You couldn’t dip a toe into the Internet on Wednesday without being bombarded by hype about the announcement of Apple’s new tablet computer, the iPad.

It’s not always easy to cut through the thrill of Apple’s fanboy community to see what the real, practical impact of the new device is going to be, but here  are some initial thoughts:

·         The biggest bombshell of CEO Steve Jobs’ announcement was the price point. Coming in at $499 to start and with every price under $1,000, regardless of the connection, data package or memory, Apple made it clear that they are shooting for universal adoption. Being able to set up the iPad as a viable alternative to a netbook, with superior portability and display will reach folks beyond the superfan crowd.

·         I think Apple has really baited the hook with apps. They have become such a mainstream part of smartphone tech now (which shows how competitors have deferred to Apple as the leader in that space), that reassuring people they can send those same apps to their iPad and then add more (improved ones) later will be a hit. Like Jobs said, no one is going to have to learn a new technology. If they have an iPhone, they can work an iPad.

·         The name struck an odd cord. I thought it was good in keeping with the consistency of the other products – iPhone, iPod, etc. – but the name has been universally panned by the women I know.

·         As we move toward more universal Wi-Fi access across the country (and McDonald’s foray into free Wi-Fi  for its customers helps this effort immensely), the iPad’s usability is strengthened. Some in the crowd at the announcement moaned yesterday at the mention of AT&T’s 3G network, which is already strained by iPhone power users. Wi-Fi should be enough to keep most people happy and it appeals to the bottom-line price.

·         The iPad’s biggest markets are going to be readers and gamers, two extremes of the tech perspective. When sold side-by-side against a Kindle, the iPad looks great because of the other features built-in besides the ability to read books. Apple has already positioned itself well with deals with publishers and the newspaper industry is seeing the iPad as another revenue lifesaver. Consumers’ familiarity with the iTunes store will make buying books a reasonable and familiar transaction. The same goes for gamers, who will get a beefed up portable device, with Wi-Fi interface, great display and the ability of group play. Part of the staging yesterday, with Jobs sitting on the couch, can easily be transposed to a living room full of Call of Duty or World of Warcraft players.

·         The biggest question at this point is the ability to make VoIP calls. With the Wi-Fi connection and microphone jack, this could be a great tool for teleconferencing and business applications. Leaving out the ability to make calls and a camera saved battery life, I’m sure, as well as protected the iPhone brand. But, multitasking is critical. Running multiple apps is a must to make this a true computer alternative.

So, will the iPad live up to the immense expectations? That will be a tough task. But the iPhone has managed to do it, and there is room in the market for the iPad to find its own niche. Expect it to at least move the ball, even if it doesn’t change the game.