The all illusive Apple tablet has finally come to fruition : The Apple iPad. Now you probably have already read a bunch of previews and “hands on” articles about the iPad. You might have even made up your mind on what you think about the product. I am not here to persuade you either way, but rather to make you step back and take a moment to think about what might come because of this device.

I can be the first to say that I was hoping for a lot more out of the iPad. What? I can’t exactly pinpoint it. Minority Point device? Maybe…I just thought that it would be the next big “revolutionary” product. The hype and rumors got the best of me (and everyone else.) Once I cooled down and realized that this product was never going to be some “god” tablet, I actually saw the true purpose of it. Although the iPhone had the major “wow” factor when it was revealed, many people shunned it off as “nothing special” when it was announced, yet the true innovation came from the developers and community. Apple has built the foundation of a new niche and provided the device on which to consume within that niche. It is a product that a 10 year old and an 80 year old can use. It is simple, beautiful and intuitive. Some of the innovations have not even been conceived yet and are still a year down the road.

I am not sure if I will run out and grab the 1st generation of the iPad but I can see myself getting one in the future. As for all Apple products, someone you know will buy it and once you get some hands on time with it you probably will fall in love. I personally would love to see Edge or Game Informer (as well as many other magazines, newspapers, and print industries) come to iPad in a beautiful digital version of their work. Great writing + rich media = Amazing. Think, instead of only having pictures in magazines you have trailers, developer commentary, gameplay video…the list goes on. And that is only “gaming” think about cooking, sports or even home and garden magazines! Reading the articles and SEEING a golf lesson come to life or how exactly you should prepare tiramisu.

What I have realized is that yes, it isn’t the futuristic mind blowing product that I thought/imagined it would be, but that isn’t a bad thing. You really need to take a step back and take a moment to realize the full picture. Don’t focus and nit-pick on what it doesn’t have, but envision how a piece of technology like this might easily change our normal day to day activities.