I'm deep into writing my book "The iPad Pocket Guide" - but how does one write a book about a product that isn't out yet? Chuck Joiner and I discuss the value of having hands-on time with the iPad at the product's introduction, as well as my impressions of the device compared to the hype, and more on MacVoices.

We won't have iPads in our hands until this coming weekend, but if you're curious to know more about how the iPad works, Apple has posted a series of guided tour videos. For example, the video for iBooks demonstrates the capability to perform searches and look up words in the iPad's built-in dictionary.

How do you design software for a device that doesn't yet exist in the market? Developers can use the iPad simulator included with Apple's Xcode, but that's a limited approach when the main method of interaction is touch. In a blog post, the Omni Group reveals how they're using paper mockups, a prototype created with a 3D printer (which we saw at Macworld Expo - it's cool), and even a pad of graph paper cut down to size with a table saw to develop OmniGraphSketcher for the iPad.

PaidContent.uk writes about a recent presentation made by Penguin Books CEO John Makinson, who was demonstrating the company's ideas for how to offer content on the iPad. Penguin plans to offer books as applications, primarily, to take advantage of multimedia features (such as interactive travel maps, children's games, and animated textbook illustrations) that are difficult or impossible to include in the EPUB format currently required by the iBookstore. Be sure to watch the accompanying video to see what Penguin has in mind. It's great to see a book publisher jump on the possibilities made by the iPad and other electronic readers - with pixels and processors, why merely stick with a reproduction of the paper experience?

Computer veterans often joke about "newbie" users who have trouble understanding basic computing concepts, but it's not funny when you're attempting to help a friend understand something online or if you're dealing with customer support questions. ShoveBox developer Dan Grover writes about the divide between how computers work and the expectations of those who use them, with suggestions for how to improve the experience.

Mac and iPhone developer Fraser Speirs steps back from the specs and points out the revolutionary aspect of the iPad: It could actually be the "computer for the rest of us" in a way that even Macs have not achieved. Instead of dealing with how the iPad works, people can focus on the real work the iPad is intended to assist.