Generation Zii

As always my husband was highly anticipating the Apple event announcing their latest addition to the consumer tech revolution… in this case the Apple iPad computer device. I jumped right on board oohing and aaahing at every demonstrated feature. Immediately we start imagining how we are going to use it when we get it even though it’s two months before it is released. Yes, I drooled over iBooks, touch web browsing, and even the idea of reading The New York Times or other magazines in this fashion…provided they make good use of the touch features.

My son with his hand-me-down no cell service iPhone and iPad mock up on his lap. -Lilia Rivera

In no time we had a life sized color print out cut and spray mounted onto cardboard so we could actually touch and feel the size. We liked. Next thing you know our fellow web geek friends are bursting with ideas for iPad apps, websites, and unforeseen uses bouncing them around for feedback and buying up any relevant urls on the spot.

This all just before the kids get home from school at which point they’re immediately escorted to my husbands big screen monitor where he demonstrates the Apple promotional video fresh off their website. Our kids have come to expect these moments given Steve Jobs keynote addresses have been family affairs since they were born practically (dad has been a macGeek since his teens).

Our final verdict is that we are totally on board…can’t wait to get one even if it means cutting our grocery budget in half for a few months and adding some babysitting jobs given the fact that we are no exceptions to the recession. My husband was laid off back in July and is freelancing to make ends meet for the time being.

Initially we think it could take the place of a new computer for the kids given the $499 price point and the fact that their desktop iMac is now a few years old, their hand me down laptops are too slow for web surfing, and their hand me down iPhones (no cell service; just in home wifi) can’t connect to a keyboard and run iWork for their school projects.

This is truly a GenerationZii family moment.