Everyone had and has an opinion when it comes to the iPad and there have been other highly anticipated IT breakthroughs, of course, I just can’t remember any right now.

The real reason why Apple this week reported record quarterly profits ($13.5 billion in revenues, $3.1 billion in profits, thanks to the iPhone) and is delaying the launch of the device outside of the U.S. for a month (analysts predicted some 300,000 to 500,000 units sold in the first month, Apple is approaching one million) is the never seen before word of mouth – and vision – Steve Jobs is generating with the iPad.

I know this first hand since I bought one on day one, then flew over to London and on to Singapore and Hong Kong for a two week live test of the device internationally.

No, I haven’t lost a finger because someone tried to snatch it from me, but not a day has gone by where not at least a dozen strangers, black, white, brown, young, old, male, female, rich, poor, approach me.

This it how it goes. They look, look again, and then depending on how shy they are, come over and say one of three things:

10%, the ones that just returned from Mars, ask “what is THAT?”

about 50% of them just blurt out: “Is THAT the iPad? How do you like it?”

However, a whopping 40% go: “Can I touch it?”

Excuse me?

In cafes, on planes, in the street, and in meetings, it is impossible not to meet a few dozens strangers every day.

And invariably, once they touched it, saw it, drooled on it, they want to buy one. On day one three people that touched it ran straight to the Apple store, others are considering flying to the U.S. just to get one.

That didn’t happen with the radio, TV or first mobile phones… both because they were too bulky to show off with and, plainly speaking, too ugly.

It is a completely new device and whoever touches is gets jinxed and buys one, with a smile on the face. Yes, it sounds a bit like the Lord of the Rings, but it is also exciting to see the world change in front of your eyes.

Ka-ching (or Ka-shing, in HK).