Frenzy for iPad leaves commentator behind

Time and technology wait for no one, but a certain recent product launch from Apple seems to have left essayist Peter Smith feeling left out.

Smith: It has been ten days since Apple launched the IPad and I'm starting to get e-mails from people who ran out and bought one--emails that end with the phrase, "Sent from my IPad".

I'm happy for my early adapting friends and business associates. They scored an IPad. The next new thing from Apple. Good for them. Congratulations.

But I don't think they're aware of the "na-ner-na-ner-boo-boo" effect that the phrase "Sent from my IPad" has on the rest of us.

They don't seem to be aware there's a second half to the phrase-an implied but omitted part.

In its entirety, the phrase should read, "Sent from my IPad and you don't have one. Na-ner-na-ner-boo-boo."

Obviously, new IPad owners aren't responsible for ending their emails with the phrase. It's a marketing gimmick. Car dealers put a sticker with their name on it on the back of your new car whether you want their sticker on your car or not. Apple ends your emails "Sent from my IPad" whether you like it or not-At least until you can figure out how to get the phrase off there.

It's an old gimmick too. As long as the human race has used its opposable thumbs to create tools, people have coveted the latest technology-and lapsed into snits when they can't get their hands on it.

There always has been a certain amount of risk in jumping on new technology too soon. What's all the rage right now can disappear just like that. I remember my know-it-all brother in law-the technical genius who worked for the phone company and built his own color TV in the basement-telling me that his Commodore 64 was all the more home computer he would ever need.

So the question the "Sent from my IPad" set has to be asking itself is this:

"Is my IPad for real? Or is it the another digital Edsel?"

Until we know for sure, the rest of us-the non-early adapters, the less than stylish, and those of us waiting for the price to come down seven hundred dollars or so-will just have to make do with the technology we've already got.

Sent from the hopelessly out of date laptop I was perfectly happy with until ten days ago.