Wednesday, April 07, 2010

Does Anyone Really Need an iPad?

Does Anyone Really Need an iPad?

posted by Dave Chameides Apr 6, 2010 9:01 am

This weekend, the long awaited iPad, Apple’s newest must-have technology, finally hit the shelves. Reading the news over the last few days I came across stories entitled “10 Things You Need to Know About the iPad” and “Why We Need the iPad.” A quick stint at a social function quickly turned into the haves and the have-nots as the glorious instrument had been out for 24 hours and those who were in possession needed to share knowledge of their newfound gain. Those without quickly proclaimed that the only reason they didn’t have one yet was because they were waiting for the next model or they hadn’t had time over the weekend to get one.

As I listened, I had to ask myself, does anyone really need an iPad?

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m a Luddite at heart but I have the soul of a techie. I grew up wanting every new tech gadget out there because I am absolutely amazed by technology. I think the iPad is not only revolutionary (from what I have read), but truly means we are now living on the cover of those 1950s Popular Mechanics magazines with the flying cars and the wristwatch TVs. So the problem I have is not as much with the iPad itself, but with what these new technogadgets make us believe.

You see, no one, and I can truly say this without having to verify my facts, truly needs an iPad. I say this because in the grand scheme of things, “need” and “iPad” don’t belong in the same sentence (unless we’re talking some bizarre ransom note I don’t know about). We may want one, may covet it, may desire it, and may think erroneously that we can’t live without it, but in fact, none of us need it.

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