Apple has inspired worshippers/feverish cultist types for lack of a better way of putting it (typically called "fanboys") and that means that whatever Apple says is gospel. They don't think for themselves. They just push the Apple agenda as they understand it. That's a radical departure from the old days when Amiga fans liked Amigas because they were cool for media and Mac fans liked Macs because they were GUI when MSDos was just a command line. It's now the Cult of Steve (or maybe Cult of Apple now that he's gone) and they might even be a minority of users, but they're very vocal and that makes it seem like they're everywhere.
I wanted a smaller pad and a larger iPod Touch years ago and you're right, they thumped all over that suggestion. Now that Apple offers EXACTLY THAT, it's the best idea since sliced bread....
Being 15, it's hard to comment on that part of it.
But I was part of the "Cult of Steve". I loved his vision. I didn't accept his decisions though. I hackintoshed a HP notebook because I couldn't afford a MacBook, years ago. I jailbroke because I wanted apps (think 1.1.X people!).
It's sad that he's gone.
But in essence, I think the "Cult of iPod" was a different breed from the "Cult of Steve/Mac" in that the iPod is a consumption device, for the sheep of this generation, but the Mac is for creation - from the days of old. Not everyone had one, but if you did you had the power to create. You can rip my Mac out of my cold, dead hands. Never giving up the Mac, baby.
