[zmimon]

I think the tablet has plenty of uses, but it's the flaws that hold it back. We actually have a tablet at home and it was very useful on the couch and in various other roles. However there are a couple of features that are a must for such a device that I can't see being able to be provided easily:

1. I must be able to drop it from 6ft onto a hard surface and do zero damage

2. I must be able to pour a whole cup of coffee on it with zero ill effect

3. It must be able to be stolen with a cost to me of less than $50

These are the killer problems for me that make it an unsuitable thing for 'casual' use. If I have to treat it with kid gloves, watch it like a hawk whenever I put it down in public, assume a posture of paranoia about food and drink while I'm around it .... then it's just a failure at its main purpose.

[GHFigs]

How do you reconcile those being "musts" with the wild success of products that don't have them? Not even paper satisfies all of those supposed necessities.

[zmimon]

Point taken. I would say that satisfying point 3 relieves the need to satisfy point 2 (if I can replace it for less than $50 then I can handle the possibility of coffee getting poured on it). So paper works.

[philfreo]

... and how about the success of the iPhone? It barely passes #1...

[zmimon]

Well, it's not trying to be a "tablet", so it's not lying around the living room. 95% of the time it's sitting in your pocket when not in use, very safe and comfortable.