I think I want an iPad

Okay. Yes. I think I want one. Like everyone else the country, I was mesmerized when Steve Jobs introduced us to the iPad earlier this year. But I’m not ready to pre-order one. And I’m not willing to go wait in line for one. But I’m still very interested in getting one. Maybe. Why? As a frequent air traveler, I really do think this gadget could change my traveling life. Here are five reasons why:

1) It’s small enough for me to use in a coach seat. I love in-flight Wi-Fi and am a heavy user but only when I’m upgraded to a roomy seat up front or on the exit row. Have you tried to work on your laptop in coach lately? Nearly impossible. Since the iPad is about as big as a magazine (and I could cradle it in my arm like a magazine), I see it as a salvation and escape from the horrors of a tight coach seat.

2) It’s got 10 hours of battery life according to Apple. Not all airlines that offer in-flight Wi-Fi offer in-flight power plugs. That’s a big problem for me because my MacBook only gets 2-3 hours of battery life when I’m using Wi-Fi. So I pay the $13 for a 5-6 hour cross country flight, but only get to use it for about half that time. The iPad could solve that dilemma for me.

3) It’s light. It’s a “reader.” It’s got iBooks and magazines. I’m always tossing a stack of magazines and the book I’m reading into my carry on bag. You know what? Those magazines are HEAVY. Sometimes the book I’m reading is so fat that I rip it in half so it will fit in my bag. With an iPad I may not have to do that anymore. With it, I’d have access to zillions of books and magazines in a slim 1.5 lb package. It would also work well on day trips when I fly out in the morning and fly back at night and all I really need to do is scan email. If I had to do any heavy typing, I’d probably haul along the laptop, too.

4) It’s not a phone, but it does have Wi-Fi, an earphone/microphone jack and a microphone, so I can use it to communicate via Skype and even participate in VOIP conferences on planes. (I know I know, you are not supposed to be able to do this, but let’s be honest here…. people are easily getting around VOIP blocks on planes with Wi-Fi and chatting away in flight. Sometimes flight attendants will shut them down. Sometimes they just ignore it.)

5) It’s not tied to AT&T, so when I go overseas, I could buy a prepaid SIM card and get online with another network without paying outrageous roaming fees. But that might be a while off. The iPad has what’s known as a “micro SIM card” about half the size of a normal SIM, which is so new that it might be hard to buy overseas. For now at least. Nonetheless, I really don’t need 3G access anyway, because I’ll still have Wi-Fi which does not require a SIM.

So, that’s a list of “pros.” Can you all help me with any “cons?” Should I take the leap and say YES, drop $500+ and check this thing out? Or should I wait? Please help push me off the fence.

Let me know what you all are thinking about the iPad in the comments box below.