Anyway, I was right about the Apple store. They're already saying that if you buy an ebook from there, you can only read it on the iPad, not another device. They said you might be able to read other stores' books on it if it's in ePub format, but only if Apple works with Adobe. Adobe released a statement over the weekend saying it's not working with Apple at this time. In other words, so far Apple doesn't plan on using Adobe Digital Editions so basically you're stuck with Apple prices on books and Apple selections when you buy an iPad.

I also read somewhere I was right about the constant charging issue, too.

I didn't know I was supposed to argue for the usefulness of the iPad. Yes, I can see the usefulness of an eReader, since I have one, but I don't think the iPad is really going to be all that great of one. It's trying to do too many things at once so so instead of one or two things really great. That's my opinion anyway.

Anyway, I was right about the Apple store. They're already saying that if you buy an ebook from there, you can only read it on the iPad, not another device. They said you might be able to read other stores' books on it if it's in ePub format, but only if Apple works with Adobe. Adobe released a statement over the weekend saying it's not working with Apple at this time. In other words, so far Apple doesn't plan on using Adobe Digital Editions so basically you're stuck with Apple prices on books and Apple selections when you buy an iPad.

I also read somewhere I was right about the constant charging issue, too.

I didn't know I was supposed to argue for the usefulness of the iPad. Yes, I can see the usefulness of an eReader, since I have one, but I don't think the iPad is really going to be all that great of one. It's trying to do too many things at once so so instead of one or two things really great. That's my opinion anyway.

obtw, did you realize that ebook reader has gps in it;
so they can spot yo ass in a crowd. watch out for drones girly.
awww just kiddin bout the drones. maybe notttttttttttt,,
if the army gets their way; as I hear, they want to put them
ON the Battlefield. Oh Great Gods who Pay for War Tools;
wtf will they ask for next. cyber gi jane ?
they’ll probably make it look like a cross between
army killer chicas angelina joli and demi moore
let me hush.. (shooting myself some side-eye)

all I can say is, sure riiiiiiiiiiite,,,

BTW, I'm getting two and ditching my satellite Internet and TV dishes. I see this an ideal connection device for people in the boonies who are paying $150 or more a month to connect to the Internet and entertainment and keep running up against fair access policies.

I don't want a cell phone or need an ebook reader. I'm looking for an unlimited mobile data plan in a solidly designed integration of hardware and software, and that's what Apple does better than anyone else.

What's really impressive about this unit is the chip. The sucker outperforms the current crop of ARM and Intel processors and even exceeds a couple of ultramobile SOCs on the roadmap.

On the downside, it doesn't multitask, doesn't support voice recognition, can't prevent drones from finding out where I am, and doesn't work as well as cotton, but this is a first release. Can rectal probes be far behind?

Second, the battery life probably sucks. I know when I was researching eReaders, it said the ones with backlights like this one have short battery lives because the backlight is so power consuming. My Sony, in contrast, will keep a charge for two weeks, even with me reading daily. I'd rather just turn on a lamp or clip on a booklight to the cover than have to constantly charge yet another gadget.

Third, I have a feeling that the iPad will require you to buy books only from the Apple store. They'll probably do what the Kindle and now the Nook are doing and using some specialized format that means you can't lend the book to a family member after reading on a different brand of reader. Like the Nook & Barnes & Noble use ePub like the Sony but puts some kind of protection on it so you can't read it on a Sony Reader or the off brands that use ePub. Kindle doesn't use ePub; it uses some kind of format unique to them that other readers don't support. That means if an online bookstore other than Amazon doesn't sell that format and Kindle doesn't support Adobe Digital Editions, you're stuck with the prices on Amazon. (Other books stores might sell that format, but usually the standard is ePub.)

Basically, I see the Apple Store doing the same, using some specialized technology so that you can only use its reader and its store. Look at how they already treat songs on the iTunes store. As it now stands, if you buy songs from iTunes, you can't put them on a different brand of MP3 player w/o burning them to disc first. I know because I bought my nephew some off brand a couple of years ago, and that was the only way to get around the protection iTunes puts on the songs. That has always pissed me off. I you pay for the song, you ought to be able to use it on any mp3 player you want, but Apple doesn't seem to think so.

Plus, if the books in the Apple Store cost more, like their audio books do, you're SOL. The whole point of getting a reader is so you don't have to pay $25 for a new release. If the books are that in iTunes, what's the point?

Fourth, I'll say what I said when asked why I went with the SR and not the Kindle. I already have gadgets for music, pictures, reading, drawing, going online, etc. Those gadgets still work. Until they die, I don't really need all those things in one device, especially at a $500 price.

Fifth, let's say my iPod dies tomorrow. Would I buy this as a replacement? No because how would I even use something that big on a treadmill or when I'm cleaning house. Is there a belt clip? If there is, how can you even move without impaling yourself?

Sixth, what if you're too fumble-fingered to use touchscreen? That's another reason I didn't get the touchscreen readers. I could see me being in the middle of a page,accidentally hitting something with the touchscreen function, and deleting my book. Then there's the upkeep on a touchscreen. Fingerprints galore. Special cloths. Avoiding strong lotions or anything that might eat the screen. If you drop it and damage the screen, you don't have buttons as backup.

Seventh, will there be an app that allows you to check out ebooks for free from your local library? The Sony Reader lets you do that, which is another reason I went with it over the Kindle, which doesn't. Although my local library doesn't currently have ebooks, I'm hoping one day it catches up with the libraries on the northside of Atlanta and allow it. Will it let you download the free classics that the copyrights have expired on from Google? Again, probably not. What about the self-published freebies on sites like Feedbook from new authors? Doubtful. You're just stuck with pay to use.

All in all, I'll just keep my Sony Reader, my second generation iPod nano (don't laugh), my el cheapo digital camera, my cell, my Wacom tablet, and my laptop. Let people with money to waste waste it on the iPad. I'm happy with what I already have.