There have been portables and ultra-portables with touch screens for at least the last 3-5 years... but they all run either Windows (from XP to 7) or
flavors of Linux.... IIRC Viewsonic had an LCD display that also was a touch-capable PC, or rather laptop, running Windows at BestBuy, Fry's and
other outlets around 3 years ago.
IMHO, the iPad is the digital equivalent of it's analog namesake- the hygenic pad... designed to plug the bloody hole caught between emotion and
logic.
One could argue that Apple, via the App Store, has the ability to intercept and prevent malicious programs from being made available. But who
appointed Apple the PC Police? For that matter, Apple has no control over what 3rd party apps that take your data to
their servers and
manipulate that in whatever way seen fit and necessary to give you the results you purchased. All Apple is doing is syphoning money from the
developers of Apps to be put into Apple's accounts.
At least Microsoft and the hardware vendors offering Windows have the integrity to not dictate to you what programs you can or cannot run, and they do
not make a percentage off of every program you purchase.
And to be honest, I could use a product like the iPad in my line or work: I build and test cell sites and mouse points and clicks can become very
cumbersome... but considering I have to copy data from the tests into a report, preferably Word DOC, and the programs I use are Windows executables
and ... well, even if I could get Windows running on it, it overall doesn't support what I need to do, which would require a USB interface to a
serial port.
For what it's worth, a netbook for 200 dollars can do what I need for work, and let me watch a movie in the background- providing I drop another $50
for an external DVD drive... and overall, it's a re-hash of the
re-hash of the
iPhone vs. smartphone debate from years ago (FWIW, I
am tao muon from Neowin, now Regression_88), but now it's iPad vs.
touch-interface PC's that have been around for many years. So the iPad can do everything an iPod touch can do but with a bigger screen? Maybe it can
do some iPhone things too.
Meh.
Apple has taken years to make a product that can do even the basics of what I can already do. What I see is its hype makes it the next best thing
since the invention of the MP3 player and e-book reader, which Windows CE 5.0 / PocketPC OS could do.
So I have no impetus to buy it until it can run the programs I would really like it to... which IIRC can be run under WINE, need a serial interface,
and the ability to export "Doc" files which is available with OpenOffice... or buy that netbook for 200 less.
So you say it's not marketed to me because of my job?
Fine then. It's not marketed towards anyone who desires the freedom to install and use programs at their own whim. You need a computer to read
e-books, watch downloadable movies, and read emails? Netbooks can fill that description to a "tee" at half the cost of an iPad. Would you spend
another $200 for a fancy mouse and less flexibility in programs you can install? That's your iPad premium.