I like the concept of the of the iPad for travel -- particularly international travel. Light, compact, and almost every feature you'd need on the go. But it's missing something very important for the savvy, long-term traveler.
During my year in South America, I lugged around a large, heavy Dell Inpiron laptop. As much as I hated the size and weight burden, it served my purposes for movies, photos, music, web, and email. Perhaps most importantly, I often used this beast of a laptop to access Skype.
I can't tell you how useful Skype was for keeping in touch with friends and family. Or when my wallet was stolen and I had to cancel credit cards and get money wired to me. With Skype I could take care of the problem at a minimal cost, and do so privately rather than in an internet cafe or public phone.
The iPad looks like a sexy travel toy, but the lack of a built-in webcam and microphone takes it out of the running as a serious travel computer. I'd like to see someone build a rugged, compact and full-featured device aimed at that niche.
