Over the last few days since Apple announced their new tablet device, opinions have been mixed but most folks are being critical of the device and it’s apparent “shortcomings.” I believe that the main reason that most people aren’t meshing with the idea of the iPad (I hate the name, for the record) is that they fail to understand what Jobs tried to stress in his presentation on Tuesday. The iPad is not meant to REPLACE your iPhone or REPLACE your MacBook/iMac. It is a new, third category of device. Apple has been developing this device for years. I’m sure they have thought of most of the issues folks are complaining about but I think they have intentionally developed a product that compliments the Apple product line rather than making any of it redundant. Apple still wants folks to want/need a MacBook Pro or an iMac. It makes no sense for them to do otherwise.

Some folks have been warming to the idea and like some folks I know, I have been finding more and more uses for the iPad. This growing list of uses has cemented in my mind my desire to get this device. What follows are some of the uses I have come up with for the iPad as well as some general reasons why I think it is a worthwhile purchase. I don’t expect everyone to agree with me. This device is not for everyone. I do hope, however, to show that there is a place for the device.

The iPad is a great “coffee house” device. Sure it doesn’t multitask (more on this later) but it does what it does very well. As an e-book reader, this thing is amazing. No, it doesn’t have the “e-ink” technology but I, personally, don’t struggle with the eye strain from reading on an LCD. I think Amazon made this issue up to sell Kindles like scientists made up Global Warming. I’m joking of course…. well, sort of. (LOL) Jobs has said that it will have up to ten hours of battery life (which probably means more like eight) when reading..etc. Someone will say, “Well, the Kindle has a much longer battery life.” While this is true, when Walt Mossberg asked Jobs about this Jobs responded by saying that most people don’t read for more than ten hours in a stretch and they can just charge it at night. It can also be read in poor lighting unlike the Kindle. Laptops are nice but they require a certain position of sitting and placement when at a coffee shop or bookstore. Depending on your computer you may need to be close to a wall outlet. It’s also hard to recline or sit back in one of those comfy cushiony chairs/sofas with a laptop, in my opinion. One of the beauties of the iPad is that it is held just like a book, magazine, or newspaper. And as, inevitably, the plethora of accessory companies come out with products there will be some nice ways to carry it. imagine walking into your local coffee shop, not with a laptop bag but with a nice and slim case containing an iPad, settling down in a comfortable chair and reading the New York Times or a chapter of The Lord Of The Rings.

The iPad is a great Living Room Device. The uses I’m about to talk about are really what sold me on this device. I believe that the living room is where the iPad will shine! The iPad will make a great public internet machine that sits on your coffee table. Not being connected to your file network, it is a nice device for those times when friends you have over want to show you a site they like, or for checking a fact on Wikipedia or just casually scanning the internet. With the vast amount of already existing iPhone/iPod Touch apps like board games…etc. it would make a nice pass-and-play game device for entertaining. In the living room, the e-book capabilities also come back into play as you are sprawled out on your couch. I also think that developers will come up with some cool living room uses for the iPad too. It could make a sweet universal remote..etc. Apps will make or break this device (more on this in a bit).

Another niche use for the iPad is that it is a neat tool for Photographers. Imagine you were meeting a potential client at Starbucks to discuss a gig you could potentially be hired for. You could load up the iPad with an album of some of your best work and either let the potential client flip through the pictures or just play them a slide show. If they are interested, open up your website and show them your pricing. If they like what they see, open the calendar app and put the gig in your calendar.

Like the iPhone, applications are going to be what make this device amazing. The iPhone wouldn’t be such a powerhouse without some of the amazing apps and games that have been developed for it and the iPad will be no different. Apps have shaped what the iPhone is and apps will do the same for this device. As I mentioned above, anything from a universal remote type application to a pass an play board game type app to …well, just about anything. The uses for this device are only limited by the developers’ imaginations

The price of the iPad is another fantastic selling feature. Apple teased by floating a “less than $1000” price tag which is usually business speak for $999. But the $499 price point makes it very competitive. I, personally, don’t want a 3G model. I have my iPhone for times when I need to look up something when I’m out and about. When I’m at home i don’t need the 3G because I have WiFi. Also, what coffee house or bookstore, doesn’t have WiFi these days? As for the storage capacity, 16GB is plenty for storing apps and e-books. I have music on my iPhone so there is no need for it to be on the iPad. And Movies can be added on a “need” basis and taken off when not needed. Take the Kindle DX for example. It has the same size display (9.7”) but it is only a monochrome e-ink display and is simply an e-book reader with a few extras like PDF viewing. At $489, the Kindle DX is ten dollars cheaper but doesn’t come close to doing half of the things the iPad can do.

I also want to add that most of the issues I’ve seen people gripe about are software issues. Multitasking, Flash and a lot of other issues are software issues that can be added with updates and won’t render this device obsolete. I know people wanted a camera on the iPad but I don’t see a need for one. What cellphone doesn’t come with a camera? If you want to video chat use your computer.

The iPad is very compelling. It has a very open future that could lead it just about anywhere that developers want to take it. It is priced aggressively and is styled beautifully. (I would like to point out the lack of Apple Fanboy design worshiping in this post) Many people thought the iPod was silly and useless when it came out and here we are nine years after the iPod was introduced and Apple has sold over two hundred and fifty million iPods. It is very funny to look back and read some of the comments made about the iPod and it could be equally funny looking back at comments about the iPad in a few years.

This device isn’t for everyone but I believe it is for me and I will be getting one. What say ye? Am I wrong, stupid, naive, or all of the above? Feel free to comment.