Yes, I joke around quite a bit. I consider that my job.

But, like many ‘folks around the world, I was listening to whatever bootleg feed I could find from “the announcement.” My hopes were high, and many of them were met.

In retrospect, however, I was left feeling that something was missing.

If this device sits, as Mr. Jobs pointed out, between a phone and a laptop – where is the ability to truly communicate?

Any computer person worth their salt uses not only text and email – but video. With all the thoughts of putting the “internet in your hands,” where is the camera? There’s one built into every laptop Apple makes. Don’t tell me grandma wouldn’t love to see and talk with her grand kids on her new iPad, after putting away the latest Sue Grafton novel.

And, of course, FLASH. I don’t understand why I have to see a missing flash app right on the screen during the presentation. Did Apple and Adobe have a falling out? You can shout HTML5 from the rooftops, but Flash is one of the main toys on the web today, from animations to games to videos; despite Apple’s deal with YouTube. Does flash mean games on the web that would hurt the App Store? I doubt it – so I’m just left to ponder…

I think I’ll have to wait for the next generation of iPad before we see it be a more complete in-between product. That usually happens with Apple, anyway – First things first: get it out the door, then immediately start to finesse the product.

I can be patient…