Andrew Nimick Point Concept twitter.com/andrewnim

Well it's the end of the year and everyone is getting ready for Christmas and the holidays. So what presents are we all asking for?

An iPad?
Something to read?
A new laptop?
An Android phone?

There is no doubt that the most disruptive technology has been the iPad, but its arrival was heralded by the iPhone and the Kindle. Many people and organisations are still working out how to use it. SunLive has to good effect, but many IT departments of large companies are still wary. They see the iPad as a consumer device and will no doubt be waiting for RIM to release its new tablet, the Playbook, and the new tablets running windows.

They will feel safer providing these to workers who are demanding a tablet for their mobile communication needs.

The RIM device has been criticized for requiring ownership of a Blackberry device. Last time I looked, the iPad needed a computer running iTunes. Also, I am not sure this is a bad idea as Playbook buyers will be Blackberry users and enterprise IT buyers. It will create a tidy little ecosystem. Consumers may not be so interested in this offer. The Playbook is not due until the new year.

In fact, everything is due in the new year, including the rumored iPad with a camera. Yes, like most people I still do not get why Apple left the camera off.

Rumors abound that the main PC builders will be releasing a windows tablet by March 2011. There was plenty of comment that a tablet running Windows 7 would be a disaster. It showed that MS have not understood the tablet market at all.

I had to ask why would it not run a version of Windows Phone 7?

Tablets (because the iPad does) should act like a phone and wake up fast. The iPad has proved that tablets work because they are not running a full operating system with all the issues that can entail. Rather an app experience akin to a smart phone.

But maybe that is a consumer view, the enterprise IT manager may think the safety of his systems are worth a bad touch experience. Compared to the iPad it is clumsy which, may explain why all the Windows tablets are set to have actual keyboards (um is that not a laptop?)

The last rumor on this particular issue was that there would actually be a Windows 8 tablet version with improved touch control. Oh saved by the bell. Or maybe not.

The bottom line of all of this? iPad stirred things up and everyone is now trying to catch up. Next year will be interesting, but I personally think the iPad will keep its lead and improve.

RIM will surprise us by doing well and regain some lost momentum.

Android will still not be tablet ready, I would not get an android tablet personally as it is not written for the hardware.

Windows tablets will be bought by some companies, but fail to have traction until they hurt enough to use a version of Windows Phone 7 with Office on board (the killer app for the enterprise). Then things will get interesting.

So if you want an iPad and a good read for the holidays, I would go ahead and treat yourself to one and get some books from iBooks or Amazon using the Kindle reader for iPad. It's not a case of wait and see what the new year has to offer.

If I don't write again beforehand, I would like to wish all my readers a wonderful sunny Christmas.

God bless.