However, like I said, I can definitely see the market for the device, even if it doesn’t include me. Jon, I wholeheartedly agree with your statement about the short-sightedness of projecting one’s desires onto a device or other people; I’d call it the cardinal sin of nerds, geeks, and the internet in general. The internet and the world would both be nicer places if more people didn’t conflate “I don’t want one” with “It shouldn’t exist, and anybody who wants it is stupid”.

One thing I’m looking forward to seeing is to what extent people’s opinions change once the device itself hits the streets and they can see it and use it without buying one or going to the store. I’m not generally an early adopter, so I can’t speak to this effect on many devices, but the Kindle 2 only became available in Canada towards the end of 2009 and is still fairly rare to see, and it’s interesting to see people’s responses before and after they see or use one. I got a lot of rolled eyes and amused expressions from older family and coworkers when I talked about buying an e-reader, but after seeing it in person they’ve all been impressed with it. Not necessarily impressed enough to go out and buy one right now, but it got rid of a lot of prejudices and nudged them closer to considering one down the line. I’ve even had a few people see the Kindle from across the room and be so fascinated that they came over and asked about it. When they found out what it was, they’ve often confessed that what they’d imagined a Kindle or e-reader as was something completely different.

I think, in the end, it’s instances like these that form more lasting opinions of gadgets and devices than knee-jerk internet reactions from strangers, which are quicker and more numerous at first, but ultimately carry less weight.

The iPad is the computer I can imagine taking with me everywhere. For some people, their iTouch/iPhone already does that for them. I have a Macbook, and occasionally I have to take it with me, but it’s far from a take-everywhere device. I also like to end each night flipping through a magazine, catalog, or reading a book–in bed. Occasionally I surf the net all the way to sleep. The possibility of having a small, light machine that could meet all these needs is very appealing to me.

Why wouldn’t I lust for an iPhone instead? Because it’s small and I have astigmatism and carpal tunnel. I have a diaper bag or giant purse with me at all times, anyway. So, pocket portability is a non-issue for me. I think there are a lot of people, an yes a lot of women, students, moms, and grandparents who will find this device as appealing as I do. I also think there are a lot of mouthy geeks out there who are going to talk their less-geeky parents and friends out of buying the device simply because geeks don’t get why some users don’t need their machines to do everything at once and as fast as possible.

But what do I know? I do all my television viewing on an AppleTV.

Also, it’s just hard to forgive them for double dipping their loyal iPhone customers by charging a second data fee. That just chaffs. At least for me. Maybe that’s AT&Ts fault. Granted, a lot of folks might just run it off their home wi-fi. In which case, the iPad actually looses a step to the Kindle which comes with free 3G right out of the box. Also, if you don’t spring for the data plan, then you’re basically carrying around a huge iPod touch combined with a low-grade laptop without a network card.

Of coure, I’m arguing need, you’re talking about desire, in which case I totally agree with you. I just don’t see this as a smart purchase, but that’s not how America works.

2.“Still think it’s a shitty device? That Apple didn’t “try hard enough”? You aren’t the target. Reader buyers are. ” You do realize that if it were intended to be FOR readers, that the reading applications would be the number one topic discussed when the device was released? Yes it will be one of the best reading devices out there, but because it is coming from apple, and because it has all the other capabilities that make it more than just a reader, it can’t just be good at one minor thing. It has made 0 improvements from the latest item released, the IPhone/ITouch besides being bigger.

3.“The final piece of this for me is that $499 is a killer price for something that could replace a laptop for the most casual of users. In this category I include people who surf and do email, with some light productivity needs“
Replace a laptop!? You have got to be joking. Lets go over a quick list of what my shitty 5 year old laptop collecting dust on my shelf can do that the Ipad cannot (lets not get into new devices, cause that wouldn’t be fair…). 1-USB, nuff said. 2-alternate resolutions for the so called “amazing movie viewing experience, in 4:3″. 3-FLASH, how can you leave that out of any browsing device in today’s age? 4-Video camera. 5-Ability to install any software that apple has made AND any other companies! God forbid I dare ask for software that the app store cannot provide me. How dare I. 6-A real keyboard. Ok the touch keyboard is sweet, but it will not be fun on those wrists using it at the awakward angles. There is an attachment for a full keyboard, but why buy something that any computer should come with?
I’d go on with the other million reasons this can never replace a laptop, but I don’t have that kind of free time.

That said, there are literally hundreds of useful things the iPad can do that are completely impossible on a Kindle DX, for a similar price. To my mind, that makes the iPad a far better overall value, despite its shortcomings as a dedicated reader.

http://tinyurl.com/y95moh3

If the pad had come out first, she’d probably get it, or at least understand it. The weird thing is that she looks at this and says it’s a huge iPhone, and thus is inscrutable to her.

The one feature that would’ve shut up every nerd, though? DisplayPort input, like the iMac. A locked-down $500 internet pad is a yawner, but secondary displays are like hookers and crack to a nerd. Don’t need them, probably even being close to them is bad for you, but damn, son, look at her _bezel_. Look at it!

Also, does Amazon really give a crap about the Kindle as hardware? I thought they were making their money off selling books — thus Kindle on PC, Kindle on iPhone, Kindle on toasters, Kindle on diapers, Kindle on bound sheafs of paper, etc.