Owning an Apple iPad can get expensive

Bought an iPad! Now, iPoor. But iPumped about its beauty, intelligence, creativity, elegance and power.

It took a while to get my iPad because I wanted the most popular model: the $629 3G. The “3G” part means that I can buy monthly AT&T phone service that permits online access anywhere.

My iPad was finally available for pickup on July 3rd. And guess what — it cost me way more than the $629 price tag. When I walked out of my local White Plains, N.Y. Apple Store, I had rung up $922.22. In the month since, I’ve continued to buy little things here and there for my special gadget.

Rob, assistant manager at the White Plains, N.Y. Apple Store helps me get started

Before I get into itemizing what I’ve spent on my iPad, I must stop and say I LOVE it. But sometimes, I wonder. Is this what it’s like to be on crack?

People who already have iPhones and then buy iPads tell me there are a lot of similarities between how the two function. But as a BlackBerry girl (I like Verizon phone service), everything I’m experience with the iPad is new.

So here I am, finally shopping for apps like their candy. I’m also totally addicted to the speed this baby offers.

Wow.

And I look forward to commuting with it to work during the fall semester. Instead of lugging my precious 5.3-lb. MacBook on the train and all over Manhattan, I’ll be packing my relatively featherweight 1.6-lb. iPad. On the down side, I already know that it can’t do all the things that my laptop does. For instance,  I can’t edit student homework attachments on it because there isn’t a Microsoft Word app that can provide track changes. Still, the iPad is still valuable to me.

But at what price?

Okay, here we go. This is what I bought on the very first day…

• $629 for the 3G iPad
• $99 for Apple Care service, which will cover the cost of repairs
• $99 for MobileMe, which gives me access to Apple software and online services
• $39 for iPad protective carrying case
• $14.95 for a stylus, a pen-like tool for drawing and writing
• $29 VGA adaptor for plugging the iPad into classroom audio-visual systems

This beautiful device is worth every dollar & dime

Since then, I keep shopping for extras…

• $14 on apps
• $29.95 for “My New iPad” book
• $43.30 for a fancy but practical iPad stand
• $31.43 for a card reader that will allow me to download photos directly to the iPad

I am now up to $1,040.90.

That doesn’t count what I just spent today…

• $25 for one month of 2GB AT&T phone service
• $59 for one month of 50 MB AT&T international phone service

I plan to spend the next few weeks learning to really use my iPad while I’m in India.

But that’s another post. More soon. xoxox.