What Could You Buy for the Cost of an iPad Laptop batteries?

Think twice before plunking down $885 for an iPad and accessories. As we start to get ready for what is clearly another Apple product feeding frenzy, I thought it would be interesting to remind people about the opportunity cost of an iPad. We'll start with what an iPad is likely to cost you, and then look at some products you could get for the same price. The Cost of an iPad Assuming Apple doesn't immediately reduce the price of this puppy, I'll go with the published prices. If you watch a lot of TV you might actually use this more than the iPad. Panasonic DMP-B15 Portable Blu-Ray Player If you are like me, you have a lot of DVDs, an increasing number of Blu-Ray discs, plus a Netflix subscription, but you don't watch movies on the go because either the discs don't play on your laptop, or because you don't want to run down your laptop batteries. Two Amazon Kindles You can get the 10-inch Kindle for yourself, and the 6-inch Kindle for your significant other. The Kindle is a better reader than the iPad, and you can both read at the same time while you'd need to share the iPad or - gasp - buy a second one if you wanted to share. I have the Kindle DX myself, which is similar in size to the iPad, and a number of folks have asked me if it was an iPad. Wrapping Up I really think Apple is going to have to lower the price of this product. With the exception of the portable Blu-Ray player, I know I'd use each of the above alternatives more than I'd likely use the iPad. So, rather than ordering the iPad, I bought a new TV (the Scepter I mentioned) and the camera.