iPads sold out
And apps will set you back ten bucks each
iPad versions of applications will come at a premium, but with the iPad now sold out even the most spendthrift Apple fans will have to wait.
Apple's iPad is already shipping to customers who pre-ordered early, to arrive before Easter. However, the initial manufacturing run has sold out and American visitors to the online store are being told they'll have to wait until April 12th to get the Wi-Fi version of the iPad. Those seeking built-in 3G, however, will have to hold on until "late April" - which applies to all iPads for non-Americans.
But once an iPad is in hand the Apple fan will no doubt rush to the iTunes store to stock up on farting noises and light sabre emulators. These will mostly cost around $10, as shown in this video on MacStories.
Browsing the iPad App Store: A Video [By @viticci] from Federico Viticci on Vimeo.
There are screenshots from App Annie, who reports that some applications will be available as a single version for both the iPhone and iPad, but others are charging distinctly more for the big-screen version.
$10 might be a reasonable price for an iPad application, and it makes sense for Apple to encourage a high price point. We'll be interested though to see how the company tries to prevent the iPad store being swamped with cheap cloned applications, as the iPhone store already is.
These clone applications are generated using application templates, populated with stuff either scraped from the internet or legitimately gathered. The problem is that the latter might be a valuable application, but the former is a waste of money, and buyers are left to judge which is which.
Apple has already started warning developers of clone applications that they should consider the value of their apps, and it seems likely that the iPad will expand the free-trial model that goes a long way towards weeding out the rubbish.
But we won't know for certain until next week, and it will probably be six months before we find out if iPad users are really willing to pay $10 per applications. ®
COMMENTS
Apple doesn't Like Hitler's Opinion of the iPad
Apple is such an spineless company it apparently paid off the copyright owners of the film Downfall (famous for the Hitler rant used in all the Hitler meme videos) to issue a copyright take-down notice for the video “Hitler Responds to the iPad,” the YouTube sensation that garnered almost 3 million hits the first week after the iPad was announced and was the #1 comedy video for the month of January. Hundreds of Hitler meme videos using this same clip are currently on YouTube and have been for years, but for some reason (wink) the copyright owner, Constantin Film AG, issued its first copyright take-down notice for “Hitler Responds to the iPad” and YouTube took it down.
iTards
"But we won't know for certain until next week, and it will probably be six months before we find out if iPad users are really willing to pay $10 per applications."
Anyone who buys the iPad has already demonstrated that they're either wealthy enough or stupid enough to spend $10 a shot on apps.
Supersize me
Wanting a tablet computer is fine. It is not clear that this thing from Apple is anything more than a supersized ipod. That's fine if you understand that you're probably getting an Apple "Archos 9 knockoff". However, a lot of us suspect that most of the frenzy is being being fueled by people who don't really care if the device is suitable or not.
The iPad is not a tablet computer. It's an oversized PMP.
Stunning
Let me see if I understand why I should buy the iPad:
- It doesn't support Flash.
- I can't install applications without the permission of Apple.
- Apple has already demonstrated with the iPhone/Touch App store that they stifle or dissallow competing software.
- Apple can remotely disable anything that I install.
- Ultimately Apple controls everything and I can't do whatever I want with it even though I "own" the product.
- If I dare try to install anything without Apples permission I must first "crack" the system, which of course violates the DMCA so then Apple can permanently brick my device.
- Hardware issues are not yet known. Is the device's screen prone to cracking if I store it in my backpack? How is the battery...is it going to explode on my lap when I'm on an airplane? Is Apple going to sign me a non-disclosure agreement and oppress me in order to get my device fixed by them?
No thanks. I think I'll pass. I'll let the Apple fanbois get suckered in to their marketing hype and steve jobs garbage rants.
Same tax, different class
The lower class pay the 'must have latest Windows' tax
The middle class pay the 'must have latest Apple iDevice' tax.
The upper class use Linux
