Hats off to you for your willingness to tackle a complex subject, and for the graciousness to include others. I wish you the best. A couple of quick thoughts, for whatever they’re worth –
• A factor not to be underestimated: Apple’s network of retail stores, with its enthusiastic and knowledgeable employees and the periodic hysteria-inducing product launches for each new iteration of the iPad. The opportunity for curiosity seekers to interact with the iPad inside the friendly confines of an Apple Store cannot be matched by competitors positioning their wares on the sterile shelves of the Staples, Walmarts and Best Buys of the world. Shoppers leaving a big box store with a PC tablet under their arms will head home to decipher its manual and begin the task of setting it up. Apple buyers can leave the store with a living, breathing appliance, already engaged in helpful or entertaining tasks. Ease of acquisition and simplicity of use: Advantage Apple.
• Apple has put together a decent moat on pricing, so much so that Asus declared no intention of jumping into the tablet market. I don’t know if it has since changed its mind, but the fact remains that Apple has constructed a barrier against which competitors may well bloody themselves in an attempt to break through. Others here could speak more expertly on Apple’s ability to secure favorable contracts for components vs. the other players in the field. Affordability: Advantage Apple.
• Also, you mentioned the integration of software. The presence of dozens of killer apps, downloadable immediately – or in many cases, already in the possession of the owners of iPhone or Touch devices – give iPad users a vehicle to exhibit the “magical and revolutionary” qualities of their new gizmo to family, friends and co-workers. I’ve seen it happen with my iPhone, but even more than the iPhone, the iPad’s social qualities (sharing videos or games between two or more people) lend it to viral marketing on a grand scale. With Apple’s