Taking an accurate measure of the iPad

Amid all the wet kisses bestowed upon the iPad this weekend, one critical review stands out: Melissa Perenson's extensive notice in the Washington Post today. Its conclusion (I've bolded the most important statement):

"With the iPad, Apple is first to market with a tablet that may have mass appeal for viewing entertainment content--movies, TV shows, games, and the like. But delve a bit deeper, and the iPad feels like a first-generation device--complete with new-product hiccups--largely behaves like an iPhone (or iPod Touch) on steroids. Its lack of file-level control means that the iPad can't replace a laptop or netbook for core productivity activities. Nor is it a great candidate to be your primary e-reader. It's a great device for playing video and games, and for viewing photos, though--and for some consumers, that may be enough."