IBM and later Microsoft revolutionized computing by bringing the power of computers from gigantic mainframes and super computers to user operated personal computers or PC’s. Similarly, MOSIAC, the first web browser was born in Illinois in 1992 and since then the world wide web has taken off from a scientists’ den to reach into every aspect of human life. Initially, a web browser was just another application on a computer. Today’s world is increasingly reliant upon the information available through fingertips punching on a gadget. As the web and browsers matured, almost all the applications available on a PC started to show up in a web browser. Various web technologies like Flash, AJAX and web 2.0 techniques have made this transition possible. Google is ahead of this game, and the success of YouTube, GMail, Picasa, Google Documents make us believe that we are not far from the google’s dream concept of an “operating system in a browser”. Today, there are millions of users who use a PC just to use a browser.

Meanwhile, Apple has opened the doors for a new era of phones by introducing iPhone. For a long time smart phones have been circling around only in the hands of tech savvy people. But iPhone has bought web-enabled phones into masses. Android and other smart phones are building upon the momentum and we are increasingly seeing the use of smart phones by every segment of the population.

Now Apple has announcement much-anticipated iPad. We hear many tag line statements like ‘cheap tablet’, ‘expensive netbook’, ‘larger iphone’. I was pondering what is this new gadget anyway and what will it bring. I think that regardless of the success or failure of iPad, we will see a big change – an evolution of a new category of PC owners who just need a browser and nothing else. There are millions of users from real estate agents to health care providers to financial analysts who are always on the go and need access to the internet. Not just for work – other users also just need a browser to surf the web, check email, for e-commerce, blogging or other social networking. Earlier attempts at Tablet PC’s or netbooks could not attract these web only users as they were being sold a smaller and less powerful laptop.

How is IPad different? It has close to average laptop sized screen, it is lightweight, it has longer battery life and above all it has the browser. Of course it has apps, books, music among other things. If iPad attracts a significant percentage of web only users, then we have entered the new era of PC’s. And who is the winner? Not Apple but Google. Looking back, Google is very much trying to push the ‘operating system in a browser’ and to this extent they have to compete with web applications and with desktop applications. But if browser-only gadgets gain popularity then Google will be a run-away winner as they don’t have to compete with desktop applications anymore and they are clearly a leader in web-based applications. Very similar to the emergence of various incarnations of iphone like smart phones, we might see a great surge in browser only gadgets. Maybe the next invention from apple might be a further stripped down version of iPad called iSafari and what follows might include ChromeOne. Who knows, ChromeOne might be distributed free in grocery stores. The moment you turn it on you will not see a start menu but a side bar of ad’s. Is this a paradigm shift in Personal Computing? We will have to wait and see.