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.
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 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.
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.
>I came close once to getting the QuickTime logo tattooed on my calf.