[cglee]

I preordered one for my mom, who's never used a computer before in her life. Finally, I found a device safe and easy enough to let her dabble with. With an iPad, she stands a chance to figuring out email and photo sharing and basic web browsing. With a regular OS, she doesn't.

[tremendo]

Another underestimated Mom? Mine is 72, uses a PC with Win XP, first used a computer about 5 yrs. ago. She's pretty proficient with it for what she needs it for: email, IM and photos. My dad (78) is more of a computer-phobe, yet he still knows what to do with the machine. The incentive of keeping in touch with distant children and grand children, and friends, is quite powerful.

[cglee]

Why do you think I underestimate my own mom? She's been trying to learn to use a computer for the past 10+ years, and she can't. I showed her my iPhone a few months ago and she began to actually do something interesting with a computing device for the first time in her life.