Last week, Apple released one of the oddest sounding gadgets to come out for quite some time: the iPad. What appears to be a giant iPod with a computer-like screen is actually supposed to be a cross between a laptop and a smartphone that can replace laptops all together. Though with lots of interesting features, the complaints about the iPad seem to outweigh the anticipation that was built up to its Jan. 27 release.

According to the release seminar hosted by Apple Inc., CEO Steve Jobs, the iPad is a “dream to surf the Internet on” by being able to manipulate the Web pages you browse by the tips of your fingers. You can rotate the iPad any which way (like the iPhone or iTouch) and the page you are looking at will turn in the desired direction.

“You can hold the Internet right in your hands,” Jobs said.

Along with other laptop/smartphone qualities, it’s quite thin (half an inch thick), weighs 1.5 pounds and has a 9.7 multi-touch screen that is powered by an Apple microchip known as A4 (closely resembling the iTouch). It also has grouped photo galleries for the user to store his or her’s photos in, access to Google maps (but only if  iPad 3G or Wi-Fi are available), a calendar, iTunes and access to the iTunes store, access to iBooks (putting Amazon’s Kindle in direct competition), HD video viewing and, of course, access to all 140,000 applications from the App store.

“It’s so much more intimate than a laptop or a smartphone,” Jobs said.

Almost immediately upon the gadget’s release, though, criticisms about the iPad were released beginning with the name. You may have heard many of the feminine hygiene related jokes by now, but this was a personal favorite: iPad. Like a tampon. Only more expensive.

In addition to the interesting choice of name, one cannot multi task on the iPad, at all. For example, if one wants to have AIM open while sending an e-mail, that’s not going to happen. If one wants to have Twitter open while listening to Pandora, that’s not going to happen either. It also does not make phone calls (though that would be fairly awkward looking), no camera access, awkward keyboard access, no HDMI Out access (in order to hook up a video from your iPad to your television) and no Flash software.

Furthermore, in order to to hook up your digital camera or any type of USB access, you have to use an adapter. It also doesn’t support widescreen viewing or T-mobile 3G (but you can purchase a $30 monthly unlimited data plan through AT&T).

The price of this “revolutionary” product starts at $499, and that’s the basic model with only a Wi-Fi wireless connection. Is it worth it, though? Sounds to me like people need to wait until Apple makes a few more updates. Maybe it will come with wings?

Apple iPad release seminar