I’m a sucker for technology.

I always have been.

It might explain my background in technology PR, and my fondness for gadgets of all kinds, as well as my stint (brief, though it was) as the editor of the Singapore edition of an international computer and video game magazine.

I’m not even going to list the number of gadgets and devices that I have, and use on a daily basis. (Probably more than you.)

The latest object of my techno-desire is the Apple iPad, launched in Singapore last Friday, and sold out in Singapore the very same day by all accounts. I’ve visited Apple’s online store a number of times, and have gotten close to the checkout a number of times. I could own an iPad in about thirteen working days, the website says, and I’d like to take Apple at their word. But I had reservations as well, because, well, who needs an overgrown iPod Touch?

(I do, because my 1st gen Touch is very old, and very slow, and really I need one. Really.)

In any case, the kind folks at Digital Life asked via their Facebook fan page whether anyone would be interested in a demo of the new Apple iPad, and I was quick to respond. It pays to be first off the mark – I was invited, with a mere handful of other guests to Singapore Press Holdings where I got a chance to touch, play with and learn more about the gorgeous tablet device.

I have no words for how much I want an iPad right now.

From a distance, the device seems deceptively simple, but until you’ve seen it in action, until you’ve seen people talk passionately about how it’s changed the experience of computing for them, it’s hard to comprehend how much of a game-changer the iPad might turn out be.

The sharing session was chaired by Grace Chng, the Editor of Digital Life, and she had a couple of iPad power users to show us the ropes, Charlotte Ong and Julian Wong. Charlotte runs a successful web company, and gleefully showed off the more fun side of the iPad, while Julian (who lectures at Republic Polytechnic) not only showed off the device’s more serious side, he also showed us examples of how different and revolutionary the iPad actually is.

The session was more like a conversation – no one there was pushing a product to sell – so it was really just a gathering of enthusiasts (all right, geeks) talking about what we might use the iPad for, and looking at the plethora of applications that make the platform something really different.

The iPad itself is a handsome beast – aesthetically very pleasing, a little bit on the heavy side, but very easy to hold. The touch-screen interface is intuitive, the graphics are beautiful, and all in all, the entire thing is very well thought out. It’s not going to be a replacement for a desktop or notebook, but it makes consuming media, particularly on the ‘net, a much more pleasant experience. I suspect that my iPad will be a suitable adjunct for the devices that I already own, and I will largely use it for reading RSS feeds and interacting on social networks. And the iPad is also surprisingly productive, using the iWorks office suite and an external keyboard. But even without, it is an outstanding demonstration of how wondrous  and easy-to-use a computer really can be.

Because that’s what it is – the iPad is a computer minus some of the complexity, and with a lot of the rough edges shaved off. It starts instantly, works quickly (I never noticed any lag) and it makes everything just that much easier to use. With the incredible number of apps available for free or very low prices in the iTunes App Store, the iPad boasts a level of utility and function that’s difficult to match.

I’m glad that I had the chance to go for the demo session, and got to see how amazing the iPad can be. The three presenters used their devices in very different ways – looking at the stars, watching high-definition video, and even (at one point) projecting a video onto a wall with a portable pico projector. All in all, it was an enchanting hour-and-a-half, and I understand now why the three presenters loved their iPads so much.

That passion was contagious, I’m afraid – so now I’m trying to figure out how to squeeze the price of one out of the corners of my budget.