I pad question. How does the GPS work? Is it from satellites like a regular Garmin GPS? Does it get some of its service from radio towers like a cel phone?

Both. If it has access to the sky it uses the sats. If sats not available it triangulates from the towers. iphone is the same way.

At $400 they're mighty proud of it.

I contacted the company about one for the Ipad2... They responded that they are working on a few different models... - Hopefully one that isn't as much as an Ipad itself!

I used to share the same opinion. Until I tried an 10" android tablet. Since I own/operate an ecommerce website, I have the freedom of boating all week only if I have access to the internet. Carrying around my 19" Laptop did the trick, but was cumbersome at best. However, with the Android Tablet I carry a device that is no bigger than a magazine, yet allows me full remote capability to my office PC. Not to mention all of the other cool apps that are out there. Also wunderground.com has an iphone link that works with the androids as well. It gives me detailed radar, wave heights, marine forecast, etc.

Android Tablets with Modded Operating Systems are much more poweful than iPads. But out of the box are not. So the iPad will continue to dominate because it is a better product out of the box. But with some work the Viewsonic G-Tablet is an absolute MONSTER.

Tablets are the wave of the future!

Oh yeah I posted this reply on my Android Tablet...

I agree. And the upper hand of the Ipad over the laptop is 3G. Anyone that doesn't think tablets are replacing laptops should look at the market sales numbers. They are staggering.

I have agreed for business purposes beyond that its just a toy

Yes, it definatly has a business purpose for me, but it is a pretty cool toy as well. I am loving the ESPN App and have become addicted to the game "Angry Birds" it is such a stupid game but I find myself hooked

With a decent cover, would the Ipad or other tablet function just as well as something like a garmin 640? Are the Gps function or ability to find a signal as reliable? I was looking at purching a unit but this seems like the way to go.

I don't think you get the detailed marine maps you can get with a garmin. It comes with a standard map software like google maps. More for roads than water. But then again, I've never searched the market place for marine maps either.