Cass, The device is phenomenal I purchased mine the day it was released for sale last April, if given a choice of having only a laptop or an iPad, I'd be hard pressed to make a decision. For my use the device is better for media consumption than it really is for productivity, but it can work for productiviy as well. I've heard cases of reporters while on a flight being able to write a story for publishing.

I store all my owners manuals in pdf in an app called Good Reader
unrealBook for lead sheets
On line newspapers, including the NY Times, Wall St. Journal, Washington Post
Books from Kindle, Nook, Stanza and iBooks and they sync with the Kindle or the Nook e-readers.
My entire digital photo library stored and used for slide shows
On line radio stations including Pandora, WonderRadio, Last.Fm, Slacker and iHeart Radio
Musician related for Tempo ( metronome) Circle of 5ths App, Multitrack DAW
Zinio for electronic magazine subscriptions
Verizon Fios Cable TV Service, I use the iPad as a remote with the Fios app
Netflix for streaming movies to the iPad
MLB.com for checking up to the minute scores in both leagues during baseball season
Dropbox I can drop files I store in the cloud to my iPad or any other PC/Mac
If you're into games that's almost unlimited crossword puzzles, soduku, scrabble

Probably best of all I can sync it with my Apple TV and can stream movies from the iPad to my LCD TV. Ever have to take a bathroom or snack break while
watching a movie ? You don't have to pause the movie, you take the iPad to the bathroom or kitchen, while your family can still be watching the movie on the big
screen TV.

Lots more too

Best o