Why the New Apple iPad is Old News to Star Trek Fans

Last week the world collectively gasped in awe when Apple guru Steve Jobs introduced his latest high tech toy - the iPad tablet PC. It's touch sensitive, lightweight and 9.7" screen size - like an iPhone on steroids. Tech fans delighted in the product launch, but for Star Trek fans, it was old news. In 1987, Star Trek: The Next Generation launched with Captain Picard and his starship crew using a touch sensitive, lightweight tablet computer. The sci-fi prop is called a PADD - Personal Access Display Device. Star Trek's sci-fi PADD is now Apple's real world must have gadget.

Since 1966, Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek has had a respected history of predicting the future. The science fiction TV show's communicator inspired our now ubiquitous flip top mobile phone. It's probably the most famous example of how a pop culture TV program charted pop culture tech. Other great Star Trek visionary moments were using floppy disk type props to store data, or Dr McCoy's medical devices being far ahead of actual everyday use. Even another Apple concept, digital musical files - iTunes or the iPod - has a link to a product engineer or scientist being influenced by Captain Kirk, Data, Lt. Geordi LaForge, Mr. Spock and the Enterprise's terrific tech toys.

Apple's iPad promises to be a completely revolutionary device. Its natural, ergonomic ease of use, compact size, and 10 hour plus battery life will no doubt endear itself to those like myself. While I admire the iPhone's beefy capabilities, I just can't deal with such a small screen. With a larger work area, and more touch sensitive screen, the iPad promises to fully augment or even replace PC's - even notebooks and netbooks. When compared to older physical keyboard oriented devices, an iPad encourages a whole new way of working and playing - anywhere and anytime.

Before 1987, original Star Trek saw the use of PADD like props. These were much larger, fatter and pen or stylus driven devices Captain Kirk would employ, however Next Generation showcased thin, touch sensitive PADDs of different sizes. There were tiny ones - much like iPods or iPhones - and bigger, brawnier models like the iPad. The tech miracles were so powerful, it was said a properly configured PADD could operate nearly every function of Picard's massive starship - even engage warp drive and pilot the starship.

During my time writing for Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine, the PADD remained an exciting and useful prop to include in scripts. Star Trek is known for its long history of dreaming about new science and encapsulating it into thrilling science fiction stories. Apple is known for its long history of dreaming about new science and encapsulating it into thrilling real science devices. The two seem inextricably linked now, and with the relaunch of Star Trek on the big screen this past summer, and Apple's iPad launch, it's only a matter of time before the two keep going boldly where no one - or gadget - has gone before.