There is no way you can convince me that the Volt, at it's cost, is important. For that money I am going to buy a much nicer car as a consumer. Perhaps if it was a concept that led to affordable cars, it would have been. I feel like the only reason GM released the Volt was because of commitments it made when the government bailed them out and for good PR. That PR has turned ugly with recent fires.
Now, I don't like Apple, I hate Apple. I wouldn't buy one of their products. I know plenty of people that use the iPad. I also understand it is amazing for people with disabilities. So given that it is relatively affordable, can help the disabled, and has opened the Internet up to non-computer users...in my view it is more important.