Right, just what you need huh? Another blog pots pitching in an opinion on Apple's new, already overly hyped iPad. Ok, if you've had iPad overload… I understand, I'll let you off, just skip this post. 
Pitched somewhere between iPhone and a MacBook, the iPad not only occupies a "third space" it fills a gaping hole in Apple's product line. As most Apple products tend to be, it's a thing of beauty, but does it live up to all the hype? Here's a couple of things that struck me after watching Steve Job's keynote, and reading some early reviews.
Form Factor
This is one of the big surprises for me – a lot of the pre-launch mock ups were in a more widescreen format, and at first glance it would seem sensible to go for a 16:9 format over the apparent 4:3 ratio they've chosen. But 4:3 work great in portrait, as a screen for books, and in landscape allows more room for the virtual keyboard at the bottom of the page, so I'm guessing that was a good call.
Price
Nice. The entry level price was actually the biggest surprise for me. $499 (No UK pricing announced yet). From Apple? That's unexpected. Great positioning in the market, sits nicely in their product line between a top end iPod Touch (£306) and an entry level MacBook (£816). Will it cannibalise low end MacBook sales?
Possibly, although it's just as likely buyers impressed by the iPad might choose an Apple branded laptop over a cheaper PC one.
Games
While not a dedicated gaming platform (neither is the iPhone, and look what's happened there), the iPad looks like it handles games very nicely, thank you. And once those clever, creative types really start writing games that play to it's strengths… I think we'll see a whole slew of new games developed specifically for the platform, or ported from other platforms with unique iPad only playability. There's a lot of independent developers who've done very well selling games for the iPhone/iPod touch, and this is a great new revenue stream for them too. Which brings me on to…
Apps
Apple's new iWork software demo's nicely, but let's be honest, this isn't a serious workhorse of a computer. Wouldn't you rather do 'proper work' on a 'proper computer'? Me too. (This is where Apple might sell some laptops, on the back of the iPad). Although at only $9.99 a pop for each component of iWork, they're pretty good value, and probably worth having 'just in case'.
The real Apps to watch are the tens of thousands that already exist for the iPhones & iPod Touches (they work right now on the iPad), the ones that's will be rewritten to work best with the iPad's bigger screen, and the new Apps especially written that just wouldn't work on an iPhone. Now that's exciting.
eReader
Well, it's the screen isn't e-Ink is it? For some people, that's a dealbreaker. For far more people however, I think the extra features and functionality over say, Amazon's Kindle will far outweigh the e-ink issue. The top end Kindle is only $10 cheaper than the entry level iPad (Expect price cuts soon from Amazon!). I know which I'd choose!
Accessories
The cover – meh. It turns the iPad into a rather nice digital photo frame, or presentation device, but I expect 3rd part developers will come up with something a little better, or funkier, or both. The keyboard/dock combo – now that's the gamechanger. Suddenly the iPad becomes a different device altogether.
Niggles
I find Apple's (albeit beautifully rendered) quite literal translations of concepts like bookshelfs a little bit twee. My colleague Luke pointed it out, and since he did, it's started to grate. Nice eye-candy, but be true to the device guys, we all know it's not a real bookshelf.
More serious perhaps is the lack of multitasking. I'm sure we'll see this addressed in future OS updates. Flash compatibility is also conspicuous by it's absence, as is a front facing camera. Actually, any kind of camera. Remember though this is iPad version 1.0. The original iPhone was a bit lacking in similar regards too.
And Finally (at last)
They're saying you can't comment properly on the iPad until you've held one in your hands, and used it for five minutes. Well, if you get hold of a spare one, send it to me and I'll promise I'll do a decent review, warts and all. Go on.
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