You heard that right. Morgan Stanley is predicting that as many as ten million iPads could be sold in 2010. A boatload of them have already been sold, and the iPad doesn’t even ship until April 3rd.
iPad news abounds, of course, and no one needs to be reminded about pudding and eating, all those caveats. But, as with the iPhone, nothing draws a crowd like a crowd. We’re going to see a paradigm shift in computing even if the iPad “bombs” by selling only five million units. My 88-year-old mother-in-law is texting on her iPhone, and, no-doubt, will soon be trolling Facebook for friends and grandchildren. A whole new population of punters is about to join the online world.
Not convinced? I can but smile. We haven’t even gotten to the good stuff yet, because the insanely great iPad ideas will require a few months of hands-on time. Meanwhile, Apple has posted some guided tours to the iPad so you can see what you’re missing.
My posts on the iPad (so far):
- Apple tablet computer announcement liveblogging now…
- The Apple iPad is a category-cataclysm and no one knows it yet: Double-thinking Steve Jobs and his double-suss of the hi-tech marketplace
- iPad observation #1: The iPad is the computer for the rest of us
- iPad observation #2: Find a bigger dead-pool: The iPad eats everything.
- iPad observation #3: If your baby — or a caveman — can figure out how to use the iPad, the user-interface works
- iPad observation #4: Looking for a smart way to connect with your clients in a pull-based marketing world? Update your iPhone/iPad app.
- iPad observation #5: Linking free slaves, sometimes, but the future of mobile real estate is unknown to attorneys from New York City.
- iPad observation #6: “We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.”
- iPad observation #7: When you’ve built a product that turns whole worlds upside down — what happens next?
- iPad observation #8: The death of mediocrity and, along with it, the death of contempt for the consumer
- iPad observation #9: I went digging through the heap of festering garbage that is the Vook and came home with an education.
Of all the things I’ve written about the iPad, this is the most important:
ATTN: ZipForms, DocuSign, FlexMLS: Get on this NOW!
As transformative as the iPad is likely to be for every business, it’s going to be a paper-killer and a tedium-killer and a huge time-saver for working Realtors. Real estate vendors who want to stay alive will have caught a clue months ago.
Damon Chetson says:
I was sort of skeptical when you first said this back in January when the device was announced, but I’m actually quite excited about seeing it when it comes out. I’m wondering whether I should wait for a few months for a price cut – as happened with the iPhone.
March 30, 2010 — 10:59 am
Greg Swann says:
Check. I’m an early-enthusiast but rarely an early-adopter. I like to wait for things to shake out, thus to avoid losing time on bugs. But I’ll be eager to get my hands on an iPad as soon as they become touchable at the Apple store. And I have two books in my head, and I may write both of them in very iPad-friendly code.
Seton Hall has announced that every student will be getting an iPad this fall — as a universal textbook/notebook. If Apple can take the textbook market, they can take the world.
March 30, 2010 — 11:30 am
Jim Kimmons says:
I just got my shipping notice today. Got really excited thinking it might get here before Saturday. But, then I figured out where SHENZHEN, CN is.
March 30, 2010 — 2:43 pm
Damon Chetson says:
There’s incredible upside to the device. I agree: please DocuSign, create an app.
I’m imagining going on client meetings with a Letter of Engagement (Contract) and having the client agree to my services, sign a contract.
If I get one of these things, it’ll be the 3G enabled device, as I would want to have internet access always.
Anyway, it’s a good time to be alive, in spite of all that political leaders might foist upon us.
March 30, 2010 — 6:16 pm
Jim Kimmons says:
I carry Verizon mifi in my pocket. I am a walking hotspot. Docusign needs to get on it.
March 30, 2010 — 7:10 pm
Tom Johnson says:
I am allergic to cell phone plans, but Sprint 4G just went live in Houston. A wifi (that’s the cheap one, right?) iPad coupled with a deck of cards sized 4G hotspot, now that’s interesting. Does the iPad have a bluetooth radio for Skype?
Would an iPad make me a kool kid? Maker’s Mark on the rocks, please.
March 30, 2010 — 7:17 pm
Paul Caparas says:
If ZipForms or Docusign gets on the iPad, I will be all over it. But if they don’t, I will probably wait for the 2nd generation comes out and then get one.
March 31, 2010 — 1:17 am
Don Groff says:
This is definitely going to change the way we consume media in this country and the world. I am going to wait and see what the competition has to offer and most likely will jump on the second generation of the ipad when it is released.
March 31, 2010 — 3:04 pm
Keahi Pelayo says:
I am an Apple computer user. I hope the Ipad meets all the hype.
Aloha,
Keahi
April 1, 2010 — 1:07 pm