I agree with most of what you say. However, on a couple of points, I don't. The first is that Microsoft didn't "get" what Apple was doing with their tablet. Microsoft is almost exclusively a software company. Apple is certainly, first and foremost, a hardware company and has done badly only when it briefly ventured into the software-only business model. I am not sure about what Windows 8 is supposed to bring to tablets, and I'm sure that they have some catching up to do with Apple's iOS in that regard, but Windows 8 will primarily be a desktop-notebook OS in any case. What the tablet version of it will bring will probably be little different from what Apple has brought to the table. In any case, Apple has done a wonderful job of marketing the iPad, as so many millions of affluent people who love gadgets and have money to burn have been competing with each other to see which one can conform faster in buying the iPad to surf the net sitting on a couch three feet away from their home computers, and showing pictures of their grandchildren to each other at Starbucks, all the while explaining to each other that their latest acquisition is nearly indispensible. Brilliant marketing! But it is the original hardware form factor, not the software, that has powered their marketing department and has given them a crucial headstart on Microsoft-allied hardware makers. In fact, if I remember correctly, Microsoft had long ago researched, developed, and demonstrated gesture-based OS's, but had to look to others for hardware in which to carry it, and they, in turn, failed to imagine the tablet as it is now.
As to the "mirrorless" cameras, their desirability and Canon's seeming lack of a decision to make any, I am really not in a position to judge, as I know nothing of Canon's real R&D and plans. Of course, neither does anyone else who will tell us about it. If they do make such cameras, they might do well to take a slightly different road to achieve the same end, as they, of course, will be later to market with whatever they can conjure.
Personally, for professional work, I am pretty happy with my DSLR's, but would be open to anything which could be better at form, function and image quality. As for snapshots, wandering around looking for interesting images, vacations and playing at 1930's "street photography," the current 4/3 format cameras with pancake and small prime lenses certainly are worth a shot. I am also looking at the new Fuji X10 which looks like it may be an even better tool for the same functions, but we'll have to see how it really performs. Either would be better than dragging around my 1DsIII and lenses, but, when a job is on the line, the mirrorless cameras are not anywhere capable enough at this time. I just have to stay strong and hire energetic assistants.
