"No ipads at MS Function" ??? !!! ??? !!! You should have strongly insisted that they provide you with an equivalent MS replacement. They did not tell you in advance, obviously - you should have asked when they informed you of this requirement, stating that you would have been happy to comply if you knew in advance. You should have recommended that your promoters use this opportunity to create some competitive spirit in the MS employees by suggesting they say "See, this gentlemen chose an iPad over an {insert competing MS product here - I know they don't have one} - this is why we have to work harder. The iPad is a great product that people choose over ours, and we have to change that !!!!"

(yeah, it's easy and fun to tell OTHER people "you should have...." - I probably wouldn't have done those things I said above either....well, maybe I would have ; )