We are probably just weeks away from another of Apple’s signature product reveals. Up next, it is expected that Apple will unveil an update to the hugely successful iPad 2. The device that no one saw a need for, but now can’t live without, has defined a product category that hardly existed 2 years ago. In that time, Apple has sold over 55 million iPads, making it their most popular product launch to date – an amazing statement when you consider the iPod and iPhone are included in that statistic.

When a new device is adopted by the business community, a new set of questions need to be asked. Are these tablets just for people with too much money and too much free time? Should those who are concerned with things like hitting sales targets and finding effective ways to communicate with customers bother with these indulgent time wasters? Do devices like the iPad make “old school” meetings in person a relic of an antiquated business era?

If you’ve studied marketing, or have read some of the popular books in the genre, you’ve probably heard of the 4 P’s of Marketing. For those who are unfamiliar, the 4 P’s are:

So you’ve decided you’re going to redesign your website. You’ve carefully researched and selected the right web development firm. You give them the green light to start building your new site, and after spending an hour searching, you pass along the login details for your web hosting company. This is a pretty normal beginning to a website project. However, this exciting new project may already be in big trouble!

Last year we lost an iconic product designer, marketing guru and powerful businessman in Steve Jobs. The day after he died I posted a brief tribute admiring him for his tenacity, creativity and accomplishments. But in the time since his death I’ve learned some more details about the man which has led me to recalibrate my admiration of his values and challenge myself as to which examples I will follow.

It seems Steve’s successes came at a great cost: his family. When asked by his biographer, Walter Isaacson, why he finally wanted to do a biography after turning down many publishers previously, Jobs’ answer was “So my children will know me.”