Consumed

It's almost here. Next week around this time, I expect to have an iPad in my hot little hands. I am so excited, I can hardly think.

With the iPad, Apple will have finally delivered the 'third leg' of my wants/needs. If they stopped now, I would be happy. Of course they won't, which is fantastic. But the iPad is something I've been waiting for for a long time.

When Microsoft came out with the Tablet PC, I thought – that's it, the laptop is dead and long live the tablet. It's a pity that Tablet PCs have never really caught on because the concept is compelling. Tablet PCs stumbled for three reasons – price, technology, implementation. Most TabletPCs cost the same as regular laptops – the high end ones. That limited the market. The technology also doomed the format. They were too heavy, too bulky, and had poor performing batteries. For a device to be used on the go, all of these were impractical compromises. The final one – implementation – falls squarely on Microsoft's shoulders. They did nothing to truly push the format and make it easy to develop customized software that took advantage of the form. They delivered the OS but it's all about the software. The only true success is OneNote, which every tablet user loves.

Apple has done what Apple does – take a complex category and make it simple. The iPad is going to be a huge success. I can't wait.