Why I Want an iPad...

I travel a lot. This explains my sometimes-abscence of posts. Afterall, it's hard to blog about your home, when you're not at it. Nevertheless, I manage to file away ideas and find snippets of time to hopefully keep you, my readers, interested and updated.

I haven't blogged much about travelling, although I often feel I should. As I come to know airport hubs like the back of my hand and pack a carry-on in 10 minutes, there is a constant dialogue in my brain I sometimes feel you would enjoy. And yes, I completely identify with George Clooney's character in "Up in the Air", and I only fly a fraction of what he does. P.S. He is 100% correct about checked baggage. You waste time (and it now money in much of the U.S.). Invest in a carry-on suitcase and save yourself the time. Upscale hotels are also a great source for quality, carry-on-sized toilettries! ;)

Interestingly enough, my most creative moments tend to occur on planes. Work-related or otherwise, there's something about being strapped into a 6ft space that puts my brain into overdrive. My best ideas have been dreamed up on a plane, and the intricate details thereafter usually come together 30,000 feet above. Because of this, it dawned on me today.

I need an iPad.

I'm not usually an early adopter of technology. I tend to "make do" with what I have, until I feel compelled enough or find enough 'reason' to purchase. My iPod, for example, is still a Generation II Nano (I have no idea what makes it different than the Gen 1) purchased at Costco close to six years ago. I bought it after wanting one for a few months but not wanting to part with the money. In fact, I still have it today, and I haven't felt the desire to upgrade to a newer model. I listen to music when I run or while I drive, and I have a laptop to watch movies, to which I rarely desire doing. I got a Blackberry a few months ago, so I can browse the internet (if I must) and tweet on-the-go.

What I can not do well with all this technology is capture any creative energy. Yes, it sounds a little artsy, but I have a notebook on hand just for this reason. Nevertheless, I enjoy typing more than scribbling. In addition to that, starting up and shutting down my laptop often feels cumbersome and time-consuming, especially on short, one-hour flights. Bringing my Macbook would be too heavy and buying a newer, lighter version is out of the question financially. BUT.. an iPad, this I could afford!

I recently ate dinner with a marketing manager I respect very much. Coincidentally, it was the same day the iPad was released in Canadian stores. He had gone out and bought one that very day. Like me, he hadn't the desire to get one when the hype first started. After using a family member's U.S.purchase, he was hooked. Interesting, I thought, this technology hooked a gen X'er like. that. "Maybe I need one." I immediately put the thought out of my head. No one NEEDS an iPad afterall, and certainly not me.

Yet, today I've all but convinced myself otherwise. One question will remain after I determine if I can actually afford an iPad. Will it let me type as I want to? Has anyone used one yet? What about email- do I need to sync it with my Blackberry? I would LOVE your comments on this!