Apple might have some sense of how the iPad will drive these “rich, new” apps. As arrogant as they  can be at times, Apple knows products, and  is smart enough not to try and impose an all-reaching narrative on the iPad/app story arc. The feature set for the iPad, at least the initial version seems reasonable. As usual, they’ll improve the hardware platform over time . I am also pretty sure, given recent history, they’ll use the App store to help nudge things in the “right” direction.

Google, a relative newcomer (compared to Apple), has a somewhat tougher task in that their offering is more a service augmentation than straight up new product. True to form however, their hubris, and formidable corporate developer intellect should help them overcome some of the pitfalls this deployment may encumber. What remains to be seen, however, is how much of their storied prescience was brought to bear on the long term effects of this deployment. If they are smart, they will have already put together, locked and loaded, a developer community outside of Google primed and ready to go, because 1G to the house is a large pipe and there is more than just good hi-def media that could be enabled.

This is an infrequent event in the tech industry. Two titans each bringing potentially disruptive products /and or services to the consuming public. Each product/service being somewhat underestimated in its potential effect. The iPad is more than just a big iPhone, 1Gbit to the home is an awfully big pipe.

Apple and Google have asked us to “wait and see”. IMHO, I think that true results from either of these plays is a little further out then either of them knows. Good counsel would  be to do as they have asked, wait and see, give this some time…

I don’t think the iPad is a complete replacement for my MBP (or the upgrade I intend this year) but when I am traveling for fun, it and my iPhone will travel with me and will pretty much cover all my online/communication/organizing needs. Not to

No, I won’t be able to fire up VNC, log into work and write some Systerm Verilog.No, there is no X11 server/client stack for it… yet

But I am pretty sure will be able to satisfy all my news/journal reading and offload my brain from stuff I have to remember. That’s good enough

I’ll be buying physical hard cover books though. Call me a luddite in that domain, I don’t care.

I won’t be buying one  one immediately. I’ll wait until the end of the year, when more of the production and design kinks are worked out. I suspect the price may drop a bit as well.

There you go,not nearly the epic tome you may have been inspecting. But then hey,