All of geekdom is salivating over the launch of the iPad this Saturday, and nerdy Phil, one of the main characters on ABC’s hit sitcom Modern Family, was no exception in this week’s episode, dubbed "Game Changer." In fact, the self-described early adopter, whose birthday on the show coincides with the debut of the coveted tablet, says that "Steve Jobs and God" must’ve gotten together to make his special day even more special. One of the episode’s main plots revolves around the wacky pursuit of an iPad after Phil’s wife oversleeps and misses the initial batch, which sold like hot cakes in the wee hours. So, yes, there’s a lot of very valuable product placement that the device doesn’t even need. I’m convinced Apple paid nothing here, simply giving a nod to the writers to liberally sprinkle in iPad references and glam shots at will. Expect this to be the first in a long line of iPad cameos on TV series. In this case, it certainly fits with a character that fans have come to love as a techie who’d be crushed without the newest must-have gadget. And when he finds out that his son put out the word that he was dying in order to score an iPad, he’ll be OK with it.
—Posted by T.L. Stanley