FWIW, Apple’s coming out with a USB dongle. It will plug into the synch and charging port. As to the shape and slipperiness, shape seemed fine to me, didn’t notice it being slippery, but there will be a couple of zillion cases for it, including some with a rubber coating that will be sticky enough to adhere to a wall.
As to synching, you can plug it into a Mac desktop and synch. I don’t know about Windows, except for media and content through iTunes.
HP is coming out with the Slate, which will run Win7. Some Windows fans are already calling it an iPad killer, but I’m wondering about several things on it. Win7 will require stronger processing, and is primarily a mouse driven OS with some touch capabilities. Can they keep the price down, battery life up, and make it useful enough that you don’t end up hauling a mouse, keyboard and prop up stand everywhere (basically making it a three piece laptop.)
It’s also going to weigh in at around a half pound over the iPad.
The Microsoft Courier looks cool, but maybe too many moving parts( for a klutz). I get the idea that it may just be a short-lived dream, anyway.
I didn’t like the Pre, took it back, so now questioning my early adopter status.
The aftermarket will kick in, and there are going to be so many vendors offering creative add-ons. I have a few I could forsee (anyone want to make money...feel free to explore...:)
A thing you can put around your neck that will hold the iPad about a foot away from your face and off your chest a bit, to watch a movie.
Or a holder for the iPad that straps onto your forearm so you can just put your arm down and work with your hands.
A small row of controls that fits onto the docking port and attaches securely to the side of the iPad, so that when you hold it, your fingers come up from underneath and rest on the row of buttons or controls that can be programmed to do various things.
I think it has a lot of potential. I had not seen one yet, and last night, I decided to pre-order a 3G model.
I came into work today, and I ran into two people who actually had iPads with them. A very, very cool device.