
Click Me!
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a bit of a gadget head. Not a hugely serious one, mind you. I don’t go out and buy the latest and greatest things as they’re released. I like to ponder them. I like to examine them, talk about them, fantasize what it would be like to actually go out and buy the latest and greatest TV/Computer/Media Player/whatever.
More often then not I’ll actually end up convincing other people to buy the things I’m dreaming about. Ask around. It’s true. I live vicariously through other’s purchasing habits.
But every once in a while something will come along that I do consider…
Like today.
Today Apple announce its newest toy, the iPad. What’s the iPad? It depends on who you ask. Apple thinks that it’s the tablet computer that would have been hanging from a vine in the Garden of Eden. Gadget review sites…they seem to think it’s a super-fast iPhone. And a very limited one at that.
I’m not qualified to give you all the nitty gritty details on the actual device. I’ve seen videos, produced by Apple and by review sites of the product, but I haven’t held it in my hands. I’ve read some articles, but haven’t deep-dived into the details. I’ve heard some, but not all of the arguments about why this product is great and why it sucks, and I have to say that I agree with both. There are plenty of websites where you can get all perspectives.
The big question for me is…would I buy one?
I didn’t buy the iPod when it first came out. I lusted after it, but I ended up buying a second generation one.
I also didn’t get the iPhone when it first came out. I got an iPhone 3G.
In that line, I may just wait until the second generation comes out to make a decision. The second generation version will no doubt address any downfalls of the first, including the lack of a camera/video camera. Also, by that point it’ll be clear whether or not it can take on the Kindle and the Nook in the e-reader market. I’m desperate to get into the e-reader arena, but I held back from buying a Kindle when it first came out due to cost and now I’m waiting to see which e-reader will end up winning. The iPad seems to have a gorgeous interface for reading books and magazines, plus theoretically you could use the Amazon Kindle App for iPhone to read Kindle books on the iPad. It’s very compelling, but I think it’ll take another six months to a year to see which direction publishers end up going.
On the other hand….it’s so pretty right now. And I could afford one.
On the other other hand, I’ve been saving up for a new lens for my camera.
…I hate these types of decisions.
I think I’d wait. I think I’ll wait.
Wait and see.