Why I'm waiting on iPad 3G

I readily admit to being an Apple-ista, Mac-ista? Love the products. Have never had any other kind of computer. But, I don't jump on the bandwagon the minute it leaves the barn. I wait.

I waited on the iPhone for two months. I let them work the little bugs out. Now, I have a 2 1/2 year old original iPhone which doesn't get 3G (a moot point since WE don't get 3G where I live), but has a wonderful contract with the phone company. To upgrade, I'll have to have a not-so-wonderful contract (by comparison) so I'm sticking it out until my iPhone won't phone no more.

The iPad went on sale today. Yippee! And since it's not a phone, there's no extra fees for use. It gets by on wi-fi, so you'd better have one of those at the house or have access to it, like at Starbuck's and all those "we have free wi-fi" cafes and stores. In a month, the more expensive 3G version comes out and I'm waiting for it.

Why? To defeat the hotels. Granted, getting 3G access means signing on (and paying) the phone company for its use. But the way I understand that "feature" is it's an on-again-off-again thing.

But it gripes me that hotels, the more expensive the better, charge for wi-fi. Even my favorite Homewood and Hampton Inns have stopped having free wi-fi in the rooms. Go to the office center or the lobby. So, I'll just hook my iPad to the 3G network (and yes, I know I'm paying), and download to my heart's content. While I can access my email now on my iPhone, Safari is really tiny and slow. I want the real thing when I travel.

Who knows, if enough of us do it, maybe we'll get our free wi-fi back in moderately priced hotels. Until then, I'll see Apple at the end of April... or maybe May. Let them get the bugs worked out.