I got one ....

... an iPad that is!

I popped onto the internet at lunchtime and noticed a headline saying that the iPad was now on sale.

Now I think I've mentioned on here before that I'm a bit of a gadget freak. However although I was vaguely aware of the talk surrounding the iPad (and have read a few articles about it recently), I wasn't really planning on getting one, as I just hadn't given it any thought and didn't even know when it was due out. I thought it was ages away. So I popped over to the Apple website to check it out.

OMG! Then I decided I needed one! With it being bank holiday coming up I didn't want to order it online and have to wait until next week for it to be delivered, so I thought I'd see if there was a store near me that I could go to.

The nearest store was in Regent Street, so at 2.30pm I snuck out of the office and hopped on a bus over to Oxford Circus.

WOW! Was I in for a shock! As the bus drew up I saw all these people ... queuing! I wondered why! Then I discovered it was launch day! You could walk into the right hand side of the store (an amazing store by the way and HUGE) and watch the iPad being demonstrated or even have a play yourself. Well I watched about 2 minutes of the demo, then headed back outside to join the queue to purchase one. But I was turned away by the bouncers(!) and told the end of the queue was round the corner (hidden from sight). I don't think I've ever queued to get into a store before! So off I toodled, but I only had to queue for 15 min. (More of this later.) Whilst in the queue there was lots of concern amongst other queuers as to whether they (Apple) might have already sold out of the iPad model that they were looking to buy. However, there were assistants on hand walking up and down the queue to answer questions, to let us know that they had plentiful supplies of all models.

When  I got to the front I was assigned my own personal shopper to help me with my purchase. How cool was that? The whole operation was very slick. There were signs everywhere saying that the store was being filmed for promotional purposes. As I was led towards the stairs I had to pass through a group of Apple workers who made big whooping and clapping noises. They did this for every person who entered the store to make a purchase! Very embarrassing!

My personal shopper was very helpful and answered all my questions. I already knew which version of the iPad I wanted to buy plus all the extras, so it all went very smoothly.

This is what I purchased:

• 
  
  iPad 64GB Wi-FI + 3G
• 
  
  iPad dock
• 
  
  iPad case
• 
  
  mobile me
• 
  
  Micro-SIM card (I think that was free)

I also wanted to purchase the camera connecting gadget, but they had sold out! I was told to come back tomorrow for that, as my PS said there would be plenty by then. I'm not in London tomorrow though so I guess I will have to wait for that. When I checked at the online Apple Store later, it said there was a 4 - 6 week wait, but I can live without it a while as I can sync the iPad to my PC and download my photos that way (see, I'm already learning things).

Then I headed back to the office, a round trip that took 50 minutes from start to finish. This made me laugh later when I picked up an Evening Standard on the way home. Apparently up to 500 people were queueing at the store overnight to ensure they could purchase an iPad when the store opened today. It sounds like they thought there wouldn't be enough for everybody. Then there's me who knew nothing of it this morning and more or less strolled in this afternoon and bought one!

I think what sold me on this were the Apps. They are supposed to be amazing and there are many, many more to come. I'm sure I read somewhere about there being a crafty App where you can design your cards when out and about and get home and make the card up! Just what I need! LOL! I will check it out and write about it here when I know more.

Has anyone else got one?

I'm now thinking about buying an iPhone. I've used a Blackberry for years but my current one is starting to fall apart. I haven't replaced it yet as all the Blackberry's at the moment look like the one I've had for years. When I buy something I like to get something that looks different to what I had before otherwise it doesn't feel new. I've always shied away from iPhones being a confirmed Blackberry user, but now knowing that the iPhone would sync very nicely with my iPad (see it's amazing what I know today, that I didn't know yesterday), I am having second thoughts.

My iPad is only just out the packaging and has been charging it up, now I'm off to play!

Thanks for listening to me waffle.

PS. The photo was taken on my rather messy craft table. Why I have a pair of sunglasses on there, beats me (behind the glossy accents). Uhmmm, it's not that sunny in my craft room!  

Keeley