... I've expanded my patience by ordering an iPad today.
On 4/3, I picked up my reserved, 16GB WiFi iPad. (I didn't want to overspend my budget on version 1.) Although I'm patiently content with using a Mac mini (and my trusted, PowerBook G4), while waiting for the MacBook Pro refresh, I'm really having fun exploring the possibilities of the iPad.
This product has the potential to change how media is absorbed daily (starting with publications & web-based material). Given how the iPad's hardware supports software (a totally different, visual experience from an iPhone or iPod touch), this product is a media-delivery platform that happens to also be a web device.
It could become commonplace to pre-download media, not subsequently requiring web connection, and enjoy that media in different settings. (I've already watched a widescreen movie; and, that experience showed me the iPad will be a solid companion for traveling.)
The iPad has already shown me I will enjoy reading books on it (I'll still enjoy special hardbacks for my library). Newspapers & magazines will be more robust, since publications can nest all sorts of media & reference web links. [I really hope newspaper & magazine publishers reasonably set pricing; and if they do, I know I'll be subscribing all of my newspapers & magazines to the iPad.]
This device could also carry a student's complete year of text books, also more fully enriched with web links.
And eventually, I think this platform will have business applications since it's easy to carry and will no doubt become a robust tool as hardware and software advancements occur.
Watching the development arc of the iPad, and 3rd party apps, is going to be something to witness.
