iPad Review Roundup: Everybody Loves It

The iPad doesn't officially go on sale until Saturday, but today is apparently the day Apple allowed a select few reviewers to share their findings. And it looks like the only "April fools" are the folks who didn't preorder an iPad.

Indeed, the last time we witnessed such unabashed and universal praise for a product, it was when Apple unveiled the iPhone 3G. Here's a sampling of the iPad reviews making the rounds today:

Chicago Sun-Times: "[The] iPad is pure innovation -- one of [the] best computers ever."

New York Times: "The iPad is so fast and light, the multitouch screen so bright and responsive, the software so easy to navigate, that it really does qualify as a new category of gadget. Some have suggested that it might make a good goof-proof computer for technophobes, the aged and the young; they're absolutely right."

PC Magazine: "Having used the iPad for some time, I can tell you that the device just makes sense."
USA Today: "Apple has pretty much nailed it with this first iPad, though there's certainly room for improvement. Nearly three years after making a splash with the iPhone, Apple has delivered another impressive product that largely lives up to the hype."

Wall Street Journal: "After spending hours and hours with it, I believe this beautiful new touch-screen device from Apple has the potential to change portable computing profoundly, and to challenge the primacy of the laptop."

Well, there you have it. What do you think? Does any of this change your feelings about the device -- or your plans to buy one?

I'll admit, I'm suffering from some serious gadget envy right about now, though I still can't see spending $499 to cure it. At $399, I'd probably pull the trigger; at $299, I definitely would. Regardless of how well the iPad sells in the coming months, I strongly believe we'll see a price cut before the end of 2010. I just don't know if I can wait that long.