iPad gets ColorWare'd, your retinas and savings may never recover (video)

You thought $500 to start for a silly tablet was bad? How about another $410 to get the thing in some other color than raw aluminum? Yes indeed, ColorWare is at it again, this time dunking the back of iPads into giant vats of Technicolor dreams -- or nightmares, depending on what combination of hues you choose. You can make your own design, with separate colors for the back, logo, and home button, but there's no escaping that $410 service charge -- or you can pay $910 for a new, painted 16GB model. The 64GB model is a whopping $1110, but the inspirational promo video after the break is entirely free.

[Plazmic Flame Posted Apr 9th 2010 9:22AM]

If I were to get one of these, it would most likely be in a case which sorta defeats the purpose, awesome nonetheless. ColorWare does good work.

[who said what Posted Apr 9th 2010 9:30AM]

@Plazmic Flame

Wow, that's ugly!

[htd Posted Apr 9th 2010 10:07AM]

@Plazmic Flame
it looks so wrong with the bitten apple instead of scythe and axe

[CraniusLupus Posted Apr 9th 2010 10:21AM]

@htd Scythe and axe? Don't you mean hammer and sickle? (I assume you are alluding to soviet russia, though the colors are off, it should be a medium red and a goldenrod)

[Ducman69 Posted Apr 9th 2010 11:54AM]

@CraniusLupus Oh the irony of a pinko color scheme on the nightmare of manic advertising fueled capitalism that is the iPad. xD

[c w j Posted Apr 9th 2010 12:03PM]

@CraniusLupus

1 big star, 4 little ones?

[peetuhr Posted Apr 9th 2010 1:09PM]

@CraniusLupus alright so 20$ to the first person to find me an ipad in soviet colors with a hammer and sickle to replace apple.

i dont even want an ipad but id buy one.

[Jeremiah Posted Apr 9th 2010 9:24AM]

Uh, hell no.

[Jeremiah Posted Apr 9th 2010 9:32AM]

Hold on.

The colors you guys picked are terrible, the service is extraordinarily overpriced, and the concept is admittedly awesome.

Do I have it right now?

[MRCUR Posted Apr 9th 2010 9:34AM]

@Jeremiah - Yes, you absolutely do.

[Bean Posted Apr 9th 2010 10:03AM]

@Jeremiah Good or poor choice of colors aside....
it's too bad nothing can be done about that large bezel

[SCXFAN Posted Apr 9th 2010 10:34AM]

@Bean I assume you have not held one.

[Wolfticket Posted Apr 9th 2010 10:46AM]

@Jeremiah
Colorware article template:
-pick horrible colors for device and use as picture-
-lightly mock-
-complain about price-
-cue loads of comments about how hideous colorware-ed devices are based to the picture-
...rinse, repeat.

[Frankenstein Black Posted Apr 9th 2010 11:16AM]

@Jeremiah - And to think, EARL SCHIEB WILL PAINT A WHOLE CAR FOR LESS. LOL...

[normanb20 Posted Apr 9th 2010 11:44AM]

@Bean
That bezel is to keep the screen to register touches from your fingers holding it.

[Charlik Posted Apr 9th 2010 12:38PM]

@Jeremiah i'd rather just get a gelaskin so I can change the look around if the mood strikes.

[Vance Posted Apr 9th 2010 9:24AM]

So all that dough for a paint job, plus you'll never be able to get a new battery?

[Wallyum Posted Apr 9th 2010 9:26AM]

@Vance Apple batteries last forever, didn't you know? They just work dude.

[appleipad Posted Apr 9th 2010 9:24AM]

no thanks

[3c4ea5de Posted Apr 9th 2010 9:32AM]

I wonder why EVERY TIME Engadget posts a new custom Colorware gadget they always bash have to Colorware and use ugly custom eye raping colors. You won't bash Apple like this would you Engadet? Real mature...

[Popfry Posted Apr 9th 2010 9:32AM]

@3c4ea5de

Grow up.

[TimStevens Posted Apr 9th 2010 9:32AM]

@3c4ea5de I really like that color combination, honestly, though there is no accounting for taste.

[Yoda Posted Apr 9th 2010 9:40AM]

@3c4ea5de
I love how on their website they use Engadget as a reference, and in the article that they link to, Engadget called colorware unaffordable and overpriced.

[AdmiralKlingon Posted Apr 9th 2010 11:14AM]

@Toshi Hence Vertu.

[Phenom Posted Apr 9th 2010 11:15AM]

@Yoda so Colorware = Monster cables then...

[Phenom Posted Apr 9th 2010 11:16AM]

@Yoda PS - Yoda talking in normal english? I do believe you have slipped up!

[GenericMessage Posted Apr 9th 2010 9:27AM]

So it can now be a bright piece of useless tech?

[TheJake Posted Apr 9th 2010 9:30AM]

The future's bright.

[Booksmart Devil Posted Apr 9th 2010 9:58AM]

@TheJake Bright enough for you to wear shades?

[Wolfticket Posted Apr 9th 2010 10:50AM]

@TheJake
...the future's Apple. Er...

[jubjub Posted Apr 9th 2010 9:30AM]

If Steve Jobs says they are revolutionary, will all the Apple fanboys get their iPads ColorWare'd?

[Apocalyptic 0n3 Posted Apr 9th 2010 9:37AM]

@jubjub

If Jobs said that ColorWare'ing your iPad made it even better, sadly people would listen. I love Apple products, but there are always those ridiculous fools, you know?

[SatanClauz Posted Apr 9th 2010 9:33AM]

HOTDOG STAND!!!! :D

[Gordata Posted Apr 9th 2010 9:33AM]

Stupid ad, commercial or whatever you want to call it, had no pointed. 410 service charge is over kill. Are these ipad dipped in a magical powder?

[Apocalyptic 0n3 Posted Apr 9th 2010 9:36AM]

Yep. That's a Chinese iPad right there. Even more limited than a normal iPad due to the Great Firewall of China.

[Zylam Posted Apr 9th 2010 9:36AM]

This iPad is gonna take over the world, theres no bomb shelter or Sarah Conner for us non iHumans..

my humanity is dieing

[Atkins Posted Apr 9th 2010 9:37AM]

410$? To paint 71 square inches?!!

[whiskers Posted Apr 9th 2010 12:25PM]

@Atkins
You don't understand. Let me break it down for you.

iPad: $500+
ColorWare treatment: $410
Sense of uniqueness and coolness that comes with owning such a painted device: priceless

/Leisure class - inconveniencing yourself to show to others how cool you are because you don't care about convenience since 1889

[shizbgby Posted Apr 9th 2010 9:39AM]

No. Just no.

[Tehkseven4evee Posted Apr 9th 2010 9:41AM]

Finally a reason to get the iPad!!

[InTheRye Posted Apr 9th 2010 9:47AM]

This is good stuff. Even better if they sprinkle some of those swarovski crystal on it. Or maybe stick the crystals in an image of a well groomed poodle. or snakes. dragons maybe... (for rich asians of course). yes this is good stuff.

*vomits*

[mps Posted Apr 9th 2010 10:06AM]

Socialist Republic of Vietnam = Red flag, yellow star
Ipad = Red flag, yellow star
Apple = Communist?

[Bean Posted Apr 9th 2010 10:21AM]

@mps Of course by red you mean ...orange? ...and yellow *apple*, right?

I think you may need to adjust your monitor.

[morcheeba Posted Apr 9th 2010 11:02AM]

@mps's engadget icon: Red S, yellow shield
mps = Communist?

[mps Posted Apr 9th 2010 11:42AM]

@morcheeba
Indeed I was, since I was raised in Vietnam. And that is the premise of my initial comment.

[CraniusLupus Posted Apr 9th 2010 10:23AM]

I like the Idea of Colorware, but they just charge WAYYYY too much. Sorry.

100 bucks I could see. 410? F*ck no

[InTheRye Posted Apr 9th 2010 3:42PM]

@CraniusLupus
i think it is supposed to be that way. to lend some exclusivity to it. so that not everybody will afford to have their pad colorware'd. next time you see a colorware'd ipad, you'll probably think the owner stupid, or rich. hopefully the latter.

[Caprice Dates Posted Apr 9th 2010 10:32AM]

AAAAHHHHH!!!!! that iPad in the first picture is hideous!!!!!

[SCXFAN Posted Apr 9th 2010 10:36AM]

It is quality work. They do a good job.

But why anyone would want to paint a Apple product is beyond me.

I can see doing it with a crappy PC.

[kabloink Posted Apr 9th 2010 10:58AM]

@SCXFAN Perhaps they want to Think Differently.