Hardware specs are the only thing you're truly locked into, as you'll receive firmware updates after the fact. Also, consider that even a $500 price point is not so terribly high. It's above the "I want it, don't even think, just buy it" threshold of most folks but it's pretty far down the discretionary spending ladder. In inflation adjusted dollars it's about 1/10th of the launch price of the Apple II for example. Sometimes the value of having and using something you want for several months or a year outweighs the disadvantages of a prematurely purchase.