After it was announced back in January, the unfortunately named Apple iPad ($699 direct, 64GB Wi-Fi) seemed like it could be the company's first major clunker in a long time: An expensive niche product that would inhabit a nebulous region between laptops and smartphones, but wouldn't quite eliminate

Lacks Flash support; No camera or video recorder; No multitasking capability; Cover Flow is missing from the iPod app; Doesn't ship with a case.

Update : check out our Apple iPad 2 review

Great user interface; Fantastic app experience; Great screen; HD video looks brilliant

Not convinced about the keyboard; It's pricey; Tariffs not cheap either

Entertainment Tablet. Is the iPad the heralded revolution? Can it replace a notebook or a netbook? We have dealt extensively with Apple's tablet over several weeks in our long-term test.

Precise touchscreen use; Outstanding IPS screen; Silent; Good battery life; Appstore and iPhone compatibility; Workmanship; design; interaction

Arrow keys are missing (virtual and hardware; Only Apple Apps permitted (no alternative browser; Few expansion options; iOS4 not yet available; A few functions of a full-fledged operating system

Of course the iPad is not solely an entertainment device. It offers serious functionality such as such as simple-to-use email and a fine e-reader for, y'know, "books." At the same time, it lacks the goods under the hood to make it a viable alternative to a true "tablet computer," for mainstream work...

Big; gorgeous screen; Works with current iPhone/iPod touch apps; Up to a 64GB of memory (and 8+ hours of battery life) in a slim package; Movies; music; internet and more; big enough to share and intuitive to operate

How are we supposed to hold it for long periods of time; Onboard sound is severely limited; No flash support; Charging is not as simple as it could be

Apple's iPad may be a stellar device, but the company's compatibility philosophy is letting it down. The hype surrounding Apple's iPad tablet PC recently reached a fever pitch after the company reported record sales numbers for the device.

The iPad's overall design, like much of Apple's product arsenal is highly attractive; the 9.7

Early compatibility issues with Windows based PCs left us with a sour taste in our mouths

Steve Jobs calls it a "game changer", but is it just an oversized iPod touch? Will we all want one of these in addition to our laptops, phones and eBook readers? If you're still standing in a queue outside an Apple Store as you read this, then maybe it's time to go home – the iPad is probably sold...

The problem of choice when buying an iPad is compounded not just by the size of the storage, but the issue of whether or not to shell out an additional hundred quid for the 3G version.

It has its limitations but as long as you know this before you buy, the iPad is sexy, slick, fast and a real object of desire.

Email and web were made for the iPad; games look great and play smoothly; the operating system is solid; speedy and oh-so-easy to use

Flash player for webpage videos; no camera or webcam; costs a small fortune

It's a very expensive but essentially fun toy. Not quite mobile, not quite PC, but engaging anyway.

Fantastic design Easy to use Lends itself well to the average consumer

Incredibly expensive Doesn't know what it wants to be Tough for work No Flash support.

CNET.com 's Donald Bell has written a fantastic and comprehensive review of the Apple iPad that we first published shortly after the tablet's US release, and after using the iPad we absolutely agree with his analysis.

In an act of aggressive tech convergence; Apple has consolidated your Netbook; e-reader; gaming device; photo frame; and iPod into an elegant; affordable supergadget; Bluetooth; 802.11n Wi-Fi; Movie rentals; 10 hours of battery life; Optional 3G wireless; Most-celebrated App Store on the planet

The iPad's large size is as much a hindrance as it is an advantage; The iPad can't entirely mimic many of the specialised products it seeks to replace; Limited multitasking capabilities; Lack of integrated video camera; Flash support; and HD video output