I think Laura from Engadget.com summed up my thoughts on the iPad better than I can:
Laura:
Here’s the thing: I’m not really into netbooks. I’ve never been able to convince myself that I needed one, so every time I walk out the door, I make a decision as to
I’m not going to form an opinion until I actually read with the iPad, but it looks like the best alternative to an actual book I’ve ever seen.
whether to bring my laptop or not. In the situations where I don’t… I make do with my iPhone. That said, the iPad is compelling to me for a number of reasons. First off, it looks like it’s going to be a major player in the e-reader department, and as an avid reader, I have always been disappointed with current options that are not physical books. I’m not going to form an opinion until I actually read with the iPad, but it looks like the best alternative to an actual book I’ve ever seen, and Apple’s book buying experience is sure to be more enjoyable to me than Amazon’s, which I’ve always found irritating. Keep in mind, I take no issue with paying up to $20 or $30 for a book, and routinely do so. So… what else can it do for me? Well, it looks like it’s going to serve up a better e-mail experience than the iPhone does (I’m not a superfan of that experience by any means!), and Safari’s always offered a great browsing experience. So yes, I’m intrigued. To say the least. For me, it’ll probably come down to cost vs. need (or want). It’s not cheap, and as a current owner of both an iPhone and a MacBook Pro, what will it take for me to justify this purchase? We’ll have to see… when I touch it.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/27/editorial-engadget-on-the-ipad/
