Way back in technohistorical January, The Onion gave us a glimpse of just how insanely amazing the upcoming Thing Apple was preparing to launch would be….

Apple Introduces Revolutionary New Laptop With No Keyboard

My favorite quote: “if it’s shiny and from Apple, I want it!”

Now that the infamous iPad has launched – and subsequently skyrocketed – I want it. I want it. I don’t know why, but I just KNOWS I wants it!

Of course, there are real business and consumer drivers behind this demand. iMedia Connection did a nice piece on just why the iPad is really a big deal. And I even personally corroborated in the froth by serving as one of the coordinators of an iPad developers’ event last month.

But I have yet to really USE an iPad, and yet my knee-jerk reaction to a friend’s “Sent by my iPad” signature was nonetheless: I WANTS ONE!

We always knew Steve Jobs was a genius. But many in these parochial Silicon Valley technodigerati circles don’t realize that Lauryn Hill got it first: