I don't want to be overdramatic or 'overplay' this but dad-gummit the iPad has changed my life!  130 days in and I still can't believe how amazing this device is.  I have always had lots of technology toys in my life.  From the Casio Telememo watch to the Palm Pilot to the Treo smartphone, I've had them all!  So why has the iPad created such a stir?  There are three things it does extremely well that have literally changed the way I work and live. First, I love to read... I consistently read three newspapers, six magazines, dozens of blogs, Twitter posts and Facebook updates.  (Not to mention about a book a month!)  Suffice to say I am an avid reader.  The iPad has changes where, when and how I can read.  I subscribe to the Wall St. Journal for the iPad.  It is a great app, easy to update, simple to read and can go anywhere.   For blog reading I love the Pulse app... it makes reading blogs easy and moves quickly between an extract and the full post on the web.  Flipboard is a new app that makes everything look and feel like a magazine.  I use it for reading Twitter and Facebook posts, as well as some magazines.  (I'm hoping that Flipboard and Pulse merge, that would be the perfect reader!)  Instapaper is an incredible app that allows you to "read later" any story you find online.  I recommend it highly.  All in all, I have become a more productive reader with the iPad. The second aspect of the iPad I am amazed by is the business functionality.   I travel a lot and have found that the iPad is almost a complete replacement for my laptop.  I recently was in NYC and had 14 meetings with friends and investors discussing a new company I've been helping.  In each meeting all I had was my iPad and Moleskine calendar.  I simply fired up the Keynote app, set my iPad on the table and stepped through the deck page by page.  It was seamless and made for great conversation.  From calendar to email to presentations, spreadsheets and documents it does it all.  The single downside today is the inability to easily print.  Surely Apple will fix this soon.  (Side note, I can now type about 80% of the speed of my laptop, not bad!)  I have also begun taking meeting notes into my iPad using Notepad Pro.  It is a very handy app and makes meeting recaps quick and easy. Finally, I love the apps!  It has huge entertainment and information value.  I watch streaming movies and TV shows from Nexflix.  I play Words with Friends with my son (and consistently lose!).  There are incredibly functional apps including TripIt, Amazon, Maps, Skype, Flixter, Yelp, Redbox, Starbucks and NYCWay to name a few of my favorites.  I even manage my accounts from my iPad... in fact, just about everything I need is right there in the 10" by 7 1/2" little pad.  I have found myself taking it just about everywhere.  Yes, I have an iPhone too but the size and comfort level of reading the iPad makes it a must have when I am out and about.  It is lightweight and not at all a burden to carry around.  I can't imagine leaving home without it! So if you don't have an iPad I suggest you get one.  Try out a friends for a day and you'll see what I mean.  I know there are imitators on the way.  That will be a good thing in the same way that iPhone imitators have brought better functionality in it as well.  It is a rare occurance in my life when anything exceeds my expectations.  As I sat on my porch on April 3rd waiting for the UPS truck to arrive I was already excited.  Now, 130 days into being an iPad owner, I continue to be blown away and I predict  you will be too! Tom Cuthbert

Yesterday I flew back on American from New York to Texas. Even though I have a bazillion miles on AA,  I have been avoiding them like the plague the last few years (don't get me started!).   These days I prefer Southwest or JetBlue... friendlier people, newer planes and convenient routes.  But on this trip, AA made sense so off I went. I have to say, I was somewhat giddy when I saw the friendly "Wi-Fi Onboard" sign!  As soon as allowed (ok, maybe a few minutes before) I logged on to GoGo (the provider) paid my $8 and started surfing.  The connection was flawless.  I checked email, posted to Twitter, checked in on Foursquare, sent text messages via Google Voice, browsed the news online and recorded a fascinating live video of me and my box of raisins!  I wanted to try Skype but the terms of service clearly stated no voice over IP calls.  Yeah, so anyway I can confirm it works too! While I was mostly goofing off, the ability to have Wi-Fi in flight is a game changer from a communication and productivity perspective.  Business travelers spend a lot of time sitting on airplanes and honestly I find that time generally pretty productive. The price of $8 for a 3 1/2 hour flight is reasonable and the connection was quite stable. My only complaint is that while you can share the service between mobile devices (although not simultaneously), you cannot switch between a mobile device and a laptop.  Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things but it would be nice.  Considering the airline industry is struggling to grow revenue, Wi-Fi is a potential gold mine.  I feel a lot better about paying $8 for internet access than $10 for a cold, stale turkey sandwich! Happy flying! Tom Cuthbert Full and fair disclosure:  I own Southwest Airlines (LUV) stock and am long.

OK sure Amtrak only exists because the government props it up.  The subsidy actually comes out to $210 for every 1000 passenger miles.  For those folks who live in a giant state like Texas, the idea of taking the train anywhere is nuts.  However, for people on the east coast, it works brilliantly.  I actually enjoy it get much more done on the train than I would on most flights. This trip, for example, I flew nonstop to Baltimore for a meeting.  Then, it is a easy 2 1/2 hour train ride on the Acela and poof, you are in midtown Manhattan.  There are three things I like about Amtrak vs flying: 1) No security lines  (Sure it's fun to remove de-rob and wait in long lines but I am willing to sacrifice it to ride a train!) 2) No screaming babies in the seat behind me (I almost always choose the "quiet car") 3) Outlets!  It's hard enough to find a plug at an airport (ie Las Vegas), on the train I have my very own I have put together this fascinating two minute video of my most recent trip... enjoy :) Yes, my trip cost the government (meaning me) $41.72.  Despite that, I am glad Amtrak exists and will continue to enjoy it on the east coast.  San Antonio to Lubbock?   Not so much... Happy travels! Tom