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.