iPad to hit Europe on 28th May

By Ellie Gibson Published 7 May, 2010

Prices start at £429 for 16GB version.

Apple has announced a new release date for the UK launch of the iPad.

The new device will now hit British shops on Friday 28th May. It will launch in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain and Switzerland on the same day.

Apple's online store will begin taking pre-orders on Monday 10th May. The 16GB iPad will carry a suggested retail price of £429, while the 32GB version will cost £499 and the 64GB is £599. The 3G-enabled models will be priced at £529 for 16GB, £599 for 32GB and £699 for 64GB.

The European launch of the iPad was previously delayed due to huge demand in the US, where more than 1 million iPads have already been sold.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (143) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Distributor #1 2 years ago

    As cheap as mothers milk. Not.

  • kangarootoo #2 2 years ago

    Not a bad price given the cost of the iPhone. Still too much for me personally though.

    Much as I'd like one, I don't have a compelling enough need, especially as you can get a Dell or Compaq netbook for about £200 (which if I'm honest with myself would do almost all the things I would do on an iPad, and several things I couldn't).

  • solidSnake04 #3 2 years ago

    yeah sure...

  • jonsaan #4 2 years ago

    Silly money frankly.

  • kangarootoo #5 2 years ago

    @Distributor

    Given what tech lives inside it, the price is pretty low. Many other laptops with a similar spec (CPU, memory + storage notwithstanding) would cost double that.

  • Eraysor #6 2 years ago

    Wow, this actually makes the PS3 look cheap.

  • kangarootoo #7 2 years ago

    I will say though, £100 extra for 3G capabilities?!? Are you f*cking kidding me?

    The equivalent guts of a cheap 3G phone would cost Apple about £3 per unit, so where on earth did they get a figure of £100 more from?

  • chessboxer #8 2 years ago

    How fucking much for a 16GB?!!

    It will be interesting to see how many people go out and buy this but refused to buy a PS3 at launch because of its price.

  • berelain #9 2 years ago

    If it didn't have the Apple logo on it, nobody would care. As Kangarootoo pointed out, netbooks can actually do more and cost half as much. Ridiculous.

  • chrisjm #10 2 years ago

    hardware £200
    apple logo £229
    brand loyalty, priceless.

  • Branoic #11 2 years ago

    What about Ireland? :(

  • Kazzahdrane #12 2 years ago

    Usually I can't stand people who say "anyone who buys this has too much money," but.....

    Yeah.... not for me.

  • Benno #13 2 years ago

    Last time I spent that much on something that had 16gb storage was when I bought a Pentium II PC in about 1998

  • SilentNinja92 #14 2 years ago

    Thats a terrible price...

    You could get a laptop which would have 10x the storage and would run rings around it in terms of preformance.

    Or you could get a netbook which would still be more powerful. All this money for a simple touchscreen and little useablility in real life apart from web browsing and games.

  • MiniAmin #15 2 years ago

    Even if you're a *massive* Apple fanboy, you could still buy an iPhone and an iPod Nano for that money, two proven products which are actually useful.

  • king2001 #16 2 years ago

    Quick calculation here - based on buying the 16Gb in Los Angeles (California has the highest state tax so says Wiki) the total cost would be approx $555. That works out at around £377 which still £52 cheaper than us.

    Hey we might even get 20% VAT by 28th May!

  • MiniAmin #17 2 years ago

    And to think we laughed at the Playstation 3 launch price... This is even more expensive!

  • Jackface #18 2 years ago

    Those prices haven't come from Apple officialy. EG are quoting a mysterious unnamed source who has 'leaked' the prices to an Apple rumour website.

    To all those complaining they're too high, they're fairly close to the US price converted to Sterling at the current exchange rate and with VAT added. They are high though :(

  • mazk #19 2 years ago

    The price is a lot sure, but it's the fact that we have to pay 20% more than the Americans for the same product really cheeses me off. I though these days were over, what a joke.

  • TeaFiend #20 2 years ago

    Can I make calls on it? Like a giant novelty phone?

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #21 2 years ago

    Not unless you jailbreak it.


    Edit: Apparently you could also use Skype.
    Edited by 1 at 07/05/10 @ 14:54

  • Jackface #22 2 years ago

    How does jailbreaking it allow you to make calls? It doesn't have a phone app. Out of the box you can plug the USB adaptor in and make skype calls using a USB headset though.

  • GooseUK #23 2 years ago

    For that money i could buy a really high spec pc, or a couple netbooks.

    The price is offensive, but i guess thats the thinking behind prestige pricing

  • Wobbler #24 2 years ago

    @Jackface They are official prices: http://ww w.apple.com/uk/pr/library/2010/...

  • sneetch #25 2 years ago

    @kangarootoo
    Given what tech lives inside it, the price is pretty low. Many other laptops with a similar spec (CPU, memory + storage notwithstanding) would cost double that.

    Really? Similar specs? If you remove the CPU, memory and storage from the equation then what specs are you talking about? That pretty much just leaves screen size.

    Yes, you can definitely find overpriced laptops too (Sony's laptops spring to mind) but that doesn't make the price pretty low; the point should be that you can buy netbooks that outperform this for about £200 and full laptops that seriously outperform this for the same price or less.

    Netbooks such as [link url=http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/viewsonic-vnb100-0 3271263-pdt.html
    ]http://ww w.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/viewsonic-...[/link]
    Laptops like http://ww w.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/acer-aspir...

  • Jackface #26 2 years ago

    I could buy plenty of things with the money I'd spend on an ipad. What's the point in listing these things? None of them are an ipad.

  • Jackface #27 2 years ago

    Cheers wobbled, not seen that link anywhere, oddly.

  • poopmonster #28 2 years ago

    So the price of a pound of flesh is £40 (after VAT) :p

    Mind you, I don't feel so bad. I got a 64GB iPad from ebay for £640 eight weeks early, so I guess I'm not so much out of pocket after all!

    edit: And for what it's worth, I like it, but not because it's amazing, it's just kinda "handy". My parents on the other hand, can't leave it alone. Mother dearest calls it the "Tescos Online Shopping Pad" (she can't use a real computer for shit).
    Edited by 2 at 07/05/10 @ 15:12

  • markyHD #29 2 years ago

    My bro has one and I finally got to mess around with it this week.

    I've got to say it really is fantastic, and it's very light, screen is excellent, one of the best i've seen.

    I know what people meant now about that 'magical feeling', it's hard to describe but when i fired up bbc.co.uk, everything was perfectly framed, lovely and smooth scrolling (no noticable screen ghosting btw), just a cool experience.

    And my bro was saying actually, aside from his work PC, all he used his macbook for is browsing, mail, the odd movie, and that since he's had it (about 2 weeks), he really hasn't required his laptop, and will now be ebaying it.

    Having used it, and seen how many apps came out for iphone to fill the gaps apple had left in their software, I really do see this thing being great for the general user.

    I'll take 2 on release day :)

  • Jackface #30 2 years ago

    LOL away but your snark doesn't detract one jot from all the enjoyment early adopters have described!

  • Tyranix #31 2 years ago

    This is just...I can't stop laughing at that price, and at the gullible people who will pay it.

  • JohnnyWashnGo #32 2 years ago

    Thats a lot to ask for so little... are we sure it represents good value for money?
    Its not even a useful device for creating anything with - just for consuming stuff :(

  • king2001 #33 2 years ago

    ipad - A magical and revolutionary product at an unbelievable price.

    Well one of those statements is right.

    And I know it's been said before but "magical" WTF? My 4 year daughter says that about My Little Pony (other deformed plastic equine products are available).

  • Pac #34 2 years ago

    16GB is daft. How you supposed to store music, games and work files etc. on that.

    I know people who are struggling with the memory capacity of the iPhone and this is supposed to do oh, so much more.

    You will spend half your time synching it with your desktop to free up space.

  • Bravestinsane #35 2 years ago

    @kangarootoo..


    Not a bad price given the cost of the iPhone. Still too much for me personally though.

    Much as I'd like one, I don't have a compelling enough need, especially as you can get a Dell or Compaq netbook for about £200 (which if I'm honest with myself would do almost all the things I would do on an iPad, and several things I couldn't).

    Then you say

    Given what tech lives inside it, the price is pretty low. Many other laptops with a similar spec (CPU, memory + storage notwithstanding) would cost double that.

    You sound confused mate, that's a absolute rip off laptops cost fuck all these days in fact you can get some so cheap they are the same prices as the best netbooks and can do more.

    [link url=http://www.trusted reviews.com/laptops/review/2010/03/25/Samsung-R580-JS02UK--- 15-6in-Laptop/p1
    ]http://ww w.trustedreviews.com/laptops/re...[/link]

    Theres a review your right for £580 its a little cheaper than the most expensive ipad at £700 so just a littlle different there,

    But you are 100% the hardware is exactly the same

    other than the

    4gb of DDR3 ram
    the latest core i3 processor at 2.1ghz
    oh and the 500gb hard drive

    oh and it has a dvd drive

    oh and a larger LED backlit screen with a higher resolution

    oh and a dedicated graphics processor that can actually play games better than the ipad

    oh and USB ports

    oh and ethernet ports

    oh and a card reader

    oh and a HDMI connection....


    But yeh your right there isn't actually that much difference turns out ipad has incredible value dang i just proved myself wrong...

    Oh it doesn't have 3G but at the price the subscriptions will be the same as the ipad ahh but crap... oh know wait you can connect a wireless dongle, in a handy little connection thats been around for years known as a USB port damn everything has one of those ..... oh wait never mind.
    Edited by 2 at 07/05/10 @ 15:19

  • Les #36 2 years ago

    "The equivalent guts of a cheap 3G phone would cost Apple about £3 per unit, so where on earth did they get a figure of £100 more from?"

    The base model is subsidized by the higher price of the top end models. So the people with money to spend sponsor the poor bastards... ;)

    And LOL at the people that keep comparing an iPad with a netbook. If you would even slightly consider getting a netbook, the iPad is not for you. Get a Mac Book Air or if that's out of your budget, a cheap, proper laptop. Apparently Apple's competitors sell ultra-thin ones at cheap as chips prices...

  • Pac #37 2 years ago

    @king2001

    Perhaps that is who it is aimed at. I am sure my 2 year old daughter would love one. But at that price maybe not.

    I am gonna stick with the deformed plastic equine products!

  • Jackface #38 2 years ago

    Such a pointless argument to list laptops and stuff and say iPad is underspecced and too expensive. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME THING.

  • mashk #39 2 years ago

    Shame on you Eurogamer, you missed the decimal point.

  • king2001 #40 2 years ago

    @Pac

    Yeah my daughter loves playing angry birds on the ipod touch. But £429 buys a lot of lego and Barbie!

  • TopKatt #41 2 years ago

    I'm just gonna hold my iTouch closer to my face.

  • Floppy #42 2 years ago

    Get bent Apple.

  • markyHD #43 2 years ago

    @Tyranix

    I wouldn't assume people are gullible. You could say the same about buying an audi when a fiat punto still gets you to the same place. Sometimes it's just nice to pay a bit of money for a luxurious item (if you see it that way), though to be honest £400 odd squids is fuck all in the grand scheme of things. It's just perspective, my mate spends like £70 - 100 on a pair of jeans, I think that's ridiculous, and spent about £30 - 40 myself.

    @Anthony_daniels

    Thing is mate, whatever they make people buy, because they are aesthetically pleasing none the least. If you have any doubt this will fly off shelves, you don't know the history of apple product adoption very well.

  • Les #44 2 years ago

    "Such a pointless argument to list laptops and stuff and say iPad is underspecced and too expensive. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME THING."

    For the idiots around here they are... :(

  • sneetch #45 2 years ago

    @Jackface
    Such a pointless argument to list laptops and stuff and say iPad is underspecced and too expensive. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME THING.

    Of course they're not the same. A Magnum and a Cornetto are not the same thing but they're both ice-cream. Xboxs and PS3s aren't the same either but they have similar purposes and similar specs. For the functionality and hardware you're getting you can get far more from a netbook (which also has a similar form factor to an iPad) or a laptop. That is the point.

  • Fab4 #46 2 years ago

    They must have been giving them away in the US then...if they are so crap and everything.

  • Benno #47 2 years ago

    £699 for a 64gb model

    Christ almighty

  • Les #48 2 years ago

    "For the functionality and hardware you're getting you can get far more from a netbook (which also has a similar form factor to an iPad) or a laptop. That is the point."

    If that's the point, it's a very bad one.

  • Rens11 #49 2 years ago

    think I'll pass

  • steve242526 #50 2 years ago

    I already have a Touch. Which can go in my pocket. This looks to be a bigger Touch. Which can't.

  • carrotcake #51 2 years ago

    Funny that people mentioned ps3. yes that was almost exactly as costly as the cheapest ipad at £425 with no games, march 2007 uk launch. Makes me feel less bad that people pay that much for ipa

  • sneetch #52 2 years ago

    @Les
    If that's the point, it's a very bad one.

    I haven't seen any better counterpoints.

  • Jackface #53 2 years ago

    Ah well, haterz will hate, regardless. I'm still getting one. It looks awesome to use.

  • actionfitz #54 2 years ago

    "Apple's online store will begin taking pre-orders on Monday 10th May. The 16GB iPad will carry a suggested retail price of 429 'Rape-Dollars', while the 32GB version will cost 499 'Wallet-Sodomy Tokens' (redeemable at Steve Jobs' house, bring your own lube) and the 64GB is 'Eleventy Billion in Monopoly money. The 3G-enabled models will be priced at £LOL for 16GB, £599 for 32GB and £WTF for 64GB."

    Fixed.

  • jonbwfc #55 2 years ago

    the price premium for 3G is definitely a bad one. You can get a 3 MIFI for 49 quid that will share a 3G connection to several devices at once, including a wifi only iPad and the data deal probably won't be much different in price either..

  • sneetch #56 2 years ago

    @Jackface
    Ah well, haterz will hate, regardless. I'm still getting one. It looks awesome to use.

    Good luck to you, no-ones trying to stop you m8. :)

  • Les #57 2 years ago

    "I haven't seen any better counterpoints."

    To paraphrase a famous Shakespeare line: Stupidity is in the eye of the beholder.

  • ignatiusjreilly #58 2 years ago

    When did "haterz" become an acceptable word in England? That's the third time I've seen it on EG this week.

  • Les #59 2 years ago

    "You proposed no argument, one way or the other."

    I take it you were serious when you compared a tablet computer (aka the iPad) functionality-wise with a netbook. If you can't see the difference between the two, there's no point in arguing.

  • enfilade #60 2 years ago

    The pricing of the iPad reminds me a lot of the debacle over Modern Warfare 2's 'Stimulus Package.'

    Basically, Apple are providing a product that a lot of people want (a more versatile, high-res iPhone) and charging whatever they think they can get away with. As a result, they're charging much more than any other product that could be said to be competing with it (laptops, netbooks, etc.) Apple have sold over 1 million iPads in the space of about a month, and have therefore been shown that their price-points are acceptable.

    So, if you want one, get one. If you want one but can't afford one, try and wait it out and see if the prices drop (they will, or at least you'll get a bigger hard-drive for your buck this time next year). If you don't want one, don't get one. But no-one can complain about pricing if people are buying the product. It's called market economics, and it's something that I'm assuming most of us have been familiar with for our whole lives. Although I may be wrong, I suppose.

  • Benno #61 2 years ago

    Thanks for the GCSE economics lesson

  • SYS64738 #62 2 years ago

    Also just because 'people' will buy any ol' shit doesn't mean it's automatically 'right'. There are lots of examples, overvalued real estate, italian cars, tasteless clothes, drugs, etc.

    ;)
    Edited by 1 at 07/05/10 @ 16:23

  • Vergis69 #63 2 years ago

    even If i was stupid enough to spend that much on the iPad, there would be a new "better" version in a few months. I hate apple

  • Les #64 2 years ago

    "But no-one can complain about pricing if people are buying the product."

    Of course they can and they do. ;)

    Apparently saying that the iPad (or Apple products in general) is too expensive earns you browny points around here and thus people do so. So they ignore the fact that there aren't any other functional tablet computers on the market currently and compare the iPad price with that of the netbook category of laptops. Which is silly.

  • Jackface #65 2 years ago

    "even If i was stupid enough to spend that much on the iPad, there would be a new "better" version in a few months. I hate apple"

    There'd be a new version in April 2011 at the earliest. Do you hate every other hardware manufacturer that releases new versions of it's products every year? If so, that must make it awfully hard for you to enjoy your hobby.

    How on earth do you cope with mobile phones? Most manufacturers have dozens of new phones every single year. Apple does one new phone every single year.
    Edited by 1 at 07/05/10 @ 16:40

  • Les #66 2 years ago

    "even If i was stupid enough to spend that much on the iPad, there would be a new "better" version in a few months."

    That's technological progress for you. At least Apple's products tend to age well.

    "I hate apple"

    Why waste energy hating a company that doesn't care about you? Indifference is a much healthier alternative...

  • enfilade #67 2 years ago

    @Benno

    Well, given the rage that some people are expressing, it seems as though it might be necessary. Personally, I think the price is ridiculous, and that Apple's products are extremely overrated (although the iPod is still the best mp3 on the market, in my opinion.) But I can completely understand why they charge that much for products when people are literally fighting over limited stocks in stores.

    I think the iPad is definitely a cool idea, it's just way, WAY too expensive for me, and I wouldn't spend very much time with it at all after the first few days.

    Also: http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=XEfcy_u0-YM

  • Jackface #68 2 years ago

    "When did "haterz" become an acceptable word in England? That's the third time I've seen it on EG this week."

    We're not in England, we're on the internet.

    ;)


    /is in London but is being amusing

  • Rodchenko #69 2 years ago

    Had one in my hands two weeks ago and it is really a nice experience. The screen is very crisp, functionality is organic and smooth, swiping and pinching moves are excecuted immediately and without any stuttering (unlike the iPhone). Using the iPhone felt small, limited, slow and cumbersome after that, and using my laptop felt less immediate. There is something about 'touching' the data directly which makes this so appealing. Definitely going to get one soon.

  • sneetch #70 2 years ago

    @Les
    "You proposed no argument, one way or the other."

    I take it you were serious when you compared a tablet computer (aka the iPad) functionality-wise with a netbook. If you can't see the difference between the two, there's no point in arguing.

    (That's quote was from me, I deleted the post because I realised I didn't want to be getting into something that basically amounted to a slagging match.)

    However, I can see a whole lot of differences between the two. The most important one being the interface, the iPad has a very good touch screen interface from the iPhone OS and software whereas netbooks have a more traditional keyboard/touchpad interface and Windows OS and software. So the interface is the main difference and if that's what you want then off you go, more power to you.

    Personally, I'm eagerly awaiting the Windows 7 tablets (mainly for the better browser support).

  • enfilade #71 2 years ago

    By the way guys, I think when Jackface said 'haterz' he was being ironical. Frankly, I think our language has more to fear from the misappropriation of the word 'your' than it does from American flights of whimsy.

  • markyHD #72 2 years ago

    This talk about the price though, honestly, it's easier to digest when you've used one.

    What I mean is, I recently bought my mum a £300 netbook, asus I think, from PC World. As a macbook user, which as you know command a hefty premium, my god did the netbook feel and look cheap. The screen was shit, the finish was tacky, the trackpad poor in accuracy and response compared to my macbook, it felt like something that cost £300.....

    When you hold the ipad, it oozes quality. The screen is stunning, the finish, impeccable, the size, weight, everything is perfect. It feels like it cost at least a few hundred quid more (and well, it does lol).

    You'll see what I mean in a few weeks.

  • miiiguel #73 2 years ago

    @markyHD : lets hope your mother doesn't read Eurogamer.

  • Les #74 2 years ago

    "However, I can see a whole lot of differences between the two."

    Glad you've seen the light. I must admit I was a bit worried after reading "Xboxs and PS3s aren't the same either but they have similar purposes and similar specs. For the functionality and hardware you're getting you can get far more from a netbook (which also has a similar form factor to an iPad) or a laptop. That is the point."

    But bygones be bygones.. ;)

    "Personally, I'm eagerly awaiting the Windows 7 tablets (mainly for the better browser support)."

    I take it that you mean Flash support. If that's important for you, you don't have much of a choice I guess. However, as Windows 7 is a regular PC OS with some touch functionality bolted on, I wouldn't expect too much sophistication from the tablets it might power. Even after HP canning the Slate, I'm sure they will surface eventually though as the generic hardware makers will want to try to lift on the iPad's success.

  • Jackface #75 2 years ago

    markyHD, no they won't see. Those that have posted about how shite it is, how underpowered and underspecced it is, how it's just an iPod touch blah blah blah, they're not interested in it (which is fine, by the way, it's not for everyone).

    They'll always find something else to compare it unfavourably to, plus it's more fun for them to slag off Apple and their customers than engage in anything approaching a balanced consideration.

    But I'm with you, dude. I'm with you. :)

  • poopmonster #76 2 years ago

    re. functionality

    The only thing you'll really miss if you don't get a 3G iPad (I didn't) is the lack of GPS. It's a bit shit not being able to use location services, esp when they're so integral to most of the good apps.

  • kangarootoo #77 2 years ago

    Blimey, talk about two ends of the same stick (I made that saying up just now, which is why it is nonsense) in reference to my karma points :)


    @Bravestinsane

    Not confused, just comparing different things.

    The tech inside a £200 laptop is cheap, hence the low price tag. CPUs and memory cost nothing these days. You show me a touch screen laptop near the same price as an iPad (no doubt you will now, with minimal delay ;) ).

    The USE of the two devices can be similar, which as I said is the reason I don't need an iPad. But what an iPad has inside it is not the same, hence you can't compare them like for like. It all comes down to what is important to the individual and what they are prepared to pay for.

    Simple summary. If you don't care about a touch screen, an iPad is over priced. If you do care about a touch screen, a posh Sony VAIO is under-specced.


    Example.
    "You could get a laptop which would have 10x the storage and would run rings around it in terms of preformance"
    The writer here clearly values performance, which is absolutely fine.

    "All this money for a simple touchscreen" and "little useablility in real life apart from web browsing and games"
    For many people, usability far outweighs performance and storage. And again for many people, browsing the web and games is all they want from their netbook.

    Not everyone of course, but horses for courses. Most of the readers on here are tech savvy, so usability is relatively low on their list of requirements (for some, mastery of hard to use devices are like a trophy of their tech-manliness). For the rest of the world, the experience of USING is important. A well designed interface is very important to a lot of people, and so it should be.

  • sneetch #78 2 years ago

    @Les
    Glad you've seen the light. I must admit I was a bit worried after reading "Xboxs and PS3s aren't the same either but they have similar purposes and similar specs. For the functionality and hardware you're getting you can get far more from a netbook (which also has a similar form factor to an iPad) or a laptop. That is the point."

    But bygones be bygones.. ;)

    OK, I was perhaps being a bit glib there. :)

    I take it that you mean Flash support. If that's important for you, you don't have much of a choice I guess. However, as Windows 7 is a regular PC OS with some touch functionality bolted on, I wouldn't expect too much sophistication from the tablets it might power. Even after HP canning the Slate, I'm sure they will surface eventually though as the generic hardware makers will want to try to lift on the iPad's success.

    Yep, pretty much Flash, also Silverlight, at least until HTML 5 rolls out and more people start using H.264 or whatever they decide on. Have they actually announced they've canned the Slate? I've been looking and still find articles saying they haven't confirmed they've canned it but also no confirmation that they haven't canned it.

    They way things are going, I think it's going to be a bit of a wait, and although I do consider the iPad to be expensive (if you take it as the sum of the cost of the components) I fully expect the tablet PCs to cost as much as if not more than the iPad does, so bang-for-your-buck I think they'll be rather expensive too. The 32GB ExoPC for example looks like it will be $600. But that's the cost of R&D, in a few years time I've no doubt the market will be flooded with cheap(ish) tablets.
    Edited by 1 at 07/05/10 @ 17:16

  • Les #79 2 years ago

    @ poopmonster

    Yeah, not including GPS in all versions makes little sense other than to save costs of course and make the cheap versions less attractive.

  • Ryze #80 2 years ago

    @sfp_noodle

    If Sony's name was on the iPad, then it'd have been delayed, it would launch with no decent or worthwhile apps until Konami and Rockstar bail them out in 2 years time - but no indies would be allowed to develop for it, as the SDK would be prohibitively expensive.

    The App store wouldn't exist at all at launch - you'd have to trawl the internet for bits of content, and manually transfer them using the Finder/Explorer via USB. The App store wouldn't be accessible from the iPad itself for another 2 years after it's finally launched.

    The lock orientation switch would be absent, while extra unnecessary bells and whistles were added on a yearly basis. Bluetooth wouldn't be included until 2015, and then only on the model that costs $100 more than the launch price, and renders your existing collection of apps completely useless.

    As things are - the Apple iPad is horrendously poor value for money in my opinion in the UK, and is lacking several key features that would even make it tempting:

    - Bluetooth tethering
    - 16:9 720p
    - Front facing camera for Skype video
    - USB port...

    Posh tech toy status.

  • kangarootoo #81 2 years ago

    "Of course they're not the same. A Magnum and a Cornetto are not the same thing but they're both ice-cream"

    Sorry man, but that is rubbish.

    If you had compared ice-cream to chocolate cake, then you might have had something. Both deserts, both serving roughly the same purpose, but both equally capable of revolting any given user depending on their own tastes and needs.

  • Jackface #82 2 years ago

    Why do you need 720p on a screen that size? Also a 16:9 screen suits movies, but doesn't suit a device like this - in portrait orientation it would be too narrow and too tall.

    Bluetooth tethering I guess would be nice but having never used it myself I don't miss it but that's just me.

    All this talk of needing USB and stuff smacks of people wanting a laptop. It's not a laptop. If you really want to connect things to it, get the USB add-on.

  • markyHD #83 2 years ago

    Magnum is just a posh choc-ice :D

  • kangarootoo #84 2 years ago

    This second page got a bit angry a bit quickly. I turn my back for 2 seconds :)

    The iPad is not the same as a netbook, in the same way that a credit card is not the same as cash, or a written word is not the same as brail, or an electric drill is not the same as a colony of termites. Or indeed as an iPod is not the same as a record player.

    Everytime someone suggests that a game console and a PC are actually very similar devices, people get their noses right out of joint. So how come two markedly different platforms are now being treated as the same thing. I suspect anti-Apple sentiments are making people exagerate their points of view.

    I'm not an Apple-phile, and I'm not buying an iPad. I do however see that it is really not the same device as a cheap netbook. That a cheap netbook could serve the same function in my world says rather more about my needs than it does about either device.

  • kangarootoo #85 2 years ago

    @Ryze

    The front facing camera is a good point, and is indeed a strange omission. However, I would expect the target market don't care about the other things.

  • markyHD #86 2 years ago

    @Jackface

    Well, exactly. To be honest the movies on it (apple trailers website) were certainly HD in quality by eye, and trust me, I'm one of those digital foundry type picky people.

    As for screen ratio, well i'm glad it's not 16:9, or even 16:10, as based on the size, vertical orientation just wouldn't frame websites as nice as the 4:3 does currently. And to be honest, the movies look fine anyway, even when zoomed to 4:3.

  • Jackface #87 2 years ago

    Ohhh, dude, zooming in movies to fit the screen? Sacrilege! Some director, camera operator and DoP spent ages lining up those beautiful 16:9 shots and peasants like you go chopping off the edges.

    FOR SHAME!

    ;)

  • Jackface #88 2 years ago

    "16 gig. Apple Kindly fuck off. You couldn't fit a knats nadger on that nowadays"

    Turns out not everyone wants 32 or 64 gigs. And it also turns out there are more sizes available than 16 gigs.

    WHO KNEW?!

    :p

  • miiiguel #89 2 years ago

    I'm not an Apple-phile, and I'm not buying an iPad. I do however see that it is really not the same device as a cheap netbook.

    Is it the same as a expensive notebook, then?

    May I quote Marx? I'll do it anyway:
    "The price or money-form of commodities is, like their form of value generally, a form quite distinct from their palpable bodily form; it is, therefore, a purely ideal or mental form"
    Edited by 1 at 07/05/10 @ 17:40

  • markyHD #90 2 years ago

    May I quote my dad

    "If you can't afford it, fucking save and stop spending your money on beer"

  • beastmaster #91 2 years ago

    Seems as though most of the people who have used it think it's lush. If it's ££££ worth of lush is a different story. I remember breaking out into a sweat when handing over the readies for my 3GS 64G iPhone. One of my best purchases. As Shaggy would say 'Zoiks!!'.

  • Jackface #92 2 years ago

    I've had a look at my finances and located £600 that I believe I can safely assign without feeling it too much, but I'm going to have to reign in as much of my other spending as humanly possible in order to feel okay about it.

    But then I'm not part of the pub culture so I don't spend £30 minimum every Friday in the pub, for example. Nor do I go to the movies that much, or have a car, or have kids. So I'm perhaps privileged in that respect. It is expensive, but it's also very clearly the first step in what's going to be an industry-wide shift, and I genuinely think Apple have made some very brave but clever user-experience-oriented decisions in the design of this thing. I want in as soon as possible, and I never, ever buy first gen Apple stuff, so that's saying something.
    Edited by 1 at 07/05/10 @ 17:54

  • sneetch #93 2 years ago

    @kangarootoo
    Sorry man, but that is rubbish.

    If you had compared ice-cream to chocolate cake, then you might have had something. Both deserts, both serving roughly the same purpose, but both equally capable of revolting any given user depending on their own tastes and needs.

    Are you seriously suggesting that Magnums and Cornettos are the same? One's a posh choc-ice (as markyHD said) that is delicious and the other is a bad cone. In my office there's huge contention on Magnums vs Cornettos. There was the last time I had to buy the ice-cream anyway. You thought the moaning around here was bad at times? It's nothing! ;)

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #94 2 years ago

    Personally, I'm eagerly awaiting the Windows 7 tablets

    You may be waiting some time. The only one available, from Archos, is regarded as being pretty poor. Other manufacturers are delaying or even (in the case of the HP Slate) even cancelling their Win7 tablet projects because they just can't get the power / battery consumption equation to pan out for Win7 on Atom chips running fully mobile without being plugged in.

    The Linux tablets coming out like the JooJoo are being panned compared to iPad, too. Perhaps the only ray of hope for a competitor is Android, especially if the next release supports Flash natively, but existing-version Android tablets are thinner on the ground that I'd have thought they'd be.

    As it is, anything with an equivalent-sized multitouch screen is priced over 400 quid, in any case.

  • miiiguel #95 2 years ago

    I think there might be ppl who don't buy it because they can't afford it, but it is wrong to assume that everyone who isn't going to buy it can't afford it, or, indeed, drink beer - which I don't, btw.

    As sexy and irresistible it might be to some, you should believe there are ppl who don't buy it because they don't want/feel atracted to. It's a cool product, it's not just that soooo irresistible *everyone* wants to get it but is poor. No...
    Edited by 2 at 07/05/10 @ 18:05

  • kangarootoo #96 2 years ago

    @miiiguel

    No, it isn't the same as an expensive notebook. And Marx made a lot of sense.

  • miiiguel #97 2 years ago

    No, it isn't the same as an expensive notebook.

    I know, it was rhetorical. I found it funny you had to use the "cheap" word :) I know what you wanted to say with that, and had nothing to do with the notebook itself but with the Mac.
    Yeah, I'm a fan.
    Edited by 2 at 07/05/10 @ 18:08

  • kangarootoo #98 2 years ago

    @sneetch

    You said yourself, they are both ice-cream. On that basis, they are as near as dammit the same.

    Take off the wrappers and sweep away the nuts and I bet you couldn't tell the difference in the dark (wow, I never thought I'd get to use THAT sentence a second time ;) ).

  • Jackface #99 2 years ago

    I think there might be ppl who don't buy it because they can't afford it, but it is wrong to assume that everyone who isn't going to buy it can't afford it, or, indeed, drink beer - which I don't, btw.

    As sexy and irresistible it might be to some, you should believe there are ppl who don't buy it because they don't want/feel atracted to. It's a cool product, it's not just that soooo irresistible *everyone* wants to get it but is poor. No...

    I'm guessing from the reference to beer this is a reply to me? If so, the point of your post is not the point of my post. I was just posting a bit about how I'm personally going to justify it. I'm in no way trying to say that the only people that don't buy it are those that can't afford it. Of course it won't appeal to everyone. I'm not the sort of Applebot that assumes everyone should be using Apple stuff.

  • tap #100 2 years ago

    I own a netbook, 2 laptops, a powerful gaming PC, Wii, 360 & PS3 and I'll be buying an iPad.

    Why? Well this might be difficult for some to understand but I want instant access to the net. I want to be able to think of something and be reading about it in 20 seconds; not wait 5 minutes for something to boot.

    Now, if you're one of those people that leaves their PC/laptop/whatever on constantly then that will be meaningless, which is fine! I don't.

    I also want the ease of being able to reach for the iPad sitting on the couch in the living room.

    It's as simple as that for me.

    I don't need flash, I don't need 9 programmes open at once, I don't need USB ports; I basically don't need anything that a laptop/netbook/whatever will offer. I can do that elsewhere.

    Now, £429 is ridiculous and I'm quite willing to be pilloried for that but please, drop the anti-Apple stuff. None of the arguments apply to most purchasers.

    It's a lovely object and does exactly what I want it to do - simple!

  • Les #101 2 years ago

    @ tap

    Well said. :) And I especially admire your patience. Something that I sorely lack... ;)

  • Ryze #102 2 years ago

    @Jackface

    If they want to sell us HD video, then a 16:10 screen would be ideal really. The resolution should be slightly higher than 720p to accommodate them.

    Websites would look great in 16:10 portrait, thanks. Any 2.35:1 video from iTunes is going to be messy on a 1024x768 screen.

    But that's just me and my wallet, surely...

  • YogiTah #103 2 years ago

    @tap

    ... truer words were never sporken … thank you!

  • GamesConnoisseur #104 2 years ago

    Because of iPhone, I m able to consume stuff more instantly and on the move. However reading comics, stuff on small screen, including the erm off the web Naurto English translated comics are a chore on iPhone but would be so perfect on iPad.

    There are more stuff I can milk max enjoyment from thanks to nice screen whilst on counch or in bed, surfing news and such. I know Flash issue could be a pain but didnt bother me that much after almost a year use of iPhone. Also anticipating more HTML 5.0 stuff in the future.

    Device would be so easy to use and looks nice and hey if you dont need iPad as can get by with laptop etc, that good too.

    But people who do go ahead and buy them, its their money right? My wife suggested last night that I may want one for my birthday (wonderful woman and only cos we were watching Modern Family sitcom with iPad episode!).

    So hoping people dont feel threatened that iPad is 'taking over the world' if the stupid joes go ahead and get them. Its their money/losses.

    I m seeing benefits more than problems though.

  • thepiedpiper #105 2 years ago

    people keep saying this is different to a laptop. what's the difference?

  • arcam #106 2 years ago

    people keep saying this is different to a laptop. what's the difference?

    It has a touch-screen, and is small and light.

    They are the positive differences I can think of.

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #107 2 years ago

    The main difference is that for casual use, it's less faffy. And it's probably a more convenient form factor for comfortably reading stuff off. And it just feels really nice. But apple have spent a lot of research and development time and money on that nice feel factor. Which is why they're talking all this Magic bollicks in their advertising.

  • Arwin #108 2 years ago

    + Capacitive multi-touch screen that still looks pretty
    + Small and light
    + Long lasting battery
    + User Interface that kids, spouses, grandparents are instantly comfortable with

    This would be awesome for both my grandma's (grandad's are long dead unfortunately). But my wife and I want one as well ... we're not in a hurry though. Will first wait to see what iPhone OS4 brings to the table and wait a year, maybe two, to see how things pan out. But it's still definitely tempting to get one, and once it is superseded, maybe integrate it into the kitchen to replace notice board. ;)

  • Ryze #109 2 years ago

    ^ this, but as a livingroom and mobile device for reading magazines, PDFs etc...

    It can open (Adobe) PDFs, right...? How do I get the damn things on there without USB? Does it connect to network drives...?

    This is the current uncertainty - plus I'm not paying a 2nd 3G bill for mobile HSDPA especially for a Flash-less iPad...

    Cheers :D

    /waits for 2nd gen device with webcam and 16:10, and OS upgrade with multitasking and bluetooth tethering...
    Edited by 1 at 07/05/10 @ 20:14

  • Les #110 2 years ago

    "But apple have spent a lot of research and development time and money on that nice feel factor"

    Indeed. And that's also what you pay for: it's not just a collection of components.

  • arcam #111 2 years ago

    It can open (Adobe) PDFs, right...

    Only as an attachment to an email or as a link on the web (I guess that also answers your question about how you get them on there). But it won't support internal links (i.e. chapter bookmarks, URLS etc.) and it won't remember were you left off if you return to the file.

    However you can buy a separate PDF reader application, probably pretty cheaply.

    edit: $0.99 [link url=http:/ /appshopper.com/productivity/good-reader
    ]http://ap pshopper.com/productivity/good-...[/link]
    Edited by 2 at 07/05/10 @ 20:20

  • TopKatt #112 2 years ago

    Gve me an iPad with a nice big hard drive for storing movies (say about 250GB) and charge about £350 for it and you can count me in.

  • bluebird #113 2 years ago

    Dropbox (free) is fantastic for sharing PDFs on the ipad. A folder on your PC/mac with files (like PDFs) gets synced automatically and using the dropbox app you can then easily access them. There are alternatives as well like evernote or MobileMe

  • Les #114 2 years ago

    Interesting account of iPad use:

    http://ch ucksblog.emc.com/chucks_blog/20...

  • arcam #115 2 years ago

    Dropbox rules.

  • The_Bloody_Kettle #116 2 years ago

    It's a purely luxury item. No-one needs one. However, they are beautiful bits of tech. And they benefit your life I suppose, which is Apple's mantra right(?).
    I want one, but I can't afford to spend that much, on something I don't need, at the moment. I'll do my browsing on my Iphone.

    And as for the bluetooth tethering, just use your iPhone! I do, works a treat!

  • Ryze #117 2 years ago

    ^ No... - I need to tether it TO a phone, to get online when out and about without a Wi-Fi access point

    At present there's been no confirmation that it can tether to an iPhone or any other phone...

  • malexous #118 2 years ago

    @tap

    The iPad takes 20+ seconds to boot. A netbook can take about 50 seconds. http://re views.cnet.com/8301-31747_7-200...

  • Linkified #119 2 years ago

    I like my iPhone but come on Apple we are in a fucking recession. If its at a cheaper price more people will buy it.

  • callum9999 #120 2 years ago

    Plenty of people will buy it at this price. It has the apple logo on the back - they are going to have no trouble shifting millions of them.

    malexous - you can get laptops that boot in a couple of seconds into a special OS for basic things like web browsing, listening to music/watching films etc. Presumably most things the iPad does.
    Edited by 1 at 08/05/10 @ 03:48

  • Jackface #121 2 years ago

    These silly comments that it will sell loads because it has an Apple logo on the back are actually correct despite themselves. The Apple logo represents incredible hardware and software design focussed on the end-user's pleasurable experience. So yeah people do buy stuff because of the Apple logo.

  • Ryze #122 2 years ago

    ^
    ^

    ...It's very comfy to use slouching on the couch, bed, whatever ...

    THIS when it's a little cheaper with a front facing camera etc...
    Edited by 1 at 08/05/10 @ 08:22

  • morriss #123 2 years ago

    Anyone who buys one at launch is some kind of fucking mong.

  • Wyrm #124 2 years ago

    "Such a pointless argument to list laptops and stuff and say iPad is underspecced and too expensive. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME THING."

    I won't be buying an iPad, but you can be damn sure people wouldn't be gleefully swiping at it at every opportunity if it were made by any other company than Apple. Anti-fanboyism is as bad as the regular kind.

  • Greebo #125 2 years ago

    "The iPad takes 20+ seconds to boot. A netbook can take about 50 seconds."

    So does an ipod touch. I booted it once two years ago when I bought it. It's been "on" ever since.

  • Greebo #126 2 years ago

    @Zerolight

    Readdle looks like exactly what I've been looking for! Cheers!

    Dropbox and Evernote have made life at work so much easier. To be able to create on my PC, but use the ipad versions in meetings and around the workplace without worrying about battery life and managing Windows etc looks great.

    Oh yeah, and as this is a gaming site - another platform to play games on is a handy bonus!

  • tap #127 2 years ago

    @malexous

    You've missed my point I think. As others have pointed out it's always 'on'. The 20 seconds I quoted was the time taken to raise my arm to the where the iPad is charging, lift it off the stand and press a button :)

    You can't do that with a netbook. It might boot in 50 secs but I need to take it out of it's sleeve, plug in the power supply (90% of the time) open the thing and wait for it to boot.

    In the end it's a luxury item and, as morriss nearly points out, you'd need to be a decadent lover of technology to buy one.

    So, I'll be first in the queue then.

  • Jackface #128 2 years ago

    "Such a pointless argument to list laptops and stuff and say iPad is underspecced and too expensive. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME THING."

    I won't be buying an iPad, but you can be damn sure people wouldn't be gleefully swiping at it at every opportunity if it were made by any other company than Apple. Anti-fanboyism is as bad as the regular kind.

    I don't fully understand what you're trying to say. The reason people enjoy it isn't "just" because it's made by Apple. It's because Apple make things that are a joy to use.
    Edited by 1 at 08/05/10 @ 12:05

  • Jackface #129 2 years ago

    Greebo, you might want to try GoodReader too. I've heard it gives Readdle a run for its money. It's been around longer as well I think, and has an iPhone version (not sure if Readdle does too).

  • Greebo #130 2 years ago

    Cheers Jackface, I'll take a look at that one too!

  • Ryze #131 2 years ago

    @zerolight

    Cheers - and I expect that they'll make an iPad enhanced version to take advantage of the screen.

    Next is the issue of tethering it to a phone to avoid a second 3G bill. In fact - this is ESSENTIAL to use a service such as Dropbox on the move.

    It'd be much more ideal to store on the device, or to simply keep it on a nearby device like a flash stick and grab it from there as required though...

    Nice posh toy at the moment - but very useful and eventually damn near essential (in terms of batter life vs. the average laptop) once it becomes more reasonably priced...

    Then there are the new colour eInk technologies that will make these tablets the readers of choice:

    [link url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online /8610962.stm
    ]http://ne ws.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/cl...[/link]

    Electrowetting.
    Edited by 2 at 08/05/10 @ 14:17

  • GamerG #132 2 years ago

    My boss just bought a 24" PC all in one touch (multi touch) screen, Quad core, 4gig of ram, 1 terabyte HD, built in free view, all running Windows 7, it's glorious and all for £799 in pc world, how on earth can the ipad be £429 for 16gig?

  • Ryze #133 2 years ago

    ^ Flash memory rather than HDD, and a different application, power consumption, size, form factor, weight, operating system and also the brand name on the back of the case!

    :D

  • penhalion #134 2 years ago

    It seems to me that apple held off in the hopes that the pound would drop significantly against the dollar after the elections. That hasn't happened so the price point they are trying to leverage is now looking rediculous. How the heck can they even be allowed to claim....oh hang on I suppose it is available at an "Unbelievable price" isn't it...wha wha wha whaaaaaaaaa!
    Edited by 1 at 08/05/10 @ 18:57

  • Ryze #135 2 years ago

    No... the iPAD ITSELF needs the facility to join a Bluetooth PAN (Personal Area Network), but Apple want us to buy a 3G version instead, and pay another bill.

    I have 4 phones which allow Bluetooth tethering, and the iPhone now allows Bluetooth devices to be tethered to it. The iPad has no facility to use its Bluetooth connection to tether to another device.

    The iPod Touch doesn't either, as I'd have bought one by now, tethered it to my mobile via Bluetooth, and bypassed needing the 'Phone' bit of the iPhone.

    As things stand - this limits the iPad unless you're happy to pay a second 3G bill, carry a Windows Mobile around which can make a WiFi access point and bridge to 3G, or buy some other stand alone 3G Wifi access point. I don't need any of those - it's a waste of money and another battery to charge while using power hungry WiFi - so I'd only be interested if I could get 2 SIMs on the same contract, and pay one bill. I can't see that happening - but it doesn't need to, either.

    What needs to happen is for tethering to other devices to be permitted on the iPad. It's the same as the whole Adobe Flash malarkey. It protects business models - I understand, but I'm not buying until it gives me what I need. No problem. I only finally bought a PS3 last year, and 2nd hand as they wouldn't sell me what I needed at a reasonable price either - PS2 compatibility.

    :D

    /waits...
    Edited by 1 at 08/05/10 @ 21:01

  • Stuz359 #136 2 years ago

    I thought this was bascially a touch screen laptop with some fancy touch screen stuff. £600 for 64gb of storage? A year ago I payed £500 for a Laptop with a good processor, 4gb RAM, 500GB HD, a decent graphics card and a Blu-ray drive. How is this better value? I could get more of a thrill by touching myself than I could touching this (I know this to be true).

  • Jackface #137 2 years ago

    That's brilliant, hahahahaha.

    /yawns

  • TRUTH #138 2 years ago

    Many laptops can be bought at this price - and do a hell of a lot more...This is just a large fashion gimmick for 2010. It's an Iphone without the phone, the screen scratches easily, has reported problems if using in areas at temp at 30 degrees (+), screen is waaaaaay to reflective - esp in the sun, can't do half the stuff a laptop can do, touch screen can never be used for proper gaming as control depth and feel is important...Yet people still buy it.

    Oh! my neighbor has one that's how I know (his tech freak)
    Edited by 3 at 09/05/10 @ 16:33

  • WayMucho #139 2 years ago

    Personally, i love the iPad and the price is about as low as could be expected given its success in US. I don't think it's a sensible choice if it's your only computer, but i think it will be ideal for slouching on the sofa and around the house. I also think my (non-tech) mum and dad would be much better off with something like this for basic web browsing.
    I don't really understand the negs around here - yes you can buy other stuff which is better value, but currently nothing is exactly the same. We have a desktop and a laptop, but i think i'll be getting one of these (or a competitors) as soon as i've saved the pennies

  • Kengro #140 2 years ago

    Holy shit... That much for something i never will have use for, that's not happening. I can get a lot more useless junk for 429 £

  • kangarootoo #141 2 years ago

    @Kengro

    "for something i never will have use for"

    But surely that is the bottom line in every case. I mean, if you have no use for something, no price will be good value however low it is.

    You saying that doesn't make it bad value for the target customers does it, you are simply not a target customer. And I'm pretty sure neither Apple, nor any other company, designs and prices their products with customers that have "no use for it" in mind.

  • kangarootoo #142 2 years ago

    Don't know if anyone has linked yet, but 3G prices start from £10 a month for 1GB (less than that is you pay per week of usage). That isn't that much really, and is the same as any provider will charge you to tether your laptop to your iPhone.


    Anyway, this threads is getting a bit stale. I think I can summarise things pretty succinctly.

    For some the price is high and for some it isn't, unsurprisingly ('cos it is ALWAYS this way) this perception is based on two things.

    1. The ability of the customer to afford the price.
    2. The value the customer will get out of the object through their use of it.

    1.
    If you can't spend £4-500 on a non-essential, then this is going to seem too expensive. Quite simply, if you want something but can't afford it, you will wish it were cheaper. That doesn't make it too expensive on the whole though, just for the practical affordability of the individual in question.

    2.
    If you (like Kengro above) can't see a use for something, and therefore won't use it much (or at all), well of COURSE it doesn't seem like good value. A discount set of golf clubs is still so much rubber and metal to me 'cos I don't play gold. A bargain fishing rod is not a bargain in my house. You could reduce the price of a set of water skiis from £1000 to £500, but they are still £500 more than I want to spend on water skiis.

    For people that will use a device like this several times a day, it represents a great deal of value. Personally I have a rule - take the cost of something and divide it by the number of time you use it in a year. Consequently my iPhone represents enormous value, whereas my silk ties represent crap value because I won't wear them except at funerals and weddings.


    That is all.
    Edited by 1 at 10/05/10 @ 16:22

  • malexous #143 2 years ago

    @tap

    (Late reply. Will anyone read it?)

    So you are willing to leave the iPad on sleep all the time but not a PC? A netbook doesn't use a lot of power.
    http://re views.cnet.com/laptops/dell-ins...