Note: Lord Panda is banned from the blog for the duration of the morning due to snippet stealing. I’d ban him longer, but there isn’t actually I can do to enforce this ban, so it wouldn’t work.
I want an iPad. There is no reason for which I should get an iPad. We don’t travel enough to necessitate a laptop. And when I did take a laptop with me with noble intentions of “working”, I ended up checking the email. Mostly my laptop gave me the opportunity of dragging an eight pound hunk of plastic and making my shoulder sore.
Nope, there is absolutely no reason for me to get an iPad, except for the fact that it’s cool. It has all these apps, and while I’ve never tried them, and I’m positive that I must be missing out on something great.
So I priced it. $500 for the device. $629 if I want 3G, plus the $14.99 per month for the cheapest 3G plan. I’d probably need a keyboard, too. Plus another $69. So if I get 3G service for a year, it will equal $877.88.
Faced with a price sticker, I have to ask myself, what will this iPad do for me that other devices already don’t? I don’t necessarily need web on the go. I’m plugged into it enough as is. When I got outside, I want to go outside, without screens and email. I have a nook, so I can al
ready read ebooks remotely. Hmmm.
Wouldn’t it be cool if I sat on the porch under an umbrella and surfed the interwebs… ? With a glass of tea? That would be super cool. I’d be superfly.
Wouldn’t it be cool if I had some porch furniture and I could sit and knit on porch? And drink coffee. Me, coffee, porch, knitting or nook, and Gordon.
OMG, that would be awesome.
I should take that $877.88 and spend it on some chairs and table instead. And an umbrella. Oh yes. It’s decided: iPad out, porch furniture is in.
Now where the heck can I get $877 for the porch furniture?
Did you try looking when you were at Costco? They usually have stuff like that for cheaper than say Sears.
BTW – iPad need a cover screen in order to read in sunlight, unlike your Nook
Lol. I’m a bit like that about the Ipad – I can’t justify paying that amount of money on something that, no matter how cool, I just don’t NEED to have. I have everything that the Ipad has (okay minus the apps and coolness) in other devices.
Not all porch furniture is that expensive? You could go visit IKEA again? If you can handle the near impossible building – why can’t they just sell us the display item?
I had the same dilemma.
Go buy porch furniture instead!
Laughed out loud at this, btw –
‘Note: Lord Panda is banned from the blog for the duration of the morning due to snippet stealing. I’d ban him longer, but there isn’t actually I can do to enforce this ban, so it wouldn’t work.’
Oh dear. Hope Lord Panda isn’t in too much trouble.
But have to say, I loved the snippet. ^_^
Snippet stealing was for the greater good.
Honestly, it was the best snippet, my favourite. I want Magic Slays even more now.
I want an ipad too but couldn’t justify spending that much money. I think it’s one of those “nice to have” but not essential products.
Just like Jessie 18, I have a hard time justifying paying that much for something I may not use as much as I thought. Not being blessed with rich relatives or a pile of money, I make those decisions frequently. Tech prices tend to go down (mainly speaking of the 3G plan and accessories; and maybe just maybe Apple…yeh.. will trim the price a little {She says all this while typing on a powerful Mac G5.})
You would enjoy the furniture more. And it would not be just you and your family but friends and guests. Comparison shop pn the patio furniture and enjoy it!
Garage sale time! Getting a super big umbrella for those mostly rainy days is a must.
Patio furniture is cheap at Ikea and Walmart and sometimes Costco. My hubby has an iPad. He uses it at home on our wireless computer network (so no 3G cost). It’s good for surfing, because there’s no startup time like you’d have on a computer. You need a silicone case or something for it. Patio furniture is probably healthier for you, although an iPad would have a better resale value.
Patio furniture is definately the way to go. You might have more short-term (ooh, new shiney!) fun from the Ipad, but that would go away after a little bit. Meanwhile, the patio furniture would keep producing fun times with nooks and knitting and grilling.
I have to agree with everyone…as pretty and shiny as the Ipad is…too expensive and the app’s aren’t free…many apps have to be bought so that’s even more money…look for used patio furniture if you can…we found some wonderful metal adirondak chairs that had a little rust…some sandpaper and rustoleum later and they looked fantastic! Get a large umbrella and a table new.
What if you tried a storyteller’s bowl experiment? What if there was a novella set in the Silent Blade universe sitting in a drawer somewhere?
when u find the $877, the iPad will be old news & something new & shiny will be in its place with cooler features for just a tad bit more cash…..the patio furniture though will last many years & bring endless opportunities for conversation, relaxation and joy!
Ha! That’s my thought process exactly. “Now that I have all this imaginary money, isn’t there something better I could spend it on?” This is why I’m typing on a large, clunky laptop with a broken keyboard that has twice in the last four years murdered all my files. Because I can always think of something cool that’s worth hundreds of dollars.
Now that the morning is over, at least here in TX, does that mean we can have more stolen snippets?
For patio furniture, if you wait a couple months, it will start to be on clearance at Home Depot and Lowes. Sam’s or Costco are also good places to look.
Or you could get an iPad. Mmm… so shiny…
Don’t get me wrong – I love shiny new technology. But the iPad is just not something that I need. I’d rather get a new laptop than the iPad. I can’t reliably type on a touchscreen and I don’t want to spend that much money on something that I can’t either play WoW on or write on. Seems like a terrible waste of gadget-money.
The patio furniture, though – that’s a sound investment.
Perhaps you could start selling pictures of the dogs to raise money? They are so cute and no doubt would LOVE to be famous.
Check Sears sales on outdoor furniture. Good prices.
Enjoy!!!
I totally agree with you….porch furniture, Nook (I have one and love it!) and husband. I am sure that the Ipad is overrated.
P’S’ Do not ban Gordon too long. Evyone loves the snippets!
Have you seen the Ipad velcro video? http://www.apple.com/ipad/velcro/
The Ipad also has all these game apps you could play with the family! Settlers of Catan, Small World, etc.
Maybe only a little overrated…
I want an iPad too…backlights for the win! (I love to read in the car at night)
I’m not getting one either though, lol.
Don’t be too hard on Lord Panda, Snippet Thief – it was a really good snippet for him to steal!
*also…you could just get an iPhone or an iPod touch…same thing but smaller scale. My hubby read the last Jim Butcher on his phone and loved it)*
Patio furniture is the way to go
The major downside of the iPad when I read the reviews is that there is no multi-tasking… what??? Not so shiny 
Patio furniture – Costco or craigslist.org
Maybe Lord Panda could just be really, really, really nice to you, and then you would unban him:)
I’m thinking I want one of those small notebook/netbook laptops. I’ve tried them in the store and they are pretty cool. It could be MINE– and I think I would not connect it to the internet. It would just be for writing. I’m serious. They are inexpensive, and they too are shiny:)
Two words for you: dead keyboard
The keyboard died? Maybe I’m not calling it the right thing– it’s like a small
laptop? Has a keyboard and everything it’s just smaller?
I have a netbook and I love it! Would highly recommend, if you want something bigger than a phone but smaller than a “true” laptop, and prefer a physical keyboard. I got an Acer Aspire One running Linux (because that has a solid-state drive, so I feel more comfortable having it in my purse when I’m running for the bus.
/evangelize
Just remember come September or October patio furniture will be really cheap.
Speaking of really cheap you can probably buy cheap resin furniture that you won’t mind being destroyed by kids or dogs for under 50 bucks a piece
The iPad definitely has the Shiny going on.
wait a year and the iPad will be half the price. At least I am hoping:)
I checked out an iPad and passed on the bright shiny. I own a Dell subnotebook with a Barbie-sized screen (the whole thing’s about the size of a hardcover) and it’s really cool for checking e-mails. Not so much for editing on the road since I use A Large Point Size. Still I don’t want to lug around tons of computer, either. Stuck, we are.
Buy the patio furniture. It’ll last longer than a computer and everyone can enjoy it. An iPad is pretty much an iPhone on steroids and I wonder just how long that big screen will handle being toted all over the planet.
I totally understand- I want one too ilona – give in to the lure of being an early adopter xxx
I hear ya. I gave into the devil (and flung the angel right into the mud) and acquired the iPad. I use it way, way, way more than I thought I would. And it’s kinda like a TiVo – I use regular computers now and think “why would anyone make it work that way?!”. But…
Yeah – pricey. About once a week I check eBay to confirm that I can still re-sell it for what I paid. I have regular twinges of guilt over the whole thing.
My preciousssss…. Must keeps it. Must gives it up.
So far “must keeps it” is still winning.
On the lawn furniture side of things – I’d second the whole yard sale or Costco suggestion. ‘Course I also sit on $5 plastic chairs so I don’t cry when my dogs dismantle my pretty patio furniture.
I have the Shiny, and Shiny it is. I use it WAY more than I would ever have expected. My laptop and Kindle go ignored these days. I recommend the Shiny to all who ask.
BUT….not to you, Ilona, because you would not be happy with it. The Shiny cannot play WoW. And reading or surfing outside on the Shiny is pretty meh.
Patio furniture is the way to go. Check out the Portland Craigslist site. I’ve outfitted much of my house through the Seattle Craigslist over the years; when you live in a relatively well off area, a lot of people sell off things of good quality and still in good condition for much less than new. My patio table and chairs were a terrific Craigslist find for around $100.
And with the weather we’ve been having, being able to sit outside is a must!
Nook = happy Erika (gosh I love my nook)
Ipad = hurty eyes Erika (don’t want hurty eyes)
Plus my littles would break it… They are rough on electronics. My 3rd little threw my Itouch in the toilet
I can just see him toting the Ipad to the toilet thinking “mmm Mommy needs to wash this and I can help!, Look!! water I can reach! Mommy will be so proud!”
Ick, and no.
LOL! At least with you it’s either or- with me it would be *I need both!* and then credit card debt. *hides*
I work with autistic kids and one of them has an iPad to communicate. Ever since I started working with her, all I’ve wanted to do is get an iPad which i definitely can’t afford (it being a month’s rent) but that doesn’t stop me from wanting. Badly. I really don’t have a use for it, not really, but it’s so much fun.
You can hold weekly garage sales and use the money for new furniture. Or you can go on craigslist and look under the free section. The free section is awesome!
I got an iPad the day it came out (I was in the US on holiday and got it more than a a month before it came out in the UK, so I felt special). It did seem really silly at the time, I have a laptop and an iPhone but I couldn’t resist. I absolutely ADORE playing with it. I read books on the tube and also, as I’m a student, I can dowload PDFs and read them on my way to uni. Then again, I live in central London so I have no need to choose between outdoor furniture and my lovely iPad!
My friends have got an iPad and after playing on it a few times when I’ve gone to visit I’ve decided I’m really not missing much and I’d much rather have that amount of money sat in my bank account so my bank manager doesn’t hate me anymore. I believe patio furniture is the way forward.
Maybe the Curran POV shouldn’t have been available to download for free – with all those downloads you’d probably have made enough money to buy the patio furniture and the iPad!
Ever since I’ve lost the use of my arms and legs, I’ve dreamed for an iPad.
It does everything my MAC does; and it allows me to meet my writing
deadlines in the hospital by using voice recognition software (nicely
called Dragon, btw). You can even download the free MAC Kindle
application. It might be pretty- but it can be functional, and a lifesaver
for writers during difficult times…;-) Now, if only Apple provided discounts
for disabled folks! (they don’t)
So, Lord Panda, I have the perfect revenge idea for being banned from the blog… post another snippet!
My husband won the basic model iPad from his employer, and we love it. He uses it constantly, and I would rather use it instead of my laptop for all my online needs, like checking my favorite author’s blog. As for the 3G, we haven’t had much of a use for it, so many places have wi-fi now (and we live in small town New Hampshire). I want one of my own, but our budget definately has no room for it. It is not a replacement for a laptop, but it is so portable and faster to use that I would bring everywhere with me, if I could get it away from my husband. As for the apps, 95% of our have been free, sound we are working on our fourth page of apps.
The patio furniture is a better family investment, but if you find some extra money, the shiny will bring you much joy and fun.
Shine516
From my husbands iPad
My husband surprised me with an iPad for my birthday. I don’t have 3g on mine, but I love it. It has been much more functional than I thought. I actually worked on a project while I waited in line to get into Comic-Con preview night. Then last night I worked some more while I sat in a Halo: Reach breakout with my nephew.
My hands are small so so far I have just used the keyboard on the iPad. If I was going to work steadily for hours I would use a keyboard.
I have students at school who have been using them regularly to take notes, read books and write papers, especially with Dragon.
I went to the Penguin breakout at Comic-Con tonight and saw the pretty Bayou Moon cover, but wasn’t one of the lucky ones who won a copy.
Oh, I want an iPad. But I don’t want it enough to spend what Apple wants for it. I’ll wait until the price comes down.
And I doubt I’d mess with 3G. We have wireless in the house and that’s where I’d use it the most, so nah.
Not bothering, though. yet.
However I did get a Nook. I love my Nook.
I have an iPad and I absolutely love it.
When apple said, “There’s an app for that,” they were not kidding. There is literally an app for almost everything. The apps that you can use on an iPhone can also be downloaded to the iPad.
I primarily use mine as an eBook reader. I believe you can get all the different eReader applications for free. I personally use iBooks, Kindle and Nook. While most books are available across the board, not all are.
Many of the apps you can find for free. Granted they are slimmed down versions; however, they are perfect to determine if you want the additional features.
I strongly believe that the iPad is first step to us having the small, thin pad-like computers in all the Star Trek movies.
To determine if it would be valuable to you or not you must examine what you will realistically use it for. If you have a wireless network and do not need internet connection for travel, then a 3G model isn’t required. If you travel a lot, and need an internet connection between WiFi hotspots, then 3G would be the way to go. I have found that I use my iPad for finding recipes and viewing them in the kitchen; reading in more comfortable places than my office chair; movies can be watched instantly via Netflix and probably other sites; and digital copies of movies can be downloaded and watched, not to mention email, etc.
Ultimately you need to determine if it will really be used, but then again, don’t you get really cold weather like snow and bad rain that would prevent you from using lawn furniture? The iPad can be used year-round.
Come on, drink the cool-aide. It tastes yummy!
I have an iPad (using it now) and I like it. I mainly got it so I could go through emails and surf the Internet at home without being stuck in our office/storage closet away from my family. We do travel a lot and the Ipad is significantly lighter than our laptop. I do not recommend it as an e-reader, e-ink screens are much easier on the eyes (I did a review of the iPad v. Kindle on my site.). Before buying the 3G, think of where you’ll be using it. Most places have wi fi, and it’s cheaper to get the wi fi iPad.
Gordon rocks! The snippet was great!
Lord Panda – sorry to hear about the ban. We still love you!!
I want an iPad too!! Sold out in Singapore.. it’s a sign.. I shouldn’t buy… *lol*
I love your logic-ing your desire vs reality. You do it sooooo well that it makes me believe that you often employ such reins of control upon your impulse shopping. A thanks for sharing with us who also have desires for “cool stuff’ that we don’t REALLY need.
Shoot! Late responding here but we were out of town. Caught the snippet tho and it rocked! Don’t be mean to Gordon.
On ipad! Glad you resisted. I have an itouch and after a year the battery on both mine and my son’s is starting to go. SO, the deal is you send it to the company and they send you back SOMEONE elses refurbished itouch. NO thank you!! I’ll not be paying apple major bucks to RENT their machine for a year again.
I got just got a Lenovo Net Book. It’s a cross between a net book {with a nearly full size keyboard} and the screen flips and can be used as a tablet for reading and such. Not as great an ap selection as apple but it’s still pretty cool for half the price and does more stuff.
If you wait a couple of years, it’ll only cost a couple hundred bucks- that’s how it goes with tech. I just got an iphone because I couldn’t help but want one- and now I don’t know what I did without it! I’ve fallen in love for the 4th time in my life. Seriously. My iphone only cost 150 clams and I needed service anyway, so I got all that stuff you wanted (minus the keyboard). But in all seriousness, I would choose a patio set over an ipad too. Now is the time to get one. End of season sales- you could find one for a steal!
Have you thought of yard sales? I’ve managed to buy lots of furniture for my
lanai without putting out a lot of money. I bought an almost new couch for $35
that I know cost several hundred dollars new.
I also bought an eight piece patio set for under $50 for out back and it looks
almost new.
All it needed was a little cleaning.