The many forms of mobile...

A recent article on CNN Money explains how Apple is now number 3 in portables, passing Asus, Lenovo, Toshiba and Dell.  

We speak a lot about mobile access to your data.  Mobility is one of the pillars of our business, primarily because of devices like the iPad.  Today's smart phones enable access to the web and rich content in a way like never before.  The small form factor lets you access your businesses information regardless of where you are.  That company spreadsheet, PDF or document you need is as close as your pocket.

One of the limiting factors for long term use has been the very thing that makes smart phones so powerful: their size.  Netbooks started to push the expectation of mobile computing, sacrificing usability (really, can you work on that 7" screen all day) with some of the power we've come to expect from our laptops or desktop computers.  In many ways the iPad leap frogged the netbook market by providing both computing power and a compelling user experience.  The numbers are starting to prove it.  

I sat in a coffee shop yesterday morning close to a table of women sharing stories about their grandchildren. One of them pulled out an iPad and started to show the others pictures of hers.  After a few minutes of picture gazing talk quickly turned to this miraculous device she could use and share with so easily.  I think Apple has 3 more buyers in its future.