128GB iPad now available, but that $799 price is just for starters

As Apple promised, the 128GB model of the 4th-generation iPad was up on Apple’s store site this morning. Shipping time is listed at 1-3 days. Prices are $799 for the WiFi version, and $929 if you want LTE cellular support.

But that’s before you start adding stuff you’re probably going to want at least some of.

Here goes:

iPad Smart Cover

• Polyurethane – $45.00
• Leather* – $79.00

iPad Smart Case

• Polyurethane – $55.00

AppleCare+ for iPad

Every iPad comes with one year of hardware repair coverage and 90 days of telephone technical support. AppleCare+ for iPad gives you two years of repair coverage and technical support from the original purchase date of your iPad. And it adds coverage for up to two incidents of accidental damage due to handling for your iPad, each subject to a $49 service fee plus applicable tax.

AppleCare+ coverage for iPad costs $99.00. Whether that is a good value depends on many uncertainties. Personally, I’ve never purchased extend AppleCare coverage for any of the dozen or so new Apple devices I’ve purchased over the past 20 years, and I’ve never had cause to regret it, but the portability factor with an iPad adds another dimension, and everyone should make their own evaluation on this based on their risk-tolerance.

Lightning to USB Camera Adapter

• You need this adapter to import photos and videos from a digital camera to your iPad with with Lightning connector. - $29.00

Lightning to SD Card Camera Reader

• You need this connector to import photos and videos directly from your camera’s SD card to your iPad with Retina display or iPad mini via the Lightning connector. - $29.00

Apple Wireless Keyboard

• Any Bluetooth keyboard should work, but Apple makes a nice one. - $69.00

Additional Apple 12W USB Power Adapter

• Not a bad idea to have one of these. - $19.00

Additional Lightning to USB Cable

• You’ll thank yourself for buying one of these if you lose or misplace the bundled one. - $21.00

Lightning to 30-pin Adapter

If you’re at all an iOS veteran, you probably have 30-pin accessory devices that need this adapter to connect to that proprietary Lightning port. Comes in two lengths:

• Lightning to 30-pin Adapter-$35.00
• Lightning to 30-pin Adapter (0.2 m) – $45.00

Lightning to VGA Adapter

Lets you display your slides, movies, photos, and everything else on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with Lightning connector to bigger screens: a VGA-equipped TV, monitor, or external projector for video mirroring. The Lightning to VGA Adapter mirrors what you see on your device’s screen so that everyone in the room can enjoy it.

• Lightning to VGA Adapter – $49.00

Lightning Digital AV Adapter

Display your slides, movies, photos and everything else on your iPad with Retina display, iPad mini, iPhone 5, or iPod touch (5th generation) screen on HDTV.

• Lightning Digital AV Adapter – $49.00

AirPlay and AirPrint Devices

Need to print with your iPad? you’re gonna’ need an AirPrint printer.

• Epson Expression Home XP-400 Small-in-One Printer -$99.95
• Epson Artisan 837 Color Inkjet All-in-One Printer – $149.95

Let’s see…if you go with LTE and the most expensive alternative of everything else where there’s a choice, plus a printer, that can take you up to 1,566.95.

For an iPad.

Kinda’ pulls Microsoft’s Surface Pro price (which starts at $899, but you are going to want at least a Touch Cover keyboard, so realistically it’s $1018) into perserpective, especially when you consider that the Surface doesn’t require nearly as many adapters and accessories (it has an array I/O ports, including real USB 3.0, and you can print to a regular printer).

A more modestly tricked-out WiFi model with AppleCare, a polyurethane Smart Cover, and some adapters but no keyboard or printer will still take you over a thousand dollars: $1,077. That’s just $23 less than a MacBook Air with a 128 GB SSD—arguably a lot more computer, albeit not a tablet.

Product [iPad]