Last week I attended the Launch Pad conference in Mt. View, CA. On hand were some of the best app developers on the planet showing off their latest tablet (mostly iPad) apps. The conference began with a presentation by Ryan Block from gdgt who showed an image of Moses in reference to the evolution of the tablet and mobile computing.

My evolution as an iPad newbie to feeling comfortable with the platform was a bit rocky. But now it has become an important business tool for me. Think the iPad is just a fad? Apple has reported sales of over 40M units to date at a base price of $495. I think the better question is whether the iPad can truly become a business platform.

I purchased the first version of the iPad. It actually arrived on a Saturday, the first day the iPad was made available to the general public. I remember thinking that it was so elegant, so personal and tactile. No more mouse. The “tap and swipe” motion felt natural to me, but as a PC user for so many years I made a number of clumsy mistakes.

My biggest issue however was the need to keep running back to my laptop.When I tried using it for various business functions the iPad would eventually disappoint. Things that I came to rely on in the desktop world like Google Docs, WordPress or Email now had constraints. This is not an iPad problem, it’s a software evolution problem. Early on, most software publishers didn’t think about the fact that the iPad was a completely new paradigm. Mouse driven interfaces don’t translate well on the iPad or a smartphone that uses the “tap and swipe” paradigm.

We are working hard to embrace these new platforms at ExumaTech. When a new “form” (whether its a new regulation, technology or economic trend) becomes available, we must completely rethink the “function”. Our marina management system is an ideal candidate for a mobile application. Marine management software and RV dealer systems shouldn’t tether you to a desktop. People who work at boat and RV dealerships, as well as boatyards and RV service centers are on the move constantly. Sales people show customers units in the showroom and take prospects on demo rides. Similarly, technicians and mechanics are in boats, under RVs or down in the engine room. Having to run back to a computer, each and every time the technician needs to clock on or off a job is extremely inefficient. Furthermore it costs the dealership or boatyard money.

The first step in migrating your marina management system or RV dealership system to a mobile environment is to move to the cloud. Cloud based computing has become one of the biggest buzzes in tech. But at it’s core it is a very simple concept, namely the computer servers that once ran your business applications are now gone. They no longer reside in your office. From your desktop, netbook, smartphone or tablet, you now connect to your application via the internet.

We recently announced a cloud-based version of our marina management software and RV dealer management system. So the convenience of anywhere, anytime has been solved. Now we must face the challenge of developing applications for both smartphones and tablets. Our system works on an iPad or Droid tablet, but it is far from optimized. We are now in the process of designing new apps that start with the premise that the screen is smaller, the user is likely on the go, the mouse has been replaced by a finger and “point and click” is now “tap and swipe”. It’s a new paradigm and a new form so its time to rethink our business models, our designs and how we work.

Here is a list of some of my favorite apps.

Here is a list of the awesome apps that were presented at Launch Pad.

Now tell us what you think: Is the iPad (and other tablets) simply a toy? Or are you making good business use of them?