The iPad goes on sale this Saturday in Wi-Fi form only, priced starting at $499 for a 16 GB model.  In time for the release, some of the nation's top newspapers have been lodging their opinions on the device.  And overall most who received hands-on iPad time seemed very enthused.  One editor called it "one of the best computers ever".

Andy Ihnatko of The Chicago Sun-Times writes, "The most compelling sign that Apple got this right is the fact that despite the novelty of the iPad, the excitement slips away after about ten seconds and you’re completely focused on the task at hand ... whether it’s reading a book, writing a report, or working on clearing your Inbox. Second most compelling: in situation after situation, I find that the iPad is the best computer in my household and office menagerie. It’s not a replacement for my notebook, mind you. It feels more as if the iPad is filling a gap that’s existed for quite some time."

The Wall Street Journal's Walter S. Mossberg writes, "For the past week or so, I have been testing a sleek, light, silver-and-black tablet computer called an iPad. After spending hours and hours with it, I believe this beautiful new touch-screen device from Apple has the potential to change portable computing profoundly, and to challenge the primacy of the laptop. It could even help, eventually, to propel the finger-driven, multitouch user interface ahead of the mouse-driven interface that has prevailed for decades."

Tim Gideon, an editor at PC Magazine, was slightly more critical, but overall positive.  He gave it 4 and 1/2 out of 5 stars and writes:

Aside from Apple enthusiasts, many of us wondered who would drop hundreds of dollars for this not-quite-computer. But having used the iPad for some time, I can tell you that the device just makes sense. When you combine basic-but-essential work tools with iWork, an improved browser, e-mail, iPod, and photo applications, a well-executed e-Book platform with iBooks, and throw in thousands of downloadable apps and games, and package it all in a gorgeous, slim slate with a beautiful 9.7-inch touch screen, you have yourself a winner. Is the iPad cheap? No. Is it flawless? Not at all. Omissions including support for multitasking, a built-in camera for video chats, and Flash support in Safari leave room for improvement, but otherwise, the Apple iPad is a very convincing debut. And it will undoubtedly be a driving force in shaping the emerging tablet landscape.

In other iPhone news, Netflix and ABC TV shows are both coming specially designed for the iPad, in app form.  The Netflix app promises to allow you to manage your queue, download movies, and even includes the ability to pick up where you left off in a particular movie at home.  The ABC app will offer free episodes of its most popular TV shows like Lost and Desperate Housewives.  And as we previously reported, CBS is going an alternate route, streaming HTML5-delivered TV episodes on a special version of its homepage, designed for the iPad.

About the only downside for Apple in the media's iPad love-fest is the hit the iTunes Store will likely take from all these free TV offerings.  Apple will now have to compete against free television episodes from ABC, CBS, and likely others; thus it is unlikely to add a significant amount of revenue from TV episode sales from the iTunes Store (of course we're guessing iPad users will buy plenty of music and apps to more than make up for it).