Reboxing

April 10, 2010 by Jeff Jarvis

So I reboxed the iPad so I can return it to Apple. As I say in the video, it’s not out of dogmatism but because I simply don’t see a good use for the machine and don’t want to spend $500 on something I’m not going to use. As I also said on This Week in Google tonight, if killer apps come out, I could end up buying it again and I’ll say so eating any necessary crow. But for now, it’s going back…

: I should add that I am an Apple shareholder.

http://classwar.frankpaynter.com Frank Paynter

Well played!
http://twitter.com/dakota_oneill Dakota O’Neill

You could have sent it to me, no restocking fee necessary :P
But I agree thats the problem when buying something 1st generation, you don’t even know if you need it you just have that impulse to buy it.
Richard Koffler

I’m with you. I lost interest the moment the machine couldn’t let me use every website. The Flash-less browser fatally cripples the machine’s appeal. Yes, tablets are (finally) here to stay and, yes, the iPad is a trailblazer. I’ll just wait for a unit by Apple or someone else that let’s me replace my netbook and cramped smartphone browsers.
http://www.pcmguy.com Larry Bruce

Well Jeff your right in this case so far the best use I have found for my Ipad is to use it for email while on the treadmill working out.

It works great for email & Tweets, alas as with my iphone I have to close to tweet (although I hear multi-tasking is coming) and I can’t take a call.

Even at a somewhat reasonable $800 the ipad doesn’t really have enough uses to justify the cost…good thing I won mine.

BTW was really good to meet you at SXSWi (I was the car guy)
http://rdowens.net RDOwens

It seems to me you would have known this prior to dropping the $500 last week. I see no use for it. I didn’t have to rebox it, and I’m not out $50. ;)
Shawn Petriw

Jeff,

Take that $500 and buy two shares of AAPL. Lots and lots and lots of people will be finding a use for the iPad.
- http://www.buzzmachine.com Jeff Jarvis
  
  Not a bad idea.
Pingback: iPad Reboxing by Jeff Jarvis « Kempton – ideas Revolutionary
http://www.gizmotastic.com Jeff Manes

I would like to say I found the killer app to justify owning an iPad. I haven’t. I’m probably an optimist, but I know someone will be introducing “The App” soon. Then again the iPad could become another Newton. Only time, imaginations and venture capital will tell.
http://www.twitter.com/ideathinker ideathinker

well at least someome got it right, and you even bothered to try it before you made up your mind….I say don’t belive the hype, it’s a sequal
http://vic867.posterous.com/ Victor Garcia

I feel the same way, but the iPad is the closes I can get to having a Mac. I only have a work PC running XP. This iPad has given me freedom to have a Mac Computer experience anywhere in my home. Even my wife who never uses a computer has taken a liking to it. I was thinking about returning it also, because of Jobs controlled Mac Computer experience. Knowing that my wife is using it, and won’t give me a hard time for using a computer, has prevented me to do the same.
- FRAGZILLA
  
  IT’S NOT A COMPUTER DUMBASS IT’S A USELESS PILE OF SHIT!
Azmi Anshar

Of all the self-aggrandising, pseudo-narcissistic, grandstanding stunts, your reboxing of the i-Pad probably equals or beats whatever a preening Steve Jobs does whenever he is on stage pitching the latest i-Anything or i-Something…and I love it! (Disclosure: I’m a non-Mac user but I’ve fooled around with with a machine or two). I’ve been observing the many reviews and critiques of the i-Pad but in that brief stunt of yours, it encapsulates all reasonings why I won’t be jumping on the i-Pad wagon, at least not now, as you gratingly demonstrated. However, if somebody gives it to me as a birthday gift…
dmatter

You are so important. How narcissistic.
- http://www.kashifpasta.com Kashif Pasta
  
  Who, Jeff? How so?
  - Waz (no, not that Waz)
    
    Are you being sarcastic?
    
    If not, see the comment from Pavlos below. All the faults Jeff found with the iPad were well known before he bought it – if he didn’t know, he should have Googled “iPad”.
    
    This is just a media stunt for Jeff to get a little attention for himself on the back of the hype surrounding the iPad.
    
    Perhaps he’ll give us his insights into the awfully closed WePad (if/when it ever ships). Although I doubt it, since there’ll be no hype around it for him to trade off.
    
    People actually pay this guy to teach their kids? I weep.
http://www.kashifpasta.com Kashif Pasta

This is awesome, just heard about it on TWiG!

Personally, not owning a smartphone or a laptop (and the audio just broke on my iPod touch), I *feel* like the iPad would be great for books and magazines. Of course, being Canadian, I have yet to use it, but it’s great that you put your money where your mouth is an actually tried it before declaring it “not for you”.

I’m thinking of more and more uses for an iPHONE as well, so, if I can get past the exorbitant monthly fee (a minimum of $50/month for 500MB of data for a minimum of 36 months up here), I might spring for the latest one this Summer. Or I might find out that the iPad’s for me, who knows!

All that aside, I think you could’ve made a profit on eBay or Craigslist, and even more if you signed it!
http://broadbandpolitics.com Richard Bennett

I’m getting a 3G iPad.
- Tom
  
  you mean: Jeff Jarvis is getting a 3G iPad! He got the low-end version, then noticed he actually likes the device but wants the high-end version. He also knows – since Jeff’s an Apple fan (like myself, I admit) – that the second generation iPad will have lots of extra stuff this first generation doesn’t have. So he’ll put the $500 ($450) in an envelope in his desk drawer and keep that ’till the day the 2nd generation is for sale at the Apple Store. ;)
FedEx guy

Jarvis, I wish I could rebox and ship you back to Bronze Age.
Pavlos Georgiadis

Hi,

Is there a way to un-see this stupid video and get a refund for my lost time please?

Please also change the title of the post to “I got an iPad because everyone else was doing so and now I realized that I didn’t want one”. Will spare the time of the rest that will see it.

If you didn’t like it, why you got it in the first place. You knew all it’s features and the lack of some of the features you want. You got it just for this? To show to the world how much you hate it? Ok. If you hate it just ignore it. Or you just wanted to be part of the hype around it and be famous for a while?

If you are clever enough, I hope you got payed to do this. Otherwise let me know, so I can laugh at you.
- http://www.paulblok.com Paul Blok
  
  I completely agree with Pavlos, this looks like a media stunt more than a sincere dissapointment. This post is not hurting iPad or Apple, but ‘the brand Jarvis’. Be carefull with your brand, Jeff, you know how harsh the internet can be.
  - http://www.beaupedia.org Beau
    
    Didn’t hurt his “brand” in my eyes at all. He had time to use it, think about it, and come to a conclusion. Isn’t that why you test drive a car? You just sound like a bitter douche.
- Eric Gauvin
  
  Look at me! Look at me! I’m returning my iPad!
  
  Yeah. I have no idea what Jarvis is making such a big stink about.
  
  Did you want an iPad with one of those days-of-the-week pill boxes attached. Maybe that will be in the next release…
- SolarPlexus
  
  *blinks*
  Why do you even bother to read this blog?
  Such hatred……..
  If you don’t agree, thats fine…but you are grandstanding just as much if not more than Jeff. At least he did it on his own platform and didn’t come to your house and spout off at the mouth….
  - Eric Gauvin
    
    I don’t hate Jeff Jarvis personally. I think he seems like a charming guy. But his ideas are ridiculous, and I’m surprised more people don’t challenge him on them–especially since he’s a professor, prominent voice and independent thinker.
    
    I’m persistent with questioning and criticizing Jeff because I feel he is elusive in addressing salient details about his ideas.
  - Andy Freeman
    
    > I’m persistent with questioning and criticizing Jeff because I feel he is elusive in addressing salient details about his ideas.
    
    And the result of said questioning and criticizing has been what, exactly? (We wouldn’t want to be elusive.)
  - Eric Gauvin
    
    …pointing out that he lacks credibility…
  - Andy Freeman
    
    > …pointing out that he lacks credibility…
    
    How about some evidence that Gauvin has actually accomplished that goal?
- http://www.paulblok.com Paul Blok
  
  @Beau exactly, you test drive a car BEFORE you buy one. In addition you read the specs and listen to reviews of users. It’s like buying a sports car to find out that your family doesn’t fit. Not smart.
  
  Another point is that it CAN happen that you buy something you don’t need. But then don’t complain publically about the product specs. Just return it. Jeff has an influential blog, so being a little less sensational would be fair.
  
  By the way, I am not an Apple fan and I have doubt about the iPad. That’s why I (think I) don’t need one. My simple solution: I don’t buy one.
Hans Suter

I went one step further, I bought a Kindle.
Pingback: Jeff Jarvis schickt sein iPad zurück » News » Poshpad
http://www.appstory.tv kira

the ipad closes a gap in portable media consoles. of course one must define for him/herself if it will go with the personal digital outfit. my guess is you’ll end up buying one again :) (watched and written on my ipad)
http://www.spitsnieuws.nl Dennis Mons

Well good for you Jeff. Some people don’t seem to realise that part of the reason for you buying the iPad in the first place, is because you need to be well informed because of your job.
The fact you put it on video is part of your job too, I reckon, so I really don’t get people saying it’s lame. That’s like saying a sports journalist shouldn’t write something bad about a losing team, just because there are fans who might object to it)

I’m quite sure you could’ve just asked Apple for a sample, so respect for buying it yourself. Getting something with your own money defenitely helps to establish a sincere opinion about a product.

If you think it’s not worth every single buck you payed for it, so be it. These ****** Apple boys need to scram. You bought it, you tested it, you didn’t like it. End of story. People need to respect that.

(LOL and saying you should be send back to the Bronze Age is just plain ridiculous. If someone is up-to-date about technology, it’s you)
- BobP
  
  You touch on the thing that made me almost hit the big, red “unsubscribe” button on my iPhone RSS reader for Buzzmachine. It’s not that I think Apple can do no wrong. I don’t. It’s not that I don’t respect his conclusion that it isn’t a useful device for his life. Fine. It’s not that I find sport in disagreeing with Jarvis. I don’t (I agree a lot). It’s not that this struck me as the kind of self-important, self-promotional stunt that makes me roll my eyes. (I’ve thought for a while Jarvis can be that kind of guy). Well it was a little that. But mostly, it was because this made me wonder how curious, really, is he about his own field. He’s a J-professor specializing in technology and the future of news for Pete’s sake. There are some media companies that are investing a lot in the iPad (NYT, Time, etc.) I’m not saying they’ll do a good job. (In fact, I suspect most won’t.) But this video suggests to me that Jarvis doesn’t seem all that interested in watching how it plays out, to see what news organizations try to do with this thing — new media, old media, whatever. I mean, the iPad and it’s apps are not just set in stone, unchanging. It’s going to evolve. This sort of thing doesn’t make me want to take Jarvis seriously as a scholar, as a commentator or as … a journalist. Brush me off as a “fanboy” or something if that’s the best you can do. Whatever. Anyway, I’ll give Buzzmachine a little longer to see if I think Jarvis continues to contribute usefully to the conversation or not. We’ll see.
http://lenadoppel.com Lena Doppel

Nice stunt!
I like it.
I don’t know if this kind of “early adopter testing-fee” will be possible with Apple retailers in Europe in a month. But it’s definitely worth a try.
I own a Macbook Air and an iPhone and I don’t see a usecase for me either, but – as you did – I would like to try it for myself.
Thomas

The WePad seems to have better tech specs, let’s wait for the official press release on Monday, see http://wepad.mobi/
http://blog.oliver-gassner.de Oliver Gassner

I think in Germany at least charging you 50 Bucks/EUR/whatever to return a product would be illegal. I suspect this applies to all of the EU.
Locomotive Breath

“Even my wife who never uses a computer has taken a liking to it.”

And that folks is why Apple will sell a ton of them.
http://www.buzzmachine.com Jeff Jarvis

I”m amused by the hostility the fanboys have to someone not liking the product they like. How dare you not like pepperoni on your pizza! You are a fool! You are saying that just to get attention!

It’s the overheated devotion to a product — which I showed myself on last week’s TWiG — that makes mocking it so easy.
- Eric Gauvin
  
  Right. You’re saying I like the Apple iPad over the competitor’s tablet because I’m a fanboy. Oh wait! There aren’t any competitors (yet).
  
  I think you’re totally missing the point that this is probably a NEW tech category with all kinds of interesting possibilities. It has very little to do with fanboys.
  
  (That should be a subject of interest for a professor of new media I would think…)
  
  (fyi, haven’t bought one. I probably don’t need one. If anything, I’d wait until it matures a little more)
  
  Sincerely,
  
  A Devoted Apple Fanboy
  - Andy Freeman
    
    > There aren’t any competitors (yet).
    
    Actually, there are.
    
    Jarvis returned th iPad because the needs that it satisfied were better satisfied by those competitors.
    
    If you think that Jarvis’ needs aren’t being satisfied post-iPad, please list some of those unsatisfied needs.
  - Eric Gauvin
    
    Andy,
    
    I disagree. I don’t really see any non-Apple products comparable to the iPad–unless you are thinking of the “big-ass table.”
  - Andy Freeman
    
    > I disagree.
    
    Yet Gauvin didn’t bother to list any of the needs that are better satisfied with an iPad.
    
    It seems that Gauvin doesn’t understand what a “need” is, so I’ll provide an example (one that even supports his argument).
    
    The iPad satisfies the need to appear hip and a member of the Apple tribe. Its competitors in satisfying this need are the iPhone, the various Macs, the iPod, and the iTouch but the iPad is “better” because it is newer and more obvious.
- Eric Gauvin
  
  I’m sure the next iPad will be vastly different and you will completely love it.
  
  (they’re probably working on your ideas right now…)
  - Kurtis B.
    
    And this is the whole point Jeff was making. As of RIGHT NOW, it doesn’t satisfy his wants/needs. I want an iPad, but I never even considered actually purchasing because I know this first generation isn’t worth it.
- Waz (no, not that Waz)
  
  Yes, Jeff, anyone who disagrees with you must be an Apple fanboy, not just people who see through your – pretty transparent – publicity stunt.
  
  Is that the level of critical thought you bring to your writing and classes?
  
  Glad I never wasted money on either.
Eric Gauvin

Jeff,

(You smugly say you’ve paid an “early adopter’s” tax, but sorry, you can’t claim “early adopter” status if you return it. You’re not an adopter at all. You are a dilettante and attention whore. What a silly exercise.)

WHAT IS YOUR POINT?!

–If you are supposed to be a disgruntled consumer, you must be completely clueless and out of touch (and you claim to be an “early adopter”) to buy a product without knowing what it is.

–If you’re supposed to be a technology reviewer, you must be extremely arrogant and completely self-absorbed if you think anybody cares about your personal rant.

David Pogue you are not:

(from the NY Times)

“And the techies are right about another thing: the iPad is not a laptop. It’s not nearly as good for creating stuff. On the other hand, it’s infinitely more convenient for consuming it–books, music, video, photos, Web, e-mail and so on. For most people, manipulating these digital materials directly by touching them is a completely new experience–and a deeply satisfying one.

The bottom line is that the iPad has been designed and built by a bunch of perfectionists. If you like the concept, you’ll love the machine.

The only question is: Do you like the concept?”

Perhaps that’s your point: you don’t like the concept. But it’s still strange you rushed out and bought one in the first place… Hmm…

:-)
- http://www.buzzmachine.com Jeff Jarvis
  
  Eric,
  All you EVER do is come here to insult me. You might as well save your keystrokes. I don’t read you.
http://twitter.com/allen099 Allen S.

To anyone who says “Jeff should have Googled it…” blah blah blah, keep in mind that everyone thought the same thing. On paper, the iPad is just meh. However, I’m sure the reason Jeff bought one (and I did too) is because those that had it said “you’ll only see what it can REALLY do for you once you have one.” I want a portable blogging platform and an eReader. So, I tried out this iPad and it’s been sitting in my bookbag for 3 out of the 4 days I owned it. I don’t see the magic in it, especially since I’ve been playing with this same OS since 2007. Plus, OS 4.0 in the fall?? We have to wait that long for multitasking? I’m sure that by the time the holidays come around, we’ll see a lower price or an updated unit (maybe one with a front-facing camera).

Anyway, I’m in the same boat as Jeff. We don’t always agree on everything, but in this case I too have no use for it in between my computer and my phone.
SolarPlexus

Meh….I played with it in the store…didn’t do much for me. Maybe when THAT killer app comes…..
http://twitter.com/the38th Jesse

That’s clever.

Please though, Dr. Jarvis, be a little more critical and steady minded about new technologies for those of us who listen to your podcasts and read your writing. A few weeks ago I listened to you rave about Buzz. That’s also been reboxed, apparently. When an Android tablet comes out in a few months, I really hope that you will be able to offer an objective appraisal.

I’m sorry about writing this. I’m trolling… Sorry!
http://iamdavebowers.com Dave Bowers

I would have more appreciation for Jeff’s opinion on the matter if he kept hold of it to have more informed opinions on the platform going forward. Isn’t that what a tech journalist does?

I wouldn’t want to be taught journalism by someone who returns an iPad after a couple of weeks. Reminds me of my photography teacher who told me digital photography was a fad…
Ice Cube

“Jeff Jarvis” is an anagram for “hurr durr.”
netcrack

If you don’t see a use case that leaves the question why you bought it in the first place … doesn’t it?
http://www.howardyermish.com Howard Yermish

I think that the problem some of us power users are having is that it isn’t a power tool. In fact, it is exactly a non-power tool. When I write or do email or edit photos or write code, I need sharper knives than the iPad can deliver.

$500 is still $500 and as much as I would love to have the latest Apple shiny gadget, I agree with your decision to return it. That is why there is chocolate and vanilla.
http://www.twitter.com/carldavis Carl Davis

$50 ‘Restocking Fee’. Ha ha! You crazy Americans, you! *wistful smile*
http://www.jwoodsinc.com Justin Woods

Jeff I am disappointed but in agreement. My iPad Really inst everything i expected. It is restrictive and the apps are to expensive and often disappointing. However if I return it and wait for Google the wife would kill me. Maybe when my case finally shows up from Apple in a month it will be cooler. By the way I only got this thing because it made it easier to view your blog and others that I became interested in after recently listening to your book. Thanks Buddy:)
Jay

Looks like a publicity stunt to me that, unfortunately, like many of them, worked brilliantly.
Bill Hutchison

I’m getting tired of reading about the ipad. Not souch the articles as the comments.

I agree with Jeff, but it makes me cringe when I read the comments by the fan-boys. It’s fine to disagree with Jeff and other tech writers thoughts on the ipad being a toy. But I so often read an unhealthy devotion to apple and Steve Jobs. For some people when it comes to apples there is no room for constructive thought and critisism, there is only room for Steve.

I read the fan boys and can’t help but think they just want to yell “Shut up slave!”.

Steve Jobs is king, and no one can disagree with him.
Calgary Guru

Regards any “uproar” over Apple charging a re-stocking fee of $50.

IT ISN’T a re-stocking fee! Apple cannot just re-shrinkwrap the item and put it into new stock. Instead, it must tidy up the packaging and then sell it later on the web store as a refurbished product for… likely $50 less than a new one. This is LAW… They cannot sell a returned item as “new”.

As such, the so-called re-stocking fee of $50 is completely reasonable on their part.
- http://www.buzzmachine.com Jeff Jarvis
  
  I didn’t complain about the fee. I said I’d pay it. That’s what they call it.
Pingback: iPad Fatigue
Pingback: THE IPAD ACCORDING TO THE EDITOR OF THE GUARDIAN
http://www.innovationsinnewspapers.com juan giner

Jeff,

Fedex it to me and I will pay you the full price plus the shipping cost.

Your editor in London is quite happy.

http://www.innovationsinnewspapers.com/index.php/2010/04/11/the-ipad-according-to-the-editor-of-the-guardian/
- http://broadbandpolitics.com Richard Bennett
  
  From the article juan quotes:
  
  “Well, I would like to see the reaction of Jeff Jarvis, a columnist of The Guardian.
  
  “The editor loves the iPad, the columnist, Mr. Google, not really.”
  
  Mr. Google would be Jeff, of course. So the question of the day is this: Is it possible to be a Google fanboi and an Apple fanboi at the same time, or does one have to choose? This is the burning question of our time.
http://www.innovationsinnewspapers.com juan giner

Jeff,

Another idea: sell it on eBay.

I am sure that many people will pay for the iPad that Jeff Jarvis didn’t like it…

It will become a “collectors” iPad!
- http://lenadoppel.com Lena Doppel
  
  Yes Jeff,
  you should have signed it with an marker on the back and then sell it as an collector’s item
  I am going to find you at re:publica next week and make you marker-sign my kindle :)))
http://cromercrox.blogspot.com cromercrox

Don’t send your iPad back to the store – give it to me!!!
Brad Minksky

needlessly provocative with a link bait title. pretty clever.
http://www.zeno.ro Zeno Popovici

OK, enough with this bullshit. Unsubscribing.

Try to provide your readers with relevant content. My ears are full with iPad whining … and smirking.

Today I looked back on your posts in the last month and I’ve seen one or maybe 2 relevant ones. Then comes this linkbaiting …

Try moving to Gruber people … unbiased relevant content there every f*king day.
uWanker

Bloody drama queen.
Pingback: iPad: Why I'm Sending My iPad Back to Apple | Media and Tech
http://alexandrocolorado.com Alexandro Colorado

Interesting video, as I was watching it and looking at your site it came to me that you are (or not) about ‘buzz’. The interesting part about buzz is that here we are on the latest Buzz in Tech and you are taking a stand against it.

Comparing Apple with Google there are many similarities and many differences. The similarities is the ability to create Buzz. As I see the iPad and remember the Wave Buzz they are very similar, diehard people wanting to jump on something they don’t really understood.

However there is also differences like the fact Google is not charging to use Wave while apple is indeed about that cold hard cash. What are your thoughts if Google would have charged for Google wave? Would it be a similar issue on trying to solve a problem that is not even there?

I am not apologizing for the ipad in fact I am not into apple at all being a free and open source software developer who uses linux from top to bottom.

I am also interested in learning what my non geek friends think about their devices like the phones. Most of them are excited of the Blackberry, leaving iphones and ipodtouches to their wives. My friends don’t install anything on their phones, they just make calls and maybe a couple of times send text messages.

Their wives might install some apps but most of them, are fed up with having to spend money on a stupid game. So I am interested in learning if anyone else have this non-geek friends who might not even know about apps or think they dont use apps. And really learn why they are excited about their phones at all?

Right now the apps is really facebook, twitter, they are on these apps and they want to share what they are doing with their friends, so the device becomes dumb and just want a phone that works with facebook or twitter. (facebook mainly) They want to have a camera so they can snap pics at their kids and upload to facebook. Yes this might need an app for this, but they dont think in turns of apps but in goals.

I want to put pictures in facebook of my baby. The rest… I dont care.
Pingback: links for 2010-04-12 « Where is my towel?
Pingback: „Re:publica 2010 – Viele Re:den und Re:nnerei“ auf karrierebibel.de – Jeden Tag mehr Erfolg!
http://www.blogwinkel.de Peter/Blogwinkel

I can see the point, but instead of reboxing it you should just bring it to Berlin – I’ll buy as soon as i see you at Re:publica. I’ll pay cash, you’ll won’t have to pay your “early adopters fee” and i’ll pay your first beer.
How about that?
http://kentonsinfotainmentscan.blogspot.com/ Kenton Larsen

The thing about being an early adopter is that you sometimes have to wait for the device to reach its full potential.

I recall in the early days of the Internet – when I was the first among my friends to get dial-up service – saying, “The Internet is like being in a shopping mall that only sells things I don’t need.”

Times have changed, eh? And they will for the iPad as well: it’s bound to replace the laptop. That it hasn’t done so immediately isn’t surprising.
http://www.nixle.com NixleRep

An Apple shareholder who is being paid by Google??

I always find it suspect when a well known blogger takes a position on either extreme of the negative or positive toward a product newly released in the market.

Is there more going on here??

If not, more power to you. The iPad is more like laserdisc than DVD.
- http://www.buzzmachine.com Jeff Jarvis
  
  Oh, as opposed to you who spams another comment thread here with a plug for your company?
  I have no business relationship with Google except that I own stock in both companies.
  If I dare question the blessed Apple then I must be in the pay of the devil, that’s your logic?
  I won’t be investing in your company.
  - Tom
    
    Jeff,
    
    I know the hatred here is irrational, but none the less, this move by you is very suspect. You are too well informed to not know what you were getting when you purchased the iPad to then be shocked when you started using it.
    
    This looks like a stunt to everyone because, well, it was a stunt. You, for whatever strange reason, wanted to either, hurt Apple, or boost your extremely liberal geek street cred. Either way, you have an ulterior motive which is painfully obvious to everyone who has watched your video.
    - http://www.buzzmachine.com Jeff Jarvis
      
      Listen, take me or leave me. I bought it and didn’t like it. Simple. I had some fun. You disapprove. Sorry. You’re putting a helluva lot more effort into analyzing this than I did. I spent $500 and decided I didn’t find it worth it and returned the product. Happens all the time. It’s business. It’s not a fuckin’ religion, folks.
    - Tom
      
      C’mon Jeff, you put this out there, knowing some would love it, some would hate it, and some would just find the whole thing suspect.
      
      You decided to make a public show of something that happens millions of times a day around the world; returning a product to the store.
      
      What do you believe people’s reaction would be if Laporte made a “re-boxing” video of a microphone, or video camera? You don’t think people would look at someone as well informed as he is about these kinds of products a little strangely? You don’t think we would wonder how he could possibly NOT know what he was buying?
      
      Of course we would, and you know it. So please, don’t feign outrage here, this is exactly the type of attention you were expecting when you posted this video.
    - http://www.buzzmachine.com Jeff Jarvis
      
      Except people don’t do “unboxing” videos for cans of tuna.
    - Tom
      
      You lost me there.
  - http://www.nixle.com NixleRep
    
    I like your blog and have kept my posts relevant to the articles you publish. If you consider them spam I won’t post here.
    
    I guess I’ve just been a bit overwhelmed by the Apple iPad market blitz that has blazoned its way across every tech blog on the internet, and I may be a bit over sensitive to it.
    
    I don’t dislike Apple or Google. I use both companies every single day.
    
    Anyway, it was just a question. You did publish a book called “What would Google Do?” The idea is not that far fetched, I don’t think.
    
    I apologize for offending you Jeff.
Pingback: Reboxing « BuzzMachine | Hot Buzz
Pingback: The Technology newsbucket: Farm Town warnings, lots of Apple v Adobe and more | Tech Blog
Paul

Bwahahaha. The only thing more amusing than the video is the whining from the Appletariat. Gold. +1, Mr. Jarvis.

BTW: I enjoy you on TWiG.
Pingback: The techies still hate it : Contrarian
João

Hi Mr. Jarvis, sorry for the off topic. I’m just wondering what monitor you have? It looks really nice! Is it a 24″ Samsung? Thank you so much.

This is truly the first reboxing I’ve seen good way to make a statement. :D

Keep them coming. See you on TWiG
Goto10

Jeff Jarvis, you are a self absorbed moronic consumer who did this solely for attention. If you knew the ipad didn’t have USB, why’d you even buy it? What was the point of all of this? You could have made your point without ever purchasing the product. Again.. Publicity stunt that is backfiring on you, you nobody. Stupid old man that is out of touch and even more ignorant when it comes to buying products. That $50 wasn’t ann early adopters fee you smugly say with that stupid look on your face, it’s a fee for BEING A MORON! Now, go buy something else you know you don’t need beforehand and make another stupid hey look at me video you low self esteem having maniac. Seriously.. I would lose sleep over being so stupid and out of touch with the world and the tech industry as a whole if i were you and you know you do. Just pointless drivel meant to rile up anti apple fanboys. For the how many everth time.. You’re an idiot. Enjoy living with this stupid video and the lambasting you have incurred upon yourself. And no, stupid, not everyone that disagrees with you loves apple. They just see you as the attention whore you are for this and moreover.. A stupid consumer.
Bill Oderhadem

I have an idea. Rather than calmly return your iPad, destroy
it in grande fasion(think office space.) Then put the video of your antics on YouTube. The adsense revenue will more than make up for the cost of the unit.
http://www.gameothek.com eigelsteinprinz

hi jeff!
short but great video without any bad comments. thanks! ;-)
I like the minimalist explanation. In a few months i will try the “german” version of the ipad in the usage of gaming & movies under http://www.gameothek.com
yes, i love apple – but 500 €? hmmmm…
B

I really think you missed an opportunity here; I am an employee of JRC and work in sales. The thought of being able to use an iPad in the field is revolutionary to me. If we could integrate our systems so I could enter orders in the field, run a clients credit card, and also look up account info – I for one know I could double my revenue. The possibility of increasing the positive expericne for a customer/ advertiser is enormous!

Furthermore I could keep track of my mileage, update my call logs, look up client info from previous call log entries, and much more. I use my iPod touch frequently as a calculator, my calendar, and I also have an app called “AdRuler” which has column inch among other things in it. I have AccelaRuler as well so I can measure advertising copy as well.

The iPad may be of no use to you but I for one wish that I had one in my possession so I could use it to make my job more effective!
Pingback: Der Auftakt des Tablet-Zeitalters – Apples iPad und seine Verfolger. | Charts, Rankings, Listen – 7Lists-Blog
Casper

Agree, I can’t for the life of me figure out what use case this product covers. That’s not to say I will never get one or a similar device, but that will be when I have an actual need.
Rob

Inform yourself before buying a Gadget! It´s not apple ´s fault, it´s your fault. Think -> Yes/No -> buy/buy not
Pingback: Buzzword Bingo » Buzzword Bingo 12: Gimme the Finger and a Pen
Pingback: " » Social Media Zeitgeist, April 13, 2010" from Pro PR
http://goodexperience.com Mark Hurst

The iPad isn’t about you, it’s about the three-year-olds: http://goodexperience.com/2010/04/three-overlooked-less.php
http://www.bearson.net Michael Garcia

Jeff,

I am surprised that the Vatican has not contacted you and made you aware that you are up for the saint hood. Saint hood for being the patron saint for technology and new media….

Seriously I am cheering for you in my cubicle without walls. There is a small need for the iPad, but not a great enough need to justify fanboy or consumers alike to choose it as a platform to replace there desktops or mobile devices.

If the need was so great for such a device, the iPhone and Android numbers would have shown this long ago.

I think that the iPhone and Android solved the problem of disconnection between mobile device makers and the mobile device market. However the iPad, it’s only vindication would be to fix the history of one of there greatest failures, the Newton.. Which rightfully was ahead of it’s time.

Again I do not think a majority of consumers would need an iPad or could justify it by any means, given there are a few who could find a great use for it. Now that is not to say there are tons of people who will still use it and make a place for it in there daily lives.. I think that is the only real success of the iPad in this day and age.
Pingback: photoappar.at » Veranstaltungen » Jeff Jarvis auf der re:publica 2010
http://www.BottropLive.Blogspot.com Martin Radespiel

Nicht schlecht der Specht,
in einigen Punken gebe ich Recht,
doch gebe ich zu bedenken,
er läst sich als Spiegel denken.

Martin Radespiel

Not bad, the woodpecker,
I give some points in law,
but I submit,
it is blasphemous to think as a mirror.
http://erasend.blogspot.com kingdom2000

Wow, lot of bile for a guy that is returning a device he doesn’t like. No one complains about an unboxing video which normally is a stunt, normally a way to say “look what I have and you probably don’t” and all the other things people complained about here. So why is a reboxing video worse then an unboxing video? Why does one bother you and the other doesn’t?

I can’t tell if it is Apple fanboy-ism (really get over it, Apple has become the new Goliath. You can actually find fault with them now. It is allowed.), jealously or what. I am baffled. Its a blog, dude posted his opinions, likes, dislikes and what he is doing. The reboxing falls completely within that scope.
- Warren
  
  I agree, all the “reboxing hate” is a little much, and ya, apples not perfect, I thin its more about it not being for everyone, he makes it sound like it’s pretty much a useless device for anyone at this point. it’s not so much the reboxing as the point he’s trying to make with it, or more so, the way he’s stating his point
Warren

I get that the iPad won’t be for everyone, but this video seems to imply that it really is of no use to anyone at this point. but what I’ve noticed is that a lot of techies aren’t seeing what this product was really made for, and it wasn’t us, it was built for the masses, for our mothers and fathers, people that don’t like sitting at a computer but want to have quick easy access to e-mail/facebook/online magazines and newspapers. for those people that don’t know how to “install software” the iPad lets you browse a store, pick what you want and install it for you, and you can find it instantly.

you’re probably right, the iPad isn’t for you, but don’t make it out to be a useless device, it will make the majority of peoples lives easier when it comes to using a computer. and that’s the point.
Joe

Jeff, the iPad is great for watching a movie when flying across the country, great for going on the internet when in bed, and has awesome games to play on it.
As a consumer I do not care if I have to use the App Store to download apps, and not able to use the apps not allowed by apple.

Also, people are not complaining that there is no camera on the iPod Touch.

Multitasking is going to be an awesome update!!!
Arash Robinson

I usually enjoy reading the comments posted on Buzz Machine, but not this time.

Blogs would lose a lot of their power if readers didn’t offer constructive criticism. Unfortunately many of these comments aren’t constructive at all, but just plain rude.
Pingback: Blogging : 70 idées pour trouver de l’inspiration « Maniac Geek
Pingback: iPad, iWrong, ich lag falsch! • analyse, apple, bloggen, ipad, produzieren, schreiben • leumund.ch
Pingback: Sendung vom 12. April: Datenschutz im Wahlkampf, iPad, Wikileaks — Die Sendung mit dem Internet
Pingback: Why I’m Not Yet Buying an iPad « Tech Light
Pingback: Curated links – 4-20-2010 : Innovation in College Media
Pingback: Why I’m Not Yet Buying an iPad | The Stuff of the World
Pingback: Nutzungsfälle für das iPad « Paul Herwarth von Bittenfeld
Hervé

Merci de l’avoir fait avant que l’IPad ne soit disponible en Europe. Ça nous évite au moins de faire le mauvais choix : trop cher, trop peu de fonctionnalités, applications propriétaires, bof bof ça n’a rien d’engageant.
Pingback: Why I’m Not Yet Buying an iPad « Matt Katawicz on Life
Pingback: RdB Communicatie » Blog Archive » Gaat de iPad de journalistiek redden?
Pingback: Reboxing on BuzzMachine | checkdisout.com
Pingback: Terry Heaton’s PoMo Blog » Blog Archive » Assumptions in the news
Pingback: De JooJoo, de Skoda onder de tablets! « Exploring the Joojoo
http://ppalme.wordpress.com Peter Palme

We are very happy with our ipad. It has made the consumption of digital media so much more convenient. My wife enjoys reading books on the ipad. We spend sunday mornings wiht our kids – flying in a simulation on the ipad through the solar system and the galaxy and depending on the topic of our conversations we look at educational videos on youtube. Here are some examples: http://tinyurl.com/34g5uuc
Of course the ipad is ideal as organizer or for email.
I would call the ipad what was the newspaper in the past. To put it bluntly the newspaper wasn´t used to print the newspaper. But you need to understand the format of the newspaper you want to produce for. I see now after several weeks of ipad ownership that the use of youtube and other video sites will go up. So will electronic books…
Pingback: bwl zwei null · Eine Woche mit dem iPad
http://www.northeastmagic.com ryan cameron

Thanks for posting this…now its 4 months later and i’m wondering, how is the iPad doing sales wise? Is it still the must have object that people truly believe they will die without? The number of them showing up on Ebay is not insignificant, and in my experience with the thing, there are a lot of drawbacks to the device that severely outweigh the benefits:
1. too heavy
2. have to support it with one hand while using it with the other, and its much larger than a phone in this context – thus physically tiring and cumbersome to use. (flat on a table is the wrong angle, and I’m not going to carry around a third party eisel)
3. no flash is still a problem, HTML 5 just isnt catching on. (Steve is in a bubble in that regard)
4. its really expensive compared to a netbook, and can do 1/100th as much
5. netbooks can plug into external monitors, mice, and keyboards, and I can run all my old programs on them.
6. my iPod touch does pretty much everything the iPad does, and it fits in my pocket.
7. my netbook (sony vaio…very tiny thing) does a lot more than the iPad, and it fits in my jacket pocket.
8. the apps are expensive and usually require continuous upgrades and fees for the really useful bits. Many of them are freely available on the PC (the flash games etc)
9. touch is imprecise…not even the technologies fault. My finger physically covers the part of the screen it is “touching” so it is far less useful than a mouse in many applications (particularly drawing or trying to write text for handwriting recognition)
10. no tactile feedback
11. doesnt fold up.
12. really small storage space. Forces me to use iTunes and provide username/password every time I enter the app store – even if I just want a free app. So much easier to navigate to a flash website and play a game. I dont want to have to fill in a bunch of forms and provide personal info JUST to try a stupid game.
13. fragile. I can drop, hit, crumple up , or tear a book, map, or note pad, and they remain useful. Unlike foldgers coffee, iPad’s are good to the FIRST drop.

So given these objections – just a small subset of the ones ive been reading – the device would have little appeal to power users (the OS and app store are just patronizing and ridiculous), and no appeal to “grandma” because of the expense, fragility, and app store fees/invasion of privacy, its no good for kids because its too expensive, fragile, heavy, and awkward.

I just do not see the killer app this thing has that far less expensive or free things do not already do much better. People tried tablets in the early 90′s and they just arent useful.

I think the iPad has been mistaken for the “next big thing” as if its ushering in tablet computing that will somehow replace the mouse, keyboard, monitor paradigm.

Until we have a neurological interface that allows us to run computer software directly in our brains…we’re just rearranging the deck chairs. Jobs iStuff is just smoke and mirrors…no revolutionary stuff here. Old, tired ideas with some make up and costumes.
Pingback: Florian Hartling. Netzleben » Kindle – far from being perfect, but probably the best recent device for humanities
http://www.dvd-to-ipad-converter.biz/ dvdtoipadconverter

Though ipad has many shortages that existinG , we should not shut the door to allow ipad to improve its features.
http://ireturnipad.com alem

First I was concerned about connectivity but very helpful apple employee told me I can get a connector for $35. Now is not a problem any more. I sold my Canon 5D Mkii that used obsolete CF card and now I use only camera from iPhone -no need for CF connector. It is so easy to buy apps and movies from the iTunes! It’s so magical! Yes, there was that problem with that thing Flash too, but I avoid websites that use it and I have no problems at all any more. Now I have perfect device to use while on toillet, or to browser internet while watching TV as many other uses. I love the little games, consuming web, and super easy interactivity. Very nice! High five.
Pingback: Why I'm Not Yet Buying an iPad | Matt Katawicz on Life
Pingback: The Technology newsbucket: Farm Town warnings, lots of Apple v Adobe and more
Pingback: The Root: The Techies Are Wrong About Apple : NPR | Slinking Toward Retirement
Raw

Jeff

In Australia, people like you are simply known as dickheads. Plain and simple.

Now that the Ipad 2 is out, you are no doubt one of the first in line.

Hypocrite.
- http://www.buzzmachine.com Jeff Jarvis
  
  I America, we call people like you fanboys.
Pingback: The Technology newsbucket: Farm Town warnings, lots of Apple v Adobe and more | Richard Hartley
Pingback: Reboxing | BuzzMachine | iPad News Blog