Although the article is purely speculative, it is interesting to note that the iPad's "Videos.app" could easily be replaced by the Apple TV's touchscreen-friendly interface.
Also: "So, one more sidetrack: If video is moved off of iTunes, the App Store is a marketplace for apps, and our books are bought in iBooks, could this mean that iTunes could return, gracefully, to serve its original purpose? Could iTunes just be for music? I just blew my mind."
And then it hits. The iPad is for the nightstand. And for the sofa, and for the places between where you stand in line and where you sit at your desk. That’s why every iPad poster and billboard features it on a lap or a knee. They’ve stopped short of showing it on a chest in bed, but that’s where mine gets its most use.
Another use for a compact tablet/slate: shower radio. No, you don't put it in the shower, but it does quite well on the windowsill right outside to the shower, at the other end of the tub from the shower-head. There's no danger of it getting wet, yet I can use the NPR app to continue listening to the radio.
I've been doing this with the old Windows XP slate. The iPad is lighter and more convenient for this purpose.
I agree. I'll get up in the morning, sit on the john and either add things to my NPR playlist (the NPR app is great- required download IMO) or read some news (or Hacker News), then listen to my playlist while I shower.
I haven't gotten in the habit of using it over my laptop for a lot of things, yet, but I think it will come. Just being able to lie in bed and watch something on NetFlix streaming, switch viewing positions, etc. is really convenient.
It's ideal for me because of the placement of my windowsill. Since it's on the end away from the showerhead, I can aim the iPad speaker through the gap between the wall and the shower curtain without fear of getting it wet or soapy. If my head is under the shower, I may have a hard time hearing it, but if I am soaping up, it's just fine.
A lot of these iPad reviews sound like they missed the netbook revolution because Apple never made one.
A small, light computer that you can sit on your chest to watch video in bed? Genius! Now if only it had some kind of weighted section with a hinge that would let you prop it up at an appropriate angle, maybe we could add a keyboard there too.
Also: "So, one more sidetrack: If video is moved off of iTunes, the App Store is a marketplace for apps, and our books are bought in iBooks, could this mean that iTunes could return, gracefully, to serve its original purpose? Could iTunes just be for music? I just blew my mind."
Unfortunately, this seems extremely unlikely.