Well, it's hardly surprising to see the iPad panned on this forum. But I do recall a time when conventional wisdom held that nobody but a few geeks (and in those days it meant the people who bit off the heads of chickens) would want a "computer" in their home. So I'm not so quick to call Steve Jobs stupid.
Obviously it's not the Swiss Army Knife of devices. And that's what the complaints appear to be. But that doesn't mean it's a surefire failure.
No, it doesn't multitask. Neither does the iPhone. (That's probably accounts for the latter's spectacular failure in the marketplace.)
Yes, it's expensive compared to other comparable devices. So are Mac's; so are iPhones. Again, thtat's probably why they can't sell them.
Nope. No camera. Of course, if it had a camera taking a picture would be like holding a Press Graphix from 1930.
Frankly, it's not a device I need or want since I already have a netbook, a laptop, a desktop, and a Droid. It can't replace any one, much less two, of those devices. And since the only thing it does that I don't have covered is act as an e-reader, I'm more likely to get a Kindle or another much less expensive alternative for that purpose alone.
But it's not a product aimed at me. It's designed to fit neatly into a product space between an Apple computer, an iPod, and an iPhone. It provides another platform for the 100,000+ iPhone apps, many of which will be more enjoyable to use on that big, bright, beautiful screen. It makes integration of apps and data among all the Apple devices the usual no-brainer.
In short, it extends the Apple brand over an overlapping but distinct device that will appeal to those with Apple desktops and iPhones but who don't need a full-fledged laptop. And it will allow those with Apple laptops to leave them home on a day trip and not worry about looking for a recharge.
It isn't revolutionary but I learned a long, long time ago not to bet that Jobs and Co. have misread consumer sentiment.