iPad UK price revealed by Play.com?

14. "As for Play.com, those could easily be grey import prices. Bear in mind that it still sells SIM-free 3GS 16GB iPhones for **£729.99**, despite the fact you can go into any O2 store, grab a phone for £449, and then pay a little more to unlock it."

Also bear in mind, price doesn't matter to some rabid apple early adopters.

13. Even with the weakness of Sterling right now, (I'm hoping) there's no way in hell Apple would be stupid enough to price the low-end device at £499 and invite loads of $ to £ rants. It's also not what Apple does regarding pricing, and especially not for a device where it claims it's gunning for marketshare.

With the sheer number of UK laptop ads where the laptops are priced around the £399 mark, I suspect that's the price-point Apple's still aiming for, although if Sterling falls much further Apple's hands will be tied.

As for Play.com, those could easily be grey import prices. Bear in mind that it still sells SIM-free 3GS 16GB iPhones for **£729.99**, despite the fact you can go into any O2 store, grab a phone for £449, and then pay a little more to unlock it.

12. 1) Never buy v1.0 of anything

2) Wait to see what the competition comes up with

11. @tech89 Well, worth and value are pretty subjective - I'm not sure common sense has any place in gadget discussions really!

To be fair, yes, the iPad has no Flash, but it can do office documents easily, does have an accessible file system and we have no idea if it can download files from the internet (certainly it can from email). And the price is still unconfirmed (which is good, because you'll never get £500 out of me for the basic one).

10. @healeydave

I'm amused you take apple to heart. Your not a man of sense or sensibility then. And there are multiple apple forums where you can tirade about your love for apple on and on.

I'm a man of common sense. Enough to realise when a product is worth much less than the price tag!

Your right in saying the ipad does offer a difference to a laptop: It can't play flash, can't do office documents easily, has no accessible file system and can't download files from web.

The ipad wouldn't be bad if apple wasn't ripping the customer off with the high price.

9. LOL @ healydave. Over-reaching fanboy trying to justify the hypepad.

"I know people that are going to be developing a Remote for Plex Media Center"

£500 for a remote control. LOL.

"will allow you to scroll through your media library (like coverflow) on the iPad rather than looking at the screen"

Weak neck? LOL.

"I like to browse the internet in bed, catch up on stuff before I go to sleep, so I don't want the clutter of a clamshell netbook getting in the way."

Because netbooks are massive. LOL.

"it will be thin & light. HP are bringing out a slate that is a full computer. But they have had to make it really chunky to do that"

A couple of millimetres is REEEAAALLLY chunky. LOL.

"I think Apple cleverly marketed this as a device to add to your existing kit not replace any of it."

And we know who its "cleverly" aimed at. LOL.

And no, you can't say the same thing about cars, boats etc. Cars may differ in looks, but they do the same thing. Go forwards, backwards, get you from A to B. A laptop, even the HP slate will do many, many more things than the ipad, at a justifiable price.

Saying that, I won't be buying the pad or the slate. Can't see the point, don't have the need.

8. @ripsnorter

My requirements are exactly the opposite to yours, I don't want keyboard clutter and I'm not looking to replace an existing laptop or desktop appliance.

I will be using it for all that its market for, plus other things. I know people that are going to be developing a Remote for Plex Media Center that will allow you to scroll through your media library (like coverflow) on the iPad rather than looking at the screen etc. Thats one example of a few things that are being developed.

I like to browse the internet in bed, catch up on stuff before I go to sleep, so I don't want the clutter of a clamshell netbook getting in the way.

A lot of people (not you) but on blogs take a very short sighted view, often using the argument "for that price you can get....." which is completely irrelevant as this fits a niche even though they can't see it.

Because its not a fully fledged computer (with all the extra stuff I don't need), means it will be thin & light. HP are bringing out a slate that is a full computer. But they have had to make it really chunky to do that, that's not what I want.

The only reason its hard for some people to understand or justify the iPad is because many people are looking for it to replace something else.

I think Apple cleverly marketed this as a device to add to your existing kit not replace any of it.

Whilst replying to you, I notice there's another comment above from Tech89 saying, "You can buy a powerful laptop or pc for the money they're asking". That's not the point, I don't want a clumsy laptop PC. The PC store is full of different PC's, many/most of which all do the same thing, why do people buy one over the other!?!?!? You can say the same thing about cars, boats, virtually anything, its a stupid argument. In fact in this particular case, the iPad is a touch-screen slate and does offer a difference to a laptop PC, so not really a very good case example at all.

7. Kerrching! Crikey Apple really do have some people wrapped around their marketing machine fingers don't they...

What a ridiculous price. Roll up! Roll up! You know you will still buy it.

6. £499 for an inbetween device between pc and phone is a jaw dropping price. Way Way Too Expensive! Will never consider this device, one, I don't understand why the price is extortionate and two, You can buy a powerful laptop or pc for the money they're asking.

5. @healeydave

I can understand the iPad as an e-book reader, for example. Also a games machine. But what are your requirements? I need something to check email and also write at length. Apple is never going to make a netbook, not at netbook prices anyway, which would be my ideal solution, such as a stripped down and miniaturised macbook.

I know there will be an add on keyboard but that involves carrying around more than one device and it remains to be see what it's like to input directly into the iPad, let alone the fact the screen would be horizontal.

Dunno. I'm still having trouble not seeing the iPad as a supersized iPod.

4. I don't need no convincing, I already have a couple of requirements for this device.

Rather than wait for UK release though, I will probably order USA model on day of release, its bound to work out cheaper than UK anyway. I will not be paying OTT for 3G model either, the $499 entry level price will do just fine, If I want 3G access, I will just use iPhone app that turns iPhones 3G into a WiFi hotspot, no stupid duplication of 3G Data accounts required :-)

3. LOL @ the description.

"Frighteningly powerful chip built by Apple.

Seriously, I cant see the "masses" buying this ,lets face it, novelty item.

2. So will Apple sue Play.com for stealing their thunder?

1. As a lifetime Mac user and someone who's interested in (as in: needs quite a bit of convincing still) the iPad, if those prices quoted above are anything near reality, then no effing way!