I’ve been a gadget fanatic since before I could haltingly pronounce ‘‘gadget,’’ and technology is incorporated into every hour of my waking life in one way or another. But I remember that the first time I held a modern tablet PC was something extra special. It was as if a bit of technology from 20 years in the future had fallen through a time warp and into my hands. Apple’s iPad typifies this tech revolution, and the company has just released the iPad Mini and an upgraded full-size iPad. They’re powerful, sleekly futuristic devices, and if you’ve recently bought one, or you’ve put one on your wish list, you’ll need apps.