$555 for an iPad2 16 GB Wifi in California if you can get one.

$500 + tax + recycling waste fee (here in California) is no chump change in today's economy.

For the retail Apple store price of the base model iPad2 you can:

145 gallons of unleaded gasoline (at today's low of $3.819 per gallon). Let's say at 25 mpg highway, that's more than enough to take you across the country by car.

Buy a nice modern 15" - 17" notebook computer running Windows 7 Home Premium edition.

Buy two netbook computers.

Pay for a year of typical college text books.

Almost pay for four years of gym membership at a national chain with free classes.

Pay for a month's worth of rent in many cities.

Get almost two years of cell phone service at 300 minutes a month, with unlimited texting, and data.

Buy a decent DSLR digital camera.

Get budget website hosting for 11.5 years.

357 cups of coffee at Starbucks.

5 months of electricity for a whole family in a major metropolitan city.

What could you do?