The I don't want an iPad(2) thread!

[TykeMerc]

Yep.

It's a gorgeous bit of kit, but every time I find myself tempted I end up stopping and thinking, "what would I actually use it for?"

So far I dont have an answer.

I've a simple answer to that in my case, exactly nowt.

I've got a Kindle for reading books/docs and even basic browsing, small, light, great battery life, cheap and it can even be used as a USB storage device.
I've got an HTC Desire for phone type stuff and it can do the usual smartphone stuff.
I've got a netbook for lightweight computing and entertainment.

There's nothing that the iPad offers (for a ludicrously high pricetag) that I can't do at least as well if not better on other devices that I've already got, prefer to use and could easily replace if lost or damaged.

[d000hg]

1) Don't need flash, it's arse. You have the Youtube app for Youtube, TVCatchup iPad for watching telly, BBC iplayer app if you so want it, but best off all (which is what I do), sign up for a VPN provider hosted in the states and get the abc player app and sign up to hulu.

Of course if you happen to use any of the million Flash/Flex apps which aren't TV-players you might be a bit stuck. For instance if you like arsing about playing web-games... which would be ideal for the iPad based on the casual/web niche it is perfect for.

Right now I haven't seen any tablet which matches the iPad on style but no doubt they will come.

[2BIT]

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/03/ipad-creation/

i was surprised when I read this (not that I'd buy one anyway)

[2BIT]

1) Don't need flash, it's arse. You have the Youtube app for Youtube, TVCatchup iPad for watching telly, BBC iplayer app if you so want it, but best off all (which is what I do), sign up for a VPN provider hosted in the states and get the abc player app and sign up to hulu.

2) Bit of a pain in the arse, but it's easy enough to convert to mp4 once you've 'sourced' your avi's on the net. I use a couple of apps, they'll pick up the source resolution and audio settings and convert it for you. Leave 5 or 6 ticking away over a weekend, ready to sync on Monday morning. It really isn't that hard, most of these (like handbrake, etc) have most of the codecs that your avi's are being encoded with included.

3) Numbers is a great little app (iWorks) and is £6 on the app store, alternatively I think you can edit spreadsheets using google docs (not sure about word files) or you can get the Quickoffice suite £10. You won't be replacing your MS suite with them, but you can certainly use them to edit a few spreadsheets. Alternatively Goodreader lets you open office files for reading no problem, not editing though.

not having a dig at Incognito but these are three reasons I wouldn't buy an Ipad apart from DaveB's reason which trumps all. - what a faff!

[SimonMac]

The Motorolla Xoom looks very good, but lacking Skype is a non starter for me.

[Dearnla]

I agree I can see no use for an iPad 2 - that's because I have 2 x iPad 1's....

[VectraMan]

I wouldn't mind having one for £100 or so. But they're ridiculously expensive. You could get a pretty decent laptop for that price, and okay a laptop is heavier, noisier, and has less battery life, but is ultimately a much more useful thing.

[d000hg]

Your smartphone costs more than a decent laptop and does less things too. Those are the real rip-off. £4-500 on a phone, what a rip-off.

[TimberWolf]

I wouldn't mind having one for £100 or so. But they're ridiculously expensive. You could get a pretty decent laptop for that price, and okay a laptop is heavier, noisier, and has less battery life, but is ultimately a much more useful thing.

Battery life is a big negative though, as is not being able to poke the screen. I agree the price is stupid, especially when the internet tarrif is added on top.

Some people are being paid $25/h to wait in line :
UPDATE: Apple IPad 2 Anticipation Draws Early Crowds - WSJ.com

[lightng]

The Ipad 2 now comes with a nostril cam. It's gotta be worth getting one just for that, surely.