First, yay for anecdotal evidence.

It says that Grandma has "learned how to use email and a couple of other things on the Internet and that’s about it." That would imply that she has some sort of access to a computer now. How, exactly, is the iPad going to help her? It's not some magical device that makes using web sites (which I can guarantee is all she's ever used "on the Internet") easier. And it also refutes your notion that a more dedicated device is a bad idea.

Technophobe is excited about a "regular sized computer THIS easy to use". Does he have some notion that it's going to have more features than his iPhone? I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he got one and was disappointed that he could have done all of that without spending an additional $500.

Luddite thinks "it would work great for showing potential customers my work and for doing bids on." How is he going to show customers his work? By taking pictures with the built-in camera? Oh, oops; I guess not. He'll have to transfer them from his digital camera. That he probably doesn't have. And I'm just trying to think of the frustration of a person who's never used a computer trying to do a contractor bid on one. I dunno. Maybe there's a contractor bidding iPhone app. There may well be.

Anyway, it's three people who are probably under a misconception about what the iPad will be able to do for them. Especially since Apple announced the product seemingly months before it will be available for sale, I suspect that the shine will be well worn off of that Apple (pun not initially intended) before anyone can plunk down their money for it. And, if not, I suspect that there will be a good number of disappointed people. (Of course, that won't affect launch sales numbers, if that's all you're concerned about.)