It was so necessary to have an iPad 2 RIGHT NOW that you had to go run out and buy a model you didn't even want?

Interesting. I didn't even question this part :). 80% of people here make money off of software. If I was being funded by an iPad app it definitely would be that important.

See, that's the first thing that occurred to me. Why can't you use an emulator OR an older iPad for development for a couple of weeks?

I can't believe people are responding negatively to your comment.

Of course you can do development in the simulator or on an older model for a couple of weeks. Developing on the old model is probably a must-do for at least another year or two. Furthermore, while you do need to test on a device later in the dev cycle, I (and most other devs I know) actually don't deploy to hardware for days at a time early in the cycle.

Early in the iphone dev cycle there were enormous disparities between bugs on hardware and the simulator. Some symbols didn't even link consistently between the two and re targeting would cause compilation errors. This is no longer the case and the two targets are very, very close.

In fact, if someone told me they wanted to get into ipad development, I would tell them to write their app first, and then buy an iPad to test it on.

Emulators aren't 100%, I had a problem with an app that worked perfectly on the simulator, and crashed on the device. Also, if you are doing something with the new features, like the cameras, you will need a new device.

Also of note: there is no iPhone/iPad emulator, only a simulator. There's huge differences in performance, in addition to some rare bugs that only manifest themselves on either the simulator or the device.

I'm working on an iPad app now. There are many things you need the device for.

First, the lower amount of memory is very important for testing how your views load and unload.

Second I've noticed pretty big differences in how the screen looks on my MBP as opposed to on the actual device.

I would understand if it were a dev device. But if it were, then there'd be no need to mail order some different model.

Whoa, why so hostile?

He didn't sound hostile to me.

I consider it a loaner until my 3G model arrives.

Does it matter?

Yikes - the scalping!

Curious if you just bought the Verizon model because that was the only one you got in the stores or if you felt it was no good without LTE (compared to ATT) and so are returning it?

Speaking of Verizon LTE - I had no idea my area was already LTE enabled until I went looking in the context of 4G upgrade for my Xoom. For the iPad2 it doesn't matter as it's going to be used outside of the US so only AT&T model will do - wish the scalpers slowed down a bit!

I go overseas. There is no choice for me other than the AT&T version, which works in Australia and Europe. Verizon only works in the US.

Even if that was OK, Verizon annoy me by charging $35 activation. I loathe that kind of charge. I'll pay for service. Don't make pay for the "privilege" of paying for service. Particularly when you basically have to do nothing.

LTE isn't even a consideration for me until LTE rollouts are widespread.

I travel overseas too, but I'd not want to face the roaming charges (I guess I could swap sims, but I have a phone hotspot anyway).

Getting an iPad that works in the US (especially when there's a high density of Apple users, aka AT&T can't cope) is way more valuable to me - I'm only considering the Verizon version.