So I caved. I was going to wait for the iPad 3, and get that for the wife. But I caved. The perfect opportunity to get one on the day it came out [thanks @bennymoto] I took the leap and joined the tablet craze. I’m a die hard BB fan, but only because it meets my needs. I don’t truly hate on the iOS or any apple products, they just don’t meet all my needs of IM’ing, emailing and being always connected.

So it’s been exactly 2 weeks [The Friday that I got the iPad I didn’t really exactly use it] since I have had the iPad and I must say that it truly fits the void of the tablet needs. As usual, the iOS interface is simple and anyone can easily learn it. The amount of free apps out there makes the device enjoyable at all times [paper toss is a great time waster]. However, it fills the void of what a tablet needs to be, but it doesn’t fully replace the desktop/laptop. As I write this blog post I am across the table of wifey “swiping” away. I don’t see myself typing as furiously or putting my full thoughts down using the iPad. I think I’d still also prefer to send an email with my Torch instead of the iPad. I have had talks at work in the “corporate”/”enterprise” level of bringing in iPads or Playbooks to replace the laptops for remote use and I still scoff at the idea. It is ridiculous to think that as any type of technical user, from an IT Administrator to a Software Developer can perform their day to day jobs on a tablet. I agree for certain jobs the tablets are resourceful and productive complimentary devices to the workplace, but will people actually get “more” done with having a tablet? No. Will it be easier to consume information on the go? Yes. The device is a great consumer of information from reading an RSS feed on Flipboard or browsing through tweets on Tweetdeck. This is where the niche will explode because there are a ton more people that are consumers rather than actual techie/nerd type people that need the full functionality of a laptop.

The gaming industry will change too. I had the fun opportunity of playing with a 3DS briefly and I think the concept has a huge “cool” factor. But come on Nintendo, will people actually want to spend $39.99 on games anymore when I can buy a game for my iPad for $3.99? Once again, I am the minority of people that will probably still play computer games [Diablo 3 will be the next game on my list] and the majority of people out there are the “casual” gamers. The ones that will play angry birds and be satisfied with catapulting birds at unsuspecting pigs.

The iPad was a game changer, I don’t know if the Playbook will survive as the BB is a dying breed of smart phones. I don’t foresee android taking over the world in 2012 as the intertubes proclaims, but I do see it giving Apple a run for its money.