What's the iPad missing as an audio device?

3/10/2010 2:21 PM EST

With all of the hype lately over the Apple iPad, I've noticed that the device's audio capabilities (or lack thereof) aren't receiving a lot of attention. I guess this is understandable given the device's intended purpose as a generic gadget for reading e-books, watching videos, browsing the Web and the like, but I would have thought music playback/creation too might have been high on its list of features.  

Apparently not. Now I wouldn't expect such a device to deliver high-quality speaker output, but there are other amenities that it's missing that would have boosted its potential as an audio device in the eyes of many:

• Audio line output
• Audio line input
• USB port
• SD card slot
• > 16 GB base storage
• Limited operating system

Some of these can be worked around and others will likely improve with later generations of the product. Still, it seems likely that the iPad won't be quickly replacing many dedicated - and physically smaller - audio players available on the market.

That said, while I'd have liked to see more audio capabilities in the announced product, it remains a device I'll consider buying as an e-book reader/web browser/media player - if I can get around my reservations over Apple's closed system.

Comments, questions or suggestions? Email me at rich.pell@verizon.net.

Related links:
Why I don't own an iPod
iPhone/iPod dock ref design enables bit-perfect audio streaming
MP3 player audio quality tests: Some surprises
Happy birthday to the MP3 player