Unplanned side effect of the Apple iPad: Stress-free travel with your kids

Although we still can't get our hot little hands on an iPad right now, we are definitely on the pre-order list. It's not because of the iBook (but that is such a huge bonus) or the fact that those of us who still have BlackBerry phones have been dying to get our hands on the apps who always see in the iTunes store (BlackBerry apps are NOT apps at all). No, the main reason that you should pick up an iPad as soon as you possibly can is because they will de-stressify your life. How you may ask? An iPad is the perfect, must have accessory for those who are traveling with their children. If you've ever sat on an airplane with your kids for 4 hours, while they squirmed, wailed, and tried to run up and down the aisles, you will realize that spending $499 so you can just READ A BOOK is the best gift you can give yourself. Other wonderful reasons to purchase an iPad before your next trip with your kids:

• You can get all touchy feel-y with it. The number one thing that drives me nuts about my kids coming near my computer is that they always touch the screen. With an iPad, you HAVE to touch the screen. You can chase after them with a cloth if you want, but the smears on the screen are necessary for playing. 
• 10 hours of battery life. You can travel on an airplane, car, train, or all the way to Grandma's with it and it won't run out of battery. After years of Nintendo DS's and their limited battery operation, this is a breath of technological fresh air. 
• Apps. Apps are wonderful little pieces of software that could be games, maps, self-helping software, etc. You can't access Apps on anything other than an iPod Touch or an iPhone, leaving most of us frustrated because we haven't taken the leap into that technology yet. You can take your iPad on your next trip to Disney and download an app for ride wait times and the best routes to get to where you want to go. It's unbelievable, but it's true. 
• Kids are movers and shakers. With the iPad, if they are playing a racing car game and they turn the screen sideways when they are playing, the screen turns with them. Kids imitate real life, and so does the iPad. 
• It's not just for games. Did you see the demo of how iBook will revolutionize the way we read? Yes, there is Kindle and Sony e-Reader, but the iPad is going to bring books to life for both adults and kids. Think stories within the stories. 

Although some are saying they are going to wait for the second generation of iPads to come out, I don't plan on. I believe it will be much the same as the 1st generation MacBooks, which I am still loving as much as I did when I bought it in 2007. The only drawback I can see to taking an iPad on vacation? Getting it away from your kids. 

A word of advice: if you are out by the pool, soaking in some sun and reading your favourite iBook, remember that you are holding technology and not paper. On a real book, the paper will get soggy but you will still be able to read it. On an iPad, you drop it in the pool and it's game over.