So I was looking at the apple iPad in a store yesterday, and it seems really cool. But... no flash? Really? So that I have to use itunes instead of hulu and youtube? So that I have to play apple's browser games? Seriously? No usb ports? Really? I could go on.

Does anyone have an iPad, or a similar product, and if you do what do you think of it?

I don't have one, but I've been following them closely since they were released.

As far as I've been able to determine, iPads are somewhere between laptops and computer monitors in terms of functionality — that is to say, they do more than sit about and display images, but aren't nearly as versatile and full-featured as a standard laptop.

I'm sure the iPad has (and will continue to have) various unique "apps," widgets, and other polished, standardized features typical of Apple... but as you yourself mentioned, Jello, I am equally sure you'll be forced to use proprietary software and services most of the time. That's just a part of Apple's business model. It's a fair trade-off for some people, and depends mostly on personal taste.

Quite literally, the only redeeming feature of the iPad itself is its configuration. It doesn't do anything that a laptop can't do, and as mentioned, it does far less in many cases. The price tag is rather steep, in my opinion. For the price of an iPad (perhaps a bit more), you can get a quality laptop instead.

My personal verdict: It's another Apple fad item for trendy young people and yuppies. If you really like the pad configuration, lack of a keyboard, and think the proprietary features and services Apple will integrate into the machine will enrich your life, I say go for it... but otherwise, no.

EDIT: By "doesn't do anything that a laptop can't do," I'm talking about pure practicality. Yes, the iPad has a touchscreen, and yes, its operating system looks really neat and does some cool tricks. But that's just 1.) its input format, and 2.) window dressing. When it comes to accomplishing tasks like editing music, drawing digital paintings, and writing term papers, all that flash doesn't count for much.

It's basically meant for consuming media, not editing or creating it.

True. Still, even when it comes to consuming media, the iPad doesn't do anything a laptop can't do, at least not in any meaningful way. The one possible exception is displaying iBookstore purchases in pad format; laptops can access the iBookstore but, obviously, can't turn into a pad (unless they're a tablet PC, I suppose). Even then, you can still read ebooks on a laptop.

Speaking of iBookstore, thanks to Apple and their pricing policies regarding it, the cost of ebooks produced by a number of major publishing houses is now skyrocketing. The Amazon.com Kindle forums are on fire with news of it, because ebooks used to be cheap... but Apple struck some sort of deal with publishers regarding the iBookstore, and now some of them cost more than the actual physical book.

I'm glad I've stuck with good, old-fashioned physical books and the city library.

Obligatory.

I do not understand the attraction of this thing, at all.

If you look at it assuming all you want to do is watch movies, read books, surf the web etc. it looks rather charming. Sleek design and low weight means it'd be easy to carry around.

Of course, it has several drawbacks as well (such as those mentioned), but it does have its niche to fill.

Which is just as easily fulfilled by a netbook.

Dunno. If it were simply for watching a movie or reading a book, I'd rather do it on an iPad than a netbook (you don't have to deal with the keyboard on the iPad). But yeah, the netbook (and any other laptop, really) can do everything that an iPad can. Much like a laptop can do everything that a netbook can, and then some.

No flash, doesn't work with standard chargers (and some Apple ones even, have to use the special one provided for it only - and come on, I charge my usb headset and my smartphone from the same port/cable just fine and it's convenient).

A bit of a silly idea, would be interesting to see how if Apple fancraze will take this product far enough.

It's a huge iPod Touch, basically, without the "hassle" of a netbook. Apple has a slick interface that simply works most of the time without fiddling with file paths or anything. I love my iPhone mostly for the interface, really. I see no reason to get an iPad myself, but I can see what they're aiming for with it. Saying "it doesn't do x, y, z" assumes that the target audience cares. Apple fanboys and people who don't have, don't want, or can't figure out netbooks are probably going to eat it up. People that want to do more or have more computer savvy won't.

So Vadi, this has honestly crossed my mind-- do you think I could run mudlet on an iPad? They're releasing a keyboard for it

Probably no, because Mudlet runs on Mac OSX, not iPhone OS. They'd have to develop an iPad app, and go through the Apple approval process... And that's just too much headache!

500$ is a bit much for something I dont really need.

Circumventing that is trivial at best.

The iPhone OS runs objective-C as native code, and Mudlet is written in a very C-heavy C++. I haven't gone through the code real thoroughly (it's ok to use comments for something other than disabling code, Vadi!), but I bet it could be ported in just a few hours.

Muds: the first games on the ipad!