The hype surrounding Apple's "tablet" computer turns out to have been just that.

My definition of a tablet is a full-fledged, personal computer with a touch-screen and no physical keyboard. The iPad is not a tablet. It's also not a Mac - it runs the iPhone/iPod Touch OS, not Mac OS X.

The iPad is an iPod Touch. A very large iPod Touch.

If the claims of battery life approaching 10 hours are true, the iPad could turn out to be a great eBook reader. It might work out well as a person's primary PC if activities are limited to email and the Web. It might be a replacement for a netbook-style PC.

But as long as it can run only one app at a time, it cannot displace the typical laptop or full-scale tablet for those doing work. And given the enormous successes of the iPhone and BlackBerry, with their ability to vanish inside a pocket or purse, I don't think it can displace the smart phone, either.