[From the time I saw it on a Mr Stone’s status, and the time I came to put it here, it had 50,000 more views. 
]
Of course not! Silly billy. This is the latest offering to the Mr Jobs’ Wonder Emporium to apparently bridge the gap between using your phones and your laptops. There was me thinking the iPhone did that already…
It runs all the current iPhone apps, there’s newly redesigned ones for it and you can essentially do everything you already do, just it’ll cost you a chunk more money to get it stolen from your bag on the train.
When I first heard the iPad naming rumours I laughed. My mind automatically thought of me taking the micky out of Apple generally ruling the world. I think I even called my paper my iPad on Monday after looking round the lecture theatre and seeing everyone on their Macbooks taking apparent notes on Facebook and tagging their friends at the same time. But that’s another matter.
It’s got the whole e-reader vibe going on, too. The new iBook app (presumably downloaded from your iLibrary with your iLibraryCard, and get iFines for late returns) lets you flick through pages like you would if you were some sort of stereotypical wanker reading a newspaper on the table of a cafe along the side of the M4. So now you can carry around a device 4x bigger than a book for only about 100x the price (I’m guessing, but I can guarantee I’m not far off).
Not only that, but they’re cramming iWork in there too (for a nominal $10 fee, which will probably equate as about £12 using Apple’s new superfandangled iEuropeanPriceIncrease). You know, iWork? That… that thing that’s like Microsoft Office but not? That. I mean, I’m sure it’s a case of “Well, we’ve got to justify why it costs so much, so how about we…” but I don’t really see the point. Movies? Okay. Books? Sure. But I don’t remember the last time I was in town enjoying a day shopping and suddenly thought “OH SHIT. I FORGOT TO MAKE A LEAFLET ABOUT GIRAFFES!” and cursed I didn’t have some sort of electronic device at my fingertips to do it on. But I’m sure that day will come as soon as my zoologist degree comes in the mail. It should come any day now. It better, I paid good money for that, and all I’ve got to chase them up is their email…
So after making you fork out for the gigantic iPhone, you’d think they’d throw in something for free. Think again. It’s got nice, fancy 3G on it, if you’re willing to throw down $30 a month prepaid. I’m not even going to hesitate a guess as to how much that’ll be across the pond, but I know it’ll be a lot.
I know you’re asking so I’ll just come out and say it. How much is that going to set me back getting my Mac-crazed son/daughter for Christmas so they’ll shut the hell up about it? The answer is a mere $499 for the shitty, 16GB Wi-Fi only version, or up to $829 for the 3G enabled 64GB version. That’s if you’re lucky enough to live in the US, but it’s also without buying all the little tools you probably got the device for in the first place, nor the actual 3G service.
So… would I get one? Well. I do love my iPod and I’d miss if iLostIt. I’d have a MacBook if someone gave me one for free, or it was discounted to a price where it was actually worth the money you pay for it. But this middle man thing? Not so much. It’s not pocket-sized, it’s more pick pocket sized. It’s just asking to be stolen and I’d have no use for it. I’m sure there’s some application for it, like for signing off parcel delivery or something, but not in my world of student loan repayment.
I think I’ll have to pop into an Apple Store at some point and give it a try. Until then I’ll just look at my iPod but really close…