Autotuner - Opinions?

What are your thoughts on the use of "auto-tune" by singers?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto-Tune

Auto-tune is basically a sound processor that can alter/correct the pitch of a singer.

It has been said that "It's an exasperating practice that, similar to lip-syncing, is profoundly transparent and effectively hollow and so cliche it's both expected and distracting.""

It has also been said to "provide a safety net that guarantees a good performance"

I think if a person can't actually sing live with their real voice they should be in another business.

Auto-tune gets annoying......quick. I'll admit to liking a few of T-Pain's songs and I'll even tolerate him on hooks, but I definitely can't listen to a full album of that shit.

Auto-tune is obnoxious.

One of the many things (replacing the vocoder) that came into prominence over the past 10-20 years that's made music a joke. Only Roger Troutman and Zapp got away with it. I disliked it when Teddy Riley would do it in Guy/Blackstreet and I dislike when T-Pain/Kanye do it today. T-Pain has no talent, so I can understand why he'd do it. He can't sing, he can't rap and ain't good looking enough to rely on image - something had to be his niche. But people like Kanye doing it kills me. Anyone who has just a decent amount of vocal skills shouldn't be trying to get cute with that autotune bullshit.