Just as we started feeling comfortable focusing on handhelds to communicate, Apple is about to force us to rethink the future.  Over the course of the past few months there tech world has been awash in rumors that Apple’s upcoming tablet device will revolutionize how we interact with technology.  Alexander Wolfe of Information Week is among those trumpeting a wave of change:

Hey, doesn’t anyone remember the Windows-based Tablet frenzy, circa 2002? So the big deal this time is that Apple will legitimize the platform, particularly for business users. Indeed, I believe mobile Webpads could edge out netbooks–and even debuzz smartphones somewhat–and become the big alt.platform story of 2010.

While riding along a creek on some trails with my son today, it struck me that while I had been churning along focused on the technological advances of 2009 that 2010 has the potential to be an even more pivotal year.

I am old enough to remember when major changes in technology occurred via decades instead of months.  Today we can’t afford to dig ourselves to deep into the latest trend or we may find ourselves wondering who pulled the ladder out from behind us.

When I was a kid, we received our most timely and relevant news and information through a television screen.  By the ’90s, the desktop screen became many of our primary sources of fresh info.  Today, most of us consider our phones as our first screen of contact.  And while I doubt smartphones get pushed to the curb anytime soon, it is not tough to imagine how a tablet could be especially effective in business settings or even among creatives.

As for the Apple iSlate (or whatever they call it), we don’t even know if it will be a fully functional touchscreen version of a MacBook or just an oversized iPod Touch.  Most have assumed the former but CNET’s Dan Ackerman isn’t convinced:

The last several rounds of Apple tablet rumors, however, point more decisively towards an iPhone or iPod Touch style device. The Financial Times reports that Apple is planning a press event on January 26 in San Francisco, while the Silicon Alley Insider claims several app developers have been asked to prepare large-screen versions of their current iPhone apps.

If the ballyhooed tablet proves to be just an oversized iPod Touch, then I still wouldn’t dismiss the potential impact on how your target audiences might react.  You want your message where your audience is receiving it.  As we look into 2010, strap on your helmet because this could be a fun ride.