iPad

[Deckard]

I hope it comes with at least 32gig ram - I dont suppose there is any hope it will have a cd/dvd drive ?

[zip accident]

http://www.macrumors.com/2010/01/26/app ... march-1st/

We came to these numbers by comparing similarly priced Apple items sold in Euros and USD (Mac Mini: 549 Euros / $599 USD, MacBook 899 Euros / $999 USD).

Market rate for Euro-dollar conversion = 0.7096; $599=€426, $999=€710. I don't want this tablet, but those conversions are horrible, if true.

[Loada]

I can't see how they'd fit one into the form factor and it would probably be a liability from a failure point-of-view, particularly seeing its intended to be very portable.

The biggest question has to be: "How much (UK) is it going to be?"

And you make a best guess at the answer given Apple's pricing across the rest of its range here that it'll be "reassuringly expensive".

[Deckard]

I think a lot of people will be waiting and seeing - can it replace a MacBook and an iPhone ? Is the interface perfect ? What does or can it do ? For me at the moment price isnt too big a factor but for most people it needs to be reasonably priced rather than reassuringly expensive but then if it is fuck-off-and-die amazing that will be enough for some .

[Cloudane]

Nothing new on the dollar-euro-pound conversion. Expect to get raped, we always do (it's not just Apple, in fact they've been the better ones that way over the past few years).

I doubt it'd have an optical drive, since the Air doesn't, people are always saying how rarely they need one and they have some pretty good Remote Disc technology anyway. Plus, this is just a personal opinion, but unless Apple are adopting Blu-Ray in any way shape or form (not looking like it) I have this nagging feeling that they're going to try to phase out optical technology. Much like they did with the floppy (despite all the gnashing of teeth at the time).

32GB of RAM would be impressive Presumably we're talking about storage capacity here. In which case, yeah at least 32 would make sense.

[Deckard]

Although from this Apple cant lose http://www.electronista.com/articles/10 ... pc.demand/

[Misfit]

I think a lot of people will be waiting and seeing - can it replace a MacBook and an iPhone ? Is the interface perfect ? What does or can it do ?.

I suspect the interface will take a few releases to be perfect. I'm sure there will be the odd crazy omission like the cut & paste debacle that originally plagued the iPhone.

But I'm pretty sure it will be impressive enough to make us want one...

[RiK]

If thats the real thing it wont be there for long...

Be awesome if they are though because that's both the most plausible, and the most awesome looking pic so far.

[Cloudane]

Remember how people snapped up the original iPhone when it didn't even have third party apps (unthinkable now). It'll have things missing but it'll be fine

The main problem will be Americans with very thick accents asking for an iPad and getting an iPod.

[RiK]

I dont suppose there is any hope it will have a cd/dvd drive ?

Doubt it, but then who needs one these days?

[Deckard]

That is true when USB2 16gig SD cards are 20 quid.

[RiK]

Biggest problem I'm going to have is if they are assuming everyone wants a 3G connection and is prepared to sign up for a contract to get one.

I've got no interest in 3G on it, wifi is fine for anything I want to do and given that in the past 3 months I've only used a couple of quids worth of data on my PAYG 3G dongle there's no way I'd even consider a contract on anything other than my phone.

Given what I paid for my PAYG iPhone 3Gs (to use with my existing O2 contract) then I'd probably be happy enough at up to about £599 *without* a contact but if they're asking more than that I'd probably think twice.

[RiK]

I've got no interest in 3G on it, wifi is fine for anything I want to do and given that in the past 3 months I've only used a couple of quids worth of data on my PAYG 3G dongle there's no way I'd even consider a contract on anything other than my phone.

Not to mention of course that with things like the little mifi 3G/wifi hubs around now there is absolutely no need to have separate contracts when you can have just one to serve all your random wifi-enabled tech.

[HGFB]

I love my mifi.

[RiK]

I love my mifi.

What's the battery life like?