I plan to buy the SDK but really don't know anything about it except that it includes an iPad simulator that will run on your MacBook right now. This makes it possible to develop for it now, rather than waiting for delivery of the real device, and thus interest me a lot.

But I really don't know much about developing, although I have programmed computers many times in many languages during my 26 years working for IBM. Can enyone give me a quick description of what it takes to develop for the iPad and I assume the same mostly would apply to the iPad Touch and iPhone.

Theres a ton of info on the developers page (which is free to register with)!
iPhone Dev Center - Apple Developer Connection

Basically if you know your way around Obj C (C++) you wont have
any problems picking up Cocoa, in which the iPhone/iPad apps are written in!

Theres a couple of great books written on Cocoa
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Cocoa-Programming-Mac-OS-3rd/dp/0321503619/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265194561&sr=1-1"]Aaron Hillegass Programming for the Mac OS X[/ame]
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Learn-Cocoa-Mac-Jack-Nutting/dp/1430218592"]Jack Nutting Learn Cocoa on the Mac[/ame]

Let us know how it works out for ya!