What? No camera!

Hmmmm This is a great thing… Im not a first year early adopter of amything (usually) But I want one!  Just because and at $500 its a deal!

I guess I’ll have to wait for version 2 for the camera!

From North Pole

Kinda bums me out that there is no camera. Why oh why didn’t they tuck a little lens and CCD into this cool puppy? I’ll wait for iPad 2.0 for the camera.
I don’t suppose the battery will be replaceable, will it??

I’m surprised there is no video camera for chatting. They have one in an iPod Nano! Knowing Apple, there is probably a good reason for omitting this feature.

No camera = no ichat videoconferencing, no augmented reality.  Bummer

I didn’t expect a camera. Front facing would mean shaky handheld video chat; rear facing means holding up a 10-11” device to snap a picture or hold for augmented reality. Ugh. I suspect a future version may get a camera. I’d prefer a Bluetooth camera of some sort to snap pictures to the iPad while it remains in my shoulder bag or cargo pants pocket or something. Of course, then I could just have a real camera and put pictures on my computer when I get home. Although this could allow me to connect to the internet and email a slideshow to someone of the sites I visited five minutes before….

I wonder if I can use Apple’s headphones with mic and skype on it.

What a piece of s%^t. why shud anyone buy if they already have an iphone/mac.Bummer….
Pranav Mistry’s ‘Sixth sense’ device is 1000 times better.
Apple is still bound by handheld devices.
Grow up, Apple!

How well will iPad work with Wi-Fi? I see lots of stores and cafes offering free wifi, but how will the experience be? 3G seems superfluous and adds to weight.

iPod Touch users, your input is requested.

The real question is: What are the DRM restrictions on things bought in the iBookstore?

It was stated in the presentation that it uses epub, the open standard for ebooks.  That should allow unencumbered ebooks without any problem, but still leaves open the question of if and how they implement the DRM.  epub does not spec a particular method, but leaves it as an option for each implementer.

For us tabletop RPG geeks, I can see it now: all of your books on PDF ready to view and search, a character sheet you can write on, update and save, dice roller app, maps everyone can share… no need to lug around a backpack full of books, so the normals won’t know what you are off to do. Excellent.
Too bad ePub is too primitive to allow publishing the layout intensive RPG books through it, but PDF is fine.

For all you Skypers - Don’t give up. Maybe it will be possible to connect a Bluetooth camera - with an appropriate app to drive it. (just guessing)

I’m surprised the screen is not 16:9.  I’m really surprised at the pricing. The functionality is amazing. I didn’t expect iWork apps - and certainly not at that price!

Just imagine how the 5th gen iPad will look in a few years!

What do you think, Bryan. Is this more or less than you expected?

iPod Super Touch = win

Would not say this changes the whole game, but it sure complicates the whole game for everybody including Apple.

Pretty sure design compromises benefit (1) performance in short run, and (2) sales potential of the more-awesome rev 2, sometime around the 2010 holiday gift-giving frenzy.

I’ll wait for v.2

The price is incredible, wonderful, far better than I was expecting. Not 16x9 is a little strange. Not a deal breaker but the form factor is a lot more square than I expected.
Not having a forward facing camera is amazing. This seems like the perfect skype pad for seniors, conference call pad for business types, video chat pad for youngsters, and so on. Without a camera it can’t do that. Without a camera it won’t do what I want it for.

I’ll wait

What a piece of s%^t. why shud anyone buy if they already have an iphone/mac.Bummer….

Two very different issues, methinks. Why buy it? Well, I might like it for a quick check of the WSJ, IMDB or Wikipedia, all functions that are awfully cramped on the iPhone but don’t warrant dragging out the laptop, onto which I pile a mountain of stuff.

And a POS? Seriously? Whether if fills your needs or not, it looks like incredible hardware.

How well will iPad work with Wi-Fi?

Depends what the WiFi provider does and what you want. I have AT&T DSL, so am using my laptop thru a Starbucks location across the street. Perfectly fine for streaming Sirius radio and occasional downloads of software—just updated 8 iPhone apps that way.

I sure don’t see the iPad per se as unable meet any realistic needs OK; it has 802.11 a/b/g/n.

I humbly suggest you are the living embodiment of John’s main point.

Absolutely! Spot on, Bryan

Why buy an iPod if you already have a portable CD player, or cassette Walkman?  They all play music. Bummer. C’mon Maddy!

@Maddy:  Am I seriously going to put on gestural interface gear before breakfast, just to read the news? I am already holding the screen in my hands! Or is it that I should want to project the NY Times onto a table or the back of a bus seat?

Apple makes fun of the idea of a simple stylus, and people think a Bluetooth earpiece is already too Borg…

For us tabletop RPG geeks

Wonder how well the iPad’s curved back will work ON a tabletop…

Is anyone else scratching their heads on the “system requirements” for the ipad?  Why would I need to hook it up to my Mac or PC?