My interpretation of the criticism of the iPad is that there is a great deal of focus on its closed nature. I am not sure I see this yet.
Think of the iPad as a car that does not allow you to tinker under the hood and can only be fixed or improved if you take it back to the dealer who sold it to you. No personal tinkering, no third party mechanics. In reality, my car is pretty much like that – I don’t understand it well enough to make any modifications and while I could allow any mechanic to work on it the warranty would make this a stupid decision. I am limited to certain types of fuel, no E-85, no diesel. How inflexible!
So, did I purchase the iPad or the car so I could mess with the innards? Am I enraged because the car does not allow diesel? Not really. The purchases have delivered as advertised. I was interested in whether or not I would have a quality experience in getting where I wanted to go and was able to get there. In the case of the iPad, I was also interested in what I would be able to do when I arrived. With the exception of flash which does result in an occasional limitation, I worry about my freedom and success in doing what I want to do. Now that I find I can work on Google docs, I will wait until a device is able to compete with the iPad within its specific niche before I start searching for ways in which I am being limited. The day may come and you are free to wait if you want.