These are the voyages of Apple Computer Corporation, its never-ending mission to open brave new markets, to seek out new loyal customers and new patent infringing lawsuits, to boldy generate profit that no consumer electronics company has The name “iPad” itself evokes the PADD (Personal Access Display Device) which is the term used for the gadget that was first introduced in the original series in 1966 and was coined in 1987 on Star Trek: The Next Generation,

Here at MoneyWatch, we like to focus on the bottom line: What is the true cost of this gadget? Sure, I'd like to be the first guy on the block to have one, but will in survive a cost/benefit analysis? Let's run the numbers. . I have a Verizon contract and a Blackberry Storm and can't wait until I can upgrade to a new instrument. I'm betting it will be neither an iPhone or an iPad because of the accessibility and reliability of the ATT network.

And will gadget lust trump logic? That's what everyone is wondering. It's the curse of the early adopter. The logic goes like this: I have to preorder the iPad or I may not get one. OK, so I've never tried it but man it looks good. *NEW * tonyhunterajh | 03/12/10. RE: The Apple iPad leap of faith *NEW* Droid101 | 03/12/10. RE: The Apple iPad leap of faith *NEW* Loverock Davidson | 03/12/10. i think apple is gonna have an issue *NEW* OneTwoc21 | 03/12/10

what else is hot on our most recent Must-Have Gadgets list About Web Crawler As the son of a Palm programmer Josh Lowensohn grew up in a household full of technology From a young age he was taking apart computers finding hot new Metacritic_com Moneywatch MovieTome MP3_com mySimon NCAA Radio_com Search_com Shopper_com Showtime SmartPlanet TechRepublic The Insider TV_com UrbanBaby_com ZDNet My Lists My software updates log in join CNET

Many cool new gadgets promise to make you more productive on and off the job, but fail to deliver - or leave you wading through a complex instruction manual. We asked the experts at ZDNet to pick seven tools that can make you faster,

Best Buy (BBY) and Walmart (WMT) are fighting on a new front: trying to become a place for high-tech consumers to shop for futuristic electronics. Sur. Magnolia is a home theater and entertainment hardware business it acquired a decade ago, one that puts fancy gadgets into homes or even out on decks for consumers who want to feel as if they are getting the best possible experience. If they're watching movies, it should be as if they are in a theater.