I like to think of myself as a cautious early adopter. I purchased the first iPhone on the day it was released. I eschewed the 3G and 3GS models in favor of the 1st generation model; the same model I still use. I enjoy how it brings together many of the services that I have come to depend upon (ex. GMail, Evernote, Simplenote, Dropbox, iTunes). I am in love with the ubiquitous access to mail, notes, pictures, and music. I am skeptical of new hardware unless I can see how it will significantly improve how I run my life.

Along comes the iPad which quickly throws the technology world in a tizzy. Proponents and detractors alike seems swept up in an almost religious-like fervor. Some of this is Apple’s doing when they call the iPad “magic.” Some of it is the technology echo chamber’s desire

My take is that no one has decided what the iPad will be. This idea of a blank slate (Tabula Rasa) confuses the heck out of prognosticators. They try to evaluate what it is (no camera, no 3rd party apps) instead of seeing what it might be. The real question isn’t about the iPad, but the about whether or not Apple and developers can invent the apps that could make the iPad into the indispensable piece of hardware.