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> Ordering a consumer device is nothing to tell your grandchildren about. While my personal achievements are aplenty, I would beg to differ. Au contraire. I

> Ordering a consumer device is nothing to tell your grandchildren about. While my personal achievements are aplenty, I would beg to differ. Au contraire. I can easily make the case that personal devices make a great impact on society as a whole. While the mere purchase of the device is nothing to brag about, recognizing its potential in history is. Refresh your Marshal Macluhan Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man or wait to buy it as an iBook. Or you can simply ask anyone who purchased one of the first Sony Walkmans, an Atari 2400 or even a Toyota Prius (not a gadget) if they felt that the deep in their minds, things were just not the same anymore. Is the purchase an achievement? Probably not. A snapshot in time that deserves recognition? Absolutely.

jacquesm 17y ago
You are purchasing a consumer device that will be made in the hundreds of thousands. That alone means that you are not 'special' in any way doing this. The 'first' were the people that bought newtons back in the day. The ipad, while (probably) executed very well does not break new ground beyond being a slick re-implementation of a number of ideas in a single package. And it's a step backward in many ways when compared to a 'real' computer, it is basically your personal window in to the stuff that apple permits you to install. Be the first to jailbreak the thing, program it to allow the making of voice calls or to put linux on it. That would merit remembering. The people that built it can brag about that, those that buy it are merely early adopters of a second wave of devices like this. (or actually, a third if you count the amazon devices too). Those who bought the first Sony walkmans do not go around telling people they did so, neither do those that bought an atari or a Toyota, at least not that I know of. Sorry to burst your bubble, but if your achievements are plentiful then why not talk about those instead. This seems a really minor item on the list of things that a person could do in their lives. Just about as interesting as being one of the first people to buy a laptop or some model computer. Just imagine, remember kids, one day, long ago, granddad bought an ipad. Versus, one day, long ago, granddad built a house or travelled the world or did a million of other really interesting things. Sure, plenty of people travel the world, and plenty of people build houses. But those are real experiences, this is just exchanging cash for a device that you haven't even tried yet. Anyway, it seems that I'm not capable of getting my point across so I'll leave it at that.
- switch 17y ago
  Actually, we build our own reality. So in the life of the OP him buying the iPad is more significant an event than SJ conceiving it or Apple making it. Besides his grandkids would be far more interested in what he did and chose. We are the stars of the movie of our lives. Unless we choose to make someone else the hero.

jacquesm 17y ago

You are purchasing a consumer device that will be made in the hundreds of thousands. That alone means that you are not 'special' in any way doing this. The 'first' were the people that bought newtons back in the day. The ipad, while (probably) executed very well does not break new ground beyond being a slick re-implementation of a number of ideas in a single package. And it's a step backward in many ways when compared to a 'real' computer, it is basically your personal window in to the stuff that apple permits you to install. Be the first to jailbreak the thing, program it to allow the making of voice calls or to put linux on it. That would merit remembering. The people that built it can brag about that, those that buy it are merely early adopters of a second wave of devices like this. (or actually, a third if you count the amazon devices too). Those who bought the first Sony walkmans do not go around telling people they did so, neither do those that bought an atari or a Toyota, at least not that I know of. Sorry to burst your bubble, but if your achievements are plentiful then why not talk about those instead. This seems a really minor item on the list of things that a person could do in their lives. Just about as interesting as being one of the first people to buy a laptop or some model computer. Just imagine, remember kids, one day, long ago, granddad bought an ipad. Versus, one day, long ago, granddad built a house or travelled the world or did a million of other really interesting things. Sure, plenty of people travel the world, and plenty of people build houses. But those are real experiences, this is just exchanging cash for a device that you haven't even tried yet. Anyway, it seems that I'm not capable of getting my point across so I'll leave it at that.

switch 17y ago
Actually, we build our own reality. So in the life of the OP him buying the iPad is more significant an event than SJ conceiving it or Apple making it. Besides his grandkids would be far more interested in what he did and chose. We are the stars of the movie of our lives. Unless we choose to make someone else the hero.