Capacitive displays have several advantages:
* Better light passthrough. Without a matrix and embedded metal, a capacitive lets ~100% light through, whereas a resistive eats up to and around 50%. As a result, same image means more power consumption for a resistive.
* Forces one to use finger, which protects the surface. No hard pen means longer life. It's questionable, but there it is.
* Since there is no bending involved, the screens can be hard, which allows for harder materials. Glass is a lot tougher than soft, bendable plastic.
* Allows multitouch

Resistive has its advantages:
* Precision
* Allows pen and pointing devices, including handwriting, drawing, etc.
* Can be touched lightly without registering.

That being said, I want resistive for me. I tried capacitive and my finger is HUGE compared to a pen. Makes screens seem small. Even a 24 inch at the office is hard to use, because every now and then you need precision.