This is a great article (Overhyped, Overpriced & Disappointing: iPad? No, iPod in 2001) that shows that alot of the comments for the iPod were very similar to the iPad. If anything, the iPod likely had a more difficult going over. I highly recommend the article and especially the comments that it links to.
As a side note, it is remarkable that back in 2001, the iPod was going for $399. Now the iPad is going for $499. That’s quite striking in it’s own right.
Smart People I Know 