Anyone pick up an iPad?

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i prefore Archos tablets

fuzzy: uh??

I spent about 15 minutes playing with one in my school's book store today, and I can definitely tell that I still want one. The keyboard is a bit slow at first, but even in those 15 minutes I was able to increase my speed significantly. The only things that took a significant amount of time to type were a few equations in to WolframAlpha.com, but that wasn't exactly surprising.

Again, remember that I said that I don't have a smart phone, and now my phone's currently free. Getting an iPhone would be $200 up front with a minimum $90/month contract. An iPad's going to be $800 up front (my pre-order total: $630 for the 16gb 3G model, $100 for the protection plan, $40 for the case, and $30 for the camera connectivity kit), and then it's only going to be $15 a month for the 3G service. It's $600 more up front, but I save $75 a month. Even if I go with the unlimited $30/month contract, I'd still make up the difference in 10 months for a device I'd find much more useful than an iPhone or a similar Android phone (they're really too small for a guy of my size to use well).

DN Forrest: Your thinking regarding the iPad/phone cost makes good sense. I have a Droid Eris and it's great, but I really only primarily use the camera and the phone and to a lesser extent the calendar. I rarely use it for internet access/email, etc. I'd like to do what you're planning, because checking email etc on that tiny screen is a drag, but I want the iPad to have a camera built in. I can't believe they didn't do that.

this guy picked one up for all the right reasons[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ8il5kEAwY[/youtube]

I rather like the concept of the iPad. I'm constantly logged online, and being perpetually linked to the internet seems very attractive to me, as well as a lot of others. I won't get one, though, because I don't have 500+ dollars to spare. When summer comes, Apple will release their iPhone OS 4.0, which will allow the iPad and late-generation iPhones and iPod touches to multitask. As a linux user, I would try to find a way to dual-boot the device If I ever got one. But I don't have to worry about that.

I have to admit- watching those Ipad commercials made my eyes light up, but I am not interested in buying one even if it does look like the coolest thing ever. I made the mistake of buying a netbook last year, and it now sits in it's cute little box under my dresser. The AC adapter port broke inside it after a couple of months and I need to find a person to fix that, or buy a soldering gun and try to fix it myself. It will be my 10 year-olds first computer I guess.

Personally I like a big honking machine that shudders, beeps, and clicks as it fires up. I like being able to upgrade it myself, crack it open and replace parts if I need to. Even my laptop is a bit chunky (and old) but it works very well and I don't have to grit my teeth and wonder if there are bug fixes coming down the road soon.

I don't like buying the next new thing- that is more for people who have to have a status symbol. I genuinely love my computers.