Most importantly, the antenna issues reported soon after its release have not been a problem. As noted in Walt Mossberg’s article, the problem appears to be over stated and exaggerated by a software flaw that has already been corrected. In addition, it appears that in some situations the iPhone4 out performs the iPhone3 in reception but interestingly not all situations. In any event, the iPhone4 and iPhone3 appear to be similar in their reception and excellent based upon my experience.

No, I have not upgraded to an iPhone4 yet and I think that gets to the heart of the matter. I am waiting in hopes of a better solution to the antenna problem but from a practical standpoint it really makes no difference.

Many people love Apple and expect great products and the iPhone4 fits that bill. The high expectations and demand for near perfection have left people feeling let down. The real issue is emotional not practical. It is that emotion that has driven Apple’s success and led to a loyal following that are willing to pay a premium for Apple products.

So like many people, I want to feel better about my upgrade. Thus, I will wait to see what Apple does and either get a better iPhone or have dealt with my emotional angst.

The bottom line is that for a consumer it only needs to justify itself to that individual. However, a business needs to show that such a device provides some return to the shareholders in the form of new capabilities or improved efficiency.

Tech Republic recently posted a business focused review on one of their blogs. The review is mostly focused on the user as opposed to the IT department but it seems clear that the iPad has very good utility for the user. The latter has always been Apple’s strength.

Lacking in the review were some critical questions that may not keep the users up at night but keep IT staffs wondering. The questions, as with the iPhone, are primarily about security and manageability. Once again, this is not Apple’s strong suit.

The other drawback, which is a strength from the users and consumers perspective, is the Apple ecosystem. This is well documented and I find it hard to believe that Apple is not thinking about this very hard. They need to reach a difficult balance between accessibility and security (an age old IT trade off).

There will be more discussion to come and it will be interesting to watch as the tablet market grows, matures and changes in the coming months.

One question many have asked is where does the iPad fit in the technology ecosystem? Will it replace laptops, netbooks etc? My answer is no primarily because it is focused on information display and does not offer external ports (USB, display, etc.). Thus, it will likely be a popular add-on or niche device.

With this in mind, the iPad has value for both consumers and businesses. For consumers, it is an easy to use attractive device for reading books, surfing the web (with the big exception of Flash), watching video and managing email. For business, it is an ideal device for one-on-one sales presentations and sharing a portfolio of work with clients and prospective clients. For both it offers Apps for almost any need and connectivity where ever you may be.

In summary, the iPad has value and will be successful. In addition, it has raised the standard for slate computing which should drive competitors to offer more user driven devices with greater, more accessible functionality.