My 2 cents.

I can see why there’s been some dissapointment about the iPad; especially after all the hype. Rumours have circled the web in a misty torrent of completely unprecedented speculation for months, only to be crushed by what initially seemed as a rather overhyped, mediocre product.

No multitasking! No 3G except the most expensive model! What a silly name! It’s just a glorified iPhone!

I believe the iPad’s simplicity is it’s beauty. It’s not overloaded with fancy features and crap you’ll probably never use. The lack of multitasking at least means it will run smoothly and quickly; there’s no doubting that the experience of using it will be delightful.

Brendan Dawes mentioned earlier that as opposed to focusing on what it is and does; think instead about the context in which it will be used. It’s not a home PC or a heavy duty laptop; it’s a lightweight tool, toy even, to lounge around with. Notice on Steve’s presentation that he relaxed in a comfy chair to play with it – THAT’S the environment you’re going to use it in, relaxing at home on the couch or in bed, just picking it up and throwing on some music, reading a book or browsing the web in style.

It’s a ‘coffee table media consuming device’ (coined!). I can’t really think of anything else on the market quite like it.

On a final note, whatever doubts we may have about the device itself will surely begin to dissappear as we start seeing some of the apps built for it. That is, after all, the secret behind the iPhone’s success.

Of course, I’ve yet to actually play with it, but god damn I can’t wait.