Louwrentius

There is one fundamental flaw with both the iPhone and the iPad. As a user, you do not have full control over your device. You can only install or run software that is approved by Apple.

This is something that is unprecedented. All major platforms, Windows, Linux, Mac OS X do provide the user with full control over what programs can be run or not.

Is this a bad thing? Are you trading your freedom for some luxurious gadget such as the iPhone or the iPad?

I say no. People are over reacting.

You would trade in your freedom and become 'owned' by Apple, if an iPhone or iPad is your sole computing device.

However, everybody also has a computer at home, that is still under your full control.Since the iPhone and iPad is just an auxiliary device (although quite powerful), you are still free.

Most importantly, I think it is about the content, not the device. Do you retain control over your own content, such as music, files and e-mail? I think so. I think that on this level, which is most crucial, Apple does not restrict people on iPhones or iPads in any way. And that is what matters most I think.

The fact is that computers aren't made for humans. Computers are just made, and humans have to adjust to them.

The problem is that most people that are not into technology just don't understand how computers work. Should I single click of double click? Click left or right?

The only people that can work with some ease on computers are people with a more than average interest in technology. Ordinary people often have to fight great battles to get the job done. The therm 'ordinary' does not justice to these people, because technologists seem to forget that they are the people that actually do something useful.

The iPad is the first personal computer that is actually made for humans that do not have a primary interest in computers. The entire computer is abstracted away to focus on the things you really want to do. People do not need the help of technologists anymore to do the things they want.

The iPhone was the first in this new kind of computers, but due to it's size it's still a bit of a gimmick. But it was a revolution within the world of smart phones. It was the first device that was actually usable for non- technologists. And the iPad will be the first 'regular' computer that (hopefully) won't be such a nuisance as current home computers are.