I stayed up til 4am last night reading the news on the Apple iPad. Yes I misnamed it in my last Post. Anyways heres some of the links:

• http://www.apple.com/ipad/specs/
• http://live.gizmodo.com/
• http://www.reigndesign.com/blog/pig-rush-on-ipad/ (Written by my buddy matthew mayer horrible photoshopping by the way)
• http://www.crunchgear.com/2010/01/27/apple-unveils-the-ipad-at-last/

So to recap: the iPad starts at $499, doesn't have a contract with AT&T and can work with many international carriers. Its got the multi-touch we expected, great iWork suite of Apps, and iPhone apps already ready for the new brand of iPhone OS that it runs. It has a beautiful display for browsing the web or reading e-books. A nice big processor will help it push out the graphics. GPS and Compass area also present

What it doesn't have is a camera for video conferences, or an easy to use keyboard. It looks to big for the thumb-stick games that we play on the iPhone. The cost of the 3G version is rather steep. There is no increase in size of the screen between the different models which I would like. 

All in all this is not a game changer. I know I will be programming for this device in the future but I hope that the 3D engine I use can work both Window's 7 tablet edition and Mac OS(Pad?)

From a game Design perspective I know that this device, and any other tablet really, is made for real time strategy games. I know that Field Runners will come out with one of the most played TD games for the iPad. I hope that Blizzard can dust off the cobwebs on Star-Craft and compile a binary for the iPad with a new cooler touch interface. I can imagine great potential within this genre.

Besides RTS the iPad is going to be lacking in the gaming department. Most of the users will be buying it as a browser and eReader. Apple is marketing it as a productivity booster as well as an oversized iPod. Because of the awkward size only certain games will do well on it. Without two cameras, on in the front one in the back, I don't think augmented reality is a possibility. 

But on that note, Apple will be coming out with a newer better version in 15 months. An unless I splurge to get the cheapest version of the iPad I will be waiting for the second generation iPad. Apple does not have a good track record with the first product in a line having all the features users want. They wait a year and then give them candy again, its better for their revenue. Instead I'll be looking at a cheap netbook running Unix that I can hack the iPad OS onto.