Next-gen iPad prepped for April launch

How many is use

They may sell 7.5m but I'd love to know how many are in regular use rather than gathering dust.

By sixhundred on 7 Dec 2010

@sixhundred

Does your iPad gather dust? Or am I guessing you don't have one and just like to mock those who do?

My iPad is the first Apple device I've had since the Newton MessagePad, and it's also most most useful device I currently own.

By Stiggy on 7 Dec 2010

@Stiggy

I know people with an iPad and it's gathering dust.

By Steve_Adey on 7 Dec 2010

@Steve_Adey

In that case, you would like to point them in my direction, and I'll take it off their hands, for a reduced price of course.

By treadmill on 7 Dec 2010

@treadmill

I think that's the problem. With the money they've paid for them, I think they feel the need to hang on to them.

By Steve_Adey on 7 Dec 2010

A Timely Warning....

.... to all those planning to buy an original (old gen) iPad for Xmas.
A cynic might think the iPad2 is being delayed to help clear existing stocks/component inventories?

By incognitii on 7 Dec 2010

Nothing cynical about it - the iPad will have an annual renewal cycle in much the same was as the iPhone / iPod ranges do, ergo I'd expect the new one to be on sale around April, one year after iPad1 came out. In terms of clearing existing stock, historically stocks of iPod/iPhone have been harder to come by in the runup to the new release as Apple depletes existing stock, the same will probably happen with iPad.

I know people with iPads that aren't gathering dust, which just goes to show of how much value anecdotal evidence is...

By Throbinevans on 7 Dec 2010

@sixhundred

My iPad is gathering finger prints because I use it so much!

By cyberindie on 7 Dec 2010

Nothing cynical about it - the iPad will have an annual renewal cycle in much the same was as the iPhone / iPod ranges do, ergo I'd expect the new one to be on sale around April, one year after iPad1 came out. In terms of clearing existing stock, historically stocks of iPod/iPhone have been harder to come by in the runup to the new release as Apple depletes existing stock, the same will probably happen with iPad.

I know people with iPads that aren't gathering dust, which just goes to show of how much value anecdotal evidence is...

By Throbinevans on 7 Dec 2010

Argh, sorry for the duplicate

Must not press refresh :(

By Throbinevans on 7 Dec 2010

@sixhundred

My netbook is gathering dust as the screen is too small, it takes an age to load and the battery lasts about a minute.

(written on my iPad)

By smn1973 on 7 Dec 2010

Hmm.. well..

..my dad was one and he loves it. He's 66 and retired 10 years ago. He's always liked technology and loves the way that devices like the iPad help him organise his life.

However, if I'm to be honest the sheer size of it would drive me mad. Though I'm likely to plump for the Nexus S, an iPhone would be much more useful to me because of it's portability. My father loves the iPad because the size of the screen means that things are easier on his eyes but I struggle to work out what it is that makes the iPad so much more special than my daughters iPod 4th Gen. Too much is being made of their usefulness I think. My idea of a useful tablet is something with the thinness of the latest MacBook air that has near instant on, a light weight, has a thin but tactile keyboard, can fold over 360% to behave like a tablet, but otherwise like a laptop (when the screen is not folded flat 360%).

For me, the iPad is nothing more than an oversized iPod and it's size is it's handicap. In the places I'd feel most comfortable using it, I already have the ability to browse and use fully featured applications (home and work). On the move, you cannot ever be conspicious using an iPad. I'd be loath to use one on the train late at night (any would-be mugger would never make easier £700). Apart from seeing more of the page at a time, it doesn't justify the difference in place between itself and an iPod (as far as I'm concerned:-))

By alvin on 7 Dec 2010

Hmm.. well..

..my dad was one and he loves it. He's 66 and retired 10 years ago. He's always liked technology and loves the way that devices like the iPad help him organise his life.

However, if I'm to be honest the sheer size of it would drive me mad. Though I'm likely to plump for the Nexus S, an iPhone would be much more useful to me because of it's portability. My father loves the iPad because the size of the screen means that things are easier on his eyes but I struggle to work out what it is that makes the iPad so much more special than my daughters iPod 4th Gen. Too much is being made of their usefulness I think. My idea of a useful tablet is something with the thinness of the latest MacBook air that has near instant on, a light weight, has a thin but tactile keyboard, can fold over 360% to behave like a tablet, but otherwise like a laptop (when the screen is not folded flat 360%).

For me, the iPad is nothing more than an oversized iPod and it's size is it's handicap. In the places I'd feel most comfortable using it, I already have the ability to browse and use fully featured applications (home and work). On the move, you cannot ever be conspicious using an iPad. I'd be loath to use one on the train late at night (any would-be mugger would never make easier £700). Apart from seeing more of the page at a time, it doesn't justify the difference in place between itself and an iPod (as far as I'm concerned:-))

By alvin on 7 Dec 2010

PC Pro.. fix it!

If you refresh the screen in the page AFTER posting a comment, it posts the article again (even though the 'Title' and 'Comment' fields are blank! Huh??

By alvin on 7 Dec 2010

@Alvin

Heh, the refresh button got you too eh? :)

Funnily enough, I partially agree with you in that the iPod Touch 4G's capabilities could take chunks out of the iPad's market. I bought the iPad because I spend a lot of time messing about on the web, don't want the aggro of a laptop, but my previous iPod (1st gen) was desperately slow rendering pages.
IPad fixed that, in spades. Great screen too. Then the iPod died (they don't float when accidentally dropped in the pond) so I got a 4G.
It really is startlingly good. Just as fast, the screen is an absolute belter too.
That said, the pad's larger screen does make reading books and magazines (check out Zinio) a much more realistic proposition than the pod, the battery life is epic, and the on-screen keyboard is much more useable - I'm typing this on the pad, wouldn't even attempt it on the pod.

Horses for courses really. They're both fabulous bits of kit, but if I absolutely had to choose, the one I could not be without would be the iPod. What I do know is that I spend MUCH less time on the laptop nowadays.

On a final note, just before the usual comedians pile in with the 'fanboy' tediousness, I'm a sysadmin for a rather large multinational, spend my whole day in a Windows environment and both my gaming rigs are home-built, heavily OC'ed, water-cooled and running Win7 64 bit.

Bought the pod and the pad because they do exactly what I want.

By Throbinevans on 7 Dec 2010

I know PEOPLE who are gathering dust.

By dhaverty on 9 Dec 2010

I know PEOPLE who are gathering dust.

By dhaverty on 9 Dec 2010

Whatever floats your boat

My son has an iPad and would sleep with it if he could so I see it in use every day. However I cannot think what I would use it for despite being a gadget freak as well.
The yearly refresh is a bit of a pain but how would the likes of Apple/Intel/Dell/Microsoft continue to make money if they did not keep bringing out newer "better" versions?
Bit like the premier league foorbal kit really.

By MIssingLink on 9 Dec 2010