Let down again.

From Steve Jobs during the iPad keynote...
"We've got five of the largest publishers in the world that are supporting us in this and are going to have all of their books on the store, and we're going to open up the floodgates for the rest of the publishers in the world starting this afternoon."

By 'World' he means the US.
Notices on International Apple websites indicate that iBooks is a US only feature and not available outside the US. 

iPAD

I want one.
The only dissapointment to me was listening to the pundits. Merlin Mann, Dr. Kirsten Stanford, Leo Laporte etc. Oh, it's too big, it's too expensive, its just another tablet, it has no multi-tasking, it's just a big iPod ... blah blah blah.
Dr. Kiki says she would not buy one because it has no multi tasking - not enough power. Like Dr. Kiki is the average user .. a PhD scientist for goodness sake. Leo collects programming languages for a hobby.
All these experts proffering opinions why it's mediocre or a flop. Every one of them coming at it from a high-tech perspective.  If I said something was written in C they all would understand what I meant. That is not your average user and it is not the sole market for this device.
Merlin Mann hit the nail on the head with his comment on the enumerated shortcommings as ...
'the Protestant Church needs more Roseries'.

I even suffered through the clueless interview with an editor at PCWorld saying it would not make a gaming platform. How many games (units) have been sold into the iPhone market. What a goose.

Because Apple refuse to join the 'race to the bottom' on price and quality, the thing is too expensive for Mrs. Walmart. Phhhht!
When you guys develop a business the size and scope of Apple then maybe we'll pay more attention to your expert proffersies.
Man, I remember listening to the same crap about why the iPhone was going to be a dud.
Dude, the AppleTV is such a dud because it wont build my latest kernal while I watch boxee.

Who were the guys I thought had it nailed? Alex Lindsay from the Pixelcorps and Andy Ihnatko (Chicago Sun Times). They approached it from a normal persons perspective.

...and no I'm not an Apple bigot - fanboy. I'm a Microsoft MVP.
Wintel programming and support is how I make my money.


Now, why do I want one?
First, I want a device for an ebook reader. I have been waiting and holding off for years. I want to have a library at my finger tips. I have an iPhone with Stanza and Kindle but the screen is too small. Despite the experts, I want an iPod with a bigger screen. Do I use the web on the iPhone / iPod - not really... because the screen is too small. Do I use eMail on the iPhone ... yes, but the screen is too small. I also use the 'native' weather app as well as the purchased 'BOM Radar' (Austral rainfall radar). But again, the screen is just a bit small.

For me, an eBook reader that has eMail and Wikipedia is already there. Everything else is cream. I looked at the Kindle and it was almost there. No email or web but the epaper was great. Why did I not buy one? They were not available to the rest of the world. To those who live in the US, the US is the whole world. (that will be their downfall) By the time they were available, it was too late. I decided to wait and check out the apple offering. (Bad luck Bezos)

I know of four other people, not tech heads, who want this device on the Coffee table and to read in bed or out sipping Black Russians in the evening cool.

I love my iPhone for the functionality. I bought it not because it was Apple but because it did everything I wanted. (I had an O2 XDAII for five years.)

The perfect offering would be a dock for the iPhone that had sound, screen, keyboard and mouse.

I am hoping that the iPad will team up with my iPhone to give me all the bells and whistles. It looks on track.