There is just something bizarre about much of this discussion. You write as if the PC never existed until the introduction of the iPad, or maybe the iPad II. And you write as if no computer software to aid learning at various ages existed before the iPad.
Such things have actually been around since the mid-1980s, and many articles have been written about school districts that planned to buy a lap top for every student and all the wonders that would result. Many of those articles were written ten and more years ago.
Computers can be learning aids, but to the extent that any of them (including calculators) perform the math or the logic of any learning task, then they are a hindrance to learning and not an enhancement.
But I guess the iPad and wireless connections will make it much easier for kids to access those pre-written English papers and research papers and other writing intended to be performed by the student.
And I’m telling you, as an educational professional, this TOOL will be in schools within 5 years, and you will see improvements in test scores in those schools, mark my words. :-)