I recently finished a short-term blog writing job where I was able to research topics and provide personal reviews of the iPhone and iPad. I love my job!

Winning the bid for that job, I decided it was time for a new business investment: I went out and bought an iPad. Anyway, I’d been wanting one for a while (thanks a lot to the Modern Family episode where Phil desperately wants one for his birthday), so finding myself tasked with checking them out was like a cosmic sign that the time had come to do it. become the proud new owner of my very own Apple iPad.

My husband and I spontaneously took the kids to Best Buy on a Saturday afternoon (Him: “Hey, do you want to go check out iPads at Best Buy?” Me: “Sure”). Of course, during the 30-minute drive there, we went from arguing just looking at the iPads to trying to figure out whether I should get 3G or Wi-Fi. This is not a minor debate since the price difference is about $150. However, when we got to Best Buy and discovered that all the store had in stock were 16GB Wi-Fi iPads, that pretty much ended the discussion.

One of the main discussions about the iPad is where it really fits in the world of computing. It’s almost like an old-fashioned joke: “What’s bigger than an iPhone, smaller than an iMac, and still has great apps?” I must say that the iPad has almost become an appendage of late development. I have him with me almost constantly, even (to my husband’s alternating amusement and, I think, jealousy) to the point where I frequently fall asleep in bed snuggling with him at night.

Why am I so weirdly obsessed with my new toy? Because every day I discover another way that iPad makes my life so much easier than it used to be. On this perfectly sized portable computing device, I can read a book (iBooks, Kindle), listen to music (iTunes, Pandora), play a game (check out Angry Birds or Plants vs. Zombies), write an article for work ( iWorks pages, Google docs), surf the internet, read and write emails, watch a movie (Netflix, iTunes store), and even help my preschoolers start learning to read (check out Preschool app).

Now, if you don’t have an iPad, you’re probably thinking, “So what? I can do most of that on my PC or iPhone.” To some extent, yes, you can. But you can’t do it as easily, seamlessly and simply as with my little iPad.

The screen is large enough to be able to make excellent use of the touchscreen capabilities of Apple’s portable devices. The on-screen keyboard is especially impressive: I can even use both hands to do my own “iPad pecking” version of typing on a full-size keyboard. I will add, however, that I made the $70 investment in the keyboard dock when I bought the iPad, an investment I absolutely recommend to anyone looking to buy their own iPad.

The true value and use of the iPad revolves around its convenient size, shape, and weight. It’s not too big or too small, it’s the perfect shape to hold or lay on your lap, and it’s definitely not too heavy to carry around. iPhones are great, but the smaller screen causes a lot of “big toe” bugs. Laptops are more convenient than a desktop to carry, but they’re still too cumbersome to easily travel with or curl up in bed to watch a movie. No, only the iPad provides the absolutely perfect sized machine for multitasking use.

I have been in love with my iPad since the day I brought it home. However, as we prepare to go on vacation, my love has suddenly deepened and strengthened. As a mother of three, you can imagine how many extra things are needed to keep the little ones entertained on the go. Today, when I was packing our carry-on, I suddenly realized that now that I have the iPad, I won’t have to lug around a backpack full of weird items.

Gone are the books, puzzles, games, art supplies, etc. which normally weigh me down like a bipedal pachyderm. My iPad will be able to provide all the normal air travel entertainment on its own. There are children’s books on my iBooks shelf, the Doodle Buddy app for my budding artists, iTunes movies loaded and ready to go, and dozens of games to play. It’s a complete travel entertainment system in a stylish 7.5 x 9.5 portable screen. Fantastic!

If you are thinking of getting your own iPad, my recommendation is HURRY UP! Dont wait! The iPad will truly revolutionize your life.