Update by Gregg Keizer of the IDG news wire:

By the time that Apple CEO Steve Jobs wrapped up today's launch of a revamped iPad, analysts were already calling it "incremental" and pointing out that it the new tablet delivers "no surprises."

The bottom line? Contrary to Jobs' assertion that iPad 2 will stymie what he called "copy cats," Apple hasn't staked out an insurmountable hardware position.

"Apple didn't really move the bar all that much," said Jack Gold, an analyst at J Gold Associates. "I don't see this as heads above the competition, especially the Xoom, right now. Apple fans who want the latest will buy this or upgrade, but I don't see any overwhelmingly compelling capabilities that would make people sitting on the tablet fence go out and buy one."

Other experts echoed Gold's take.