Author: James Kendrick

Our buddies at the GigaOM HQ got their hands on an iPad and accessories so without any wasted words, here’s a slideshow to keep you excited for tomorrow.

I know, you’re sick of hearing about the mythical, magical iPad. Don’t fret, soon the hubbub will blow over and we can get back to our regularly scheduled programming. Until then, there are only a few hours left before the iPads start hitting owner’s hands, so it’s a good idea to make sure everything is ready for the new addition to the family. Here are 5 things you can do to be ready for your iPad.

Update OS X. If you’re a Mac user, make sure you have updated OS X to the latest version (10.6.3).

Update iTunes. Both Mac and Windows users need to update to the latest version (9.1) of iTunes, as that enables syncing with the iPad.

Update iPhoto. Mac owners will want to update to iPhoto 8.1.2. It addresses sync issues with iPod, iPhone and most likely the iPad.

Download iPad apps. You don’t have the iPad yet but you can go ahead and download apps for it through iTunes. There are many apps already available in the App Store so grab the ones you need. I’ve already downloaded 18 apps for my iPad, so when I bring that baby home I just plug it into iTunes and let it suck my music, photos and apps over to the new slate.

Create a home for the iPad. Whether you get the dock to go with the iPad or not, you’ll need a clear, safe space to leave it when it’s not with you. Yes, sometimes you have to charge it so you will indeed put it down. It’s not that big but it will need some space near a charger to rest between caresses.

I’m already getting asked which apps I am grabbing for my iPad, so here’s the list (so far):

• ABC Player
• AccuWeather
• AP News
• iBooks
• Keynote
• MobileNoter WiFi
• NPR for iPad
• Numbers
• NYT Editors’ Choice
• Pages
• TweetDeck for iPad
• Twitterriffic for iPad
• WSJ
• Evernote
• LogMeIn Ignition
• Pandora Radio
• SugarSync
• WordPress

This week has been filled with anticipation as the iPad is due to hit hands tomorrow. There’s no ignoring the excitement that is careening through the mobile tech world, and even mainstream media is talking about the Next Big Thing. I will be touching the iPad tomorrow along with as many as a million of you given industry estimates, and I’ve done what I need to do this week to get ready for the slate. I’ve been kicking around a change in my mobile connection technology, and I’m getting close to make a move. Come on in and let’s talk about my week in Mobile Tech Manor.

iPad Eve

Today is a holiday but that is taking a back seat to the imminent launch of the iPad tomorrow. The Internet has been taken over by reviews, opinions and general coverage of the next product from Apple. It should be old hat by now, but the iPad buzz proves once again how effective Apple is at creating excitement for its products, and how they can ratchet public anticipation up to fever pitches.

You couldn’t even avoid the iPad on network news programs this week, as the slate was all over the news. The folks covering the iPad on the news weren’t very tech savvy as a rule, but their excitement was genuine. It proves that the iPad is going to be a game changer by appealing en masse to the general public.

I am already seeing that in Mobile Tech Manor. This week I was frequently asked if I had “seen the iPad yet” by my friends and neighbors. These folks aren’t techies, and normally don’t care at all about any tech or gadgets I might be testing in the Manor. They usually are satisfied with acknowledging I am the “gadget guy” and leave it at that. But they are asking about the iPad regularly. They know about it, they know it’s cool and they know they are interested in one. That is the proof that Apple is a master of creating product awareness — when regular people are looking for a product before its release.

That is why the iPad will be revolutionary in the mobile tech space. As I am fond of saying, mobile tech grows legs when public awareness is raised about it. As much as we enthusiasts (early adopters) like to think we make an impact on technology, the truth is that impact is minimal. There are not enough of us out there to generate the numbers that are needed to really have an effect on technology. The millions of mainstream consumers, regular people if you will, are what makes a long-term impact on the direction a given technology ultimately takes. And the iPad is already reaching that awareness level prior to launch. It can only get bigger, just as the iPhone made a difference in the smartphone space, the iPad will impact mobile computing like nothing before.

Unlike many of you, I did not preorder an iPad when the store opened. I will not have an iPad just show up at my door Saturday morning like thousands will. I opted to reserve an iPad, so Saturday morning I will head to the local Apple store to pick up my slate. I went this route to get exposure first-hand to the process on iPad launch day. I’m curious to see how many people are at the store, and how Apple handles the early iPad adopters. If nothing else it should be fun. Maybe I’ll take a video camera along to capture the experience.

I was surprised yesterday to find that many iPad apps are already available in the App Store. While most of them are junk, a few good ones are already there and I admit I downloaded a few of them. Part of the appeal of the iPad is how existing iPhone apps will work on it, so iPad owners will be able to put their iPhone apps on it right away. These iPad apps will round out the out of box experience, as the new device will have an instant base of apps. I grabbed Apple’s Pages and Numbers for the iPad already, as I know I will use them a lot.

WiMAX

I have been waffling this week on whether to drop my Verizon MiFi and grab a Sprint Overdrive. The Overdrive is a 3G/4G wireless modem that works like the MiFi but adds WiMAX connectivity to the mix. Houston got Sprint’s 4G coverage this week, and according to the map I have 4G coverage everywhere I need it. That is hugely tempting for me to make the switch, as the speed bump over EVDO (3G) is significant.

I didn’t make the jump due to problems some are reporting with the Overdrive. I depend on mobile broadband a lot, and I don’t want to jeopardize that if the Overdrive is not a solid replacement for the MiFi. The MiFi has been one of the most solid mobile gadgets I have used, and the thought of adding potential problems is not appealing to me.

I may make the jump to Sprint anyway, given its new 30-day cancellation policy. Beginning this week, any new customer of Sprint’s not happy for any reason gets a full refund if they cancel in the first 30 days. That makes it a lot easier to take a chance, as customers now have nothing to lose if Sprint doesn’t live up to expectations. I have a feeling this will sway me soon, and I’ll have an Overdrive. I’ll share that when it happens.

e-Book of the Week

This week I continued the fun ride into Harry Turtledove’s tale of WWII gone horribly wrong. The attempted alien invasion continues in Tilting the Balance. This is a fun read, as a lot of the action is based on WWII historical facts. Just with aliens thrown in.

Wrap-up

That’s the week as it happened in Mobile Tech Manor, thanks for sharing it with me. We’ll do it again next week, same bat time, same bat channel. Enjoy your iPad.

Related GigaOM Pro Content (sub req’d)

I made it clear that LogMeIn Ignition can be the killer app for the iPad. Take the current ability for iPhone users to remotely access and use any Mac or Windows PC, and update it to take advantage of the big screen of the iPad and you have a winner. The folks at LogMeIn just let me know that the updated version of LogMeIn Ignition for the iPad will be available Saturday through the app store.

The new version will cost the same $29.99 as the iPhone version. The great news for current iPhone version owners like me is the updated iPad version will be free for us. You heard that right, iPhone LogMeIn owners get the iPad version free. Take a look at the screenshot to see how awesome this is going to be. IT support people are no doubt now applauding the news.

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I have been involved in the mobile world for years, and there’s never been a better time than the present for mobile technology. The major technologies of mobile have evolved at a breakneck pace, and we’re entering a place where conventional and mobile tech begin to merge for many, especially those in the mainstream. Devices that can be easily untethered from the desktop, while remaining connected at broadband speeds, will soon be the norm.

The move from desktop computers to notebooks has led one side of the mobile charge. Consumers appreciate all-in-one computers like the notebook, for the ease of use if nothing else. While notebooks are mobile computers, they really took off in popularity when consumers realized there’s nothing easier than hitting a single button and having the entire system up and running. As notebook pricing dropped, the more inevitable it became that they would surpass desktop systems in sales.

Notebook makers led by Dell , Gateway and HP saw the interest in notebooks begin to rise, and embarked on a new course to sell them. The volume sales mentality coalesced for the first time for notebooks — previously high-priced computers — and prices were reduced to move more notebooks than ever before. The companies soon found that selling a complete system in one box was easier than selling sets of components, and price wars began. When notebook pricing dropped low enough, consumers started buying more of them than the desktop computer.

Netbooks entered the scene quite recently, although it seems they’ve been around for a long time. While pricing certainly played a role in the popularity of the netbook, the portability also attracted buyers new to mobile technology. Many netbooks are purchased for home use, yet end up carried along for outside use due to the convenient size. Home users became new mobile users.

The rise of the smartphone was the other factor in the increased popularity of mobile technology. As the phone gained capabilities that previously existed only in computers, the benefits of computing on the go were exposed to many who hadn’t given it much thought. Almost overnight non-techies began computing while mobile, and on the smartphone. These folks began eying the notebook on the desk at home, and realizing how much use they could get by taking it with them when they left home. New mobile users were being created all the time as a result. Laptops in coffee shops could be seen more frequently, and in the hands of regular people as much as with working professionals. The mobile non-professional user began appearing everywhere.

Two smartphones can be credited with exposing mainstream consumers to the benefits of mobile computing. The BlackBerry invaded the enterprise in force, and as companies discovered the cost benefits achieved by deploying them to more of the staff, employees enjoying the technology realized it could be leveraged in their personal lives. The BlackBerry began appearing in consumer hands, and the mobile revolution had begun.

The Apple iPhone fanned the flames of the mobile revolution, as it was aimed squarely at the mainstream consumer. The appeal to the consumer for this new type of phone, combined with an effective marketing campaign by Apple, saw the iPhone appear in the hands of millions previously unexposed to mobile technology. It didn’t take long until these consumers realized the impact a mobile computer could have on their personal lives. This played a direct role in the rise in popularity of the notebook computer. Consumers are savvy people, and they simply need to be exposed to new technology to “get it”.

High speed connectivity has played a big role in the adoption of mobile technology. As more notebooks were carried around by consumers, Wi-Fi hotspots began to appear in a lot of businesses, and that got consumers familiar with tapping into the web outside the home. There is little doubt Starbucks played a major role in this process as word spread that if folks took their laptop to the coffee shop they could relax with a good beverage and get online. The stage was thus set for the appearance of mobile broadband that went with the user, and the next stage of the mobile revolution kicked off.

Notebooks began selling with integrated 3G connectivity, primarily to the enterprise at first. Consumers didn’t sit idly on the sidelines however, and soon began snapping up cheap laptops with this connectivity. The consumer, having been exposed to the “always connected” smartphone, started picking up cheap notebooks (and netbooks) in droves. The mentality began to change profoundly, from “wanting” constant connectivity to “expecting” it.

This change of mentality is currently underway, and will be the driver behind the acceptance of mobile tech going forward. While “3G” was previously a techie phrase, it is now commonly understood by the average consumer. Phones must have 3G, and mobile computers need to have it too. The consumer mindset has shifted dramatically, with the desire to have connectivity always at hand. This is a major shift in the acceptance of mobile technology, and there is no going back.

The next phase of mobile has already begun in the U.S., with an unlikely company behind it. Sprint has been able to resurrect a technology many (myself included) thought was dead. WiMAX was originally thought to be the wave of the future years ago when it first appeared. As it took a long time to roll out this technology in earnest, many felt it would never make an impact on the mobile scene.

Sprint has pushed the rollout of its WiMAX network in the U.S., and has smartly named it “4G” which appeals to the consumer now comfortable with 3G. The high speeds of 4G, coupled with aggressive pricing by Sprint, are beginning to expose consumers to connectivity like they have at home that always lives inside the mobile device.

As consumers get accustomed to having fast broadband always at hand, the mindset will surely shift from the wanting to the expecting stage. The 4G connectivity will soon not be a cool option with mobile gear, it is going to be expected. Providers are racing to get the next generation networks up and running, as they see this paradigm shift in consumer expectations.

The mobile revolution is now entering the next big phase with the appearance of the iPad. Connectivity (even through Wi-Fi) is in place to keep the iPad connected, and consumers are about to realize the benefits a simple web appliance can bring to their lives. They may use the iPad at home primarily, but we’re going to start seeing them all over the place.

The iPad is not a “real” computer, but that’s not going to matter to many. Consumers have long demonstrated that the gadget that is easy to use — and just as importantly fun to use — is well received. The fact that it is always connected in hotspots or via 3G is the final piece of the puzzle. The connectivity coupled with the appliance nature of the iPad will drive millions of sales.

The mobile revolution is in full swing, and there’s no stopping it. People are comfortable with carrying mobile gear around with them, whether that be phones or notebooks. The mindset has begun to shift from viewing this tech as just a way to get work done, to that of entertainment and leisure activities. The iPad is going to speed up this mindset swing, and make mobile tech a commonplace part of consumers’ lives. The perfect storm is about to hit.

Related research on GigaOM Pro (sub req’d):

• How Microsoft Can Win Back the Tablet Market
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• Hot Topic: Apple’s iPad

The news that the Sprint 4G network was turned on in Houston got me excited with the thought of upgrading from a mere 3G solution. I considered an Overdrive modem with Sprint to get me some 4G to share with my mobile gear. I was about to pull the trigger on the Overdrive when I started seeing that many were having problems with the device. I cooled my heels on the idea and considered waiting for Sprint to release the HTC EVO phone this summer. Unfortunately a recent admission by HTC has left me thinking this isn’t the way to go either.

The Sprint EVO from HTC is going to be the most powerful Android phone when it hits this summer. It has hardware components second to none, and when you throw 4G into the mix it is easily the phone to beat. To take advantage of the 4G connectivity, Sprint and HTC are putting a mobile hotspot solution on the EVO. This turns the EVO into an Overdrive-like 4G router that can share the 4G connection with up to 8 other devices. It uses the phone’s Wi-Fi connectivity to dish the 4G out for use with other gadgets.

This sounds like the perfect solution as it is all done on the phone which is already in the pocket. No need to bring a separate gadget to provide the mobile broadband connection. As compelling as this sounded, I was leaning away from this solution, as I am concerned that sharing the 4G will rapidly drain the phone battery. That got me considering the Overdrive option in the first place instead of the EVO. The problems with the Overdrive, however, brought me back to consider the EVO.

I was just about to settle on the HTC EVO for my 4G connectivity when word appeared that has stopped me yet again. It seems that HTC has acknowledged that the EVO will not be able to be used for data and voice calls at the same time. The company admits it’s not a hardware limitation, but doesn’t elaborate on why this won’t be possible. They don’t rule out adding the ability in the future, but state at launch the phone will not be able to do data and voice simultaneously.

AT&T must be chuckling at this, given its commercials dissing Verizon for the same limitation. I don’t find it too funny because it’s a deal breaker for me. I can’t have my phone unavailable for hours at a time when I use the 4G mobile hotspot capability on the phone. Battery concerns aside, my phone is important and must be ready to use no matter what. I’m not willing to keep dropping data connectivity to answer a call.

Now I am considering my options once again. I am leaning toward taking my chances with the Overdrive modem with Sprint. While some report problems with them, others are telling me theirs works fine. The call for speedy 4G connectivity may win me over in the end.

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Everybody Hertz: The Looming Spectrum Crisis

Thousands of you will no doubt agree with me that this last week of waiting for the magic of the iPad is a horribly show time. It can be frustrating but we must remember that it won’t be long now. I shot this video to commiserate with those dealing with this unbearable waiting for the iPad to appear. Enjoy this tongue-in-cheek video.

A lot has been written about the iPad and slates in general, typically detailing the leisure activities that this type of device does well. It’s common knowledge that slates are good at content consumption — reading e-books, watching video and the like. Fun activities are great but sometimes it’s necessary to do some real work. Nothing says work like dealing with spreadsheets, pushing numbers around the screen and making sense of them. The Tablet PC from Microsoft should be good at spreadsheets, after all they created Excel that is top dog in the corporate world. Sadly, using Excel on a Tablet PC is horrible, and with Numbers it looks like Apple has beaten Microsoft at its own game, and on the first try with the iPad.

I worked for many years as a consultant, and spent more time in Excel spreadsheets than I care to remember. I used a Tablet PC for all of those years, all day every day, and trying to work in spreadsheets was so painful it gives me the creeps, even today. You would think that Microsoft, having developed both the Tablet PC and Excel, would have optimized the user experience to make it all work together seamlessly. Unfortunately, they not only didn’t do that, what they produced yielded a horrible environment for getting the work done.

Kevin pointed out the new demo videos that Apple has produced to show off different capabilities of the iPad. They are well done and typical of how Apple shows off a product. Out of all the iPad videos, the Numbers demo caught my eye given my history with spreadsheets on the Tablet PC. I watched the Number video spell-bound. I confess I have watched that video five more times, and I am still blown away by Apple’s method for data entry in a Numbers spreadsheet.

The iPad is touch input only, at least without a wireless keyboard at play. That requires a solid touch data entry process to make working with the Numbers spreadsheet a pleasant experience, and not the exercise in frustration that Excel on a Tablet PC becomes.

The Numbers demo video shows how Apple approached this need, and it looks absolutely incredible. Work in a spreadsheet cell consisting of numbers, and the iPad produces a number entry system. Want to work with a text cell, you get a QWERTY entry method. Need to enter a date/time entry? You get a system optimized to make that easy. No matter what you need to do in Numbers on the iPad, it senses the best way for you to do so and presents that method automatically.

If Apple can do this with version 1.0, why couldn’t Microsoft do this over all the years the Tablet PC has been around? Why has Microsoft still not done this? It’s sad, even embarrassing that they haven’t cared enough to make something like this from Apple. It’s been said in the past that the Office team and Tablet PC team at Microsoft were not working together to make their respective products better for the user. If that’s true then shame on Microsoft.

Want to compare data entry using Numbers on the iPad with Excel on a Windows 7 Tablet PC? Take a look and see why I am not happy with Microsoft for the hundreds of hours I struggled to get my Excel work done on the Tablet PC.

Related research on GigaOM Pro (sub req’d):

• How Microsoft Can Win Back the Tablet Market
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• Hot Topic: Apple’s iPad

It sometimes seems as if all the action in the notebook space is geared toward the smallest, cheapest devices. Gaming notebook maker iBUYPOWER wants to stop that right now and has released the 15.6-inch Battalion Touch CZ-11. That’s a tough name for a tough notebook packing an Intel Core i7 processor. The Touch in the name refers to the multitouch screen, a unique twist to a power notebook.

The CZ-11 has a list of components to satisfy any power user wanting a 15-inch laptop:

• CPU: Intel Core i7-720QM (4 x 1.6 GHz)
• Memory: 4 GB
• Display: 15.6-inch multitouch (1920×1080)
• Graphics: ATI Radeon HD 5650, 1 GB VRAM
• Storage: 500 GB
• Optical Drive: DVD

The Battalion Touch will set you back $1,299 as listed, but it’s totally configurable so that could go much higher.

The frenzy this week in anticipation of the arrival of hundreds of thousands of iPads is as expected. Countless individuals are checking the delivery status of their iPad(s) and wishing it would “just get here already.” There hype is in overdrive, and it’s close to the time where we see if it’s justified or not. One of the questions being asked is how Apple will impact the e-book game with its iBooks app and iBookstore. I believe both will have a huge impact, but not just for Apple’s own retail operation. The iPad will be the only universal e-book reader — able to buy and access paid content from all the major e-book sellers.

Amazon set the stage for iPad dominance in the e-book world with the Kindle for iPhone app. It allows customers to browse the Amazon Kindle bookstore, buy books and then read them on the phone. Those who use Kindle for iPhone praise the ability to read Kindle books without Kindle hardware. It’s good for Amazon, as it is in the business of selling books, and even though Amazon would like to sell you a Kindle reader, it’s happy selling you books.

This is going to ramp up when the iPad hits consumer hands, and the Kindle for iPad app becomes available. The iPad will be a far better e-book reader than the iPhone, and even owners who’ve shied away from reading on the iPhone are going to give the iPad a try. They will discover that the iPad is a very good e-book reader, and they’ll happily buy Kindle books for the iPad.

The same is going to happen with Barnes & Noble, as it is in the same position as Amazon. Its reader app also allows iPhone owners to give e-book reading a try. B&N is going to produce an iPad reader version, and I expect it will sell quite a few books on the slate. That’s good for iPad owners, and good for the bookseller too. The folks at Kobo will have an iPad reader like the others. Kobo is the operation running the online bookstore for Borders, and will power other bookstores too. Its iPad reader will support shopping for books along and reading them, too.

The bottom line is the iPad is going to have a tremendous impact on the e-book business, no matter what the iBookstore does. Dedicated e-book readers like the Kindle and Nook can only buy books from the seller’s own store. Owners of the iPad will be able to shop at all of the major online e-book retailers. The iPad will be the only universal e-book reader that can handle paid content from just about anywhere, and that will be a game changer.

Images courtesy of Apple.

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Irrational Exuberance Over E-Books?

I have to admit that when hearing the Sprint 4G network was lit up in Houston I started tripping. I am a big user of mobile 3G broadband, and the mere thought of upping that to 4G speeds was delightful. Sprint offers the Overdrive modem which is much like the 3G-only MiFi I have been using, and I immediately starting jonesing for an upgrade. Unfortunately, after a check around the web I am very hesitant to jump from the MiFi to the Overdrive, as I am seeing a lot of folks reporting problems with the Sprint modem.

The Overdrive is a combo 3G/4G modem that taps into the Sprint network. It uses the fastest network it detects in a given location, and auto-switches between the two. It seems this doesn’t always work the way it’s intended, and a lot of users are reporting problems with this network switching.

That’s not the only problem that is being reported – owners are complaining about charging issues, device lock-ups and random network disconnects. The folks at EVDOforum are tracking these issues and reporting when fixes become available. The issues are pretty disruptive to normal use of the Overdrive, and some owners are on their second or third unit after returning defective units.

The whole situation has me leery of the Overdrive. I am totally bummed out about this as the Overdrive is absolutely perfect for the way I work, and I expect will be even more so with the iPad. But I can’t live with lousy performance, and I don’t want to bring frustration into my day knowingly, so I’m going to hold off switching. My MiFi is safe for the foreseeable future.

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Everybody Hertz: The Looming Spectrum Crisis

I have been a happy user of the Verizon MiFi since its release last year. The mobile 3G hotspot has come in handy more times than I can count and I have easily gotten my money’s worth out of the service. I never would have thought the day would come so soon that I would be considering canceling the MiFi account to move onto something else, but that’s exactly what I am doing today. Sprint has been rolling out its 4G network rapidly all over the U.S., and it’s now lit up in my home town of Houston. The Overdrive (sound will play) is now calling my name, and loudly.

The Overdrive with the $60/month data plan provides the same EVDO Rev A. 3G service as my MiFi – along with the same 5 GB cap — but adds unlimited 4G service where available, plus 300 MB of roaming on Verizon 3G network when needed. All of this is the same monthly price as my Verizon 3G-only plan provides now.

The only negative that emerges when comparing the Overdrive to the MiFi is a lower battery life — 3 hours vs 4 hours — but the Overdrive has a user replaceable battery, so I can pick up a second one. The Overdrive can also be used while plugged in, so it’s not a deal breaker. Throw the Overdrive’s GPS into the mix and it becomes even more of a no-brainer.

I was getting excited about using the MiFi with the Wi-Fi iPad model coming my way, as the 3G network is pretty fast and will work well with the iPad on the run. Now I’m getting downright giddy at the thought of those 4G speeds doing the same. It’s the best-case scenario for mobile usage on the iPad, and all the other devices I use.

Why not just wait for the HTC EVO that is coming this summer with integrated 4G hotspot capability? That’s a fair question, but the Overdrive is available now and the EVO is not. Plus, when I tested the Verizon mobile hotspot on the Palm Pre Plus with similar functionality, it rapidly drained the phone’s battery, and I suspect 4G on the EVO will be even worse. With the Overdrive, my phone won’t be affected, yet I’ll have the same ability. Oh, decisions, decisions. Truth be told, I can always swap the Overdrive for the EVO later.

The first iPad owners are all going to be looking for Wi-Fi hotspots from day one due to the lack of integrated 3G. This is no different from most notebooks, and one of the biggest Wi-Fi providers has announced a new way to make purchasing hotspot access easier for iPad owners. Boingo is the provider that has access to over 125,000 hotspots world-wide, and they have launched a new app that allows iPad owners to purchase hourly access through an existing iTunes account.

Boingo has monthly subscriptions that allow unlimited access, but this new program allows those who only need access occasionally to grab it in one-hour chunks on the go. The chunks of access are sold in 60 minute chunks of consecutive access for $1.99, and are purchased through an existing iTunes account. The Boingo app works on the iPhone/ iPod Touch as well as the iPad, and notifies the user when a Boingo hotspot is available. Boingo hotspots cover many of the usual locations that people frequent — hotels, airports and Starbucks chief among them.

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• How Microsoft Can Win Back the Tablet Market
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• Hot Topic: Apple’s iPad

The desire to see the hot Nexus One phone on the Verizon network is not under question, given the number of inquiries I am getting about it. There are obviously thousands of Verizon customers anxious to see the Nexus One hit the carrier. Unfortunately, neither Google nor Verizon are giving definitive answers about when the Nexus One will hit Verizon, other than “real soon now.” I have been hitting up every source of information about Verizon products I have, and that is quite a few, and while none of them can go on record, I have been told the hot phone will hit Verizon in April.

That’s nothing particularly new — we’ve heard a number of rumors lately that the Nexus One on Verizon will be appearing any day now. Google and Verizon have always said the Nexus One would launch in the spring, so April makes sense and fits the rumors I am hearing. What is new is that I have multiple sources telling me that when it is launched, consumers are going to be surprised. I am being led to believe the Verizon version of the Nexus One may contain something that the versions on other U.S. carriers lack. That has not appeared anywhere so I hope these sources are correct. They are in positions to know so we’ll just have to wait a little longer.

It’s now less than a week before thousands will have new iPads in hand(s), and while we know quite a bit about the new slate there is one question that is still unanswered. No doubt many of the new iPad owners already own iPhones, the numbers alone indicate that is likely. That means that many of us will already have a device (iPhone) that is linked to our iTunes music library. How does adding a second device (iPad) impact that association?

I am probably not alone in that hundreds of the purchased songs in my iTunes collection is infested with DRM. I only buy DRM-free versions since that option became available, but most of the oldest songs in my collection are hobbled by that nasty DRM. The collection is sitting on my iPhone just fine, and since the device is linked to my iTunes library it works just as it should. When I add the iPad to the mix it is not clear how (if at all) that music will work on the iPad.

Sure I can disassociate the iPhone from the iTunes library once I get the iPad, but that doesn’t interest me. I don’t envision the iPad becoming my giant iPod of choice, the iPhone works well in that role. But I do want to put the collection on the iPad so that I can play the music should I desire. It’s only fair that I be able to do so, and I’ll bet I’m not the only one who will want to do it.

So how exactly is this going to work? Is the DRM scheme that iTunes uses going to prohibit new iPad owners from playing music on both an iPhone and an iPad? I certainly hope not, it would be unfair to spend big bucks on an iPhone and then an iPad, only to find it impossible to link them both to my iTunes account at the same time.

UPDATE: I’m hearing from users who say this should work just fine, as long as you don’t want to have separate libraries on the two devices. Adding the iPad should work, as long as the same user and library is synced to both. Thanks everyone who jumped in quickly.

Related research on GigaOM Pro (sub req’d):

• How Microsoft Can Win Back the Tablet Market
• How AT&T Will Deal with iPad Data Traffic
• Hot Topic: Apple’s iPad

The world has been firmly in the throes of iPad mania for weeks, rivaling that of any gadget in memory. The amount of ink pixels dedicated to the iPad is nothing short of astounding, and it’s sure to ratchet up this week as the mania transforms into a full frenzy. With the new Apple slate due to hit consumer’s hands in just a week, you can bet these last few days will be nothing short of frenetic.

Reports are indicating that Apple has sold all units produced for the April 3rd launch. Apple is not sharing actual numbers but guesses have indicated 300,000 all the way to a million units have been sold. These sales were all by way of online orders and reservations for pickup on April 3rd. I fall in the latter category, so I’ll be hitting the Apple store early Saturday morning to pick up my reserved iPad.

Customers ordering an iPad are now getting a ship date of April 12 from Apple, so it is unlikely you can stroll into an Apple store on April 3 and buy one without having reserved one already.

Related research on GigaOM Pro (sub req’d):

• How Microsoft Can Win Back the Tablet Market
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Sprint this week took the wraps off the Android-based HTC EVO, the first smartphone to include WiMAX support (or as Sprint insists on incorrectly stating, the first phone with 4G.) It includes an 8-megapixel camera capable of shooting HD video, and a second, front-facing camera whose function has not yet been clearly defined. But it is expected that developers will produce video calling capability to take advantage of both the camera and the high-speed network. The HTC EVO will be available from Sprint starting this summer.

Meanwhile, Samsung became the latest handset manufacturer to unveil an Android-based phone with the Galaxy S. A touch phone with a fast Samsung processor powering a 4-inch AMOLED display, the Galaxy S uses HSPA+ for 3G connectivity, which will come in handy for uploading HD video shot with the phone camera to online video services. Samsung has not stated when the Galaxy S will be available for purchase, nor if it will be released in the U.S.

Google has so far only sold an estimated 135,000 units of its own branded smartphone, the Nexus One — not a huge number in the hot smartphone market. Yet that sales figure should be considered a success given that Google is only selling the phone online, according to HTC (maker of the Nexus One) CEO Peter Chou. The Nexus One is a “halo phone,” Chou said this week, in that it’s bringing both Android and HTC to the mainstream consumer.

So you’re a movie buff who just can’t get enough of the big screen. You love movies so much you even want to carry them around and watch them on the small screen. Anyone who sets out to convert videos to a form that works well on a given phone knows you have to do your homework to get it done right. Our friends at NewTeeVee have your back and have rounded up 5 easy ways to convert videos for phones.

Using the tools they cover you can take just about any format video and optimally convert it for whatever phone you have. Most of the tools can produce video for watching on Android phones, BlackBerries and iPhones. Heck, these tools would also work for the Verizon Nexus One if it would ever appear. Take a look and see if there’s something that will work for you. Just remember, don’t watch and drive.

As a long time Verizon customer I was ecstatic to hear that the Nexus One would appear for the Verizon network this week. I have played with the Nexus One and it is one sweet smartphone. The BlackBerry Storm is getting long in the tooth and the Nexus One would be an awfully good replacement for it.

I must have hit the Google site dozens of times this week and I still find the lousy message that it is “coming soon.” Google and Verizon are still sending those who click the link to the Droid web page. Come one, where is the Nexus One, Verizon?

I was minding my own business this morning when the FedEx guy rang the bell at Mobile Tech Manor. The small box he handed me provided no clue what treasure might be hidden inside. Expert that I am with an Xacto knife I had that box open in 10 seconds, and my hands on a 14-inch ThinkPad Edge from Lenovo. Another two minutes and I had the Edge booting up and ready to go. I’ll be reviewing the Edge on video soon.

I have already evaluated the smallest member of the ThinkPad Edge line, and found the 13-inch model to be a nice portable notebook. I was excited to recently hear that Lenovo was expanding the consumer ThinkPad line to include models for those who prefer larger screens (14 and 15-inches). They wasted no time in sending the 14-inch model for me to give a whirl.

The ThinkPad Edge line combines many of the features that have made the ThinkPad line a favorite with businesses, with other features that appeal to consumers. The result is a thin form factor with excellent consumer appeal.

The evaluation unit is configured as follows:

• CPU: Intel Core i3,  2.13 GHz
• Memory: 2 GB
• Storage: 250GB (5,400 rpm)
• Display: 14-inch (glossy), 1366×768 resolution
• Camera: low-light capable, 2 megapixel
• Optical drive: DVD recordable (dual layer)
• Battery: 6-cell
• Communications: 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi
• Ports: 3-USB 2.0, VGA out, HDMI, USB/eSATA, ExpressCard, LAN, 7-in-1 card reader slot, audio in/out combo jack
• OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional
• Dimensions: 13.5 x 9.17 x 1.29 inches; 5.1 lbs.

The ThinkPad Edge 14″ notebook comes in red and black; the evaluation unit is matte black with silver trim. It includes both the ThinkPad red trackstick and a multitouch trackpad for versatility. The keyboard consists of chiclet keys and is a typical spill-resistant ThinkPad model. The ThinkPad Edge starts at $599 and is $699 as configured here.

My quick impressions so far: I love the oversized trackpad. The screen is too glossy for my tastes, and I usually don’t mind them.