The wait is over. My UPS guy Jerry showed up saying “Wow glad you are here. Was worried you would be out shooting.” UPS had to call up lots of backup drivers to deliver the iPad just in the Seattle area. Jerry told me the drivers had to receive special training on the iPad delivery, just like they did on the first iPhones. Since these devices are highly desired by thieves, they also had to go to extra precautions to avoid theft. Thankfully, in my case it was smooth.

Upon opening the box the first thing I noticed was that Apple is sticking with the minimal packaging. Inside the box is just a few pages of info and some Apple stickers, a USB cable, power brick and the iPad. (See my unboxing video here.)

When I pushed the power button it came to life and asked me to connect to iTunes. The setup was painless and syncing was over before you know it. I got the 64GB model which after overhead leaves you with 59.17 GB capacity. I only used about 1/5th my total space so far.

Setup is very intuitive, especially if you have owned an iPod, iPod Touch, iPhone or use iTunes. It took me less than five minutes to dial in all the preferences the way I like them.

The first thing I wanted to know was would my Verizon MIFI work with the iPad. The primary reason I gambled on the WIFI version of the iPad was that I was already spending $60 a month for the MIFI and didn’t see any reason to fork over another $30 a month to AT&T for their 3G service.

I located the WIFI section of the setup, turned on WIFI, the iPad instantly saw my MIFI, I typed in the MIFI password and BAM! I was on the Internet. The performance on the MIFI was really good. Pages load quickly. Oh if everything else in my life were just that easy!

Then I quickly set up my email accounts and downloaded the iBook Store App. Next step was to add a library of photos to the iPad. You can sync with your Picture folder if you have a Mac, or iTunes or Aperture. You can also just sync with any old folder sitting on your computer that you designate. I had already created a folder with about a dozen 1024×1024 images in it and synced that. Looking at the images on the iPad frankly surprised me. I was told the screen was bright and nice, but I just wasn’t prepared for how bright and nice. It’s amazing. The colors are crisp, the details clear. Back to that in a minute.

There is a headphone jack but the built-in speakers do a decent job as long as you aren’t in a noisy place. There is an on off switch and a lock button. There is also a volume rocker on the side of the iPad.

The pop-up electronic keyboard works like a charm. If you can type on an iPhone you can REALLY type on an iPad. I haven’t tested any external keyboards yet but plan to do so soon.

The iPad app store and iBook store rock. And this is why I believe that the iPad will rule the day. NOBODY does this stuff as well as Apple. It’s why the iPod won, it’s why the iPhone is winning and why the iPad WILL win. Browsing apps and books in the app store and the iBook store is simple, fun and efficient. I’ve already downloaded and installed more than a dozen apps on the iPad. Some of them are just stunning (I’m talking to you Scrabble, Netflix, and WeatherBug.)

But even if you don’t download any external apps, you can show off your best photos right away. There is an excellent built-in photo viewer that lets you build slide shows with music. One of the coolest features is that when the screen is locked, you can hit an on-screen button that turns the iPad into a digital picture frame running through all your pictures.

The multi-touch gestures make navigation a breeze. The user experience, and overall user interface is typical Apple – darn near perfect. You receive the iPad fully-charged when you open the box and within seconds, the device starts delivering you content. It couldn’t be easier. I see this being a perfect gadget for very young children who can’t yet navigate a traditional computer, as well as for elderly folks who are afraid of typical computers.

Using Keynote, I created a second slide presentation featuring my images and I have to say it’s very attractive.

I have just scratched the surface with the iPad. Even though I played with it for about four hours on day one, there’s still more to learn and explore.

I do see why some complain about it not having a built-in USB port. While it’s not necessary, it would be convenient. I am also disappointed that Apple didn’t have its act together with regard to accessories. I ordered every accessory they offered on their iPad Store page, but none were available at the same time the iPad shipped. This no doubt has something to do with the Apple’s super silly secrecy policies that kept the details about the iPad from the accessory manufacturers. In particular, it would have been nice to have a case for it. It’s a bit slippery – like the iPhone – so that’s something that Apple needs to rectify quickly. The only other minor nit I would pick is that the iPad can grow heavy in your hands if used for long periods. I can see why Steve Jobs fought so hard to keep the weight down.

My initial reaction is that the iPad is simply that it is as close to a home run as anyone could reasonably expect. I’m not cataloging what it won’t do. What it will do is more than enough for me to justify the cost. It’s going to deliver in the area I care about most. As a photographer’s portfolio, it will have few equals.

I’m really most excited at the prospects of seeing what the developers will do with this once they have time to really get to play with an iPad. The device creates a transformative experience with iBooks. Likewise, looking at photos on a portable device will never be the same. What’s next?

I’ll update this review as I gain more experience. For now, let’s call the iPad highly recommended.

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This post sponsored by the Digital SLR Store