I don't know how many of you remember the Palm LifeDrive from about 5 years ago, but the iPad really reminds me of that device. Granted, the iPad is a little larger, but it seems to fill in the market gap that the LifeDrive was going for. The iPad will be better at browsing the web too, but it still seems like it is trying to create a market where one doesn't exist. I look forward to getting an iPad, I just hope I don't see it fail miserably.

I can't really say much specifically comparing the iPad to the LifeDrive, but I will say that when I first saw the iPad demo, I immediately thought 'this is a PDA done right'. Calendar, contacts, notes, all the things I need to replace my paper day-timer in a form factor that will actually let me do that. Add in the rest of the e-book reading, web surfing, iPod listening, video watching app running goodness and it looks like a real winner to me.

I can't see it being that great as an mp3 player due to the size, but now that you mention ipod, I could see it making an awesome docking jukebox.

I think it will make a great PDA myself, I just hope it catches on so we will be able to get the application development.

I don't think anyone is seeing it as an MP3 player. An M4V player maybe.

I have never used a LifeDrive however the user interface and larger storage capacity look like a rather sigifigent difference. Also the tech landscape has changed in 5 years.

As to the market... it's clearly there if netbooks are any indication. There is some need for a device that sits between a Laptop and a PDA/Smartphone.

I would use it as an MP3 player at work or while studying if it's got a decent internal speaker. I'm not talking about hi-fi audio quality, just something that sounds along the same line as the iPhone speaker, but with slightly more depth.

Far as i read the sound will not be prefect for a MP3 (using external speaker), but for watch video , read ebook listening Kenny G in you're headset i think he can replace you're IPOD

It's nothing like the LifeDrive. I had a similar PDA, a Palm Tungsten E2 (or was it T2? I forget). It was a nice toy, but useless for anything practical, and the OS was horrible.