Federico Viticci looks at the current debate surrounding exactly how to define the iPad in relation to the incumbent PC market.
The big problem with this entire controversy, I think, is that the iPad is inherently personal but some people want it to be more like a personal computer, as in the old definition of personal computer from the ’90s, thus the confusion among bloggers and analysts.
Viticci, through an exhaustive archive of articles since iPad’s launch, offers his theory on what a post-PC device means. The qualities of the device include focused use, speed, productivity, efficiency, and intimacy. Limitations must be considered in context and do not themselves necessarily preclude the iPad from being considered a personal computer.
In his conclusion, I think Viticci nails it:
When I asked them if they thought the iPad could be a personal computer, the common response was that such a device allowed them to do the same things as before, in a new way, without the constraints of a “real” PC. Ultimately, these people echoed the underlying sentiment of my research: it’s personal, but it goes beyond a PC.