I kind of want an iPad. The new one. The one called “The New iPad.” Regardless of if it’s going to one day have an awkward transitional phase to something other than “The New,” when it’s technically no longer new. In fact, it’s been around long enough to where I wouldn’t consider it very new anymore, already.
But no matter, I still kind of want one. I’m very much aware of the fact that it’s very much a glorified and extremely expensive toy, but it doesn’t change the fact that I would still like one. It’s not going to replace my netbook or my laptop as something I could actually brog substantially from, and I don’t even know a whole lot of function I would get out of it. Maybe I’d play every single Angry Birds level again, pursuing three stars. Supposedly Final Fantasy Tactics is re-released for iOS, which I’d probably get. I guess it has substantially better life than my netbook could to watch movies on. But not much else. It’s a toy, I know.
Anyway, the cheapskate jew in me is staunchly refusing to pay the $499 SRP for the low-end 16GB iPad. Because as cool as a toy it might be, I really don’t want to drop five bills to get one. And frankly, when it comes to most consumer electronics, I’m pretty stubborn about paying SRP for anything. But Apple’s a different beast, one that thinks it shit don’t stink, so what we have here is somewhat of an impasse.
Without giving up too much information, the job I work entitles me to educational discounts, if they are available. Typically, Apple in the past has been obliging when it comes to offering educational discounts, but that was back then. Apple is so far up the mainstream’s ass today, that their idea of discounts is pretty laughable these days. But the worst part is the limitations on educational discounts. As it turns out now, only computers are really the only things that seem to have discounts available to them. Slightly upward are discounts to iPhones, but only when purchased in numbers, and not for individual use. But as for iPads, there are no discounts available. They’re toys, and toys serve no educational purpose, therefore they receive no educational discounts, I’m left to surmise.
Except, for elementary school levels, and of course, buying in numbers.
This doesn’t quite make sense to me; why should educating kids be the only channel to possibly get iPads at a discount? I’ve worked for companies that have developed apps for iOS, and I’ve personally worked on assets that have been used in apps meant for the iOS. As a designer, I could very well have involvement in the production of iPad applications or require an iPad for legitimate work reasons. Granted sure, I want an iPad for personal reasons, but it’s nobody’s business.
What this says to me is that only the wee childrens are the ones destined to advance the iPad forward. By slapping the unit, wiping their sticky, booger-smeared fingers all over the pad, and tracing letters and numbers on a super high resolution touch screen. While us old fucks, who might actually be the ones responsible for developing shit for these devices, do not receive any sort of incentive of discounts to acquiring one. How does that work?
