iPad

[Deckard]

Well him, Jobsy and Douglas Adams were the original Apple petrolheads so not really a surprise but then I would expect him to say objectively if there were any major UI problems.

[Ghostbiscuit]

The thing that I was hoping for would be that it would have a dock that connects to your mac which would allow the iPad to function as a second monitor. How awesome would that be? Having a little 10" screen for your mail and iTunes or whatever while keeping your main screen uncluttered, then when work time is over, just picking up your second screen that you've been syncing movies/games over to for your journey home/sofa time.

That would have made it a Waaaaaaaaant for me, but for now it's just waaant.

32GB non-3G, natch.

[benedictw]

Yeah, an HDMI in would've been great.

Jack Bauer will want to return for another season of 24 just so he can download schematics and track vehicles on it.

He's right. This thing is going to be EVERYWHERE on TV in a year or so.

[matt303]

I'm hoping we get a thirdparty keyboard + usb + sd card in one lump.

Well it'll work with any bluetooth keyboard but external storage may well be a no go without OS support.

Will most likely hold out for a v2 device myself, but can see it becoming my main web browsing and HiFi remote device around the house

[RiK]

I've had one of those for quite a while (at least a year I think) and my T&Cs said that the original credit on the stick wouldn't expire but once you top it up then that credit will expire after a month (at least I think it was a month). I only got it for work emergencies and I've never really used it so the original credit is still on there.

Vodafone rep on their forums said that the old ones kept the old T&Cs, i.e. £15/1Gb no expiration.

[Cloudane]

Something seems to be missing from the tablet. Can't put my fingers on it.

Of course you can, that's the whole idea!

What's missing is probably true innovation. It's a great idea still, a logical evolution from the iPhone, and as such probably still a game-changer. But it's a "nobody's done it this well before" (arguably), not a "nobody has done anything like this before". People also had all sorts of grand ideas about tactile feedback and other new bits of magic that never appeared.

I'm fine with it not being 16:9 (I've seen a lot of people griping about this). Nice for movies, not so great for efficiency of space - it'd have to be either longer (too big, the size it is now is 'just right') or thinner (what a waste, why not just put up with the black bars and enjoy the extra screen estate the rest of the time). It also wouldn't be ideal for photos, and it'd mean the on-screen keyboard hogs more of the screen when horizontal. To me, it's a tablet more than it is a TV and I think that's obviously where they've prioritised.

The thing that I was hoping for would be that it would have a dock that connects to your mac which would allow the iPad to function as a second monitor. How awesome would that be?

That would be pretty neat

Unfortunately it's quite a 'hacky' use for the device, an idea that seems more geek than mainstream, so I doubt it's something Apple would ever do.

[WiteWulf]

KRCS in Notts are taking pre-orders at the following prices:

16gb wifi £398
16gb wifi 3g £519
32gb wifi £489
32gb wifi 3g £599
64gb wifi £569
64gb wifi 3g £679

If it's cheaper at launch they'll take the lower amount...

*edit*

Just got this, too...

[korruptor]

iCal update and the email have perked my interest. Having it as a remote for the house would be pretty awesome as well.

I'm a bit more tempted than I thought I'd be.

[Deckard]

I'll import ta for 300 quid I am looking forward to a hacked Mame on it - Missile Command should be pretty awesome

[Cloudane]

Someone mentioned importing it on the Macrumors forum and got jumped on, something about there being a £145 personal allowance for imports and anything over that you have to pay the tax anyway.

Not that it would bother most of us of course, and it'd be difficult to prove.

The UK prices, if those are anything to go by from KRCS, are on the better side of what I was expecting. It does calculate to about that based on previous pricing from Apple, but I was half expecting an extra hike anyway. It's always best to be pessimistic, then you can be pleasantly surprised at the truth

[RiK]

The thing that I was hoping for would be that it would have a dock that connects to your mac which would allow the iPad to function as a second monitor. How awesome would that be? Having a little 10" screen for your mail and iTunes or whatever while keeping your main screen uncluttered, then when work time is over, just picking up your second screen that you've been syncing movies/games over to for your journey home/sofa time.

Well, there is a dock, you *can* use it for your email, itunes etc. all *synched* to you Mac so that's pretty much what you have got, except you'll be using your fingers instead of your mouse

[WiteWulf]

Okay, so just out of interest, which UK mobile carriers actually use/supply micro-SIMs? The cynical side of me suggests this is how they'll lock you into a carrier, at least for the first few months...

*edit*

Actually, if you're feeling lucky and have some craft knife skills I'm sure you could knock one up yourself:

[RiK]

Or use one of those adaptors that fits two micro sims in one normal sized sim.

Someone will soon find a way round it.

Currently I'm undecided about whether I want to go down the 3G route, but the fact it looks like you need the 3G model for the GPS too might swing it.

[RiK]

Currently I'm undecided about whether I want to go down the 3G route, but the fact it looks like you need the 3G model for the GPS too might swing it.

Ahh, looks like it's not got a 'proper' GPS anyway, only triangulation from cell towers so that's less of an issue anyway.

My current thinking is I'll probably just get the base model initially and see how it pans out. As with all things Apple, this will probably really hit a stride with the v2.0 model.

[Ghostbiscuit]

The thing that I was hoping for would be that it would have a dock that connects to your mac which would allow the iPad to function as a second monitor. How awesome would that be? Having a little 10" screen for your mail and iTunes or whatever while keeping your main screen uncluttered, then when work time is over, just picking up your second screen that you've been syncing movies/games over to for your journey home/sofa time.

Well, there is a dock, you *can* use it for your email, itunes etc. all *synched* to you Mac so that's pretty much what you have got, except you'll be using your fingers instead of your mouse

That's... quite a good point. We'll see anyway, when I inevitably cave at some point in the future.