Right now, it’s looking like the iPad’s strength is more about what it represents to the industry, more than the device itself. It’s about what mainstream computing may be turning into.

Is the iPad the future of computing? Share your thoughts.

This generation iPad isn’t the be-all, end-all computing device. It’s full of shortcomings, which have been widely acknowledged. While plenty of early adopters are sure to continue buying the iPads up, there will no doubt be vast improvements made in future versions of the device. Apple will give users reasons to buy the next-generation iPads.

Then you have the competitors. You know how the iPhone came out and everybody went crazy over it? Then Android came along with a similar touchscreen operating system and marketplace, and now Android use is growing rapidly. Microsoft will be launching its Windows Phone 7 Series this year, which will compete in that market. Consumers will have plenty of options when it comes to iPad-like devices. There is already plenty of competition on the way.

iEntry CEO and WebProNews Publisher Rich Ord shares a first-hand look at his new iPad, as well as his take on what the device means in the following clip:

He talks about how the iPad sets the stage for a change in how people interact with the web, specifically. "It’s really a convenience revolution for the Internet," he says, adding that people will bring the Internet to business more – it’s easier to carry than a laptop, and people will feel more comfortable taking an iPad (or iPad-like device) to a meeting, a restaurant, a construction site, etc.

Still, there are cons to the convenience factor as well. The screen gets dirty easily, and one may not find it all that convenient to carry wipes around all the time. In addition, it could be lighter in weight, but then again, future-generations are sure to improve upon this first edition product.

Gartner actually just released a forecast indicating that half of PCs purchased for kids will have touchscreens in the next five years. 

"What we’re going to see is the younger generation beginning to use touchscreen computers ahead of enterprises," said Leslie Fiering, research vice president at Gartner. "By 2015, we expect more than 50 percent of PCs purchased for users under the age of 15 will have touchscreens, up from fewer than percent in 2009. On the other hand, we are predicting that fewer than 10 percent of PCs sold to enterprises in 2015 for mainstream knowledge workers will have touchscreens."

So is the iPad really a symbol for the future of computers, despite all of its flaws? Tell us what you think.