Is that a no?

I would check out other tablets that are on the market - and pending for market. Apple certainly make a great product....but bang for the buck??? I don't know...Plus, do you have a specific need for a "tablet" per se versus some other device?

Mainly for storage...movies, music and such. I like the idea of having books at my disposal as well.

No other comoanies have comparable touch technology to apple's, so i really wouldn't suggest looking into other brands. In the end it really depends on what you are going to do with it. I personally don't like bringing my MacBook a lot of places, so for me its great to be able to carry around a device that is quite small but still gets emails and does web browsing pretty efficiently. Also, for me, the ereader part was a big deal. I read a LOT, and I am not a good library person plush I really like just owning my own copy of a book for reference' sake. Because, if you think about it, the ten inch kindle is like 490, and that only does books. If you pay another couple hundred bucks, or even just ten, for the lower level sixteen gig model, you can get the ipad which does a lot more. Also, basically all classic books are either free or just cost a few dollars (which is the majority of what I read). In the end though it really just comes down to what you personally need, want, or don't need/want in a device. For me, it is great, but for someone who doesn't like reading so much or who carries their laptop or net book everywhere they might not be so hot about it. In all though I personally love mine. I have a 32gb wifi model, btw, and this post was written on it.

That first word is companies, still getting used to the touch keyboard (just got it a little over a week ago). Haha

I'm just waiting on the next iPhone

To be totally honest kiss I was a a little disappointed in the iPhone 4. It had some new cool features,but nothing really at major.

I don't understand the use of an iPad at all.

1) If you want to read, an eReader such as the Sony PRS or Amazon Kindle is an infinitely better choice. They don't use an LCD screen, so it actually is the same as read a real book. Maybe some people can, but I certainly can't read a novel on an LCD screen (iPad)

2) It's not a computer. It's a big iPhone (without the phone). It doesn't run OSX (which would be cool), so that greatly reduced the amount you can do with it. For almost all application, a netbook does everything just as well. Personally, I use a Lenovo tablet, which I think is wonderful. It's very small, but still has all the features of a tablet and full computer.

3) It's expensive. Let's do a cost comparison:

iPad--$700

-or-

Sony PRS--$200
Toshiba Netbook--$350

So, if you want to spend more on a device that does nothing in particular well, then sure, get the iPad.

I would say it would depend on what you want and what sort of person you are.
If you're the sort of person who understands what the iPad does well and also understands its limitations as well as someone who likes a simpler platform and something very seamless, then I'd recommend an iPad.
If you're the sort of person who is very technologically savvy and who wants more functionality than on an iPad (or if you want a real keyboard), I'd go for a netbook, knowing full well that they are neither as seamless nor as easy to use as the iPad.

I think an iPad is a good choice for the type of uses you describe.

My plan is to buy one for our living room table where I think it will become my wife's main computer (she checks email occasionally and surfs a bit). However, I will wait until the 2G, which I expect have a front facing camera.

I'm probably reiterating what someone has already said, but no.
There are far better deals out there.
If you want storage for book, music, movies, pictures, etc, get a netbook. It's about the same size, and for the money it costs to get an iPad with internet access, you could get a far superior computer.

Take the lowest-priced iPad with 3G. $630, with $25/month for a 2GB download limit.
The processing speed is 1 ghz, has 16 gigs of storage, and claims to have 9 hours of life. There is no multitasking, and you can read books, watch movies, listen to music, and get apps.

Now, let's find a netbook which is similarly priced. The HP mini netbook with intel.
Right here. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/HP+-+Mini+Netbook+with+Intel%26%23174;+Atom%26%23153;+Processor+-+Champagne+Gold/9835628.p?id=1218181018613&skuId=9835628

Let's see its stats. $550 for a 1.66 ghz processor, 250 gigs of hard drive space, 5 hours of battery life, about the same screen size as the iPad, and has multitasking.
Add on an internet travel card (not sure about how much that costs) and you're set. The only thing you lose is a few hours of life. Then again, my laptop was advertised for a 4 hour battery life, and by not taxing it, I can get it to last 5 to 6 hours at a time.
As for the utilities, Adobe Reader (for ebooks) is free. iTunes, Windows Media Player, or however you want music/movies is free. Picture viewing is also free. If you get comcast for your internet, you also get data backup for free as part of Norton.

Just my $.02

@Le Roi: I do not see them as directly comparable devices. For my wife or mother, both pretty non computer savvy, the iOS interface is much more intuitive.

@diplomat

I'd agree that for someone who doesn't understand technology well and iPad is great.

However, for ashley's use, which are:

reading
storage

The iPad is the worst possible product (other than microfiche and a tape back-up system)

Indeed. There is also the question of whether she wants to be able to do the things that a netbook is better for. Even for a tech savvy person there is something appealing about a computer that you don't have to maintain.

Indeed? I meant perhaps.

My sister has one and she likes it, and it is quite nice for web browsing based on the amount of time I've spent using it, but I wouldn't want to buy a tablet computer that is so restrictive w.r.t the software it can run (via app store only, and only within Apple's apps API)

@abgemacht

What's wrong with my microfiche and tape back-up system? It's been working more reliably that these new-fangled compy-puters.

Haha--That is true and both are still used to this day; however, I don't think they would work too well for ashley : )

I agree that the iOS is by far the most user friendly. My father's previous computer broke and we got him an iPad. It's easy to use and user friendly, and no one needs to worry about Apple dropping the ball on it. If it's anything like the iPhone and iPod touch, you'll be able to get the next OS into near perpetuity, even if you don't get all the new hardware (like a front-facing camera).
I'm not holding my breath for a front-facing camera, though. The iPod touch hasn't really had the same "phone" abilities as an iPhone even as they both have great services.
Unless Apple can financially justify that camera (like they can on the iPhone because of their profit-sharing deal with AT&T, i.e. when the phone sells in greater numbers, Apple not only gets the cost of the device but also some ungodly % of AT&T revenue from the iPhone, like 20%) they won't put one into the iPad, which they don't have the profit sharing on the majority of (only the 3G ones since they're the only ones which AT&T sees a monthly bill for), therefore negating any need to wait IMHO.

Also, the multitouch interface is possibly the greatest interface ever. It has its drawbacks, but for the type of device the iPad or a Netbook is, it is much, much better IMHO.

That being said, it's all just my 2 cents.