Why not throw my hat into the ring? A lot have people have been asking me (like you I’m sure), are you going to get an iPad? Why don’t you have one already? Don’t you like children? Think of the children!

At first blush, it appears to be a solution to no problem. The best I could come up with was couch surfing or toilet surfing (admit it, you surf on the can). I have worked on many products in my life that were products that attempted to solve an ill-defined problem, and that resulted in their demise, unsurprisingly. I’m not going to pontificate at length here on a topic that is well discussed elsewhere. Also, interestingly, with Apple’s odd and secretive app store approval processes, the old rich apps / thin client debate is coming to the fore once again, with the pendulum decidedly swinging to the rich apps model right now (everyone has an app store).

What I will say is that Apple is attempting to create another platform so that they can sell you more machines (they are a hardware company, not anything else). Its initial success will be due to its marketing machine. But the real test of this platform will rest on developers to make it the success Apple wants it to be. Enough to convince the masses that their Macbook and iPhone are just not enough.

I personally will be getting one – I write a blog about gadgets, c’mon, and I certainly have had to rationalize it to myself. But here are some key uses I expect to use it for:

1. Data + USA. This is a biggie for me (and us Canadians). Getting a data plan in a foreign country (say the US) is impossible. And it is unlocked for use in all countries. Now I will have all-you-can eat data for a reasonable cost that is not on a contract.
2. Comics. I have a Sony Reader and it’s kinda neat; the screen, despite its oddities, is perfect for reading books. Better than the iPad. But comics? That’s gonna be killer. Check this app out (not Marvel).
3. Fill in the void. Now I’m getting a bit “justify the purchase to myself”, but surfing in bed or around the house and just generally interacting with a machine in a new, intuitive way, should be fun.

What about you? Are you going to get one? Do you buy the fake op-ed?

But they had a fatal flaw: you could hear every sound the cable makes as it hits you while walking (possibly because it uses that odd new rubbery material). So, great sound, except I could hear myself sing and breathe. And the bouncy bouncy of the cable. Sadly, I returned them.

Pros:

• Better sound than stock earbuds
• Blocks exterior sound well
• Multiple sizes of earpieces for a good fit
• Look great, taste great

Cons:

• Not exactly cheap
• Insufferable noise when walking, which is when I wear my headphones

Caveat emptor…

So Palm was very kind to let a nerdy non-reporter into their meeting room today where they were showing off the Pre. It’s a cool machine with a cool UI reminiscent of the Palm OS mating the iPhone.

There are lots of other places with detailed coverage, but I was most interested to learn that the browser is based on Webkit (and a modern build at that). I think that’s a scoop for me as I haven’t seen that anywhere else.

I’ll post pix soon, but in the interim, check out the cool posts:

• PalmInfocenter
• Engadget
• Gizmodo