Judging a “tablet”(?) by its cover

Apple anounced the iPad recently.  The response of one corner of the Internet: http://i.imgur.com/oRffH.jpg.

Skimming
through Apple’s iPad page makes it clear that they do not consider it a
stand-alone device like other tablets, but an adjunct to some other
system.  What other fully fledged computer has requirements listed for
other computers (http://www.apple.com/ipad/specs/, “Mac system requirements” / “Windows system requirements”)?

To be sure, form factor matters, and I suspect that there’re a
bunch of people out there that’d like something like an iPhone only
larger, and now they can get one.  Except that apparently the iPad
doesn’t do voice (the 3G section of the specs says “data only”). 
*sigh*  Way to miss the boat, Apple.

It doesn’t hurt that it can run iPhone apps and there’re thousands
of iPhone app developers waiting in the wings.  It has a pre-built
developer community and approximately zero learning curve if you’re
already an experienced iPhone developer.

My basic reaction: Meh.  Sorry, Apple.  🙂  I guess I’ll stick to my Mac Pro and my iPhone.

Update 5/11/11: I got an iPad2 last month.  🙂