With very little suspense, Apple announced the their computing tablet: the iPad.  For a couple weeks now we knew that Apple had something up their sleeve as many gadget sites had started reporting rumors about the device.  It also makes sense that Apple would want to show of theirs soon since most companies were showing their tablets at CES a couple weeks ago.

So far the iPad has gotten a lot of criticism from it's competitors as just a "bigger iPod touch."   In reality this is a fair complaint because at launch the device does not offer any real innovation.  There is no camera, no phone capabilities and no flash support.  This device is just a really big iPod touch.  

What the device does have an extremely large upside.  For the home there really isn't a need for a desktop or laptop computer unless you are working from home.  The casual computer user is surfing the web, sending emails and post photos online...three things you really don't need a powerful computer to accomplish.  In fact now that I have a smart phone I rarely use my laptop or desktop at home.  I only use those for working from home or writing a blog post.  

I can envision a future where you have tablets and cell phones linked together as communication devices in the home.  Maybe you tablet sits on the wall in your kitchen with a dock for your phone and acts as a video phone.  You can take the call their or transfer it to your cellphone.  I can also see the tablet as a savior for the print media industry.  Instead of spending money printing a newspaper or magazine, you'll be able to open an application and flip through the newspaper or magazine on your tablet.  I can also see applications for a tablet at school where students can take perfect notes because their teacher's lecture will be converted from voice to text.  Throw out your three ring binder and pick up a tablet.

So the question becomes who's tablet will win and can we handle a three operating system universe.  Google has thrown their hat into the game with Android tablets coming out soon.  Microsoft has always had an eye on the tablet industry and has never had a device take off.  Apple wants to convert all their iPod users into iPad users but that might not be as easy as it seems.  I think we are a very long way aways from my vision for tablet computing.  Ten years from now we may very well be only using tablets and smart phones but more likely it will be twenty years before that all become common place.  My recommendation is to not buy any of the first incarnations of these devices because in a couple years their you'll get so much more out of them.  If you do happen to love gadgets, like me, you probably will pick one up to play with but don't be surprised when next years model has a camera and supports VoIP.