Now we wait for netbook prices to drop

This week saw the release of the much hyped iPad tablet from Apple, and while it wowed some it left others pretty disappointed. The iPad received very mixed reviews, with some calling it a revolutionary device while others called it an oversized iTouch. For me the iPad was what I thought it would be: a very cool toy but not a 'game changer'.

Of course, I still want one, because like I said it's a very cool toy, and I like shiny new toys. My plan for a while had been to buy a netbook, but then I decided that I would wait to see what the iPad would look like and then make my decision, just in case Apple delivered a product I simply couldn't resist. The iPad is pretty sweet, but at $499 without 3G and $629 with 3G and a $29.99 a month data plan I don't think I can justify buying this shiny new toy any time soon.

So now the new plan is to wait a bit and see how long it will take for netbook prices to drop $100 or so before I buy one. I think they'll have to in order to survive against the iPad. Right now you can buy a netbook for around $300-$600. At the higher end of that range you can get an iPad, and there will definitely be consumers who will prefer the sleeker design of the iPad and opt for it over a netbook. Netbook manufacturers will have to drop their prices a bit so they're not competing directly with the iPad. I think we'll also see e-Readers like Amazon's Kindle drop their prices over the next couple of weeks (or disappear entirely, according to some analysts).

I'm hoping netbook prices drop sooner rather than later, because I'm really itching to buy a new device. I'll probably buy a mid-range model and use it as a toy that I keep in my work bag all the time. I've heard about iPhone tethering for netbooks, so I'll probably try that out for a while. We'll see how long I can stick with this no-tablet plan. I know as soon I start seeing iPads out in the real world I'll want one really bad. Knowing Apple as soon as I buy one they'll drop the price by $200. Actually, once all the other manufacturers start releasing their own tablets Apple might have to drop the iPad price down a notch. With all the new product launches planned for this year, mobile devices could be getting real cheap real soon.