We (the HN audience) have disposable income for that type of thing, I don’t see the issue with being a casual user of an expensive device

A $2200 device and still limited to running dumbed-down touchscreen 'apps' from the App Store.

OP is 75 years old and belongs to the generation that already own a house and pretty much comfortable in their lives and any money they have/earn is just to consume things and live life. So why not spend it on a first generation device

It does far more than just a tablet. If it was easy, there would be one or two other companies out there who is this other vertical computer company?

Most tablets can't make cellular phone calls.

i've been hearing this critique of new apple products for about two decades now and inevitably: - apple's product "does the same thing" as [device sold at 25% of the cost] AND - apple's product "does the thing" at a level of polish that's in an entirely different league from every competitor.

siri is the great exception here. jesus christ what a piece of shit

They can charge as much as they think people will pay for.

Fact is, having a better pocket computer (that is your only pocket computer I might add) is probably going to have a lot of value for people.

Nah, let's just throw a new web framework at them that consumes all their newfound computing capacity. Always leave em' wanting more

You sound like ESR ranting about how Apple was doomed by Android back when the iPhone came out. He would rant and rant every time about how there was no conceivable way that Apple could survive. Somehow, Apple has managed to survive by the skin of it's teeth.../s