Why would I need one? It's not a phone, it doesn't support Flash, and doesn't support USB storage. Awkward keyboard to learn. No thanks. It will be a fancy paper weight one of these days. Hat's off to Apple, tho, for another successful hype campaign to whip up the masses into a lather.

Now for a word from the iPad fans in the audience. Cringester J. P., who says he's CIO in an all-Windows shop, pre-ordered his iPad in March and plans to upgrade to the 3G version when it comes out in a month or so. He writes:

The iPad doesn't replace my notebook PC, but I do see it as being my go-to device around the house and during meetings and I most likely will carry it on vacations rather than my netbook. It does what I need it to do. It does it FAST and reliably.

I find the form to be very handy for "media consumption" and casual web browsing ... more so than a notebook. I am so sick of wasting half of my life waiting for Windows to do something that I find this nimble little piece of glass and aluminum to be very refreshing. I turn it on and it is on. I flip a page and it flips. What a concept.

Regular correspondent D. S. says the iPad is the first truly innovative product he's seen Apple produce: