I will admit, I want the iPad. But I was super surprised when I saw the options for 3G avaliable for it. No contract. What started with the iPhone has been finished with the iPad.
Cell Phone carriers are just a commodity.
After fighting for so long to keep control of everything on the phone, they finally let users decide with the App Store. And after fighting to not become just another electricity or water pipe they are.
I can imagine in the near future being able to buy any phone and use it on any carrier with no contracts involved.
Seriously. I was so surprised when I learned you can buy prepaid SIM cards in Europe and just use them. The sooner the US can catch up to overseas in terms of open carriers, the better.