[Gilpo]

> What is it if it's not a computer?

An interesting question. Is the iPad a computer?

Your average power-user (let's say programmers, Apple fanbois, Android users, and me) would say, "Umm hello? Obviously!" But your legions of average regular iPad users (grandmas, and your average college students) might not agree. But if you asked them what an iPad was, if it was a computer, they couldn't quite be able to tell you. "Umm, yes? But wait, it can't do so many other things."

This means, as a society, Apple has forced us to rethink the question: "What is a computer?" and "Is the iPad a computer by this definition?"

[pointyhat]

That is precisely it. Which brings me to the point here:

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3003812

"We're slowly being led into paying incrementally for utility computing on a device we actually paid up front for".

If it's no longer a computer, it's an open market to exploit. We are consumers, not users any more.

[Apocryphon]

I really don't understand your point. How is any of this to the detriment of the average user who uses the iPad to browse the net/read ebooks/watch movies/listen to music/as a digital photo frame? The average user doesn't need to use the iPad as a computer. If the problem is pricing, then that indeed is an issue with tablets, but then Apple's products have always been high priced.

[pointyhat]

It's at the detriment of the user when the iPad is no longer vogue and they wish to retain their books, movies and music.