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After contemplating my thoughts on Apple’s new baby – the iPad, I’ve came to a conclusion.  This device could possibly spell the end to the traditional laptop.  Apple is branding this product as the “third” device, after our computer and cellphone.  Notice that they did not specify what type of computer.

The iMac is Apple’s flagship product, and also it’s most expensive.  The iPhone/iPod is arguably their most successful.  A Macbook is Apple’s version of a laptop.  It’s not revolutionary, and its also not their biggest revenue generator.

The iPad allows Apple to expand their iPhone/iPod line, while at the same time create a revolutionary product.  As the iPhone os evolves, the iPad will evolve.  As iPhone apps grow, iPad apps grow.  They are connected for a reason.  These are the products that Apple is betting on for their future.

Laptops, on the other hand, only have one reason for existence.  Portability.  They are portable versions of a desktop computer.  A tablet is also portable, and even more so.  They are sleeker, easier to carry, and more intuitive then a laptop.  With the technical advances brought to the iPad, and surley it’s competitors, tablet computing could easily surpass laptop computing.

This is the “third” device, for sure.

1. iMac.

2. iPhone

3. iPad

In a weeks time, Apple will unveil it’s long-awaited tablet device. This device, rumored to be named the iSlate, will change the way we interact with media – and give birth to the iTunes cloud.

For over 9 years, iTunes has seen tremendous growth and has all but killed the traditional compact disk, and record store alike.  iTunes, traditionally a desktop application, has roughly 500 million users.  500 million users of which surf the web on their desktops, laptops, handhelds, and soon – tablets.  500 million users of which have music, videos, pictures, and apps, and soon – ebooks, stored on their applications.

An iTunes cloud makes sense.  Users log into their account – www.iTunes.com/christopherryanparker, and can stream their songs, videos, movies, and ebooks on whatever device they choose. The question is, why now? What made Apple wait until 2010 to transition iTunes to the cloud?

The easy answer is the iSlate.  Running an iTunes application on the iSlate would not make sense.  It you would have to sync it to all of your other devices, and plus, it would take up valuable memory. But the iSlate is not the sole reason that Apple waited so long. I believe that iTunes cloud technology has been available for quite some time, well before the acquisition of LaLa (yes, this purchase makes things much easier).

Here are the three main things that Apple wants to accomplish with iTunes, all of which required them to wait until 2010.

1. Social Media – Twitter is a phenomenon, but it is new, especially the API.  iTunes will now sync with twitter in more ways then you can imagine.  Apple needed to wait until the technology and support was there.

2. Advertisements. We will see much more of them with a cloud based iTunes.  The application could not process the real-time advertisements like Apple wants it to.  Apple’s iTunes engine will now work like Googles search engine. Data will be collected, and ads will be personalized.

3. Control of all media on all your gadgets. Yep, this means iPhone and iSlate. But also the Apple TV.  I am most excited about the Apple TV’s potential.  Apple has been in talks with networks about offering low-cost subscriptions to television programs.  With an iTunes cloud you may possibly be able to purchase these subscriptions with your Apple TV and ditch Cable, and automatically be able to watch your shows on your iPhone, Mac, and iSlate.