That is just bs!! I don't want to be tied to a carrier at all, not even for one ****ing month. I won't buy a tablet that is tied to a carrier. Just make the damn thing wifi only. JFC. I was really looking forward to this one. Not so much anymore. Too ****ing high.

One good superthin laptop knocks them off.

Looks like the WiFi only version will be $600, making it quite tempting. This thing has gotten rave reviews, and it's loaded to the gills.

Xoom Pricing

Pretty disappointed in the Xoom... It has everything necessary to beat out the iPad... except price and the monthly fee. Hell even the wifi version is $599.... tough to beat the iPad at that introduction... despite its shortcomings...

Give it some time for these Android companies to compete against each other. Prices will fall. Galaxy Tab prices collapsed, and that was without outside competition, unless you really consider the iPad a competitor.

I definitely see the iPad as a competitor. Especially considering the Xoom is running Android OS, and is not a full "tablet computer" device.... that limits it greatly.

It looks like a badass device for sure. But an iPad killer it's not, and it's definitely meant to chew into the iPad market. That should be obvious. It has potential though.

We'll see what the iPad 2 delivers, but the Xoom is significantly better than iPad 1 in every respect in terms of hardware. Are you suggesting the iPad software/apps are enough to overcome the hardware shortcomings? I'm seriously considering the Wifi Xoom, as I have a rooted EVO that gives me web access for the Xoom at all times if needed.

Seriously. That's exactly what I mean. As of right now, the Xoom cannot even come close to competing with the current iOS software... As far as apps taking advantage of the Xoom display compared to the iPad.... no way..

Not to say that it can't in the future. I'm certainly rooting for the Xoom. I love all the competition possible, it just makes both solutions more affordable... but right now, the Xoom is miles behind the iPad, despite the hardware differences...

Ok, I'm with you. I haven't researched the apps too much, and I'm not that worried. The Android mobile OS caught up in a hurry, and I'd expect Honeycomb to do the same with the number of Android tablets being rolled out this year. I think the software can and will catch up, but the hardware is what it is.

I was given an iPad 3G from work so that we would know how to support it for our end users. After having it for a few months now, and playing with it, my original stance on it is the same, and now it is strengthened by the fact of actual usage and frustration.

If you are sitting on your couch, and you want to quickly check your email (and your phone isn't right by you, or you don't have a smart phone), the iPad is great.

If you are sitting on your couch and you want to check amazon, or a quick web page (that has no flash on it), then the iPad is great.

Should you want to do something as simple as watch a video on youtube, then the iPad is mediocre at best, and downright right unusable at worst.

Should you come a crossed a web page that has flash at all, the iPad is just terrible.

Should you want to view a web page that has a bunch of pictures, say thechive.com or even our own CP girly thread, the device is utterly and completely a failure.

I could not even imagine trying to be productive on this thing at all, although admittedly the iPad is a consumption device and not a production device. Still, I find the commercials, much like everything else about apple's products a complete lie.

Most of the useful apps I have found have been iPhone apps, and the only worthwhile iPad apps have been some games.

I will admit the RDP app is ok, but even that is limited in use and functionality.

Over-all, I wouldn't pay jack for one of these. The limitations are just terrible, the experience, while speedy in some areas which is good, lacks in other areas that are essential to today's computing world. The iPad is a PoS, and the only reason is has done so well is all the apple fanboi's out there that would worship a steaming pile of shit if it had the apple sticker on it.

You sound like nothing more than the typical Apple basher. I love how the apple bashers call out all the "fanbois", when they're just as bad (often times worse), and are doing the exact same thing.

I've had an iPad through my work for a while now myself, and find most of your points flat out false. I have zero problems with youtube, nor any pic-heavy pages (I can load the girly thread and any page on thechive.com quickly, and with zero issues). IMHO, the only legit gripe you mention is the lack of flash, which, while annoying, doesn't cause me issues very often.

It's not a perfect device, but it's good at what it does, and is a great mobile support and entertainment device for me.

I don't produce much content on it, and think it can be a little clunky for that type of work, but I don't think that's the iPad's primary purpose.

Absolutely this.

If you go back to the beginning of this long thread, I bashed the iPad pretty good before its release. But now that I've had one for quite a while, I'd really be lost without it. I have zero problems loading any youtube vids, or browsing pic saturated sites. I have no idea what the poster above could be talking about there, unless his internet connection is just lousy. Flash is certainly a legit criticism, but not near what I anticipated before getting the device. And there are thousands upon thousands of iPad only apps out there. Any app worth a shit has had separate iPhone and iPad versions for quite some time.

I received the device in the exact same manner as the poster above. But my experience has been completely opposite.

The bitterness and contempt in the post above was quite obvious.

The contempt should be obvious, because its true, and was kind of my point. The device as I said is great for light web surfing. And while you can access websites i listed just fine, trying going through the pictures, you will find that a bunch of them can't be displayed, and yet on a PC they are all just fine.

And for a quick youtube reference, why don't you try and load "I Love the Way you Lie" on the iPad using youtube. Tell me how that goes.

I meant Galaxy Tab as a competitor to the iPad. I always saw the Tab as Samsung's rush to get into the tablet market. It wasn't a very polished or mature product.

Honeycomb and the iPad will be more comparable now.

Try the HP Slate. Does everything you want out of a tablet.