As a techy I find this hilarious. As a pragmatist, I find this scary.

Perhaps this is why I felt so immediately uncomfortable when the iPad was first unveiled. Perhaps this is the beginning of the future.

A man who doesn’t usually pull his punches now waxing lyrical about the iPad, having played with it. Mr Gruber has commented that the speed of the iPad is the overwhelming impression of the user experience.

Had Apple been any smaller, I think pundits might have been saying that they had bet the company on the success of this device by selling it at that price. In fact they may well have bet a significant part of their cash pile on it, but if it flops Apple will probably still survive.

I was hoping for something revolutionary. Instead we have something evolutionary. Apple have taken the iPhone business model, followed the “Lather, Rinse, Repeat” instructions and come up with a product about which the only outstanding feature is the marketing.

I will wait until I have got my hands on one before I pass further judgement, but I don’t think I will be buying one for myself. I do not see the argument that this device fits between a laptop and a smartphone - at least not if you own both. If you have a desktop and a smartphone, or a regular phone and a computer (portable or not), then it might fit your needs, but I don’t see it taking over in the living room, which is where it seems to be pitched.

Time will tell.