I can't comment on the specific flaws mentioned in this article, but it is a good anecdote to illustrate one of the general reasons that iDevice style platforms can't completely replace the old fashioned all-purpose home computer. Computers have acquired thousands of little niche uses like this and there's no way an iDevice could support them all without compromising its cherished simplicity. And I would speculate that a good chunk of the computer buying market belongs to at least one niche.