While I fear I won't be able to compete with Gary, I'll toss my hat in on this contest. Makes the most sense for me.

Having consulted a while, every now and I then I end up in the situation where I'm an 'on call' DBA only for a few companies at once. Each firm gives me maybe a day of work a week, on average, when I find myself in that position.

An iPad would give me the flexibility to be on one site, while VPN'ing another in case of simultaneous kablewie. VPN'ing between two competing firms is unacceptable, as you can imagine, so no amount of equipment other than completely avoiding the hardlines and wires will fix that problem. An iPad would give me the flexibility of a mini-laptop, the security necessary to handle the monitoring tools, and a screen larger than my car stereo's readout to actually look at it on... without having to cart around a laptop with satellite capabilities, or the equivalent. 🙂