If only Jim would have been as thorough, and polite, about the iPad.
I don't know what your problem is, but per your suggestions I went back to the Apple "brick and mortar" store yesterday, and spent an additional three+ hours researching all the iPad suggestions you made. None of them "worked" as you suggested. None of them allow direct access to allow one to read ebook files either ePub or MOBI via wifi access to the internet. None of them allow latest access to the most recent books in ePub format released on PG. What almost all of them do is allow access to an internet server tied to that particular applet that allows one to read some subset of the PG offerings in some degraded form, typically a slightly spruced up "pretty print" version of a text file. This can simply be checked by searching for one of the latest PG books in which case you will find that NONE of these applets offer the latest PG books. Unlike most full function web browsers on desktops or even netbooks, if one uses the provided Safari web browser to click on an ePub or MOBI file Safari says "You cannot download that file." You CAN use Safari to open a PDF file, which makes iPad useful for reading Google Books PDF "photocopies" of books. Just not useful for what PG offers. Also even IF you use Safari to open a PDF file, apparently Safari does not retain a copy of that book because when I run Safari again it redownloads that PDF file again from scratch. Why does one care? Well, that's slow, and it means that this doesn't work in "airplane mode" ie you cannot read the PDF file on an airplane via Safari with the wifi turned off. The ability to actually download and save book files is a fundamental feature of "real" book readers, and in the design of "real" ebook formats such as ePub and MOBI, such that when you download a book, you HAVE that book, and can then read it wherever and whenever you choose without requiring wifi or other wired connection. What the Apple manuals say (finally released yesterday and read last night) is that one is allowed to transfer free book files in ePub format via USB cable from your desktop to your iPad via iTunes. You download a free ePub book to your desktop. From there you transfer it to the iTunes software. Then you hook up your iPad using a USB. Then you sync to iTunes. Then you safely unplug your iPad. Then you open iBooks. Then you find the new book in the iBooks "shelf" which you can then finally click on and start reading. As opposed to one click on a link to a free ePub or MOBI book link say at PG using a netbook browser, which downloads the file, stores it, opens the reader app and you are up and reading. 1 second verses 10 minutes of hassle factor. Further, the iPad manuals say that Apple has *permanently* given Apple applets priority over other applets for the file types that the iPad supports. IE ePub type is "hardwired" to the iBooks applet such if you transfer an ePub file via the long-winded iTunes USB "sync" process then one can only read that ePub using the iBooks app -- which is a pretty weak app compared to other ePub and MOBI readers if one has made the comparison. [Imagine if Mickeysoft "hardwired" the HTML file type to the IE browser and allowed no other browser choice! Can you say "Monopoly," I knew you could] What CAN iPad do? It can reasonably present paid books from Apple on iBooks (not the greatest reader app, but not too horrible either) It can reasonably present a free subset of PG's offerings repackaged as-if they came from Apple on iBooks It can reasonably present paid books from Amazon via Kindle for iPad It can reasonably present a free subset of PG's offerings repackaged as-if they came from Amazon via Kindle for iPad If you have already bought books for a Kindle then Kindle for iPad will also allow you to read them for no additional cost on iPad It can reasonably present PDF books and documents via Safari as long as you have an active wifi connection It can store and allow you to read free ePub and other common document formats that you have transferred to iPad using the slow and cumbersome Desktop/USB/iTunes path. [At least the documentation claims this -- I cannot test it in the Apple store because they don't have USB to desktop set up] Is this all good or bad? It depends on what you want to do. If you simply want to be a passive consumer of content, similar to watching TV from your cable provider, then maybe its fine. If you want to be a CREATOR of content, such as someone who helps DP, SRs books from DP, "solos" books for PG, etc, then it's a pretty weak offering -- IMHO you would be much better off putting up with the hassles of a netbook which DOES allow one to quickly and painlessly transfer content using wifi. And if you are a reader omnivore like I am, then you will probably rapidly get sick of the Job's monopolistic restrictions constantly getting in the way of your ability to quickly and easily download What you want from Where you want reading it with Whatever reader applet YOU damned well choose -- NOT Steve Jobs! Other reasonable approaches: Wait for the HP Slate and see how cobbled-up its touch abilities are. At least it offers a REAL operating system -- why couldn't Apple have offered OS X on iPad ??? Buy a netbook and put up with the keyboard hassles. Buy a Kindle and put up with the crappy web browser and slow-and-unreliable "whispernet" AT&T connection -- at least you get a good built-in reader app and good screen technology. Buy a low-cost generic reader such as Libre Pro Buy an iPod and at least you're admitting you are reading on a cellphone and at least you are actually getting a cellphone--with the resulting compromises in space, speed, and OS. Wait and see if the next version of the OS for iPad is less compromised.