I absolutely agree with that assessment, and now Cisco has just published software (actually through a url) that iPad users can activate to have conferencing...a valuable tool for business and medical people. The only drawback for a Doctor would be it's size...unless it were an 'in office' tool with a second one in the hospital for 'inpatients'.

"People really need to stop comparing it to a Laptop, it's not designed to replace one, but has rendered the Netbook category pretty useless though.  " - ID

"I have a netbook, I have an iPad......Netbooks are mute now." - ID

I'm sure that's exactly what he meant Jafo. Thanks for clearing everything up for a dimwit like me.

I own a Netbook, and I own an iPad.  I have experience with both and I'm stating my opinion and disagreeing with the non-factual claims made about the iPad.  If someone referenced me as a fanatical Mac fan, that is just hilarious.  PC/Windows is my main system which I spent countless more hours on than a Mac, but I'm certainly not biased against either one.  Both platforms and pros and cons, and you can take a technological ignorant stand all you want, but the fact remains the iPad is a slick piece of technology.

The response was made to someone who said the iPad couldn't "do anything" compared to a Netbook.  Netbooks can't do heavy graphic editing either, but that isn't the point of a portable device is it?

I can see its use there.  My GP looks kind of silly carrying his notebook from examining room to examining room.  However (the big but as they say), the folks who write the programs for his practice do not do Macs.

even if it isnt to replace a netbook....Its not like tablets with touchscreens werent available and at a lower price any way...

Like the archos 9 which is 500$ which supports flash. has usb ports and a landscape mode. It also has a kickstand to prop it up so it doesnt have to lay flat and also small tabs on the back so it doesnt wobble. It comes with windows 7 starter. It also has a camera and a hdmi output!!!!!!! Also it comes with a tv tuner and office software that I'm sure you would have to pay extra for the app on the ipad for.

This means you get everything the 840$ version of the ipad has plus alot more...for 350$ less .  boy that ipad sure is getting to look waaaay expensive..

Yes they can. I've seen one run Photoshop just fine.

The iPad's true value is around $200 - $250, it doesn't do as much as a netbook, so it shouldn't cost as much. It's not even that much smaller.

Thing is, here in Oz, the iPad will be almost twice the price that it is in the US.... despite the Oz dollar currently buying 93 US cents and has been at a more competitive price for several months  That fact is not reflected in the price here... so who's profiteering??

In any event, I won't be buying one.  It's portable, right?  Well I'm not so portable/mobile anymore... so I won't need one.   All I need is conveniently placed on my desktop, and I have a phone beside me, so I don't need an iPhone, either.

That's why a terminal client, which Citrix already has for the iPhone and is developing for the iPad, is key.

I've wondered about that, too - my iPhone's slippery enough.