Well, this will be the last post tapped out my trusty iPad 2, with a new Retina iPad mini (Space Gray, 32 GB WiFi model) currently in transit. Although there has been a delay in my order, according to the shipment tracker, the much anticipated item has made its way from Shenzhen in China on Saturday (the day the order was placed) to Sydney, today, Wednesday 19 November. Surely it’s not such a stretch to think it might find its way to Brisbane in the next 24 hours.

In retrospect, this iPad 2 has served me well over the past 18 months, purchased after a rather disjointed initiation into the world of tablet computing through an Acer Android model I owned for approximately 6 months. Though it was some time ago now, I remember firing up my iPad for the first time and almost immediately noticing a more cohesive user experience, along with a seemingly endless supply of apps to choose from. Obviously things have changed on both counts since then, with the Android ecosystem having significantly improved, and the iOS App Store now actually having an endless supply of apps (well almost).

A lot has evolved with my workflows and information consumption over this time, with the iPad at the core of those changes. Probably the most significant was commencing this blog some seven months ago, in which every post is written on my iPad either in Byword or more recently Editorial, as iOS automation becomes more and more embedded in my writing workflow (more on my most used iOS writing apps coming soon). Prior to this, a key aspect of beginning this blog was learning to write in Markdown (achieved on this very iPad through an excellent iBook by David Sparks and Eddie Smith) , with the knowledge that much of my writing would be done on the iPad, and needing a time efficient way to write web content when not at my desktop.

These ‘creation’ workflows, along with my ‘consumption’ of information through RSS, Twitter, books, magazines and other multimedia, see the iPad at the centre of a good part of my non (day job) work time. I am expecting a smooth transition to the mini and am looking forward to the extra portability, improved performance, and of course the fabulous Retina display.

This iPad 2 has been an ever reliable companion, serving me well through a couple of major iOS software updates, always maintaining a level of performance commensurate with its fantastic design. I’m sure there are quite a few more years left in it for another user, however with fond memories, it is time for me to bid farewell to this old friend.

Was that a knock at the door?