Apple iPad Reviews Starting to Appear

Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal on the iPad:

"My verdict is that, while it has compromises and drawbacks, the iPad can indeed replace a laptop for most data communication, content consumption and even limited content creation, a lot of the time. But it all depends on how you use your computer."

David Pogue of New York Times, who breaks it down into two reviews. One for techies, and one for non-techies, and both reviews start off like this: "The Apple iPad is basically a gigantic iPod Touch.". Pogue goes on to write that techies "can get a laptop for much less money -- with a full keyboard, DVD drive, U.S.B. jacks, camera-card slot, camera, the works. Besides: If you've already got a laptop and a smartphone, who's going to carry around a third machine? ". For the non techies, the review is 3 times as long, and finishes with "The bottom line is that the iPad has been designed and built by a bunch of perfectionists. If you like the concept, you'll love the machine. "

USA Today seems to have gotten their hands on one as well:

"The first iPad is a winner. It stacks up as a formidable electronic-reader rival for Amazon's Kindle. It gives portable game machines from Nintendo and Sony a run for their money."

Even the Chicago Sun-Times got a preview iPad:

"The Apple iPad is every bit as good as promised."

Not to be left out is PC Magazine, which normally hates Apple products:

"I'm curious to see who actually buys the iPad, apart from Apple enthusiasts. But I can tell you that when my laptop eventually dies, I'll be getting one."

The biggest common gripe from all reviewers seems to be the lack of Adobe Flash on the device, mainly because so much web content exists on Flash.