Friday was a first for me. I’ve never done anything like that before. I arrived more than 2 hours before the event with my camping chair to wait and it had nothing to do with getting NBA or MLB tickets. I was in line at the Apple Store to purchase Apple’s new 3G iPad just minutes after it was released to the public (I was number six in line). I don’t know how people stay all day or all night like that—maybe they start small like I did and work up to it. Two hours was about all I could handle.

    If you had read my earlier column about Apple’s iPad, you might have thought I’d pass on it—after all I characterized it as a big iPod Touch. I was (and am) disappointed that Apple used the iPhone operating system instead of OSX, their laptop/desktop operating system. Had they done so they would have begun world domination of the tablet market. And now that I’ve used one, I still agree with my initial assessment.

    It IS a big iPod touch, but now that I have one in hand I realized I forgot to add something: it’s beautiful. I think it qualifies as art. A friend said she’d never apply the term “beautiful” to a computer. I understand that sentiment and the normal non-geekish person would probably agree, but nevertheless it’s still beautiful.

    But should you buy one? For me it was an easy decision, but not for the reason you might think. Yes, I have more gadgets than the average person, but I’m not a gadgeteer. I don’t buy gadgets simply because they’re cool or have amazing technology. I evaluate technical purchases by what they enable me to do or how they change my life experience. For example, in 1998 when I purchased my first BlackBerry while at Microsoft, I did so not only because it was amazing new technology but more because it enabled me to be free from the desk and be ultra responsive to my Microsoft teammates—even while at the beach.

    The iPad is similar. I value freedom. Technology should free me, not shackle me. I should be able to help a customer from anywhere at any time. I can do that with an iPad. The phrase, “There’s an app for that” is almost as overused as, “Ask your doctor.”  So I hate to say it, but there’s an app for that. That same application that enables me to share a screen with a customer is also available on my Windows laptop. So why not just use the laptop? The answer is actually the very reason to buy an iPad. Unlike my laptop that takes ten solid minutes to start up, the iPad is instantly ready. My laptop requires nearly an overnight bag to carry all the stuff I need with it. The iPad is a thin portfolio. My laptop battery dies in about two hours. Apple claims ten hours for the iPad, field reports put iPad at more than ten. It can be easily paired with Apple’s Bluetooth keyboard.  In short, it frees me.

    So for me, it was honestly technical longing satisfied by business rationalization. A few months from now when the novelty wears off, the business rationalization—the useful things I can actually “do” with the iPad will be what matters. And did I mention that it’s beautiful?

    Greg’s professional experience includes consulting for Price Waterhouse, working as a Program Manager for Microsoft Corporation, and serving as Chief Technology Officer for several companies. He has a MS in Software Engineering degree from the University of Texas and has presented at technical conferences across the world. Bott Technology Solutions helps small to midsize businesses with computer technology needs. Greg may be reached via e-mail at gregbott@bottinc.com or at 601-207-0509.