<p>Is anyone going to get it for college? Some of my friends were excited when they heard that Apple was supposed to reveal a new "tablet" computer, but I personally found the use of a modified iPhone OS underwhelming. Does it have any relevance as a college device?</p>
<p>Seems like it’s just an oversize iPod Touch with a ridiculous name. And for $500? Stick with a netbook.</p>
<p>It definitely should not be your primary computer.</p>
<p>I was hoping it could replace a laptop, especially for note taking, but this first model just wont cut it. No camera, multi-tasking, flash. I would also want easier note taking such as an add in where you use a stylus to take notes and it saves them.</p>
<p>College students generally have more need for power than most users, who really only do email, web browsing and light duty. Most users don’t touch spreadsheets and don’t write long papers. The iPad will be useful if publishers put textbooks on it, as McGraw-Hill has intimated, but it’s not powerful enough to be a full computer replacement for many college students.</p>
<p>Of course, we won’t know for sure until it is actually available, but I wouldn’t necessarily count the iPad out. It has more processing power than many netbooks, and the iWorks applications can read/write MS-Office file formats. The on-screen keyboard might just work for taking notes unobtrusively in class, and the dock keyboard will allow for typing long papers.</p>
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<p>I wouldn’t consider better than many netbooks to be much of an endorsement for use as a primary computer. There also seems to be some doubt about whether it’s possible to print from it.</p>
<p>It syncs documents. It connects over wifi. We’ll have to see but it would be odd if it couldn’t send a document to a bonjour or other net enabled machine and thus a printer. </p>
<p>The interesting thing is that the file system stores each document in the library with its application. There is no file browser, no Finder. When you open an app, the documents associated with it are available. That’s like the iphone. </p>
<p>Perhaps because of the special chip inside - designed by Apple from a company they bought just to do this - the thing is supposedly really, really fast. That’s the idea, that you switch without waiting and thus the need for multi-tasking that taxes the battery is much less. It also reduces the amount of memory needed for operations so you can fit more into it. (To compare, look at the amount of memory that’s wired up for each of your open apps on your computer.)</p>
<p>I would maybe consider it if I ALL the textbooks I would need throughout college were guaranteed to be available at a cheaper price than actual textbooks and if the price of the device were lowered.</p>
<p>I agree with Columbia14.</p>
<p>Get the Thinkpad X100. It’s only $500 and it has great value</p>
<p>I think the name iPad is ridiculous. Its not very innovative over what’s already in the market. Its just a giant iPod Touch…waste of money IMO, get a net book or a tablet PC.</p>
<p>It’s a horrible device that is just a bigger looking itouch or iphone. I think that in its practical use it would be a waste of money and time manufacturing it. However, Apple is eventually going to convince the consumers that they really need one. It might be a financial hit for the company.</p>
<p>Does the iPad serve any purpose apart from being a new toy for preppy rich kids? It cannot replace a computer for college nor can it do anything that a hacked iPhone/iPod Touch can’t do. I think that it is a frivolous waste of money.</p>
<p>I think the size makes it more suitable for adults that aren’t used to how everything is on 4 inch screens now.</p>
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<p>Doesn’t Apple do this with every product? Or at least, produce mediocre to great products and sell them for exuberant to outrageous prices?</p>