The iPad Cometh

Oh, iPad. You shiny, gleaming, wonderous, polar icecap-saving, God-defining, tastes like chocolate and awesomeness, piece of technology birthed from the mating of Steve Jobs and a unicorn. How you call for my attention...and wallet.

So, we're here. The wait is over. The iPad is available for purchase. Can you feel the shift in the Earth's magnetic field? I can. It makes my weenie tingle. Now all that's left is to decide whether to buy one now or later? I'm still on the fence and that fence is pretty sharp. It's just begging me to jump off and pick a side before I get a second crack in my ass. I know what you're thinking: "Surely, you can't really expect us to believe you'd wait to buy one?" I can't deny that there's a really strong possibility that I'll be at the Smithaven Mall Apple Store tomorrow morning, waiting in line with the other drooling Apple fanboys. I was able to hold back with both iPhone launches, but there's just something about the iPad.

I can't quite put my finger on it. Maybe it has to do with the possibilities that the iPhone created and begged for? You know, like, how the only thing better than an iPhone is a BIG iPhone? I've tooled around with quite a few apps in different categories like productivity (don't laugh!), games, entertainment, etc. but, the prospect of using these on a bigger screen with the ease and intuitive touch screen interfacemeltingness just makes me wanna do a happy dance! I've been around long enough to know to stay away from first gen, but how can I do that now? It's the iPad! How much more can they change to it that can't be fixed with software? Ok. Ok. Software won't make it widescreen (maybe) or add a forward-facing camera. So what? Three generations of iPhones have gone by without similar features (and others), and we're all still here. Still complaining, too.

eBook reader. Art canvas. Game console. How can you beat it? Well, I'll tell you how. You make another one a year later, which is exactly what Apple will do. However, I am not waiting a fucking year! Either I plunk the money down on 4.1.10 or I do it on 12.1.10. What's the fucking difference? Maybe from a money perspective it's best to save a few ducets right now. Perhaps I should wait to get another side job out of the way to pay for it. Or maybe get it and it'll push me to get another side job sooner. Or maybe I should beat up a little kid and take his/hers. Uhg... decisions, decisions.

What's a guy to do? What can actually happen, in a beneficial way, if I wait? Could the price actually (gasp!) DROP? I doubt it. This is not a subsidized product like the iPhone. No one else is giving Apple money to sell this product and the parts, for the most part, are a result of everything already being miniaturized for the phones and laptops and they haven't changed all that much, price-wise. I think Apple wants to avoid another hiccup like what happened with the first iPhone. Hardware-wise, this iPad will not change for at least a year, and even then what the fuck could they really do? Actually, that's a dumb question. They could do A LOT. Never underestimate the power of Apple and it's flock of vocal sheep (myself included).

I wonder how my opinion will change when I'm molesting the shiny, glass surface of an iPad in the store. I have to at least do that before I can make a decision. Fucking hell this is going to be tough.

Stay tuned to find out what happens. WIll I or Won't I? Heh...

Oh, and Happy Easter!

- S