iPad? Really? (was RE: Voice recognition will never kill the keyboard was: Re: Evolution)

I did not say it was absolutely useless. I objected to the ORIGINAL original poster, who called it "defining." It's another evolutionary point along a couple of paths and, like a lot of Apple v1s, has a lot of flaws, some of which are unlikely to disappear due to Apple's heavy-handed policies. I'm also not saying it will disappear - hopefully it will evolve into something that isn't so weighed down by Apple's world-domination approach to the user experience, something that isn't so awkward, and something that isn't so stinking expensive. I did not read this as "desperately trying...", but rather read the responses to which you object as saying, "Look, I'm not an Apple-basher." Actually, the iPad has made me more critical of Apple than I've been in years. I almost bought one - until I realized I'd have to stand on my head to make it do the things I want it to do. By comparison, my Android tablet is an open platform, I can read the types of documents I want to read, consume the forms of media that suit me, and I can write code for it (and ON it). (Its 7" form factor also fits in my hand, which is likely why Apple is rumored to be planning a "me, too".) Perhaps my original words were a bit harsh - but I couldn't let "defining" go by without some challenge. And I don't think that the iPad of two years from now will look like the current ooh-ahh gadget of the bleeding-edge set - but given the experiences I've heard with the iPhone, it will assuredly be as unnecessarily limited in its capabilities.