It’s safe to say that the response to Apple’s new iPad, unveiled yesterday, has hovered between “meh” and “huh.” The “huh” comes from bemused women worldwide who wonder why Apple chose a name for its Next Great Thing that makes you think of sanitary napkins.

"Will the next version have wings?"
“So will the 64GB one be called the Maxi-Pad?"
(Quotes courtesy of a pretty funny article in Fast Company)

Wired magazine breaks down what’s missing from the iPad—features like a keyboard and camera, which if added would make it…a laptop. Hmm. It begs the question: What niche will the iPad and Microsoft’s earlier Origami really fill? Are they for people who want an alternative to their laptops, or to their iPhones and BlackBerrys? What does it compete with?

Answer: the Kindle. A Washington Post column yesterday says the greatest onus is now on Amazon (and presumably Sony and other e-reader developers) to ask itself: “Are we innovating the publishing or the entertainment industry?” Amazon took a step last week to suggest it wants to arm wrestle with Apple, announcing a new development kit that lets people create apps for the Kindle.

If the Kindle morphs into an ultra-mobile PC, things could get interesting. But the Post doesn’t think it has a prayer, suggesting today that the iPad could kill Kindle altogether.

I’m curious what you (the collective you, Seattle Met readers) have to say about this, since I definitely shouldn’t weigh in (my laptop is five years old and my phone only makes calls and sends text messages). Will Amazon adapt? And if it does, what Next Great Thing should I buy?