Markedly "less than" that should read. Silly me.

"Voice commands" on Android are markedly the Siri interface. If you think that's all this is, you clearly have done absolutely no research on the tech.

"Their entire product line is aimed at people who can barely power up their computers"

Opinions and assholes, et al. This is simply overstated and wrong. Take it from a ton of users who are a wee more capable than you seem to give credit for. There are some who simply want their tech to Just Work without a lot of configuring and fiddling and other time-wasting nonsense.

Thanks for summing up my own stance so nicely. Very into BSG...Caprica not so much (not at all).

"it won't be long before mice end up with multi-touch pads on their tops."

Magic Mouse has been around for a while.

From another source, they didn't use Places at all.

"We've been in contact with the Nashua police, and they confirmed that they while they have an ongoing investigation and have already made a number of arrests, the only Facebook link was that one of those arrested had a Facebook friend who posted about leaving town in the near future (which is why they believe that home was targeted) and it had nothing to do with Facebook Places," said a Facebook spokesman in an email interview with Cnet's Caroline McCarthy.

Rationalizing Treknology is a tradition as old as the Internet. You wouldn't think of denying someone their fun, now, would you?

"with a heavy slant towards Linux and Open Source issues" Project much?

It's called the Mac Mini. ;-)

Huh? Just what "experiment and innovate" activities are in question, here?

Setting aside the over-generalization of people merely seeking social status and "pretty hardware," just what are people who use an iPad giving up? The only thing that comes to mind off the bat is viewing Flash. Small inconvenience, rarely miss it. I'm sorry, but the image of people using a tablet computer to browse the web, read e-mail and play games actually being interested in "experimenting and innovating" is just silly. People who want that are on their desktop, writing code. Trust me, the Apple development environment provides tons of room to experiment and innovate--but again, that's irrelevant because we're talking about iPad users, not developers. Apples (if you'll pardon the expression) and oranges.

Tossing a little "ditto" onto the pile, here.

I'm no Apple fanboi, and was an iPad skeptic right up until co-workers showed up with them and I got some first-hand experience to replace my being too cool for Apple. Now my laptop rarely comes out, there is just so much that the iPad makes more convenient. Even a netbook wouldn't be as handy as this gadget has turned out to be. Every now and then I want to do something the iPad can't support--that's why I haven't put the laptop up on eBay.

Love it!

Posting this from my iPad. Look upon me, ye mighty, and despair. Heh.