Why Apple announced its new, low-priced iPad with such little fanfare

MacDailyNews ^ | March 21, 2017 -- 3:30PM

[Swordmaker]

Apple just dropped a new iPad with all the excitement of an IRS audit,” Daniel Howley writes for Yahoo Finance. “That is to say, there was none. It feels like the company just woke up Tuesday morning and decided, ‘Hey, let’s announce a new iPad.’ Instead of a flashy event like Apple usually holds when it debuts a new product, we simply got a press release. I’ve had dentist appointments that were more thrilling than Apple’s latest announcement.”

“So why did Apple, the company that basically owns the tablet market, debut a new iPad without making a big show of it?” Howley writes. “Well, because the iPad isn’t that exciting anymore. It simply doesn’t warrant a lot of fanfare.”

“The tablet market isn’t hot anymore and Apple knows it,” Howley reports. “To sweeten the pot for prospective consumers, Apple has moved the iPad into the budget market. Whereas the iPad Pro 9.7 starts at a pricy $599, the new iPad starts at $329. That’s pretty reasonable for a new iPad.”

Read more in the full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: Dan is going to feel mighty silly when Apple unveils their new iPad Pro lineup at a special event within weeks. Today’s iPad was merely part of a press release dump of all of the things that wouldn’t fit, or merit inclusion, into the event’s schedule.

BTW, we told ya so:

iPads are too expensive relative to the perceived competition and Apple has obviously done a piss-poor job of marketing the iPad family (read: clearly explaining to the hoi polloi why they want an iPad over an Amazon or other Android tablet).

Sticker price is the biggest reason why iPad sales struggle to return to growth (the next biggest reason is that iPads’ useful lives last so damn long, they’re not rapidly replaced).

We would have purchased iPads for family members this year if they had been updated as they should have been for the holiday season and if the prices were a bit more palatable. Yes, we know what an iPad offers. Yes, we know they’re worth the money Apple’s asking for today; even being last year’s models. But, Apple should really do the math and consider making certain hardware more affordable in exchange for the backend revenue and increased mindshare and market share that will deliver.

For the same reason – mindshare – Apple should make their own Apple displays, even to the point of taking a loss of each and every one, so that other companies’ logos on frankly ugly products that do not match Apple design sensibilities are not in users’ faces all day long. That’s not a difficult concept to grasp; even an inveterate beancounter might be able to get it. — MacDailyNews, January 6, 2017

SEE ALSO:
Apple’s new $329 iPad is thicker and slightly heavier than iPad Air 2 – March 21, 2017
Apple unveils new 9.7-inch iPad starting at new low price of just $329 – March 21, 2017 – March 21, 2017

[Swordmaker]

Most of those 300 million are just gathering dust in a corner in in a closet, or have been trashed by now.

Now you are lying and making stuff up. The iPad is still the number one tablet in browsing and the numbers show that 250 million are still in use on the internet. That's not counting the ones being used for point-of-sale of kiosk use. These are facts. Quit while you ahead and not making a so much of a fool out of yourself. Apple sold 65 million just last year. So quit lying.

it is you that needs the professional help.

[itsahoot]

you DID need a refigerator

Nope had an Ice Box when we had Ice to put in it, otherwise it was a smelly chest. Had running water if it was raining.

[Swordmaker]

I hate the who thing about medical records being on line; that is NOT "safe" at all! I refuse to have such an account, because even though GOOGLE claims that they don't give out anyone's name or nic, for gmail...THEY DO and I have gotten someone else's medical record in one of my gmail accounts!

We don't have much choice about it. When it works correctly, it is a better way of assuring your medical care is up-to-date and mistakes are not made. I work in this field. However, you are correct. Mistakes made can be horrendous. Paper records of a lifetime of medical care can be completely unwieldy for a doctor to keep and every review properly. . . much less keep up-to-date on to treat you properly. Electronic can keep your records on medications you are taking, your allergies, your drug interactions, etc., right in front of all your doctors, so mistakes will not be made, and a computer can flag such things automatically if a doctor attempts to prescribe a medication that is incompatible with something you are already taking that was prescribed by another doctor and RAISE A RED FLAG immediately. . . keeping you alive! Paper records, that would be missed. That happens on the screens of our iPads in our office. We find it useful and beneficial for our patients well being.

Google and Facebook respond to no one. It's like sending your email to a black hole and that IS a problem.

Yes, many colleges are now pushing books on electronic machines now, some schools have even gotten rid of their libraries, and by forcing students to ONLY get textbooks this way, remove their ability to buy used books at much lower prices.

Ebooks are typically 50% of the price of dead tree printed books, nopardons. . . in addition, they can have errata corrected instantly. New versions as data changes can be instantly updated, unlike old textbooks, which are outdated quickly in many subjects. Used text books usually sold for 60%-70% of the price of a new textbook (I know my younger daughter is still in college. Etexts are less expensive.

I'm not a pilot, a salesman, etc. and have NO use for anything at all that you are pushing!

You claimed iPads are useless. Just because YOU find no use for them, does not prove they are useless. These are legitimate and very valuable uses. The world does not revolve around you and ONLY your needs. I am not trying to shame you at all. I am pointing out the ignorance of your claim.

Music to be played by iPads? ELECTRONIC MUSIC PLAYED BY MADE-UP INSTRUMENTS? LOL

So YOU don't think that has any value. The people who do it find it useful and valuable. You denigrate it.

Children, today, and for the past few generations are no longer being exposed to/taught about the wonderful music of past centuries at all! They are all much poorer for that and when all they know is new crap ( and yes, it IS crap ), that isn't an advantage.

Where do you get that? I attended a concert of Bach music played by children not too long ago. While they did not play with the expertise of symphony orchestras I've performed with, they did a credible job. They seemed to enjoy it. Both of my girls performed in operas and with symphonic orchestras. . . and my Granddaughter sings and dances, as well, at five years old. You are just being curmudgeonly, making claims that have little basis in fact. The iPad plays classical music just as well as it does new instruments.

You are the one who entered this thread you could have just as easily ignored and made disparaging remarks and have continued in those remarks. We are merely responding showing you the errors of those remarks. You are the biased one, here. We admit our bias. We like our iPads and other Apple products.

[nopardons]

OH BOVINE EXCREMENT!

You and others are pushing, pushing, PUSHING all of these gadgets and making wild claims about me and anyone else, who isn't as crazed about them, as you are.

To begin with, all I posted was that I don't have one, don't need nor want one, and for that, I got trashed.

It is very insulting to keep telling me that "YOU DON'T GET OUT MUCH", YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT", "YOU DON'T HAVE A CLUE XXXX ( supply any number of things )" and more; not to mention your pathetic, somewhat hysterical, and insane claim about "morality"!

I have written about many of the down side of iPads and iPhones...all of which have been ignored.

I am quoting many recent studies ( which, of course, you'll now poo poo re the changes in the brain ) regarding spending a great deal of time on a screen, especially for children and teens. Unlike the old canard re watching T.V. sitting too close to the screen, making one's eyesight bad....being on a computer, iPad, iPhone DOSE indeed change many people's eyesight for the worse.

Oh I know, full well what can be done on these electronic devices, I just don't want to do them. I don't "condemn" others for doing them; unlike you and your ilk, who ARE trashing, impugning, and condemning me for MY choices in life. And as much as you might imagine that you are either cowing me, or making me change my mind, I'm sitting here even MORE certain that you are making one hell of a stupid case, in order to force me and others into a position, by the absolute WRONG way to convince anyone of anything at all. LOL

You have no idea how long I have tried, nor on which instruments, that use touch screens. I also have had many decades long problems using a mouse and I have tried several different sizes of those, to no avail. Oh I did manage to get a bit better with a mouse...but that's really not saying much. Your 95 year old mother and I are two different people, with different abilities and even when she was much younger, I doubt that she could do things that I can. People have different skills!

Why is it SOOOOOOOOOO important, to you, that I should be what YOU want me to be? I haven't demanded that you, nor anyone else give up using an iPad, an iPhone, nor anything else! Go ahead....play games, listen to music, read whatever books you care to on whatever instrument you care to and I'll do what I want to do and in the long run, unlike you, I'll be a much happier, more civil, better person than you are or shall ever be. And yes, that IS a put down; but the truth!

You keep claiming that I don't know anything, yet, YOU are claiming that books haven't been taken off of lists on Kindle or Amazon books. They have been and articles about that and the storm it creates, were all over this site, in newspapers, and yes, even on the news several years ago! The books were finally reinstated, but there were battles over that. It's not my fault that you are so ill informed. *snicker*

Just because something is new/the latest thing/makes things easier ( but obviously not for everyone !), doesn't mean that it is superior for what it replaced.

Children now have a difficult time, telling time, from clocks that aren't digital. THAT IS A PROBLEM!

That specious canard re buggy whips is just plain old stupid ; not to mention puerile and proves that you are having even greater difficulty attempting to refute my position, for MYSELF.

Everything you do on an iPad, and iPhone, laptop, and computer is now easily traceable and yes, even hacked and will come out, unless you are protected as the Clintons are; or not, if your are Podesta. LOL

Personally, I don't worry about any of that, but perhaps some people should.

Since your disabilities making reading actual books, for any length of time, difficult for you, you should, by all means, read things in a way that is more comfortable for you. OTOH, you don't have the right, nor the moral high ground to tell others what to think nor what to do. And no, I didn't do that.

[adorno]

The iPad is number 1, and I never denied that. But, for certain it’s sales are on an unrelenting downhill slide which Apple knows they can’t do anything about.

And, that there are some 250 million still in use, does not change the fact that it’s a product which will eventually end up gasping for air, and on the doorstep of death. If the product had staying power of any kind, there would be a lot more than those 250 million you mention. So, in a way, you’re making the point for me.

Those POS iPads will not be replaced with newer iPads once they become useless, which essentially they are now, since they’re outdated technology when it comes to usefulness. So, even business usage will dwindle and it’s going to be taps for the “never-was-a-real-need” device.

But people like you will keep the memory of the device in your minds, and will look fondly back at it, as if it were something to treasure, like the old pet rocks.

[nopardons]

You are so blinded by your positions and biases, that your reading comprehension is that of three day old road kill!

I have repeatedly made claims about ME; only that these things are USELESS FOR ME!

The music thing was about music, music newly written and played by new, made-up electronic instruments!

There are many eras of music that is no longer taught in ANY schools...public, parochial, or posh, ELITE private day and boarding schools and colleges/universities, that were once taught in public grammar schools. Perhaps some music majors eventually get this education in college classes at such places like Julliard and the Boston Conservatory, but I doubt it, since I imagine that some of it is not very PC. How many kids, today, even know the name of Steven Foster ? Or the operettas of Gilbert& Sullivan, Lehar, Victor Herbert, Offenbach, Friml, Humperdink, and Romberg, to name but a few?

Then there are songs we all knew as little kinds in school, such as TREES, WELCOME SWEET SPRING TIME, WE GATHER TOGETHER, and all of the songs for each branch of America's military services?

These things and so very much more, re other topics, used to be taught in schools; no longer and the vast majority of parents and grandparents abrogate their responsibility to educate their kids because they also don't know any of this stuff, or don't care.

Sure there are other things to know, but our "culture" and history have been thrown out the window, for the most part and/or shunned, slimed, and debased.

Yes, you probably can find this stuff on line, but if you don't know it exists, you aren't going to look it up and even if you do, many times what's on line is wrong.

Doctors and dentists were FORCED, by Obama and ObamaCare to have everything and then some on line.

My doctors and dentists have my allergies listed on the top of the folders kept on me, in big read letters, though they all know me well and don't have to look anymore.

When my progeny went to college, which granted, was a while ago, used books cost less than you are claiming. And it was a help to sell new books, to defray the cost of the next year's books, as well.

Many required books are useless, afterwards...but when you buy eBook text, you've bought them and can't resell them.

I claimed that iPads are UJSELESS for me...FOR ME, FOR ME, FOOOOOOOOOOOOOR MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! I said that I'm NOT a pilot, not that pilots found them "useless"!

You are the one with the problems! You imagine that the WORLD REVOLVES AROUND YOU and that what YOU think, use, and say, is the ONLY things of importance! You condemn me for something I haven't done, but that which YOU continue to do and do with higher and higher levels of hysteria. LOL

Great show, good job, I'm laughing so hard, I need to catch my breath! Do you take this show on the road, do you charge others for this kind of performance? hehehehehehehehe

[hoagy62]

I have a Kindle Fire 8-inch. I use it every day. In fact, I’m writing this post on one.

[Waryone]

Where have all our senses of humor gone?

Jazminerose said she lives on her iPad. My iPad is pretty small. The only way I could live on it is if I were very small, tiny in fact. I’m certain Red Badger was just making a joke.

Our family uses the two iPads and three iPad minis we have in our home now. I would love to replace my original mini and I will be looking at this new model because iPads have been too expensive for me. I just wish we could all lighten up a bit.

[Swordmaker]

Nope! Never claimed the iPhone to be a fad. I did, however, say that it was way overpriced for what it was/is, and it’s still way overpriced for what it is, especially considering that there are many better Android phones with better specs and better options and much lower prices. Heck, I just bought my wife an Android phone for Xmas that has much better specs than the iPHone, with the Snapdragon 821 CPU and 64GB storage and 4GB memory and better graphics than the iPHone 7/7S, and front-facing 16MP and rear-facing 8MP cameras, expandable storage slot, fingerprint recognition, with free 1TB storage at the maker’s cloud...

And all of that for $285. That’s about 1/3 the price of the iPhone, and with 2 year warranty. It’s a Chinese brand, but, what the heck; aren’t all phones made in China lately, including the iPHone?

Specs. . . they are meaningless. But let me indulge your claims. There are no faster processors out there than Apple's A10 and A10X processors. Your phones Snapdragon 821 fails in comparison to the A10 Fusion in the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus although it is the fastest of the competition.

This comparison comes from Android Authority:

Longer is better, Green is Snapdragon 821, Blue is Apple A10 Fusion

Shorter is better, top is Snapdragon 821, Bottom is Apple A10 Fusion

Lower is better, Green is Snapdragon 821, Blue is Apple A10 Fusion

So, the Snapdragon 821's specs may look better but performance is worse. That means the 4GB of RAM memory is meaningless as well. . . as are the "better graphics" you claim. The high resolution screen is worthless because the human eye with 20/20 vision cannot discern anything more than 0.1 arc-minute at what ever distance the user is observing the screen. That translates at 10" to 12" to 278 Pixels per Inch (PPI). The iPhone lowest resolution is 326, far beyond the ability of the 20/20 human eye to see pixels. The iPhone 7 Plus is even higher than that at 401 PPI. Your phone may have a much higher PPI but its wasted and actually slows down the movement of those pixels around, making the graphics WORSE than the iPhones, which are quicker and smoother. Camera Quality is NOT measured in megapixels. It never has been. All that tells you is how far you can enlarge the print, nothing about the quality of the print.

Chinese fingerprint recognition is easily compromised, unlike that on the iPhone which does not use the actual fingerprint but rather looks at the fat ridges under lying the fingerprint. Expandable storage on Android phones is not the same as monolithic memory on iPhones, which is much faster and its SECURE, cannot be stolen. What you put on a card can be stolen. Tell me, do you REALLY want your data stored on a CHINESE server???? I wouldn't. The Chinese government requires unfettered access to all servers within their borders.

Your excuse that all phones are made in China is irresponsible. Your phones profits go to China. . . and the quality is questionable. See how much that two year warranty is worth when it needs fixing or replacement. The iPhone is backed by an American company and they stand behind it. . . and it's made with Apple quality control.

Cost? Want a brand new iPhone? The iPhone SE is only $399. . . and has much of the same internals as the iPhone 7.

Why would anyone in their right mind spend $285 on no-name Chinese junk? You are like a lot of Android users, you know the cost of everything but the value of nothing.

[edh]

I think Apple is still working on “a car” too ... It’s just more of a spec to integrate their computer and peripherals so that auto manufacturers can carry an “Apple Car” logo :-) ... It’s just speculation on my part ... I work in a related field and can’t figure out why Apple would waste all of that money manufacturing cars from the ground up when they can profit even more selling what they’re best at to integrate into existing auto manufacturer platforms.

I suppose they could buy a car company, but they’re still buying a ton of headaches that they really don’t need to be ridiculously successful in the automotive industry.

[Swordmaker]

You keep claiming that I don't know anything, yet, YOU are claiming that books haven't been taken off of lists on Kindle or Amazon books. They have been and articles about that and the storm it creates, were all over this site, in newspapers, and yes, even on the news several years ago! The books were finally reinstated, but there were battles over that. It's not my fault that you are so ill informed. *snicker*

You got abuse because you were abusive, nopardons.

Who was talking about Amazon or kindle, I certainly wasn't but this is just the kind of assumption you've made all along about us. . . and your superior attitude of making assumptions that one thing was all there was. It's NOT. There are numerous sources for books other than Amazon where these books were not deleted as you assumed and where they have always been available, as I stated, but which YOU DECLARED ME ILL INFORMED when with every post you've typed you've screamed your ignorance of us and our preferred platforms and technology. . . taking an extreme LUDDITE position, finding and pushing every negative position you could raise. You really don't know what you are talking about but you assume you know it all because YOU can't see how useful they can be.

You claim to be "quoting" articles, but you don't cite them. That kind of non-argument gets the result it deserves. Derision. You declare downsides we have NOT experienced in many years of using these devices, downsides that are NOT what we have experienced or seen. . . and are contrary to reality. Those who have joined you in your derision are, essentially, also non-users. What are we to conclude but that you are making things up out of your ignorance and non-experience. . . and you keep on repeating it. That is the hallmark of a thread troll.

Finally, after numerous posts, you claim you have a tablet lying around collecting dust. I don't know if I can even believe that.

You offer no evidence but your unsupported ex cathedra opinions, of which you have many, against our educated and experiencial and working knowledge, gained in using these devices in our gainful employment and productive lives. YOU are a dilettante, who has assumed that he is an expert on something he does not use. That gets you no where. Not here, after years of the thread Anti-Apple trolls expounding the SAME OLD IGNORANT TRIPE.

Children now have a difficult time, telling time, from clocks that aren't digital. THAT IS A PROBLEM!

I agree. . .

Children can't tell time from analog clocks because the government school teachers and these children's parents haven't TAUGHT THEM. My mother taught me to tell time when I was three years old. Why haven't theirs? But, nopardons, it's not the fault of an iPad or any other device. Did you now that Apple watches have analog faces on 85% of the dial choices.

I HAVE refuted your claim that the iPad is "useless." And the canard about the buggy whip is to the point. The publishers of paper books are in trouble due to the rise of e-books. I was on Apple's side in the law suit against Amazon attempting to lower the price of eBook to the point that it was no longer economical for regularly published books to compete, or even be published. WE LOST due to a wrongly decided Appellate and then Supreme Court decision. . . which held that Apple had somehow acted in an anti-competitive manner against the truly monopolistic and price fixing Amazon who was selling eBooks below cost forcing the brick and mortar stores out of business. Eventually, paper and bound books will be a niche market for aficionado's just like the small market in buggy whips that still exists for those people who still use buggies. See, it wasn't stupid or missing the point. You just missed it.

I still read real books. Sometimes I prefer them. But I am NOT trying to force my opinion on you. I am arguing your claim that iPads are useless, a specious ignorant claim YOU made. Ignorance is curable. I have won that argument. . . and perhaps educated you a bit. A lot of your points are well taken.

Have a good evening, nopardons.

[Swordmaker]

Those POS iPads will not be replaced with newer iPads once they become useless, which essentially they are now, since they’re outdated technology when it comes to usefulness. So, even business usage will dwindle and it’s going to be taps for the “never-was-a-real-need” device.

Business use is going up, Adorno. Adoption of iPads in the Enterprise is climbing, as is the use of Macs and iPhones. . . Sorry to burst your bubble.

[nopardons]

I must truly have set ablaze a whole number of your super sensitive nerves; snowflake.

You aren't familiar with everything I posted to this thread, because you probably just look for something/s to cherry-pick and then blast away. You're just too too funny for words! LOL

We were given that stupid iPad, even though neither of us wanted it, by people who were trying to be kind...THEIR KIND OF "KIND"; forcing something on us, that we didn't want and said so. Yes, it has been tried out and it has sat in a room, untouched,unused, and useless; a waste of money ( which annoys me greatly ), because we have two computers, two laptops, and two iPhones. Neither of us watch movies or T.V. shows on anything but T.V.s, never use the thing to play music on, nor anything else. Neither of us are infirm, like you, so we are able to read books; real books.

The articles that I mentioned are real; it's not my fault, nor my problem, that you don't know of their existence and if you don't believe me, you can always look them up, using GOOGLE, BING, any other internet explorer, or even, FR's archive feature.

I have only been "abusive" ( and not anywhere near the hysteric level, you have been ) when "abused" forf several replies.

ROTFLMSO...calling me a "thread troll" is even funnier than the rest of the puerile, supercilious,projection complex induced persiflage you started out with. This escalation of pejorative snipping isn't helping you...not on any level. Oh perhaps in making yourself look even more foolish, but that's it. *snicker*

You keep making claims about me, that only exist in your troubled mind. You take great umbrage over my not being a sheep and bowing to your only imagined superiority, in choices and lifetstyle. You accuse me of saying that which I didn't say, and taking out your built up anger at those whom you call "APPLE TROLLS",when I am not only not one of them, but didn't condemn Apple, nor those who are gobsmacked over iPads.

Yes,most parents, today, have abrogated their responsibilities. OTOH, it was teachers who were complaining that their students had great difficulty trying to tell time on a non-digital clock. That article was posted here, on this site, just a few days ago.

I have repeatedly said that I find iPads useless. And for ME they are. I have posted that you you, as well, over and over again, yet as with many other things I have said on this thread, you ignore this and claim the opposite. And yet, you ares incapable of just letting this go. I wonder why that is....some mental disorder, no doubt.

Listen diddums...your specious, calumny filled , laughable posts are not only dumb, but boring. I hope you feel better, having now somehow exculpated your own inadequacies, by trying to use me as your whipping boy, or whatever horror, buried is buried deep within you....or whatever the problem really is. If not, trying baying at the moon.

[Swordmaker]

Everything you do on an iPad, and iPhone, laptop, and computer is now easily traceable and yes, even hacked and will come out, unless you are protected as the Clintons are; or not, if your are Podesta. LOL

Now you have moved into the realm of real trolls . . . making up claims that are demonstrably false. There is no evidence of such a claim being true, Wikileaks or no. The FBI wound up paying a large amount of money to get into ONE iPhone 5c, which was 4 year old technology at the time with an old operating system. The Wikileaks data covers mostly already closed iOS vulnerabilities for past versions.

[Swordmaker]

I claimed that iPads are UJSELESS for me...FOR ME, FOR ME, FOOOOOOOOOOOOOR MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Why are you frothing at the mouth and yelling? That is not what you said at all. here is your exact post:

"No, iPads aren’t useful, many people, like me, don’t “need” nor want one, and the price, even the new CHEAPO model is still far to high to ever induce me to buy, let alone have one. ;^)" (emphasis mine)

Which I essentially ignored and went on my way, because you were entitled to your opinion. So did everyone else for the most part that I can see, except for some who either wholly or partially agreed with you or mildly disagreed. I found no personal attacks or scathing disagreements.

Then you posted a challenge which you addressed to me, which somewhat dripped of superiority and snide derision:

"Okay....just WHAT are all of these “many uses” does the iPad have? Please name them them ALL, that are NOT a replication of all of the other things, such a a computer, laptop, cell phone do and WHY they are SOOOOOOOOOOO “necessary” for EVERYONE to have.

You then agreed with Adorno's comment that iPads were a mere "fad" in your next comment.

Approximately twelve people responded to your query before I responded with a serious reply. You took the opportunity to argue with all of them in a contentious manner and complimented one for "not trashing" you. Frankly, from my assessment, you equate disagreeing with your opinion as "trashing" you, because everyone was polite and serious engaging you in conversation, NOT "trashing" you.

I put together a serious list which you took as an attack on YOUR needs, not on the usability of the iPad as you requested. Instead you proceeded to argue every point from YOUR needs. . . and YOUR viewpoint. . . not whether the iPad was useful or not.

I refer you to your original claim: "No, iPads aren’t useful. . ."

You also stated: ". . .ever induce me to buy, let alone have one. ;^)"

Then you later claim to own one, collecting dust. . . that's why I simple can't believe you.

Yet you keep putting words in my posts I never wrote and making claims I never said. . . and then you claim I am "hysterical." On the contrary, nopardons, I have been quite calm and polite. Looking at the posts, that appellation seems to apply to you and your shouting, claiming it was "FOR ME, FOR ME, FOOOOOOOOOOOOOR MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" when it was not at all true.

You are hoist on your own petard.

[nopardons]

I only replied in kind. You asked for it; nay, you got down on your knees and begged for for such a reply.

Oh good grief...you are so mentally stunted, by your pernicious obsession to somehow get to me, that you are now incapable of understanding what I wrote. LOL

What...nobody's computer, or other electronic device has ever been hacked; not by anyone? REALLY?

And I was making a joke re the Clintons and Podesta.

Tell ya what...why don't you go take your iPad and make wild passionate love to it?

[nopardons]

Oh for crying out loud; you ignored the caveat. LOL

iPads are redundant, evidently don't break down, and aren't selling in high enough numbers to please Apple. YAWN!

Why are you so obsessive about some product?

Someone has a big problem and it isn't me; it's you.

Perhaps you should read HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS ANDX INFLUENCE PEOPLE"; you can, most probably get it on your beloved iPad. ;^)

[Swordmaker]

Excuse me, abusive sir. The worst I have ever called you is ignorant and Luddite, appellations you seem to have earned with honors. Not once have I used any of the scurrilous and nasty names you've used on me. Nor have I suggested you were a child, super-senmsitie, snowflake, hysterical (once, because you acted that way after accusing ME of being so), inadequate, mentally disordered, challenged your reading comprehension, mentally stunted, blinded, exaggerating a disability for you. . . Not once, but on your part, there have been a whole host of ad hominem attacks in your posts toward me.

The ad hominem attack is the last refuge of the man with no facts to his logical arguments. I have address you politely and addressed YOUR ARGUMENTS. . . and their quality. I have not attacked you personally. You attack me personally. That says a lot about your ethics and you personality.

You made the false statement about not owning an iPad. . . not me. Be false in one area, be forever untrusted in others. It was an unnecessary throw away line. I accept your explanation and will overlook it.

However, you were the one who seems to think that everyone was "trashing you." They were not. I've looked over this entire thread and a "Wow". disagreeing with your opinion, or even erroneously asking " Don’t you have a life outside of stalking Apple posts?" does NOT constitute "trashing" you. Those were the total things said about you before you made your "trashing" comment! Sheesh, nopardons, talk about a snowflake. Run to your safe place and get out a diaper pin. Your remarks about iPad users were a lot nastier.

What you are doing to me constitutes trashing. . . but I have a thick skin.

I addressed you in only TWO, count them TWO posts before you started in with the BOVINE EXCREMENT screed, both of them based on being polite and trying to provide you with the answers you said you were seeking. Having read your previous approach, I lead off by saying I knew you had set this up looking for straw men. I was absolutely right.

Looking back on your participation in this thread every single time someone mention an iPad in a positive manner you were completely NEGATIVE toward their comments. Even in the one where you complimented someone who did not discuss iPads for not being mean to you, you finished the conversation talking about how SOMEONE WAS MEAN TO YOU by giving you an unwanted gift of an iPad. . . and how thoughtless they were. You turned it nasty.

Not a single comment of yours seemed to be nice at all. . . almost EVERY POST was dripping in contentious bile. You bait people.

It must be hell to be you.

[jdsteel]

“No, iPads aren’t useful”

I am using mine right now. I use one every day. I love that I can travel with it with less trouble than a laptop. I have less repetitive motion issues when surfing the internet.

Since I use it fo specialized musical performance and sound reinforcement purposes I often use two at a time.

Different strokes.

[jdsteel]

“So now I see iPpads with MS Word? Any Apple laptops with Word? One having a keyboard and ability to print is essential.”

I have purchased the annual MS office suite license. I pay a relatively small annual fee that gives me the latest versions of Word, Excel, etc. on FIVE devices. I use an iPad and a MacBook as two of those five. I use a wireless printer (cheap these days). A Bluetooth keyboard for an iPad is also super cheap. So, yes, it’s easy to do. And if I get a new device I can remove the license from that and add the new device via my account on the MS website.