Wow, way to grossly overstate the cost of everything Kevin...
Windows 7 or Windows Vista for an additional $180.
$180, if you want a full copy of Windows 7 ULTIMATE!!! (newegg.com)
If you buy Windows 7 then it doesn't need a mouse since it has a touch screen, nor does it need a CD/DVD drive (which any USB 2.0 extrenal CD/DVD drive would work, because USB is a STANDARD) because you can install Win 7 from a USB stick. Why are you buying an SD stick when you probably already bought one for a device that doesn't have a
250 gig hard drive? Got me on the carrying case, but as much as you grossly misrepresented everything else I'm sure you're looking at one that has gold trim.
Knock off?
Lets not list all the things this can do, that the iPad can't (and the things they can both do). I will leave some things off the list:
Flash, Webcam, 5-in-1 card reader, a full multitasking operating system, full web support, 250 Gig hard drive, choice in everything, upgradable RAM, more apps than are humanly countable (everything ever written for windows since Dos), for sale today, full iTunes support, fully compliant with additional peripherals like microphones, headsets, keyboards, other USB 2.0 devices, etc.
Yep, sure seems like a knock off.
Oh it doesn't have one thing the iPad has, fanatic fanboys such as yourself Kevin. Did it occur to you that this has been in the works since before Apple announced the iPad? Probably not. Researching and asking questions before writing articles isn't your style.