Thanks for the quick replies...
Thanks to both QTA and UGA for the replies and am glad that I amaze someone. I will keep the 3 for years or until it doesn't work anymore as it is a good machine for what I use it for. There is no comparison between the 5 and the 3GS (which I passed on to my son, by the way, as it still works fine as a phone) as the 5 is much quicker, better camera, etc. I am not a techie...I buy equipment for a basic purpose and in the case of the IPad 3 I have been able to use it in client's office for quick presentations around a couple of mobile apps my company has developed for the market we are in (publishing). You may disagree, but my point was simply that $500 is a lot of money for something that becomes, while not obsolete, a downgrade on the new product within 6 months. You might be right in the regard that I don't have a grasp of the volatility of the market but it would still seem to me that they put a ding in the trust of some of their clients. My only complaint with the 5 is the battery life and the fact that I can't buy a charger for the car yet...I travel a lot for business and find myself really milking the battery life over the course of a 12-14 hour business day.