“Why blow $500 to $830 on a device that may not be what you expect? Just wait a mere three weeks to see for sure what it actually does and what surprises, good and bad, Apple has packed into the iPad,” Gruman writes.
MacDailyNews Take: Because demand may well outstrip supply and some of us have years of experience buying and being delighted by Apple products.
Gruman continues, “We’ve all seen promising product demonstrations that resulted in major letdown when we finally got a hold of the real thing. Why take that chance? …Maybe I’m wrong — maybe the iPad will be the full ‘magic’ that Steve Jobs promises. Wonderful! If that’s the case, buy one when you know it really is magic — after people not employed by Apple have had a chance to really use it and put it through its paces. Until then, why send Apple your money until you know for sure? Doing so would be, well, foolish.”
MacDailyNews Take: See previous Take and the related articles below that detail hands-on iPad use.
Gruman continues, “It looked like a few people were willing to go online first thing in the morning to order their iPads sight unseen… But only a few. Maybe the infamous Jobs reality distortion field does have limits after all.”
MacDailyNews Take: Yeah, stratospheric limits:
• 120,000 iPads pre-ordered on first day? – March 13, 2010
• 25,000 Apple iPad pre-orders per hour? – March 12, 2010
Gruman continues, “A fool and his money are soon parted, the saying goes.”
Full article – Think before You Click™ – here.
MacDailyNews Take: We remain quite happy to have helped lead the parade as some of the very first fools to pre-order our iPads yesterday morning. We understand Gruman’s fears (he doesn’t sound too experienced with Apple products, so he’s likely been harshly disappointed many, many, many times in the past by PC box assemblers, Microsoft, and the like) and we therefore forgive him for his criticisms, condemnations, and complaints. Hopefully, Galen will be able to get his iPad when he’s thoroughly assured himself that it’s the right move for him.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “justme2” and “Carl H.” for the heads up.]
Living in Canada, I thought I would have a friend in Florida order one for me. I would get it at the beginning of April. Otherwise, I have to wait until the end of April for mine. Boo! Let Gruman wait if he wants. I know what Apple can do.
There’s only ONE idiot here, and it’s not me or you.
Wow, do the ‘Think Before You Click’ writers ever bash anything non-Apple?
What a dolt. Preordered yesterday and I am quite familiar with what I will be getting, and I’m not even a tech analyst like this moron. He’s the idiot if he doesn’t know enough about what apple is selling and in the industry that he is in. Give him his walkin’ papers PC World!
I wonder what the letdown device was that bummed Gruman out so much?
Those on the other side simplistically call the iPad a bigger iPod Touch… If that be true and judging from the success and SATISFACTION of the iPod Touch, iPad users who buy ‘sight unseen’ should have no reservations about their purchase!
Well since it’s just “a giant iPod touch,” I already know what I’m getting… LOL
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” />
I am waiting for the 3G iPad. I may have to also wait for a data plan from one of Canada’s three 3G cell providers.
Stand alone data plans are nonexistent in Canada.
MDN’s Take reminded me of a quote:
Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain but it takes character and self control to be understanding and forgiving. – Dale Carnegie
This article also appears on infoworld with a toned-down title, “Only a fool would pre-order an iPad”. I guess PC world wanted more hits so they used a the more outrageous title.
I bought my appletv sight unseen. Same with my iPhone. Oh and my iMac. I never even seen or touched one before I foolishly bought one. I’m such a fool, a fool in love. Nothing apple related has failed me, I don’t regret any of those purchases. Not like my pc days where all the research in the world couldn’t of prepared me for all the let-downs to follow. This guy is talking out of his ass.
@cptnkirk
Living in Canada, as you say, did you check out the specs of the recommended temperature range for operating an iPad?
I just hope it’s going to work in sub-zero temperatures!
Writers like Galen are afraid that their world of reporting on “PCs” might actually tail off and give them less to report on as the world of “computers” becomes simpler, more reliable, less problematic and more capable for average uses.
‘Says Grumman’, as he tries to get his Zune to work. Just don’t drop it in the toilet Mr. Grumman – you won’t know which t-rd to rescue.
Peter Q:
That is a great quote. Thanks for posting it
Galen Gruman is a hit whore. he never has anything intelligent to say.
MDN should just ignore him.
“Living in Canada, as you say, did you check out the specs of the recommended temperature range for operating an iPad?
I just hope it’s going to work in sub-zero temperatures!”
I am sure cptkirk can answer for himself, but I think it is just possible that they may have buildings with heat in them up there?
Think maybe you have a stereotyping problem there? Or to much free time?
I even have my case made for April 3rd.
http://www.ronnorrisart.com/
Click- LEATHERWORK.
Not a good idea to tell consumers who obviously have plenty of cash at the moment that they are idiots.
He’s just fishing for hits even if it will be for 90% of the people telling him he’s a doofus.
Apple always does well with the first adopters. It gives them a leg up in the market. Apple’s products rarely have large problems in the first release. It is not like these are Palm Pres with the units falling apart at the first chance.
Would he really have consumers hold off buying like they have done with Palm’s and Google’s latest offerings? Apple are different and their products are game changers. That he doesn’t get it concerns me because he is supposed to be a market expert.
MDN says
“he doesn’t sound too experienced with Apple products, so he’s likely been harshly disappointed many, many, many times in the past by PC box assemblers, Microsoft, and the like”
Well, since he spent years writing for MacWorld, I think he should know first-hand about how great Apple’s stuff is.
MDN Magic Word: “just,” as in “just trolling for hits”
@kenh
“I am sure cptkirk can answer for himself, but I think it is just possible that they may have buildings with heat in them up there?”
Darn right we have heated buildings. Not only that but just last week we got one of them color, talking, picture boxes.
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”wink” style=”border:0;” />
Has this guy ever heard of a return policy?
You won’t really know how much you like the iPad/how useful it is until you really buy one and bring it home anyway. We are all aware of how it looks…so what extra would playing with one in the store for 10 minutes do?
I rather pre-order it (and I did, 16GB+3G), and have it delivered on the day that it’s out instead of making a trip to the Apple store and waiting who knows how long on the day it comes out.
@MacBoy
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”grin” style=”border:0;” />
Ha ha ha. I think you’d be more worried about the cold in Florida these days.
Living in Victoria, I thought I’d take a nice cruise from LA to Mexico. The first snow I saw this year was in California over the Siskyou pass. It was horrible.
I’ve made 5 Apple purchases on the first day for entirely new products.
Dual USB iBook was a new design, still works and in use
Aluminum PowerBook was a new design, still works and in use
Intel iMac was a new design, still works and in use
Intel MacBook was a new design, still works and in use
iPod Shuffle was a new design, still works but not used often
And another that was substantially new
iPod Photo (first use of color), still works and in use
Apple hasn’t let me down yet.
I can’t really blame him. I think it stems from Gruman’s previous experience with PC related products which never meet expectations. I am never an early adopter unless it is an Apple product.
@Swing Geezer… The Siskyou Pass get’s a lot of spring snow. I’ve been caught in it myself sometimes. Last year after easter I took the convertible up to see Mom in Vancouver. Had a wonderful drive up the 101 from the OC, cut over to 5 near Shasta… and when I hit the Siskyous it was nuts. Got through that and found nice weather in Portland and Vancouver Wa.