iPad Analysis: Apple Already Two Years Ahead?

It’s here. Apple’s “magical and revolutionary product” is ready for the masses. But are the masses ready for it? Will the iPad be a smash hit or will its weaknesses relegate it to niche status? What are the killer apps? Assuming it does take off, does any other tablet stand a chance?

To answer these questions and more we gathered some of the greatest minds in the tech industry to weigh in on the most important gadget launch since the iPhone. The consensus: the iPad will usher in a new era of mobile computing focused on ease of use and content consumption, and no other tablet will come close to Apple’s user experience in the short term. In fact, Tim Bajarin told us it will take the competition two years to catch up.

Brain Trust:

• Tim Bajarin, principal strategist, Creative Strategies
• Roger Kay, founder and president, Endpoint Technologies Associates
• Michael Gartenberg, partner, Altimeter Group
• Ross Rubin, executive director of industry analysis, NPD Group

Burning Questions:

1. Do you think the iPad will change mobile computing more than netbooks have?
2. How many iPads do you think Apple will sell? Is it already a hit?
3. Do you see the iPad as having any major weaknesses that consumers care about?
4. What do you see as the potential killer apps for the iPad?
5. Will the iPad help HTML5 replace Flash as the video delivery mechanism of choice for websites?
6. What percentage of customers do you think will order the 3G model?
7. Where do you see most iPad use taking place? At home? On the road? Work?
8. Are there any tablets coming to market that could be a serious iPad competitor?