48 hours later - who needs an iPad

So, 48 hours after first getting my hands on the iPad, is the honeymoon over? Hardly! What I am finding, is that there are some trends in how we are using it and I am sure that will evolve over time and change as additional apps are created and purchased. Right now, it has become a great end table addition, picking it up during commercials to surf the web, check mail or to settle a debate that has arisen from TV viewing. The kids are playing games on it, even after the recent addition of DS games consoles, they are fighting over the iPad.

It will become my device of choice as I travel for meetings/shopping/consulting. The ability to take notes, calendar, check e-mail all in a much smaller device than laptop, will quickly become the solution to my aching shoulder from lugging around my laptop. And with a long battery life, no need to lug an adapter along. While it would be nice to have the Verizon hot spot device and that might come down the road, I think I will first investigate if I tether to my iPhone. If you live in an area with numerous public hot spots, you won't find that to be an issue.

How will I use the iPad?

If I were to forecast how I will use the iPad in the coming months this is what I believe that will look like:

• Quick check of email, at home and on the road.
• Web surfing
• Recipes
• Shopping Lists
• To Do Lists
• Reading books
• Playing games
• Listening to Music, Videos, Podcasts
• Dictionary and Wikipedia references
• Calendaring
• Contacts storage
• Photo storage and sharing
• Online shopping/research

Who should buy an iPad?

While I think that, the iPad will raise the bar for electronic devices in households across the country and around the world in the coming years, there are certain groups of people who might benefit from early adoption.

Traditional non-computer users: for those individuals who haven't used a computer before, the iPad is the perfect device to get your feet wet in e-mail, and web surfing. With the potential for very little going wrong in the process, from small children, to baby boomers, this device is great. If you regularly recieve calls from a parent looking for technical advice, the iPad will become the ultimate Mothers Day/Fathers Day gift....for both of you.

Frequent Travellers: For those who spend any amount of time in air travel or in the car, the iPad will be a great alternative to lugging a laptop along. While I am not certain how the TSA or airlines will address security or in flight use, if you have any type of layover, or are travelling with children, the iPad will become the great time killer. Because it isn't just a game device, or just a book reader, it allows for multiple options and is more versatile than lugging along multiple devices. The iPad will lighten the load for all types of travellers.

Soccer Moms: Any mom (or dad) that has spent any length of time waiting for a child at a practice, game, school will come to love the iPad. Allowing you to multi-task; creating shopping lists, checking email, surfing, reading books will make those lost minutes waiting in the car more productive.

Corporate employees: While I don't think that corporations will be the across the board outfitting employees with iPads early on, over time, I can see that happening. For executives who spend the bulk of their day in meetings, this will become the essential go to device. Easy to carry along, and the ability to access calenars, email and the web will make scheduling additional meetings and taking notes will create efficiencies. Currently corporations provide allowances for laptops, calendaring systems, blackberry's, etc. it is only a matter of time before iPads make their way into those budgets.

Kids: The iPad can quickly replace multiple devices, Nintendo DS Lites, portable DVD players, iPods, the larger up front cost of the iPad will quickly justified if you currently have any combination of two or more of the affore mentioned. With the added bonus of one charger to manage.

Students: After just using the iPad for a couple of days, I can quickly envision textbooks becoming obsolete. The ability to; effortlessly change curriculum, the potential of an app for students to manage assignments; research, write and submit papers. The iPad will become a Godsend for IT administrators who are dealing with the complexities of maintaining student laptops. I wouldn't buy stock in traditional backpacks.

Coffee Shops: Here is coffee shop concept I would love to see. Stop off, grab a coffee, check out an iPad for a couple of hours, catch up, and kill some time without having to carry your own.

The avid reader: While a lot of readers I know, find a particular lure to the tactile advantages of a paper book, it is only a matter of time before the advantages of the the iPad will outweigh those preferences. The backlit aspect of the iPad, allows a reader to be able to read in a variety of lighting conditions. While sharing books with friends isn't an option at this point, having access at any time to my full library at any time would be nice. Only time will tell, but I can envision a time when paper books are taxed because of environmental impacts.

As you can see, the demographic reach of the iPad runs the gammut. While other slates of likely dillute the market, Apple still holds the advantage with brand loyalty and user experience. I anticipate that initally families will purchase one that will be shared amongst family members, eventually we will see more multiple-iPad families.

How do I justify the cost of an iPad?

Well, if you have already justified the price of an iPod greater than the shuffle, you aren't a long stretch from the iPad. The iPad, in coming years, has the potential of replacing the following devices:

• iPod Touch or various MP3 players $199
• Portable DVD player $99
• Netbook $300
• Nintendo DS: $129
• Digital Photoframe: $49
• Kindle: $259
• GPS: $100
• TV remote $29
• Traditional books, cookbooks, reference materials. $?

As you know, we can justify almost anything, so it isn't as much a matter of need, but that of want. And many will wait until the next version which is likely to include more robust offerings, it is easy to see that this type of device will soon find its way onto the need list of many.