The iPad should have already broken all iPhone single day and weekend sales records. It will probably beat the iPhone first month record. But those aren't what I was speculating originally anyway - they're just nice indicators of things to come. I think the iPad line is going to outsell the iPhone long-term. Apple might completely turn everything on its head in the next few years by dramatically changing both products though. smile

I think some of you guys are getting too personal. I'm not making observations based on what I want nor what I would feel would fit my pocket book. I'm looking at current and historical performance of the market at large. Basically everyone else as a whole, not including me.

We can argue technical merits all day and I will probably agree with most of the points you guys make. Most of them are simple facts and easy to verify. But at the end of the day, the market at large is making their purchasing decisions not only on those merits. It's painfully clear that Amazon has not been able to revolutionize the print industry with the Kindle. Nor has anyone else.

So far, Apple seems to have the best shot of doing this. I'm very (very) confident that we're going to see far more ebook purchases with the iPad than with all other e-reader products combined.

I'd be surprised if Amazon sold as many Kindles as Apple have sold AppleTV. I think that at $99 a brand-name eBook reader would sell very well. I don't think it would sell as well today as it would have one year ago though. Not with the specs of current products that is. Maybe the Nook. At $50, they'd really move. And I strongly believe that's where the price for this type of device needs to go to reach the mainstream.

This pricing doesn't reflect on my opinions of the iPad - that's a completely different type of device with its own set of rules. I'd have preferred to see it start at $399 with fewer model variations to choose from, and a lower priced upgrade to 3G and GPS. However, given the demand, I think Apple is pretty safe with the current pricing.

One of the early lauded e-ink features was certainly cheap production. And of course flexible substrate super-thin substrate. None of which are being featured in any commercial product today.

Again: I'm not interested in an iPad for myself. I have owned and continue to own only one iPod model, the second generation touch. I bought it primarily for development purposes. Other than that, I own and have owned a number of Apple computers. I don't think that makes me a rabid fan boy. No one else makes computers even 1/4 as good at any price. Again, simple facts, easy to verify.

And, in case no one remembers from other threads, I do like the idea and promise of e-ink (very VERY much so in fact). I just don't like the pricing on the current reader products (for myself, which is irrelevant to others) nor for their market growth.


Edited by hybrid8 (05/04/2010 00:05)
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Bruno
Twisted Melon : Fine Mac OS Software