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The iPad™ got it right and will set the standard for a new and improved way to enjoy our connected lifestyle @home… @work… @everywhere. And, the coolest thing is you have a MD (Mobile Device) at your disposal anytime…anywhere. The iPhone blazed the way as it shifted mobile phones from something to talk on…to powerful multi-app platforms that solve many problems and just happen to make phone calls, too.
The iPad and soon many similar devices will revolutionize the way we experience life and work from newspapers, t.v. and movies to fitness, personalized health and medical services. Here are 10 insights for delivering person- centered fitness, health and health care inspired by the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch from Apple, the world’s leading MD – Mobile Device company.

1. K.I.S.S. (“Keep it Simple, Steve!”) – Someone must have given Jobs this advice at an early age because he is the master of the most important principal if you want to introduce a new product. Make it so simple that it’s intuitive. The iPad, like the iPhone before it, is so easy to use it is instinctive – as if coded into our social DNA. Over 75 million iPod Touch and iPhone customers have trained on it – most without ever opening a manual.

2. Power to the People – The iPad delivers another amazing device that solves people’s problems. Healthcare, despite the rhetoric, continues to have a wholesalers’ mentality. But, with this device, people become empowered to take fitness and healthcare into our own hands, literally. Sometimes we act as consumers and other times we have to be the patient. This device allows for and understands our many differing needs and is able to offer guidance and connections via apps and games to show us the way.

3. Too Cool 4 School – The iPad is likely to be so fun to use that, like the iPhone and iPod Touch, it’s addictive. The iPad will be a great tool for surveys, patient sign ins, registrations, waiting rooms, concierge service for the patient and extending health out to wherever customers/patients might be. We suspect that even poorly designed content and programming will be more interesting and engaging on the iPad.

4. Keep the Change – Do you want to pay $259 for a basically single function black and white electronic reading device? Or would you pay a bit more for a light, colorful, way cool device that has thousands of entertaining games and problem solving apps that can serve nearly every whim and fancy you have? Yes, the 1.0 version of the iPad will have some drawbacks, but many people will gladly pay more for color, the increased screen size and tons of functionality to support their lives.

5. Plant the Seeds and a Thousand Flowers will Bloom – The platform that the iPad uses is robust with functionality, delivers critical mass (with iPhone/iPod Touch users) and lives within a thriving marketplace (iTunes). The iPad platform is the Holy Grail to: innovators, developers, entrepreneurs, medical devices, motivating and sensing solutions, social networks, customized and enterprise programming, and more. It is likely that product designers, marketers, and I dare say governments, will move forward at light speed to leverage this platform to deliver expanded value to their products and services.

6. Size Does Matter – Joy is a big screen. In the world of televisions, bigger is better. In the world of mobile devices, small, bright and colorful is nice, but if you can get a bigger screen in a light, easy to carry form, then that’s the ticket. Sales of the Kindle and other portable readers indicate that the market exists and the iPad just put down a trump card – especially with the grand opening of their own bookstore to go with their music store and the 140,000 apps/games and counting.

7. Gaming4Health Anytime, Anywhere – From YouTube, Facebook, TV, Radio, Books, Gaming, Music, and going to dinner, the mobile electronic fireplace just got a bright new view on life. We are social animals and mobile devices in the image of the iPad connect us, surround us, support us and entertain us. More people now spend time gaming online than watching videos. Facebook and MySpace have gaming as a central part of their growth strategies. (Cue the eFuturist voice) “The MD – Mobile Device is … the future of fitness, health and healthcare!” The iPad will help change the “I should” of health care to “I Get to” achieve my fitness and health goals with family and friends.

8. Building Connections with Bricks & Mobile – Follow the yellow brick…mobile. MDs (Mobile Devices) not M.D.s (Medical Doctors) are the most important health appliance today and tomorrow. Healthcare providers must drop the “Bricks and Mortar” mindset and move to “Bricks and Mobile.” Success will be measured not in physical locations, but in the number of Mobile Devices like the Drod, iPhone and iPad that run your “care” button. And the key to making mobile work lies in enabling fitness and health in “person” centered, game-like approaches that makes health fun and entertaining – or “productive entertainment.”

9. The Doctor is Always “In” – The iPad will be an extremely powerful and engaging way for health care professionals to interact and connect with people. It is not only an incredible resource “Open 24/7,” but also an awesome and awe-inspiring jack of all trades tool. It will be an empowerment tool. The potential to extend care every minute of every day through innovative business models opens new avenues for connection, communication and care in all forms.

10. An Apple – iPad – a Day Keeps the Doctor Away – The iPad and similar MDs (Mobile Devices) will enable and support people in being their own ConsumerMDTM by delivering a vast array of fitness, health and medical applications anytime, anywhere from the ubiquitous cloud of connectivity. Plus it will activate and support us in getting fitter with friends and family through the power of connected social networks. Obesity is viral. Health is viral. An Apple iPad will continue the trend of activating people to get fit with friends as part of our community.

Douglas Goldstein is a leading eFuturist, entrepreneur and author of twelve books including: “Health eGames – How Video Games, Social Media, Mobile and Virtual Worlds will Revolutionize Health;” “Medical Informatics 20/20” and “eHealthcare – Harness the Power of eCommerce & eCare.” He brings 20+ years of experience in the health and entertainment industries. He is the founder and President of iConecto – Gaming4Health and was the founder and CEO of Health Online, a venture backed B2B syndicated health information portal services company. Connect with doug at doug@iconecto.com or www.eFuturist.net and www.iConecto.com and www.Gaming4Health.com

Doug thanks Blaine Warkentine MD, MBA for his thoughts and contributions to this article. Connect with Blaine at blaino@gmail.com and www.innovationthrives.com