This is a very good take on the subject. I love the iPad, I use it all the time. It's an unbelievably good piece of hardware with a number of really good software applications. It is a surprisingly good thinking and note-taking tool, it's the best tool (period) for reading datasheets (or any large PDF documents), it is a great music workstation if you connect a MIDI keyboard and/or an external USB audio interface. But it is so sadly limited by the user interface and artificial restrictions that Apple places on the OS.
The worst thing is that the forced over-simplification of the UI features did not make it easier to use for beginners. I can see many people (including myself) struggling. So we have been forced into a "compromise" with all the downside, but none of the upside.
Given how great the hardware is (really, I think this is under-appreciated), I really hope Apple can get out of that thinking rut.
I also think that the slow iPad sales are directly connected to the mediocre OS software.
The worst thing is that the forced over-simplification of the UI features did not make it easier to use for beginners. I can see many people (including myself) struggling. So we have been forced into a "compromise" with all the downside, but none of the upside.
Given how great the hardware is (really, I think this is under-appreciated), I really hope Apple can get out of that thinking rut.
I also think that the slow iPad sales are directly connected to the mediocre OS software.