Time-saver or status symbol?

Trent Quinn and the guys at Ray White Ipswich with their iPads.

Rob Williams

VALUABLE, convenient, time-saving tool or overpriced, pointless, time-wasting toy – the debate has raged since the “revolutionary” iPad first arrived on Australia's stores.

A survey by consumer research firm MyType has given some of the critics a bit of extra ammunition in their campaign against those who have dared purchased the new touch-screen technology.

According to the survey, iPad owners were six times more likely to be wealthy, highly-educated and sophisticated 30 to 50-year-olds who value power and achievement.

They're also considered to be selfish and unkind.

As one of the first Ipswich people to get his hands on an iPad, Ray White Real Estate agent and auctioneer Trent Quinn said he could see the humorous side.

But he said his iPad was less a sign of elite status then a useful little piece of gear that made his job easier.

“I don't know about wealthy and sophisticated – the iPad actually saves me a lot of money,” Mr Quinn said.

“I'm an absolute computer nuffy and the only reason I have one is because we use them for work – it enables me to take down a client's details quickly without having to type those details into a computer again when I get back to the office.

The survey involved 20,000 MyType users and aimed to identify the personality traits, values and demographics that drive the sometimes passionate argument over the iPad.

According to MyType, the two main interest groups in the debate could be broken up into two main teams – independent geeks versus selfish elites.

The data showed 33 per cent of the geek's category were iPad critics, while only 4 per cent owned one.

On the other side, 18 per cent of selfish elites owned an iPad, while only four per cent were critics.