I’ve got an iPod Touch and a MacBook but I can’t see why I’d want something in between.

It won’t fit in my pocket so it’s not going everywhere I do, and it doesn’t run OS X for development.

I just don’t see the USP. Maybe I’m just so 2000-’n'-late.

If you can swat flies with it too, I’m in.

Sorry, did I say genius? I meant ****ing obvious.

Everyone was expecting to see something that no-one was predicting. That is how successful the iPhone was. That Apple could not punch above expectations had to happen eventually.

Having seen the Kindle and the Sony e-Reader in the flesh – I think they were both behind but along the right lines – small and pocketable and easy on the eye to read.

The iPad (boring name!) could have been great with only a kickstand as an add-on for viewing and perhaps if it could project a laser keyboard too.

If the tablet was detachable from a Macbook a la Lenovo IdeaPad U1 hybrid – then I’d definitely be sold!

I’m not sure now. I absolutely wanted to loathe the thing because, via the bazillion rumour sites that abound, I’d pretty much figured out what we were going to get and, looking at the first photos, I was pretty disappointed.
Basically a great big iTouch. Had a quick look at the Apple website though, and checked out the ad. http://www.apple.com/ipad/#video
Cos my missus was watching the telly I had to mute the laptop, so I only saw the visuals and thankfully missed out on the evangelsing. I have to say that it does look like a very slick, responsive OS – way more responsive than my iTouch, for instance. I spend a fair bit of time browsing the web on the touch and, let’s be honest, it’s pretty grim. How long does it take to fully load the PC Pro news page? Assuming there’s been no jiggery-pokery with the video, that thing does look very fast. And I have to say this is the first e-reader I would contemplate, was massively dissapointed with the Kindle.
As far as I can see, the iBook store is pointing its pricing structure straight at the jugular of the established players.
I don’t think it’ll be colossal but I reckon Apple might sell a lot more than people would think right now.

@stokegabriel he does famously only take $1 a year in pay from apple!

Whilst i wasn’t blown away, mainly due to the rumor sites having covered most details, i do have to disagree with some of the earlier comments. If you have no real need for a device due to already having a plethora of other devices, does it make the device bad? i have a mac & a PC in an office for development, but we have an old laptop in the living room that takes an age to get going even from standby. this is used for quick web searches/ browsing when my wife is watching reality nonsense. i also have an iphone that i use in bed most evenings to read news sites & catch up with youtube subscriptions. i could see this device being more appropriate for both of these tasks.

“Imagine the readability of a newspaper with video clips from yesterday’s football match.”

I don’t have to – http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport – everything else is just style sheets.

I am giving my age away now, but I remember when we had those slates at school. That is what they should have called it – The Apple Slate. Except that the old school slate was probably more ergonomic and comfortable to operate. In addition it had a slot at each end that allowed it to be carried securely (and you could bat your mate over the head with it). It could also store lots of phone numbers and battery life was ne’er a problem.

There’s already a product called iPad which is an electronic laboratory notebook: http://ipadeln.com/. Let the litigation begin.

To those who are thinking about 3G: remember that O2 have told Central London iPhone users to *disable* 3G so that call and data quality *improves*… personally I won’t be thinking about 3G connectivity at all. Also, all the people worrying about things like Printing are missing the point – on wi-fi, the iPad will make an excellent Apple Remote Desktop or MS RDP client device, so more heavyweight computing activities can still be used, just in a different way. I’m quite surprised by the lack of detailed spec available though. For instance, does it do Bluetooth A2DP audio? Where is the Handwriting recognition? What about VOIP apps – is there an internal speaker and how loud is it? How about telepresence/webcam use? I can think of a lot of people who would fall over themselves to use this with a kind of Bluetooth webcam clipped on (in the absence of an onboard unit, chiz chiz…). This time last year, JH and I were muttering to one another that Apple looked set to drive MS out of the personal computing marketplace altogether, the way they were going: the iPad, however, isn’t the breakthrough tool they need to make that happen. All it does is give the forthcoming tidal wave of tablet releases a leg-up because they can all point out ho they are “better than iPad”…

I can actually understand why it has a large bezel, so you can hold it without accidentally ‘tapping’ the wrong thing. A wireless keyboard would make an interesting addition, a black back would also have been a nice touch. I have to admit I did have a moment of Mac envy when I first saw it but the limited OS and no USB have completely crushed any desire for the thing, maybe the Dell Mini 5 can tempt me to buy it…

I think people are missing the point. Nobody “needs” an iphone, but when they have one they enjoy using it and find it indispensible.
I think the IPAD really will be a totally new way to use a computer in the home for non technophiles, you don’t have to know how it works , you can just pick it up and use it. Don’t underestimate such a easy to use portal into the internet. The “HitchHiker’s guide to the galaxy” is now a real product, just wish it had a free babel fish !

I use a brand new iMac for important stuff and a G4 12″ iBook for surfing in my armchair. When the iBook eventually turns its toes up the iPad will do everything I want – why pay more?

Also, my wife and daughter, both disabled from MS, have had difficulties with the iPod Nano. They both love the iPod Touch, and I can see that the iPad would be brilliant for many with hand co-ordination difficulties.

I remember saying a while ago that I’d quite like a big iphone, something portable that I could read a recipe from, watch a film while cooking, make notes in meetings and so on. If it is possible to write on this with a finger then it would be useful.

I really don’t like that Bezel, and I’d be really worried about damaging the device.

Will the apple iPad be a good laptop replacement for a teenager ?
Son said he likes the ipad , when is it coming out and do u think it will be better than a laptop?

My question is not regarding personal choice or preferences its about your prediction about the success or failure of Apple’s iPad.

1.Do you think iPad will be a great success in the market?
2.After iPhone hit the market, we see the flood of iPhone look alike and every commercial start to compare with iPhone, do you think iPad will repeat the frenzy that iPhone created?

I am trying to figure out if i want to just buy a good laptop or go with the new thing which seems to be an ipad…… I want to know what the pros/cons are to it though first. I have heard plenty of pros about it so far but not alot of cons, i want to hear from people who actually have it what they think are the cons. Please be specific and list them ALL! I want to make an educated decision. Also is the ipad good for gaming online?