Commenting this: "Steve Jobs did his usual superlative salesman number, giving the impression that all good things come only from Apple. For the record, Apple is hardly the originator here. "

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So yes, Apple *is* the originator.

He would better check Apple Newton history, which starts in 1987 as latest and with the product which released as Newton being the smallest "tablet" of three variants Apple prepared to 1993.

And that was a tablet, indeed. Newton was quite a big 1.5 pound non-pocketable product.

Most of the other companies(including M$) failed because they were not clever enough implementing the technology. Despite the editors comments I am sure that iPad will be a bigger revolution in the IT industry than iPhone.

I personally was looking for a iPad with GPS as well as a phone capability via a Bluetooth headset.

I'd carry around the iPad in my briefcase with only the phone system on and when I received a call, I whip out the iPad and look up my Work documents and maybe look on the Internet whilst on the phone.

The GPS would guide me in a new city via the Bluetooth headset.

OK, I can this with a phone and a iPad. But I want one gadget not 2!

A little disappointed.
But if the iPhone is anything to go by in 6 months time a bigger or better iPad called the iSlate may be released with these features?

Lenovo already has answered that issue with its hybrid notebook that also has a undockable tablet.
http://shop.lenovo.com/us/landing_pages/products/new-product-showcase

Create a cover for the Ipad that can open like a notebook, or pivit around to the back, or is removable. Make the cover very thin, and put in a sensor so it can be used like a keyboard so you can use it in that mode. Give it bluetooth so it can be used as a keyboard even with it removed.

It is very unlikely to be arm mali as the gpu, I've no idea what the thinking here is , but the initial articles quoted mali-55 , which is underpowered compared to what the iPad specs have shown.
It also would cause major problems with current iphone apps due to them being written with PVR tech in mind. Mainly the compressed textures...

see it here: http://www.windowsfordevices.com/c/a/Windows-For-Devices-Articles/Windowspowered-mobile-tablets-webpads-UMPCs-and-MIDs/

Problem is, the Press is awestruck by the limited functionality and monopolistic-ally controlled environment that comes wrapped in a smooth apple labeled package

Heres a question, how much "design" did they really do, and what software package did they use? I bet their "designers" had to use a windows based circuit design package.

I think naming this thing an iPad was a smart move on the part of Jobs. After all, those now mocking and ridiculing it are having a hard time coming up with a more ridiculous name (OK, there is iTampon...).

With all the ridicule, I think competitors will have time to come up with something with a lot more features and an actual reflective display before anyone actually risks buying one of these "iPad" things and appearing in public.

Giving the public a wake-up call like this IS in a way "the most important thing" Steve Jobs has done.

I am struck by the 'newton failure' meme. All the newton owners I know kept them working long long beyond their shelf life. It was a market failure, only if you judge it in specific ways. as a device, it did what it did as well as any other product of its time, and better than many.

I never had one, and I don't envy those who did, but I also didn't see it as a failure.

It is amazing how much ink is being spilled on this oversized ipod touch. In a couple of quarters, we will know whether this is the next iphone, or whether this is the next apple tv. Personally, I wouldn't bother to buy one--I would much rather buy a netbook (which, for the record, I very much hate). For me, there just isn't enough that this ipod-big is bringing to the table. I only use iphone applications (which include the likes of Fandango and NPR news) because safari on the tinie-tiny screen of iphone sucks. If I had a bigger scree, I would much rather use a full browser.

The MSFT/HPQ tablet might be ok--we'll see.

Those words seem a bit odd since Apple is restricting software as normal. I can understand this on the iPhone and such, but on something designed as an internet browsing device first is very lacking. No Flash (and likely no Silverlight)... That means no online games, no Youtube, no Netflix... They likely will restrict tools and such for popular sites like Facebook. They will likely keep restricting apps from competitors like Google. They want you to get all games from iStore and likely all other installations are blocked. Same with media. Also it seems they are using a new memory standard... not good.

Here's my take on the article:

To experience "first-hand" the delights of typing on a touch screen, just use an area of any table. If you can type something the length of the above piece, then perhaps *you* could use it for notes, but I guarantee that not even the
rabid could do even one chapter of "War and Peace". -- Now try that on the surface of a large book while holding it at a comfortable viewing angle. I do not see that as feasible: if you do, I doubt that you have typed much. -- But assume
writing is out in our new modern century: "touch" on a hard surface is still horrible for any *prolonged* use.

A major *lack* of the IPad is no way to stand it up (except the dock which ruins portability), as no easel is built in.
You cannot stand it on a table and sit back to watch, nor even use it on your lap in an airplane seat unless you hunch
over it, cannot prop it on the tray without a friction surface to keep it in place. Looks as though one would be
forced to keep a hand on it the whole time. That will soon become tiring. Lying in bed with it propped on knees will also suffer from lack of friction, as will most sitting positions.

With inherent flaws, I doubt that tablets will ever be the "next big thing".

Now, for a *gadget*, Apple should put in *everything* even if adds to bulk and weight: HDTV tuner, phone, aim-able camera, GPS, *AND* a protective cover for the LCD that folds entirely back and doubles as easel in both orientations
(holding replaceable battery too, not least for balance). They *should* even ignore price in favor of features that
would compel those on the leading edge to consider it a MUST. I doubt that filling an invented "gap" in product line even suits mercenary motives as would a more netbook type combining touch AND spiffy *new* features. -- Even the author here gives it only "not quite yet".

@Atreya

While I think the iPad is far from perfect, I do not think there are 'better' devices out there. This product is being positioned as an amalgam of 2 or three different products in one. I don't see anything else even close to its function.

You could argue that the kindle or e-ink readers are better at the 'ebook' category, and you can argue that a netbook might be better at browsing (although I don't think this is true).

In short, I don't see any other company that has a product that can deliver *all* of the things the iPad is trying to deliver.

It'll come down to the software in the end, when the rest of the device is more than adequate hardware wise. And that's assuming the cheap OEM product actually looks nice and is cheaper than the Apple - MSI's $500 offering for later this year just isn't comparable unless it has the IPS display, the built in software, the App/Music/Book Store with thousands of optimised applications, etc.

And Apple does seem to have the software side tied up, with ribbon and a bow.

Sometimes it takes them time to get there - iPhone OS 1 was rather bare boned, but the iPad is 3.2, presumably 4 later this year, and benefits from the three years of refinements the OS has had.

In the mean time Microsoft has gone from WinMob 6.1 to WinMob 6.5 - basically a new launcher application, with WinMob7 dead to the world. I think that's a case of Microsoft being poor at upgrades though.

Palm's Pre, Nokia's Maemo/Ovi, Google's Android - they're all making vast leaps and bounds too. We'll see

The Inq is the first publication to refuse to do Apple's marketing for them. Ipad not iPad, Iphone, not iPhone. Nice.

Although I did spot a few mentions of Apple products in this article which don't conform to the new style guide.

I am surprised at how tame the criticism for the iPad has been from this publication. Usually the Inq is quite hostile to Apple. This time, I think its the opposite. It's not critical enough.
Am I mistaken in thinking that better products already exist? And these products have not found traction with the general public. What is the iPad doing differently to existing 'slate' products that makes it any more compelling?

http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/28/apples-a4-is-an-arm-based-system-on-a-chip-a-la-tegra-2/