Hi Marcel,
I think what makes it "hot" is largely Apple (or more specifically, Steve Jobs') ability to hype things out of proportion and the more secretive he makes things appear, the more enthusiastic people are in speculating and spreading rumours.
Other brands would adopt the sit-and-wait approach, to see what and how apple does it, then follow closely behind to reap the benefits of a new market.
I think most importantly you test out the device and make sure it meets your needs and like the feel of it. Sometimes a touch is worth a thousand words