I bought myself an iPad while I was in California. I justified this small investment by telling Scottish hubby they were 20 percent cheaper in the US. He fell for it.
It's basically a big iPhone — without the phone bit. I love it. The girls love it. I know it sounds shallow, but size IS everything. Maybe it's my age, but I like it big. You can actually read your email on an iPad, or watch a movie without squinting.