This past Saturday was another well publicized milestone for Apple, Inc. – the release of the their latest gadget: the iPad. Praise, criticism, and massive discussions have the web bursting at its seams, and now businesses are asking the question: “What can the iPad do for us?”

Let’s start with the bad news for businesses (check out the article here):

1. Multitasking not an option.

2. No camera for video conference.

3. No Adobe Flash support.

4. No choice in wireless carrier for 3G network.

5. No output/input ports.

And the great business features that Apple promotes?

1. Email, Calendar, and Contacts a breeze to use and sync with other providers.

2. Secure data.

3. Powerful platform for apps.

4. iWork for iPad – create documents, presentations, spreadsheets, etc.

5. Anticipated accessories to adapt to the business person’s lifestyle.

Many have argued that the iPad with its lack of innovation and capabilities may just be a glorified version of the iPhone, maybe even and iPhone on steriods… Regardless, now that the facts are on the table I’m starting to wonder if the product was released simply to be released and rely on the brand’s success as opposed to the product quality. If “Apple” is so often described with “innovative”, I feel like something is missing here from their usual top notch performance. We all know that there are numerous advantages to being a first mover, but there’s also a huge risk of moving too fast.