So because I'm an inefficient notetaker I shouldn't use a tool to supplement my weakspot? Maybe I should quit my degree now, even if I am in my last semester, for I am obviously inferior and incompetent.
You've inferred too much. I'm only saying that if one has become
reliant upon recordings of lectures, then one isn't proficient at note taking because by virtue note taking involves abridging information into relevant and easy to digest segments for review later on.
Taking an hour to review an hour long lecture isn't efficient, and it isn't going to be beneficial for anyone because when they enter the workforce, efficiency, succinctness, and accuracy matter more than a verbatim record.
Moreover, this is a tangent that the OP did not bring up. Recording lectures was not on his wish list, and it isn't fair to project your needs into this thread unless they are the same as the OP's.
To be honest, I forsee the use of laptops being restricted in the near future, at least in my university's lecture theatres; the sound of a hundred or so students feverously typing away often drowns out the lecturer, and it is only getting worse as more and more use laptops for notetaking.
Again, unless this is really off topic. Unless the OP says otherwise, I think it's fair to assume laptops are permissible in his classes. With that in mind, there seems to be less justification for spending between $600-$700 on a device that really isn't going to do anything extra for him (differently perhaps, but not additionally).
True, but as an inbetween device it is great, and you can add to its usefulness through apps such as scientific calculators, graphing apps, medical resources etc. etc., which is something that you may be able to do with a laptop, but I doubt that an e-ink reader would be able to do for quite some time yet.
For the most part, if the OP takes a notebook to lectures, all of these tools will already be at his disposal. He specifically asked for a reading device, and didn't really single out any other functions he needed (especially because he already has an iPod touch). It seems like buying an iPad in this case would simply duplicate functionality where it is by and large unnecessary.
In my case my university tries hard to make everything available digitally, from course notes to required and recommended readings, past exams, research articles, such as journals, but many of my lecturers also scan and post a lot of their sources (with permission of course). Which is great, because I have considerably reduced my need for paper and always have everything at hand.
All of which is perfectly compatible with an ebook reader other than the iPad.
Additionally, my contemporary politics papers often require ingestion of short films and videos (especially from TED), something I can do whilst waiting for the morning bus.
This is a key advantage of the iPad, but it also comes with a price tag. Assuming the bus stop isn't within range of an accessible wifi network, you'd be forced to pay for 3G service. At that point, it becomes a cost-benefit question. Is the occasional video at the bus stop worth $15 or $25/month AND the $130 for the 3G iPad over its wifi counterpart?
I also appreciate that I can use a foreign language keyboard with their specific keys at the touch of the screen as I need to often need to type in German and Italian, instead of having to interrupt my "creative flow" whilst inserting special symbols such as è, ç, ü or ß. I also like that the auto-correcting dictionary changes to the respective language when I change keyboard layouts.
This again falls under the cost-benefit question. Conceivably you could also avoid breaking your "flow" by taking notes by hand, or by typing your notes and correcting accent marks after the lecture. I won't pass judgement on whether any particular style is superior, as that depends on the individual, but the point is that there is more than one way to skin a cat (so to speak).
It's also a nice way to surf the internet, not just for uni. It's nice for general surfing and is coming in handy as we plan our trip for when we move to the opposite side of the globe in December. And before someone mentions Flash 1) I don't miss it and 2) Flash isn't available on eReaders either.
With the price difference between a $600 iPad and a base Kindle, the OP could buy an iPhone and pay for over 2/3rds of its contract (assuming $25/month on ATT). I think the iPhone offers a lot more in the way of internet accessibility because it has been helpful more than once to me. When I'm at a bar or out to dinner, I will not usually want to take an iPad with me, but the phone is on me 24/7.
The OP needs a new phone anyways, and I think that combination offers a lot more in terms of utility and cost-benefit.
I appreciate your opinions but as I have shown, the usefulness of the iPad has in my case been validated, and I am sure I am not alone.
Then you've missed the point; the point isn't to validate your (or mine) use of the ipad or other device, it's to analyze the needs of the OP and provide advice that weighs the benefits of various options to help other make a decision.
), and ipad is actually will add something new to your lifestyle. 
