Mysteries of technological miracles

UPDATE 11 43 am May 7: on something else on which I had been procrastinating forever: my iPad just made me a dentist appointment. I just did a tech upgrade and my productivity has quintupled. And I don't know why. Even the word "upgrade" is in doubt. Typing is more awkward. I make typos. I can't plug in my camera. Some graphics that worked with my oldntechnology no longer work. The screen is smaller. Yet I stick to my claim that my productivity is much higher.

Some of you have guessed that I am typing this post on my new iPad. Why is it such a hit when many similar devices failed? I don't know. Why did I just do a travel reservation and answer several overdue emails on which I had been procrastinating? I don't know. The proof of the productivity pudding is only in the eating, even if it can't be articulated.

Is this why consumer choice is a much better guide than expert advice to technologies that actually work? Is this why many promising technologies fail in the field in development, because nobody wants to use them? I think so. Is this why other unexpected technologies succeed because users like them? I just know I love my iPad. Sorry about the typos.