The iPad is not going to change the way information is consumed. Amazon did that. Jobs even said as much in the press conference, “we’re going to stand on their shoulders for this.” It will, however, push tablets mainstream. Amazon rode the ski lift up the hill, Apple gets to ski down it.
Contrary to his own words this is not the most important project Jobs has ever worked on. The iPad might change an industry but iTunes and the iPod changed an entire culture.
In fact, the iPad wasn’t even the most important product at the release. That award goes to iBooks. We’ve reached the tipping point for digitizing books. Seth Godin’s been saying it for months (years?) but physical books are out as anything other than a souvenir. iBooks is just the nail in the coffin.
Great blog for following iPad updates here.