Introduction: Tom and Tina are two professionals in their late 20s. They have been dating since they were in college. Tom has a law degree and works for one of the largest law firms in New York City. Tina worked for a consulting firm for a few years after she graduated from college. She just earned her MBA degree last year, and now she works as a financial analyst for an investment bank on Wall Street. Both Tom and Tina are tech-savvy and love new gadgets. Here is their dialogue about the iPad that just came on the market.

Tina: Hi, Tom, did you get your iPad? I heard on the radio that more than 700 people lined up Saturday morning at Apple’s flagship Fifth Avenue store in New York City.

Tom: Of course! How about you?

Tina: Not yet. You are lucky to get one. Many stores sold out of this new product even before noon. Did you get up early to get in line in front of the store?

Tom: Yes and no. Do you remember my office assistant John? He volunteered to line up for me. He waited in line all night.

Tina: I know he is a diehard fan of Apple products.

Tom: It has become a tradition for some hardcore fans to stand in line, sometimes even days in advance in order to be one of the first to get the latest product.

Tina: Well, I think they are crazy.

Tom: I don’t think so. This new touchscreen tablet is worth it.

Tina: I know a lot people were intrigued by the iPad’s novelty.

Tom: No question about it. Well, are you going to get one? I just checked the Apple’s flagship store a while ago. The store has only the 64 GB model in stock. The other two models were totally sold out.

Tina: No, I am not sure I want to get one. It’s kind of expensive. Which model did you get—the $499, the $599, or the $699 model?

Tom: I got the $699 64 GB model. I am not sure 16GB or 32 GB flash memory is adequate for me. I heard that a different model, which has Wi-Fi and 3G access, was already available in late April this year.

Tina: Is that so? How expensive?

Tom: It’s not too bad. It’s said that buying the 3G version tacks $129 on to each model. I think at least you should get a 32 GB model.

Tina: I am not so sure. I love Apple products, but I don’t think I can justify buying this device. It seems to me it’s just another novelty from Apple.

Tom: I think you will love it! The iPad works like a walking encyclopedia—it has everything. It’s your library, your music store, your mailbox, your video arcade, your photo shop, your everything.

Tina: Well, I’ve read some negative remarks about the new product.

Tom: Like what?

Tina: Some reviewers said that the more they read about the iPad, the more it angered them. They said the new device is soooo useless, and the netbook can do multitudes more, and it’s cheaper.

Tom: Are you referring to multitasking? iPad can do even more! It has many usual trappings of a computer or smartphone such as email, calendars, maps, and access to your iTunes. It can also perform work-related tasks such as creating presentations and spreadsheets.

Tina: It sounds great. But, hey, let’s be honest. One of the functions that the iPad lacks is that it cannot take photos.

Tom: Well, that’s true.

Tina: Besides, you cannot edit Microsoft Word documents or watch flash videos.

Tom: Who wants to watch those irritating flash-based ads on websites?

Tina: Well, I think the iPad is just a big iPhone that can’t make calls, and my Kindle is good enough for my reading.

Tom: The iPhone is too small, and note-taking on the Kindle is way too limited.

Tina: I know you are a brand loyalist who would buy anything that Steve Jobs puts in front of your face!

Tom: I think the iPad is a must have. It’s the latest, greatest and smartest thing.

Vocabulary

financial analyst 财务分析师

gadget 〈口〉小巧的器械，精巧的装置

tech-savvy 精通科技的人，科技通

flagship store 旗舰店，也就是公司的总店

diehard fan 铁杆粉丝。后文出现的hardcore fans与diehard fan意思相同，也可以译作“铁杆粉丝”

touchscreen tablet 触摸屏薄板，这里指的是iPad

be intrigued by 被……迷住或吸引住

novelty 新颖，新奇

flash memory 闪电内存，闪存

tack 附加

justify 证明……正当（或正确、有理）

walking encyclopedia 活百科全书

arcade （内设许多电动娱乐器材的）娱乐中心

multitude 许多

spreadsheet 空白表格程序

way 〈口〉大大地，非常

soooo 正常应作so，这里拉长读音，带有强调的意味

netbook 是一种比笔记本型电脑还要小的一种多功能小笔记本电脑，即“上网本”

multitasking 表示一个人能同时作好几件事

usual trappings 一般的配件

Kindle 美国亚马孙网购物公司最近出品的一种电子书阅读器

brand loyalist 忠于某种品牌的购物者

Steve Jobs 史蒂夫•乔布斯，苹果电脑的创创始人之一

a must have 非有不可的东西， have 在这里作名词

（来源：英语学习杂志）