First, I dispute saying that just because it's touch based, the iPad doesn't have a Graphical User Interface.
Second, another kind of device which got a no-holds-barred canvas to create beautiful and stylized interaction-based content was the DVD. The DVD menus for a LOT of titles are seriously crappy.
Even though Nielsen might err on the side of caution, he definitely has a point. People without guidelines have been producing pretty-but-non-functional GUIs before. Let's not keep the traditions alive.
It's the normal difference between quantitative and qualitative research. This kind of study is of the exploratory kind, capturing what's going on while the users interact with in this case the iPad for a while.
This study is very useful to use as an UX designer, to see where the potential hazards and weak spots in your design is.
Second, another kind of device which got a no-holds-barred canvas to create beautiful and stylized interaction-based content was the DVD. The DVD menus for a LOT of titles are seriously crappy.
Even though Nielsen might err on the side of caution, he definitely has a point. People without guidelines have been producing pretty-but-non-functional GUIs before. Let's not keep the traditions alive.