Other workers don't have much use for an iPad. While a tablet might be a good fit for the city's 85 inspectors in regulatory services, the iPad lacks a stylus pen for quick data entry in the field. Also, the city of Minneapolis is a Wintel shop, and the iPad doesn't work well with Windows--at least, not at the level where an iPad can replace a PC.

"I'm looking for that crossover point when I can really get computing in the form factor of an iPad to truly meet the needs of folks," Doll says. "Then I can start dropping some of this other technology, which is probably way more than what folks possibly need."

Given the iPad's poor adoption, you might think Doll's initiative was a failure. But he has no regrets about bringing iPads into the city. In fact, he'd do it all over again. As pieces fall in place, he says, the number of iPads and other consumer tech should grow.

Case-in-point: While Minneapolis has citywide WiFi, most government buildings don't. Just last week Doll brought wireless connectivity to city hall, which houses a good portion of workers. Obviously, the lack of wireless in the workplace has been an iPad deterrent. But that may change now.