The tech community has been buzzing this week with news of the iPad, Apple's highly-touted touchscreen tablet computer. And while many bloggers and journalists have wondered where the new device will fit in the gadget landscape, we were curious what actual developers had to say about the contraption.

One of the key moves by Apple was making the device compatible with the nearly 140,000 third-party applications already built for the iPhone. So, we reached out to a few Seattle area iPhone app developers to get their take. For the most part, they were left wanting more from Apple's latest release.

Michael Schneider, founder of HiveBrain, maker of iPhone apps such as 101 Dog Tricks, SMS Touch, TouchType and more:

What's your initial reaction to the iPad as a consumer: "As a lover of technology, I am excited to get my hands on an iPad. Apple's design engineers are extremely talented, and they put a lot of thought into the products that they design. The usability of their products is so far ahead of their competition that years after the iPhone launch other phones still haven't caught up in terms of user experience.

As a geek, I doubt I will be satisfied with the functionality of the device. It is an Apple-controlled computing environment, so tech-savvy users are going to feel constrained. Only one app can run at a time, each app can only access its own sandboxed environment. The device is hamstrung. That said, it is the perfect device for the vast majority of people, like my parents, who would rather have a computer that doesn't crash, spy on them or get viruses, than one that can do everything."

What's your initial reaction to the device as a developer: "The iPad is extremely similar to the iPhone and iPod Touch in terms of its technical specs, sensors, input output, etc... The significant changes are primarily a much faster processor and more screen real estate. I make iPhone applications because it is fun. The new devices and tools that Apple creates are the toys that I get to play with. From that perspective, I wish Apple would have given me some completely new toys, instead of a bigger space to play with the old ones. Putting aside the entertainment value of developing apps, the new screen size and processor power is a huge deal for developers.

Applications for the iPad are going to be much more like desktop applications. This will hopefully allow the best developers and designers to create beautiful and useful apps that can be easily distinguished from some of the junk apps that have flooded the App Store, and help developers move away from a race to the bottom on price."

Will you customize your iPhone app or add new features for the iPad environment: "Yes. iPhone apps will run on the iPad without modifications, but I think they will look strange on the larger device. I wan't people that use my apps on the iPad to have the same or better experience they get on the iPhone, and Apple has made it fairly simple to create apps that support multiple user interfaces depending on the device the user has.

What does the iPad bring to the table that the iPhone doesn't have: "The only significant difference is processor power and screen size. I have seen all the new tools and API's, and without breaking my NDA with Apple I can say that the most interesting thing to me is the screen size. Imagine that you are a kid with a box of crayons and a stack of index cards. It is Christmas and Santa comes down the chimney wearing a black-turtleneck. He doesn't give you any new crayons, but you get bigger sheets of paper. If you like to draw, that's a pretty good Christmas."

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Hal Mueller, founder of Mobile Geographics, maker of Tides, MapTap and Plane Sight.

What's your initial reaction to the device as a consumer: "It looks like a great laptop replacement for people who want a basic and simple appliance. But at twice the weight and 1/6 the battery life, iPad won't entice me to give up my Kindle."

What's your initial reaction to the device as a developer: "The screen size means that maps are really usable, much more than on the iPhone. I see lots of possibilities for data entry and visualization in vertical markets."

Will you customize your iPhone app(s) or add new features for the iPad environment: "I started working with the new tools yesterday to take advantage of the extra screen space."

Other thoughts: "I think we will see iPod Touch and iPhone become stripped down versions of the iPad. Screen size will matter. Pricing for iPhone apps is very low, so if iPad software pricing stays decently high, I think you'll see developers focus on iPad first. Hardware pricing makes this a reasonable value for education. I hope Apple makes a strong push at that market."

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Ryan Morel, vice president of business development at PressOK Entertainment, maker of iPhone games such as Bumper Stars, Finger Physics and Gin Rummy.

What's your initial reaction to the iPad as a consumer: "As a consumer I'm both excited and disappointed, but I'm not sure why on either count. The hype surrounding the launch had me ready to shell out for the device immediately. But, after seeing the specs, features, etc. I'm not exactly sure what I'd use it for beyond a better form factor to surf the web while sitting on the couch.

I already have an iPhone and a console, so minus a few exceptions I wouldn't use it as a gaming device. I'm disappointed that some features that were left out or ignored, like multi-tasking, USB, Flash support, and a camera, especially Flash support. I want one, and will probably buy one, but I'm pretty sure it's for form rather than function. On the other hand, I've been inventing reasons why I need one for the last two days, by the time it actually releases I'm sure I'll have a functional reason for the purchase."

What's your initial reaction to the device as a developer: "As a developer, it's both good and bad. There are two pieces to this: First, it creates another distribution opportunity, which increases our potential product upside and life cycle, but also increases our development costs (mostly art production) and risk. Second, small developers have been getting squeezed on the App Store for a while now, and adding the complexity of another platform inherently favors large developers and publishers. Ultimately, it's good for those developers who can cost effectively support the device and provide high end, quality content and it's bad for the small developers who are already struggling on the iPhone. "

Will you customize your iPhone app(s) or add new features for the iPad environment: "For now, we'll focus on creating iPad versions and additional content for our existing games, but these will be extensions of existing properties. If we are successful on the platform, we may look to provide stand alone games for the iPad, or build in more features specific to the iPad."

What does the iPad bring to the table that the iPhone doesn't have: "We see two major differences: First, gaming on iPhone is a relatively solitary experience. Consumers probably aren't passing their handsets back and forth with their friends to play a game. The iPad changes that enabling friends and family to play together on one device in the living room, or at the kitchen table, where everyone can be involved. This creates an opportunity and a challenge, especially for those of us who are creating content for multiple mobile platforms. Second, and this is obvious, the screen size and hardware allow for much deeper and richer experiences. This will be an issue for smaller developers because of the associated costs, but it will be a benefit to larger ones who can put the time and resources in to bigger games and applications."

Other thoughts: "The iPhone created a window of opportunity for new entrants into the mobile gaming market, but that window has closed for the most part while providing an infinite number of boom or bust stories along the way, we have a few of our own. I have a feeling the iPad will provide some boom, but far most busts. The number of devices in market will pale in comparison to that of the iPhone and every developer should recognize what resources they can realistically commit to for iPad development, us included."

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