Baloney. I have 2 great granddaughters who are now 4 and 5. They have had iPads for a few years. The 4 year old is reading and sounding out letters. I have never been around a 4 year old as smart as she is. Her touch is way ahead of others her age. We talk among ourselves what her teachers will do with her in a class. The 5 year old will start kindergarten at a private school this fall. Of course they do not play with them hours at a time. They learned from the beginning that their iPads were not toys so they take care of them. They are not Internet connected but they do have pages and pages of puzzles, books, games, and other learning tools. It is a lot easier for everyone concerned having the iPad to take along on trips than a ton of stuff like I had to do with their grandmother. One other thing, they know how to add and subtract. Why put kids in front of a tv when they have learning tools they love?
Having an iPad does not make one smart. The truth is that technology is useful when used in its proper context. Toddlers do not have that context. Reading to your children ( real books not these e things), helping them learn things that children should learn (how to play, colors, language, behavior,etc) are things best done by an involved parent.
Long trips are an opportunity for children to identify cards and signs and local scenery. Somethings that have been around for decades. Technology for children in this age range is laziness on the parents part. It is no better than putting a video on the screen (at home or in the car) to keep their children occupied