I’ve read iPad rumors like a hound. It’s been one of my few tech industry predilections. Most things with Apple generally are, considering how much of an Apple fangirl I’ve become following the purchase of my iMac.

Now, I like the name of the device, and initially I was very impressed with the surface, just like I am with all of Apple’s products. I’ve always had a huge amount of respect for Apple’s interface design team (considering that it’s their interface I’m most rabid about), but as I dug into the technical specifications… I kind of took a step back. It certainly wasn’t what I expected, which was exactly what Apple had promised, but I don’t think they really meant it in the sense that I found it to be “unexpected.”

A little background on this designer.

I use Verizon, and I am one of many people on one of Verizon’s plans which is hoping and dreaming of being able to use one of Apple’s products on our map. Well, to be honest, the Wifi capability isn’t bad, but the fact that it can once again only be used on ATT is a bummer.

No multitasking?

Speaking to other developers and Apple fans, the multi-tasking is really a large letdown. It was a huge letdown on the iPhone, and iPad is no different, at least from others which I have spoken with. So I have to watch the web in silence? I have to read books without background music? Or I just have to stare at iTunes to listen to music? Perhaps I’m oversimplifying the issue, but it does underscore the fact that multitasking is one thing I’ve always taken for granted on my iMac.

I have to synch it? That’s bad for design!

Unless Apple gives the iPad a way in which to access a filesystem, or some sort of filesystem, it is absolutely useless to me. I see it as an expensive toy due to needing to constantly having to synch to iTunes, and only running iPhone apps as far as I can tell. Without the ability to plug in a flash drive or a simple hard drive, I don’t think I could really use it.

My major disappointment with the iPad.

It’s a giant toy, basically. And I think that was the point – to create a leisure device. Other Apple products, outside of iPod, are normally productivity tools, which was my hope for this one. I wanted to be able to use it to intuitively edit images or code on the fly if needed without having to lug around a laptop and a tablet to do that, or have something light that wasn’t too expensive if I needed to give a presentation to a client. This isn’t it. Apparently I still need to purchase a Macbook to do that – something which, isn’t necessarily out of my budget range, but is too much for what I need it for. Frankly, I have what the iPad offers through my mobile, and I just don’t see the point of purchasing what I already have.

What are your thoughts on the iPad?