Though I've had issues with nearly every Apple product owned, I still buy them. Why be loyal to a flawed brand? Because no man-made device, including the Apple iPad, is perfect - though it may improve after several generations. Just take one look at the home screen of the iPad and you'll see Apple has work to do.
The iPad doesn't have a camera. I get it. Many corporations do not allow cameras onsite (or recorders either) for security purposes so iChat video conferencing could actually be a hindrance to deployment by salespersons. Besides, the last thing AT&T needs right now in San Francisco or New York right now is another heavily used data hungry device - streaming video requires significant bandwidth. Likely a future 4G model will include a video camera. If you really want to take a picture, use your camera phone or iPod nano. For now at least, the real iPad audience appears to be "couch potatoes" and iPhone users with failing vision. I'll count myself in that crowd, saving face with the latter excuse.
I love the portability of my iPhone. Yet squinting at text pages for more than 15 minutes is a chore. During such times, the notion of a 9.7-inch screen seems like it would bring enormous satisfaction. In reality, a 13-inch MacBook or 15-inch MacBook Pro would be even better - save the high-glare screen. In its favor, the iPad is more affordable.
The iPad too has a glaring problem. It's found on the side that isn't used for viewing. If placed on a table, the curved back causes the iPad to rock when typing on its virtual keyboard. Hence, data input is restricted to placing it on a soft surface - like a lap. This may not be very practical when sitting at a table in a restaurant. Remedying this issue requires lugging around either a BlueTooth keyboard or iPad keyboard dock. What's the solution to carrying separate keyboard and display? You guessed it, a MacBook computer. We've come full circle.
So it appears Apple has managed to do it again: simultaneously attract tremendous media attention and produce a gadget that doesn't quite meet expectations. This is characteristic of first-generation devices. Ironically, utilizing the flat back design of the first-generation iPhone on the iPad could have rectified the rocking problem.