Apple's iPad takes on...

Congratulations on coming back to this blog after the ridiculously long, semi-live post from last week's State of the Union address.  That was my longest post to date and a record I hope to never break.

On Wednesday, the biggest news did not come from our nation's capital, rather it came from an Apple conference.  Steve Jobs, founder (too lazy to look up official title within the company) of Apple announced the launch of a new product, called the iPad.  To put an end to the jokes, it's not a feminine hygiene product but there will be lots of confusion between the iPod and iPad in Boston.

I was not invited to said conference but I followed along at Gizmodo and Engadget who had reps there and even got to try the iPad in person.  They also wrote full reviews and comparisons so check out their sites for full details.

Now it's time for my take on this device.  All the rumors pointed to a new tablet that's portable yet powerful enough to replace the netbook (which Apple has long refused to build).  I like my toys as much as the next guy, and it's true, the older you get, the more expensive your toys.  So I was thinking about getting one of these when they become available in two months.  The more I thought about it, however, the more I started finding flaws in the device.  Then I remembered that I already own two laptops (circa 2006 and 2007, respectively) and a pocketPC (circa 2004).  There's also that desktop from 2000 that's taking up space in my room.

I thought it would be interesting to see how the iPad stacks up against my pocketPC.  For those who are unfamiliar with the pocketPC, it is basically a step up from the original PalmPilot and predated Blackberries.  Mine is the Dell Axim x50v, which was a gift from me to me.  It has served me well for years and continues to do so.

  

Dell Axim x50v                                 Apple iPad

                        

              [Engadget photos]

I should also add that the pocketPC comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack and Windows Media Player for mp3s.

So there you have it people.  As for me, I'm going to hold off on this device.  Find me a tablet the size of an iPad, but with a full operating system, web browsing (with flash), and a built in camera and you have a customer in me.  Until then, my pocketPC will be in my pocket and when I need the power of a real computer, I'll keep my laptop in tow.