The Apple iPad is coming. What does the iPad mean for travelers across the globe? Will it cut down on flight delays? Can it do anything to fix the global economic crisis? Can it make me breakfast? The answer to all these questions is definitely no, but it’s still a really cool gadget that you might be interested in purchasing. But should you buy one? It depends on what you’re after when it comes to a mobile computing device.

There are lots of great features packed into the slim iPad case. Here are the most important “pros” to consider as a traveler:

• Portable, but with a nicely sized screen. It’s a lot easier to travel with an 0.5″ thick iPad weighing in at 1.5 lb. than it is a laptop or netbook. This device was specifically built to go wherever you go.
• Great battery life. With an estimated 10 hours of battery life, you can use the iPad for quite a long time without needing a recharge. That means long flights can be spent watching movies, listening to music, and reading eBooks on your iPad— instead of being annoyed by possible over-sharers sitting next to you.
• Travel-centric apps up the wazoo. There are thousands of travel-related applications available from Apple’s App Store, and we’re likely to see a bunch more on the way specifically built for use on the iPad. Additionally, the built-in apps of Calendar, Notes, and Maps are vital components to any traveler’s technology arsenal.

With just that short list of “pros,” it’s difficult to think of reasons NOT to buy an iPad. In short, there’s really only one big negative to this new device— lack of creation options. The iPad’s primary focus is consumption: watching movies, listening to music, browsing photos, etc. Sure, you can write emails, notes, and create content with some downloaded apps, but you can’t create everything. Example: Want to snap a photo of that majestic waterfall? Don’t even think about it. Unlike the iPhone, there’s no camera built-in to the iPad— you’ll have to use your own camera, transfer the image to a laptop, and then sync your laptop to your iPad in order to do anything with it on your fancy new device.

The iPad is no doubt a sexy, magical, technological marvel, and it packs some amazing features into a slim, portable case. It’s definitely on my list of “must haves,” but I wonder if it’s best to wait until the next version gets announced before plunging for the purchase. My guess is that we’ll see a camera, USB port, and some other fun features added in the next revision of the product… but the question is: can you wait that long?

Oh… and one more thing. A friend asked me if the iPad could replace the already very popular Amazon KindleeBook reader. While the iPad does have a gorgeous built-in interface for reading eBooks, I don’t see how it could overthrow the Kindle as an actual book reader. The iPad wins out in the competition for stunning graphics— which is a huge plus when it comes to browsing digital newspapers and magazines— but it loses when it comes to providing an easy-on-the-eyes interface for reading a novel. The Kindle uses e-paper technology for its screen, which literally looks like text typed on paper. The iPad uses an LED screen, very much like any standard computer monitor, which results in eye fatigue and glare under sunlight— neither of these is a problem when it comes to the Kindle. So if you’re in the market for a way to consume books while you travel, I definitely suggest getting a Kindle.