Donny, DVDs are really needed. I subscribe to a web site for computer related/software instruction called lynda.com. This is a fantastic site for learning about hundreds of software packages, bottom line watching the movies on the how to is a great learning tool .
Fran on the subject of the iPad, it's not meant to be a replacement for a PC. It's really more of a media consumption device than a PC it's really imho a niche product. I would never replace a desktop or a laptop with the iPad. There are thousands of apps as you probably know, but not all are useful.
Just some examples of how I use the iPad
1.It's an electronic date book calendar useful for booking gigs and it syncs across several computers I have at home and at the office
2.Newspapers USA Today, NY Times, WSJ all in full color
3.Magazine subscriptions I stopped the print editions of PC World, Mac World for electronic versions uses the app Zinio
4. Kindle and Amazon e-books
5. My entire electronic fake book library (pdf form about 30 books)
6.Note pad for jotting down quick to do
7.DAW see harmonicdog.com
8.Pandora Radio
9.Mlb.com
10 Great for traveling no need to carry a 5 or 6 pound laptop or even a net book.
I'm not a gamer but there's plenty of games everything from Scrabble to Bejeweled to air hockey .
The list goes on, it's a convenient device with long battery life. I last had mine on the charger Monday evening, I've been using it pretty constantly since then and I still have 54% battery life left. Plus it's always on, when I'm not using it I put it to sleep. Waking it from sleep, entering my password takes less than 5 seconds.
One other thing there are plenty of tablets on the market, but I just read where Apple now owns 95 % share of the market with the iPad. And I've never had a glitch despite it being on practically all the time. As a rule just as a best practice about once per week I shut it down then power it back up.
I think you'd be surprised just how good a device it really is. Just ask Scott Yee
iPad Mkt Share [This message has been edited by Stephenm52 (edited 11-03-2010).]