There are fewer things in this world that get my heart racing as much as my children and a special announcement from Steve Jobs. Like an excited Ralphie Parker waiting at the store window for a glimpse of the Red Ryder Carbine-Action 200 shot Range Model Air Rifle, I had been watching the interwebz like a hawk and listening to my sources long before the announcement on March 2nd.  And because I listened, I wasn’t glued to the live updates of such iconic tech weblogs as Engadget or Gizmodo.

No, I had decided long before the Cupertino clock struck 10 that I would be sitting pretty with my 1st gen iPad just fine until such time that my desires were fulfilled. “What more could you want out of a tablet” you ask? Funny you should ask that.

Not that I need to review the list, but I’m going to anyways:

1. Faster processor: dual core A5 chip – I’m sure it’s gonna be fast as hell and I’ll love it
2. Dual Cameras: 1 on the front (VGA) and 1 on the back (5MP and 720p) – Yeah so, this was definitely on my bucket list
3. Faster Graphics: I don’t have much to say on this one
4. HDMI Output: This wasn’t a deal breaker
5. New Design: 33% thinner, new audio grille, new colors and new cover – While these are all cool little things we look for, the new cover is what really grabbed my eye.
6. iOS 4.3

Again, all of these updates and enhancements are good for the bottom line and will keep Apple in the tablet warfare (altho Android fans will disagree that these improvements hold a candle to devices like the Xoom), but at the end of the day…I just wanted more.

Things like the HDMI output and newer design, I could have been fine without, but dual cameras, faster processor and iOS 4.3 need to be on the list.  Problem is, that list had a few more items. Some lists can be compromised on: “Yeah, I’ll take 2, 3, 5 and 6, but I don’t really need 1 and 4″…well, it doesn’t work that way in this case.  Especially when I hear from reliable sources that the…wait for it….iPad3 (insert shock music)…is coming out in the fall.  What?? 6 months later we’re getting a new iPad?  Believe it folks. It’s a veritable smorgasbord of economic and business justifications, but the number 1 reason…they gotta contend. Apple rode on the top of that tablet wave for a solid 6 months with no competition. Now, they’ve not only got competition, they’ve got devices that could kick the ever-lovin’ snot out of the iPad1.

What do I want? It’s easy…everything up top, plus the below:

1. Retina display: this will no doubt bring a completely new design as well, again
2. Thunderbolt AND card reader: seriously Apple, please don’t expect me to transfer data with that dongle
3. 4G: this is more or less a desire but not a requirement
4. Flash: I realize you have security issues with Adobe’s popular web content platform, but you need to round up all your geniuses and figure this one out. Just because you want to lock stuff down and force people to use the App store doesn’t mean you can’t open the door just a little bit…it’s a give and take relationship.

So there you go. You most likely think I’m crazy, but like I’ve thought with everyone else whoever told me that…I don’t care.