During my last business trip, I saw several folks tapping away on their iPads, which made me want one even more. This is a true case of technology envy. My MacBook is lightweight and easy to pack, but it’s not as thin, sleek and well, not as cool as the iPad.

In Shira Levine’s article “Can the iPad Replace Your Laptop for Business Travel?“ she shares several irresistible reasons for using an iPad on the road.  Some of her better arguments include:

The iPad is lightweight. The multi-tasking device clocks in at just a pound and a half – no more shoulder and back pain for those who were carrying around bulkier 3-10 pound machines. Weight matters, especially when you add luggage to the mix.

The iPad has a long-lasting charge. The iPad banks up to 12 hours in battery use between charges, which come to about four times the battery life of a notebook and two times the battery life of a netbook. During my last trip, thanks to the Samsung lounge I had a place to recharge my laptop and iPhone when both were dangerously low.  Not having to worry about a device dying on you can make your business trip a little less stressful.

The iPad is airport security friendly – mostly. “You don’t have to remove it from the case and place in into a separate bin,” a security person at JFK airport in New York says. Anything that makes going through security easier gets my vote.

It’s another Apple product with exciting applications. If you have an iPhone, you’re probably already familiar with many apps.  With an iPad you can use these same apps but now you’ll see them on a bigger screen.

Maybe it’s time to rethink my wants vs. needs tug of war.  I’ll make sure I do that while I’m revisiting the Apple store.