:25am EST. At that point I grabbed a cup of coffee and then sat at my computer waiting for it to hit 8:30am. At precisely 8:30am I clicked through to the store and then was faced with a buying decision. Which version of the iPad do I pre-order? Is 16GB Wi-Fi only the right way to go? Do I need any accessories? As you can see from the screenshot below, there are plenty of accessories to choose from.
By 8:36am my order was complete. According to Apple, I should have an iPad in my hands on April 3rd.
So, which one did I go for? In the end I was torn between the 16GB and 32GB, but settled on the 16GB. Also, I went for Wi-Fi only since that's the one that ships first, and this is going to be more of a showcase device than a productivity enhancer at this stage.
All that hype and in less than six minutes I'm left $533.93 poorer and anxiously awaiting the arrival of my new toy. You definitely have to hand it to the Apple marketing crew. Not only did I set my alarm and make sure I purchased right at 8:30am, but I did this knowing that there will probably be more than enough iPads available at the Apple Store on April 3rd. I should also mention that I haven't physically held the iPad, so somehow Apple convinced me to part with my money for a device that I haven't even fully experienced yet.
Did you pre-order? If so, which iPad did you pick up? If not, feel free to comment below but Matt already got that discussion going yesterday.
UPDATE: Joel, Matt here, I too pre-ordered my iPad this morning. I went for the 32GB model with the case and $99 2-year warranty. I plan to use it on my daily commute and wanted something to protect the large display. I also found that first generation products can have issues and wanted the safety net of the warranty. As you linked to above, I posted my thoughts for and against the iPad yesterday and figured I would pre-order and could always change my mind over the next 3 weeks. As I have said before, I don't think it will replace any device, but it should enhance my mobile experience and should indeed replace my iPhone (I never use it as a phone) and keep me from buying the next generation iPhone.
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Talkback
Memories
The reason for my post is that your blog brought back some memories. As a child and (young) adult I remember looking forward to many purchases/gifts. Over time however I came to realize that most of the enjoyment came from the pre-purchase rituals and emotions. Once I had the item, it (most of the time) quickly became just another piece of "stuff", that may have had more or less enduring value and utility.
As I grew older I became more and more realistic and utilitarian. The emotions of the past are largely gone. These days I know what I need/want. I do the research, wait for the right deal and make the purchase. I do not like to unnecessarily fatten someone's bottom line. I guess I am not very good for the economy, but I am very good for myself and my own finances.
Enjoy your new toy.
Nice bit of...
Really, it's so hard to insult people whose priorities aren't the same as
yours while pretending to be polite, but you managed it well.
Nice bit of...
Edit: Some people may read my post and conclude that I am an old stick-in-the-mud cheapskate and some may, like you, find it condescending. How you chose to read my posts is entirely up to you. I don't really care. If it offends you it offends you.
I don't think of you as a stick-in-the-mud...
child.
That's not condescending, is it?
I hope that at least someone I know will buy one
I personally have no need for something like that, but it'll be ineteresting to see if it lives up to the hype.
Personally, I would need something with a bit more functionality, but that's just me.
The concept of a tablet is.......
In short, you have become very boring.
RE: Apple iPad: Pre-order complete
RE: Apple iPad: Pre-order complete
Impulse control issues? (nt) ;-)
I bought one too!
dumping my AT&T air card I use on my laptop which I use to access
restricted sites on at work, I work in a bank and there are a ton of
restricted categories, and will op for the reduced $30 data plan which is
half of what I pay for my macbook pro air card.
Getting rid of the air card at a monthly savings of $30/month will pay for
the iPad in 24 months, about the same time I will upgrade.
What the heck is wrong with you?
setting your alarm to be 1st in line. Hello, it is not
going to be delivered until April 3rd. Is there some
kind of bragging rights to having the 1st order?
To answer your question, no, I am not going to pre-order
an iPad. Will I buy one down the road? Maybe.
RE: Apple iPad: Pre-order complete
Woulda, if I Coulda
fact is I'm just not liquid enough to consider it right now. If
my personal consumer confidence were a little higher, I too
would have made a donation to Uncle Steve's special fund for
addictive toys.
You made me laugh. Thanks (nt)
Are you anxiously awaiting or eagerly awaiting; big difference. (NT)
RE: Apple iPad: Pre-order complete
rather than an online order. I still want to get my hands
officially on one first. I went for the same one you did, WiFi
16GB, and probably for the same reasons.
We all know what P.T. Barnum Said
Which one?
Despite what many people here might think, I do not find the "sucker" one all that appropriate. Some of the other ones are not bad.
Though it was attributed to him, nope P.T. Barnum did not say it.
widely known.
In addition to using search engines, I own plenty of reference books.
Many of them debunk things on many categories.
Also, remember a search engine is your friend:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There's_a_sucker_born_every_minute