I have not used an iPad or seen one close up, but I can tell you what its good for: sitting on the sofa and looking at, and making minor edits to, content that is stored on the internet (in the cloud), just like Steve Jobs did during his demo of the iPad. Apple knows that its not good for more than that now.
Until the catalyst comes out for the iPad that moves it into the mainstream, like iTunes did for the iPod, the iPad as it is now, even with the 150 million + apps from the iTunes store, is unlikely to be wildly successful.
I’m sure it will become a great gaming device and it looks like it has a lot of potential as an eBook reader. What will make the iPad take off is something we won’t know about until we experience it, just like few of us had any idea of the potential of the iPhone when we first read about it.
But having a sexy device that I can use to easily access content over the internet is good enough for me. Balancing a 15″ MacBook Pro on my lap while watching NBA basketball with my 2 sons next to me is living just a big too dangerously for this virgo.