I think the target market is people disillusioned with Ubuntu. I was a long time user of the Elementary GTK theme which probably facilitated this transition. Basically, I don't agree with Ubuntu's new default personality and how it basically forces it down your throat. I feel like with ElementaryOS, you install the packages you need as opposed to having to remove the ones you don't. It's really Ubuntu with a different philosophy
A reasonable observation. I suspect (but can't confirm because as you note they don't actually say it) that they are going after the 'ChromeOS' / WebStart market.
It look like yet-another-linux-reskinning, it has a bit of JoliCloud feel to it. And the downloads don't have ARM builds so I'm guessing its not a tablet OS.
It's not a simple reskin. The Elementary folk have patched Nautilus quite a bit to make it more usable, and some of the changes have made it back to Ubuntu. They've also written several of the default apps from scratch.
"But unlike many of its peers, Midori is also fully native to elementary, using the same GTK toolkit that ensures the perfect desktop compatibility and integration found in our other apps."
Jupiter is based on ubuntu maverick, luna the next update is based on ubuntu oneiric. You could call it a ubuntu remix but its not a fair statement, the whole idea is a unified os that is designed to look and feel a certain way. They have specific apps that will replace the default gnome utilities like nautilus rhythmbox etc.
Marlin - nautilus replacement
Beatbox - rhythmbox/banshee
Pantheon - gnome-terminal
Postler - evolution/thunderbird
Dexter - contacts
I'm writing this post from elementary os jupiter. Its worth a try just to get a feel of ubuntu taken apart and rebuilt with a focus on design and usability.
However dont expect things to be polished like osx, it is not. A few "features" like postler storing your password in plain text is enough to put me off using it over thunderbird but i digress.
Well as an Elementary developer I'd like to clarify a few things here:
Pantheon is what we call our shell, in our view this includes our wingpanel, slingshot as launcher, plank as new dock made by some docky developers and our other apps(postler, Dexter ...)
Also because you mentioned not Bering as polished as apple, we simply don't have enough manpower to accomplished our vision at this time, but we get closer every day.
