My main issue with it is that I cannot see *any* real-world use for it, even before you get to the price. Which, needless to say, I consider stupid.

Okay, I'll play along (ignoring the price).
The only reason I'd get an iPad is if I needed to present my photography portfolio to either employers or prospective clients in a professional manner as possible.
It would mean that it could be passed around a panel of viewers with great ease, the portrait/landscape ratios of the images would be maintained by a simple twist of the device in the persons hands and multiple portfolios could be included on it without the need for me to carry a whole load of printed materials and books with me.
It would be a one-stop-shop of a device.

Mark

I've heard this argument before, and in fairness it's a good argument. My issue lies with the 'only reason' part of your argument. The whole concept doesn't seem to really know what it wants to be. :-/

It's a netbook in tablet form made by Apple.
That one sentence should be enough to tell you exactly what it wants to be.

Mark

What other options do professionals have that would look... well professional? If you take your own or use the clients projector you have to play with cables, drop blinds, focus etc. The iPad does away with this as it could be passed around in small groups quite easily. In larger groups there would be more leeway for preparation.

And what is wrong with an only reason to own something? If a function and cost to one person is considered value, why shouldn't they buy the product? Just because it isn't value for another user it doesn't mean it is a bad product.

Not really. Everything else they've made has had a specific purpose. The iPhone (and to a degree, iPod Touch) was designed to be a replacement for a phone, calender, MP3 player etc and, depending on personal opinion, did it fairly well. Ditto various MacBooks. I'm not even entirely sure it works as a netbook in tablet form, since the netbooks I own have all been able to multitask, play (some) games and in times of need, be used as a stand-in desktop. I can't see how an iPad would work fantastically in lectures for notes and slides and the like, whereas my battered old ThinkPad X41 works perfectly well, even if the tablet side of it could use with a few improvements.

I'm not looking to argue on this one, I'm genuinely confused by this one.

So it's definitely not a rock then

To answer Weasel:

In my eyes, the iPad is a computer to have about the house. In the lounge, in the kitchen. That sort of thing. Good for sofa surfing. Looking up recipes online. Following recipes. Listening to music. Tweaking that presentation you're going to give tomorrow morning. Passing 'round photos to Grandmama when she comes to visit. Things like that where you don't need a full PC.

By contrast, I would quite like a netbook as well, but that's to be a super-portable PC. It'd run Linux, a decent text editor, and allow me to \LaTeX my uni notes. If I need to ssh into a uni machine to grab a document I could. If I want to do a bit of web-work, or fire off a few e-mails, perfect too. Or look something up online. I think these last two points overlapping with the iPad (IMHO) are where the confusion arises.

As a touch panel for a home automation system it could save you a few dollars

http://www.electronichouse.com/tops/pro ... uch_panel/

I suspect if you've got the cash for a home automation system, the cost of an iPad is not of great interest to you, nor saving a few dollars. That being said, that is quite shiny.

Edd: So how do I keep it from sliding off my lap when I'm lying on the sofa trying to surf Teh Intarbutts? I'm still convinced they could have done the job *far* better.

Home automation isn't that expensive....

... as long as you do it yourself.

[MS internet fanboi mode]

LOL LOL LOL U MAC FAGS GUNNA SPUNK ON TEH IPAD SCREEN LOL FEMININ HIGEEN PRODUKT INNIT.

[/ms fanboi mode]

But seriously, it's a big iPoT with a slightly faster processor and LOL NO USB/FLASH.

I'll go in the garden and pull some slates off the garage roof, then nick a chisel and use that for internets. Think about it:

Home-carved porn!

It doesn't even come with all the stickers Sony laptops do

It doesn't have a Blu-ray drive? WTF!? How am I gonna play HD films on the non-HD display now!?

For this, you die in your sleep.