I am an avid Apple convert, quite devoted to my iPhone (AT&T notwithstanding: it helps not to live in New York). But I wonder if Steve has slipped up with the iPad. Even if he hasn't slipped up, and the thing is a huge success, it was not the device I wanted, which is obviously what matters.
Is this a laptop replacement? Without a keyboard, without multitasking and so forth, it is not a good one. But if it is not a laptop replacement, am I supposed to carry this thing with me in addition to my laptop and phone? How many people will want to do that? This feels more like a niche than a mass market.
My first self-interested reaction was, "Oh no, it's too heavy!" What I wanted was a better Kindle. A device as light and compact, with excellent battery life, preferably with a better screen and faster processor, and definitely with the user-interface kinks ironed out. What I wanted, in other words, was a device optimised as an ebook reader: an iPod for iBooks, rather than iTunes.
The Kindle gets thrown in my briefcase along with my laptop and iPhone. The iPad, no.
When I've bought it, I'm not sure it will be used that much.
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