The iPad as your only computer?

I’ve been wondering: Will it be possible to use the iPad as your only computer?

I can easily see the iPad making sense as the computer-of-choice for lots of people. Kids, for instance. Or teenagers. Or college students. Or anyone else who would like something lightweight, portable, and without the administrative and maintenance hassles of a Macintosh or a Windows computers. That describes just about everyone, of course, but not everyone will be able to do without software like Excel or Photoshop.

But beyond the need for software from Microsoft, Adobe, and others, it seems the iPad isn’t really meant for people who don’t have another computer available. The Apple page with technical specifications for the iPad notes both Macintosh and Windows specs, suggesting you need a computer with iTunes 9. Does that mean you can’t really use an iPad without another computer running iTunes?