The first iPad was officially launched in the US on April 3rd, 2010, changing mobile computing forever.
Three years ago today, I was somewhere between Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia, on a trip around the world with my wife. As an Apple fanatic, I was really bummed I wasn’t able to be in the US for the launch of the iPad, Apple’s tablet which was just about to create a brand new market of its own.
I had to wait until June to finally get my hands on the iPad. I remember flying from Australia to Los Angeles, getting off the plane, having a friend drive me to the nearest Apple Store, buying an iPad, and going back to the airport to take a flight to Paris. Yes, I came back to the US for about 3 hours just so I could finally get the long awaited iPad…
I was in such a rush that it was only after checking in my flight to Paris and going through security that I was able to unbox the device. I still remember sitting on the floor next to the departure gate, heart beating like crazy, and a few people around me gathered to see an iPad for the first time. That was a very intense moment to say the least.
The iPad has come a long way since that day. I can’t imagine today having people gather around me to look at my iPad, simply because the iPad has become so popular that everybody has seen or even played with one.
If its price point is still the same, the iPad now comes in several flavors: LTE, 128GB, Retina display, and even a mini version, which has quickly become my favorite iPad yet.
I didn’t need an iPad before the iPad existed. Now I can’t picture my life without an iPad laying around the coffee table at all times. That’s crazy how quickly some things can change our lives.
Happy birthday, iPad!