Apple's iPad Megathread

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by Russic

If Apple can sell out their inventory at a $300 price point and sell out that same inventory at a $600 price point, which makes more sense? For whatever reason many people feel Apple should be your friend and they act surprised to learn that Apple's main interest is making money and not giving you a backrub and a free laptop. They make an ass-load of money, and they don't do it catering to people looking for a bargain.

I read a story on the guy who started 5 Guys Hamburger and Fries (article here). He put a sign in his front window that read something along the lines of ""If you're in a hurry, there are a lot of really good hamburger places within a short distance from here." Apple seems to take the same approach. If you're looking for a $300 computer, they aren't hard to find.

Is there really a 5 guys burger and fries in medicine hat and not in Calgary?

google maps says so?

[OilKiller]

Meh, guess you guys are right, but it makes me like Apple less with their overpriced products. I own an iPhone, but only because I got it for $199 on a new plan.

Other than that, can't see myself ever buying anything else...wait, I have AppleTV too...nevermind...

[FanIn80]

I wonder how much those $250 Acer netbooks cost to make. I'm not being facetious, I'm actually curious.

Edit: On a side note, searching Google for anything these days is atrocious. Any time I search for info on a product, I get inundated with hits from online storefronts trying to sell it to me.

[RyZ]

So the iPad hype hasn't quite lasted as long on the streets as many people thought it would. Did this thing set the world on fire sales-wise so far or not?

Are there any concrete sales figures (like NPD for video game and console sales data)?

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by RyZ

So the iPad hype hasn't quite lasted as long on the streets as many people thought it would. Did this thing set the world on fire sales-wise so far or not?

I think Jobs said they sell 3 every minute.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

I wonder how much those $250 Acer netbooks cost to make. I'm not being facetious, I'm actually curious.

Netbook margins are very slim, estimated by analysts to around 5%. Margins on regular hardware are around 10%. Apple is estimated to have 30-40% margins.

http://www.smartmoney.com/spending/t...-for-business/

http://www.computerworld.com/s/artic..._each_499_iPad


There are knockoff Macbook Airs that run on netbook guts that cost $300. Can run OS X.
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/...-look-awesome/

[sclitheroe]

######ed app of the day: Popular Science magazine app.

Who was the dumb a** who decided to let you buy issues in-app, but not delete them when you are done?

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by RyZ

So the iPad hype hasn't quite lasted as long on the streets as many people thought it would. Did this thing set the world on fire sales-wise so far or not?

Are there any concrete sales figures (like NPD for video game and console sales data)?

They announced 2 million units sold in less than 60 days on May 31st...

If you like statistics: That’s approximately 33,000 iPads per day, 1,388 iPads per hour and 23 iPads per minute.

http://mediamemo.allthingsd.com/2010...million-ipads/

Selling 23 units per minute seems to contradict your assertion that the "hype hasn't lasted." Unless, of course, you mean something completely different than what I'm interpreting.

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

I think Jobs said they sell 3 every minute.

He said they sell one every three seconds.

Edit: Also, the "2 million sold" announcement came only 2 days after the iPad was released internationally. It should be an even crazier number on June 30th.

[Flames0910]

..

[Flames0910]

Originally Posted by RyZ

So the iPad hype hasn't quite lasted as long on the streets as many people thought it would. Did this thing set the world on fire sales-wise so far or not?

Are there any concrete sales figures (like NPD for video game and console sales data)?

are you for real? did you even try searching for sales figures?
2M in less than 60 days. headline @ apple.com

if you're going to troll at least put up the pretense of somebody without an agenda.

[kyuusei]

Originally Posted by OilKiller

What are they at now, 2 million units or something? They would be at 5 million if the starting price point was $299. Why does everything Apple need to be so overpriced?

I know a bunch of people answered this already, but I also wanted to add that I read Steve Jobs at the D8 saying that Apple has less resources than others do. Makes sense, seeing as the international iPad launch was delayed a month because they sold 1 million units in the US, more than they expected in less than a month's time (back then). I'd wager it wasn't feasible to just churn out 5 million iPads in less than two months. Or it would have been, if they were willing to sacrifice quality for quantity. And that doesn't sound like an Apple thing to do.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by kyuusei

I know a bunch of people answered this already, but I also wanted to add that I read Steve Jobs at the D8 saying that Apple has less resources than others do. Makes sense, seeing as the international iPad launch was delayed a month because they sold 1 million units in the US, more than they expected in less than a month's time (back then). I'd wager it wasn't feasible to just churn out 5 million iPads in less than two months. Or it would have been, if they were willing to sacrifice quality for quantity. And that doesn't sound like an Apple thing to do.

If they had chuned out 5 million iPads in less than two months, we'd probably have a lot more suicides at the Foxconn factory. I think Apple is trying to pay the workers directly an extra 0.5% salary now.

[QuadCityImages]

I think a lot of people are overlooking the fact that there could easily be 2 million Apple enthusiasts in the world who "had" to have one of these right away. The $300 vs $500 argument matters more to the 7 billion people who aren't in that category. I mean, for all my Apple hatred, if I could get one for $200 I might consider buying one just to leave it laying around the living room.

I'd be very curious to know what percentage of iPad buyers already own an iPhone or Apple computer.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by QuadCityImages

I think a lot of people are overlooking the fact that there could easily be 2 million Apple enthusiasts in the world who "had" to have one of these right away. The $300 vs $500 argument matters more to the 7 billion people who aren't in that category. I mean, for all my Apple hatred, if I could get one for $200 I might consider buying one just to leave it laying around the living room.

I'd be very curious to know what percentage of iPad buyers already own an iPhone or Apple computer.

If I were you, I'd wait for a good Android based tablet, they should be out there in the coming year at much cheaper than iPad prices.

[OilKiller]

Originally Posted by kyuusei

I'd wager it wasn't feasible to just churn out 5 million iPads in less than two months.

So because they can't make them fast enough, they overprice them so they won't run out quickly?

Ok......LOL

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by OilKiller

So because they can't make them fast enough, they overprice them so they won't run out quickly?

Ok...

It's more like Nintendo with all the Wii shortages. Nintendo's margins are said to be like 50% (whereas Microsoft and Sony lose money on producing their hardware). They never ramp up production fully because it's better to have a high demand product that has some scarcity than to overproduce and flood the market driving down demand and having too much stock when the economy has it's downs.

[OilKiller]

Still not a fan of the business model, but hey, each to his own. I'll wait for a cheaper alternative or grab a netbook.

[kyuusei]

Originally Posted by OilKiller

So because they can't make them fast enough, they overprice them so they won't run out quickly?

Ok......LOL

Read again. I wasn't addressing the price, just the number of units sold. But the lesser production does create more demand. If you can only come up with 2 million in 2 months, why start them at $299 when you know you can move them all at $549+?

They're not here to give you a cheap tablet, they're maximizing profits. The cheaper alternative will show up.

[FanIn80]

Now that the 2 million Apple fanboys on the planet have their iPads, the whole thing should tank pretty quickly and the world can get back to using their $499 laptops in peace.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Now that the 2 million Apple fanboys on the planet have their iPads, the whole thing should tank pretty quickly and the world can get back to using their $499 laptops in peace.

For a guy what doesn't own one, doesn't plan on owning one, you sure get pretty damn defensive about it.