As a developer of .NET mobile windows apps for transportation/medical industries, Microsoft has provided a huge opportunity for Google/Motorola. We are stuck with Windows Mobile 6.5 forever on all the industrial focused mobile hardware. Microsoft is only focused on the consumers now, and Apple hardware is too closed. Look at a device like a Motorola MC65 for example. No smart phone can replace that, and most customers actually don't want consumer devices in the inventory, too attractive for theft. Doesn't matter if they are cheaper and just as capable. I'd love to see Android on those platforms, and a new generation of tablet hardware. The issues with fragmentation and app security on Android won't apply to this market. Software will be highly controlled, and maintenance agreements will take care of upgrades. And whatever Google does in this market, it won't conflict with their Smartphone licensees.

The 6 factors listed in the article all miss the main advantage of the iPad (any good tablet), you can use it on the move. Not everyone sits at a desk for work. The iPad is definitely for content creation if you don't limit the definition of 'content' to documents. Real estate assessors, any type of inspection, interviewers, nurses, doctors, teachers, and many other professionals need a computer that moves with them. The differences are quite significant to these professionals, data entry is real-time vs delayed, information on the tablet can be viewed on-location with others, and the hardware is much less obtrusive to the personal interactions.

Already Android is having app/device compatibility and upgrade issues. As a longtime Windows Mobile developer (and currently iOS), I see the same issues Microsoft had; dead end devices, immature marketplace, app fragmentation, development difficulties and low return on investment.. These were all manageable for industrial use, but not for a consumer market. I'm all for the choice (iOS, Android, WM 7), but seems a bit early to say one will dominate.

my 3 year old thought a 5 dollar motorized bug was real, same reaction as to a real bug. Took her months before she could tell the difference. I don't think the study say's anything about 'sentience', perception/recognition develops over time naturally, ability to identify/distinguish will of course vary based on age/ability/culture....

More sane recycle policy/incentives for all the products that use rare earth metals would help.

I had to re-enter the market as an a aging programmer, had a hell of a time. You have to have recent, relevant product to show. Worked with PHP for a year on my own, learning web and web services tech. PHP was a good environment for that learning, easy free tools, and very easy to understand, everything is very transparent. Gave me some 'product' to show others also. But now I'm in iOS/objective-C, have a few apps in the store. Objective-C is a little strange, would prefer C#, but no problems once you get going. You can develop for free for mac, or for $100 on the iPhone/iPad. You have an instant distribution mechanism if you want to sell on your own, and the skill base is very hot if you want to work for someone.

To me the content of the resulting GM food isn't where the risk is. It's relatively easy to know what is in the GM food, you just analyze it. The real risk is the unknown effects on the gene pool of the targeted GM food, and all the interrelated species. Who knows where the RoundUp resistance gene might show up in 50 years. Plants, viruses, bacteria or even worse?

No reason Windows can't have a great touch UI. Apple grafted it ontop of osx and Microsoft could do the same. I develop apps for iphone, windows mobile and native windows. The applicable APIs in each of the SDKs are much more alike then not. And with Windows Mobile 7, Microsoft is showing they aren't that concerned about a graceful shift for developers. But the hardware to run windows can't compete with the ipad. The ipad is simply a screen, huge battery and one tiny circuit assembly. I use my ipad for days at a time without plugging in, not a speck of heat from the device, doesn't matter which way you hold it. It really is in a whole different class, truly beautiful. Compare that to the internals of any windows netbook or upcoming tablet. Packed tight with boards, small space for battery, and even a fan or two! Any device with a fan isn't going to stay on your lap very long, and will be easily blocked in the tablet form factor. I'd love to see competitive hardware with Windows, got lots of industrial customers that would jump on that. The ipad has a huge cost/benefit increase compared to existing tablet hardware in use, and it's only going to get better. As it is now, we are struggling with an apparently dead end Mobile Windows 6.5, customers with hundreds of industrial devices. I'm hoping Android gives us another option for industrial/clinical applications, but haven't seen much indication yet. Everyone is just fighting over the smartphone market.