AT&T to Carry 3G-Capable iPad in Stores? - Mac Rumors:

According to the report, AT&T will be dedicating substantial display space to the forthcoming device.


Okay, well, it could sell like gangbusters, but I'm more worried about the iPad being
over
sold. The report MacRumors quotes says, "We're told that the general plan is to convert one or two existing netbook display sections in each corporate AT&T location into a pretty substantial iPad display area," and later talks about putting the iPad in Best Buy as well.

Though the iPad in AT&T's and Best Buy's stores is A Good Thing for Apple, the report makes it sound like they're getting a decent amount of real estate. If the displays full of iPads are too conspicuous, the iPad stands to become conspicuous in its relative absence later on if the stores scale their presence back due to slow initial sales. I'm not sure the iPad is going to have iPod-like success, and almost certainly not the same speed. I think I'd opt for the long haul when I decide how much pimpige space to give it.

Now that said, I'm endlessly impressed with the number of nooks that Apple's managing to cram with stores for virtual goods. I haven't done a ton of wireless shopping with my iPod touch in the three months or so that I've had it, perhaps only one quick track. Like Tetris on my cell phone, iPod shopping is more of a time killer than something I set out to do. I've purchased one game for my Wii in the virtual console, but that was more out of novelty than desire.

But I have purchased several books from Fictionwise that I read primarily on the iPod, and I know I'd rather buy full-fledged Wii games online than to run down to the GameStop (or whatever they're calling it these days). The iPad is probably large and fast enough that shopping there is going to be a much more pleasant experience.

Compared to something like the Peek or even Blackberry, the iPad has great [hardware] stats and monthly fees for 3G. Its ability to slap a store next to your easy chair is a big reason why those prices might seem like bargains from Apple's point of view.

Providing that Apple doesn't start by letting brick and mortars oversell the iPad out of the box, that is.

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