The iPad does some things very well, other things passably, and some things rather poorly. It’s a great platform to consume content, to read, to watch, and to listen. It works passably as a typing platform, especially if you don’t need to type that much, and a lot of the things you may take for granted with a PC (e.g. multi-tasking, cut and paste, and creating content in a general sense) are either too cumbersome to use on a regular basis (cut and paste), are a sort of cosmic joke (multitasking), or are just too complex to deal with (most content creation…).
There are some things which are coming to the fore, things which some use the iPad for which make sense, and are often based upon the convenient form factor of this tablet. There are likely, many people who use the iPad for TV adjunct (to multi-task TV tasks, such as: “researching into who it was in that movie?” To find more information about a news sound bite, and to deal with low grade interactions, such as social networking, while watching TV). There are those who use the iPad as a bedtime reading platform (i.e. to read in bed), and there are those who look to find more and more obscure (but likely worthwhile) uses elsewhere.
I have seen iPads custom installed into car dashboards, as a computer brain for home brew robots, and even as a documents, maps, and flight computer functions for a pilot. Here are a few links to check out:
5 Uses of the Apple iPad
http://www.socialtimes.com/2010/06/5-uses-of-the-apple-ipad
The Most Surprising Uses for the Apple iPad
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/08/apple-ipad-uses-the most_n_568384.html#s88796&title=undefined
Finding new uses for the iPad
http://articles.cnn.com/2010-06-22/tech/ipad.uses.gallaga_1_ipad-app-store-picasa?_s=PM:TECH
IPro Aviator pilot’s kneeboard: Great in cockpit, car or classroom
http://www.tuaw.com/2011/02/14/ipro-aviator-pilots-kneeboard-great-in-cockpit-car-or-classro
IPad receives FAA certification as an electronic flight bag
http://www.tuaw.com/2011/02/13/ipad-receives-faa-certification-as-an-electronic-flight-bag
