Why I'm not buying an iPad (yet)

As much as I would love to hold an iPad in my arms and gaze at its awe-inspiring coolness, I just cannot justify it.

I don't mean to judge people who do own iPads, and I don't pretend to preach that other people should make this same choice. But it's a decision I want to share for anyone who is debating the purchase.

The first Apple product I owned was an iPhone 3Gs to which I upgraded in 2010. It was my second smartphone.



An iPhone is fairly expensive, and the cost of the monthly data plan does add up. But it's an amazing piece of technology that has really made my life easier. It's easy to use, it rarely malfunctions, and it's just plain likeable.

When the really big iPhone called the iPad was released, I knew I would want one. Every time I have held a friend's iPad or used one in the store or read a review, I've only wanted it more.

Then why have I not gone out and bought one?

At first, it was a question of money. I'm a pretty frugal guy, and I couldn't justify spending $500 on a gadget while I still had student loans and a car payment. So when I got my tax return this year, I pushed aside every particle of my being that said "buy an iPad" and paid off debt instead.

By the time I paid off my debt this summer, I had reached a few other conclusions.

1. I can't name one significant thing that I could do with an iPad that I could not do with the digital devices I already have. Between my laptop and my phone, I can type, send e-mails, text messages, browse the Internet, play games, and participate in online video chats. Yes, it would be nice to have the large touchscreen interface, and the convenience of the tablet design, but that's not enough to justify the $500+ expense.


2. You can do a lot with $500. You can invest it and watch it become tens of thousands of dollars over the years. You can buy food for a lot of hungry people. You can pay your rent, or at least a significant portion of it. You can send it to me.


3. Eventually, today's iPad will be obsolete. There will be something better, whether it's a future iPad (or another device) made by Apple, or another Tablet computer that performs flawlessly.

With these three reasons in mind, I finally decided to completely ignore the idea of buying an iPad until it's time to replace my laptop. That will probably be a few years from now.

By then, who knows where technology will have taken the world of mobile and tablet computing?

It wouldn't surprise me if there is a version of a tablet computer that is thin, lightweight, touchscreen, and can function just like an iPad, but can also functions just like a laptop when you connect it to a keyboard, mouse, printer, and second monitor. And it might have other awesome features, like teleportation. (I'm not holding my breath on that last one, though.)

So I'm saving the $500, letting it earn interest, until it makes absolute sense and I need another mobile computing solution.

Again, I do not judge or look down on those who have chosen to go ahead and buy an iPad. But I hope these thoughts are helpful for people who are thinking about buying one---or people who are thinking about buying any expensive item that they might not actually need.