[Harmon]

Of course it can. It just can't replace all of them. But it is clearly a capable ebook reading device.

I think that the way to frame the question is, "will the iPad be the ebook reading device of choice for anyone looking to buy his or her first edevice?"

I think that the way to answer this question is to pretend that the iPad was primarily an ebook reading device, without all the other capabilites it has.

So...how many people would buy the heaviest edevice with the shortest battery life, if that edevice had the only color screen, read the most ebook file formats (drm & otherwise) and was at the upper range of the cost spectrum?

Answer: not many. It's just not a very big niche.

But what the iPad will do is attract readers who want an all-in-one media device, including books, blogs, magazines, movies, internet, email, twitter, etc.

Readers like me.