Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPad Changing the World? Doubtful

Future of Apple iPad

There's no doubt Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is one of the best, if not the best, companies in the world in creating interest and buzz about their latest products, and that's no different with the Apple iPad, which became available to consumers today.

But strip away all the hype and emotion Apple creates, and the iPad isn't that big of a deal, and deals largely with future potential, rather than what is can do today. Of course that's one of the secrets of Apple, they know how to sell potential while making it cool to buy a product of theirs which is more related to status than it is to where the product currently stands as a practical and improved device.

It's really just a version of the iPhone without the calling capabilities included with it.

The price is pretty steep for the iPad, starting at $499. The price will go up for those who want a cellular data connection, which will be made available by the end of April.

Apple's job is to get the device in the hands of consumers and eventually businesses as well, and once they are able to accomplish that (if indeed they can), from there they'll make improvements, listen to feedback and make the adjustments which will make it a long-term success. That's at least the game plan of the company.

The problem of course is whether or not it takes hold, and that's not a certainty be any means, no matter what the hype is.

There are too many negatives with the iPad at this time to make it a ubiquitous device, and I think there will have to be major changes before it will gain scale, if it ever does.

As has been the case with similar devices, it's just hard to convince consumers they need yet another device to run around with when they're on the go, and at home, it's not something you would need to use, as your other computers are there for that purpose.

And the functions of the iPad aren't really any different than what we already have available to us, so why would be pay a minimum of $500 to get what we already can do.

Some complaints about the device are it can't be used with printers, runs one program at a time, no media storage card ports, no Flash video capability and no camera.

We won't know until the hype and drama reside, but the iPad will have a challenge to break out as a tablet computer, where everyone else has failed. At this time I don't see the differentiator that would change that from happening again with it. But it'll be fun and interesting to see if Jobs and Apple can pull it off.