This is what we have all been waiting for. After years of rumors and speculation, Apple has finally unveiled the iPad. Jobs has said that it is meant to be a third device, fitting in between a smartphone and a full-fledged laptop. It's able to browse the web, send emails, view and edit photos, read e-books, watch videos, play games, and more. Check it out.
- The iPad is .5 inches thick and weighs in at only 1.5 pounds, so it is thinner and lighter than any netbook.
- It sports a full capacitive 9.7 inch IPS display, and as Steve says "it’s super responsive and super precise.”
- The iPad is being powered by Apple's own custom chip called the A4 running at 1GHz, and it will feature three different flash storage capacities: 16, 32, or 64GB.
- It has the latest in wireless technology with 802.11n Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR.
- As for extra features, it contains a microphone, speaker, accelerometer and compass, just like the iPhone, and it even uses the usual 30 pin connector.
- Even with all of this power, the device has an expected runtime of 10 hours and a month of standby life. It is also completely green and recyclable.
- The iPad is running a version of the iPhone OS, which means it is capable of running all iPhone apps. Regular apps can be used pixel by pixel within a black box, or the pixels can be doubled to run in full-screen. And yes, it doesn't seem to have Flash either.
- Some iPad models will have built-in 3G. AT&T will be offering a limited (250MB) plan for $14.99 and an unlimited plan for $29.99 per month. The plans will be contract free, so you can sign up and cancel the service at any time. If you hate AT&T, that's just fine. All of the devices will be GSM and will be unlocked.
Pricing goes as follows:
Wi-Fi only:
- $499 for 16GB
- $599 for 32GB
- $699 for 64GB
Wi-Fi and 3G:
- $629 for 16GB
- $729 for 32GB
- $829 for 64GB
The Wi-Fi only iPads will start shipping in 60 days, and the Wi-Fi and 3G iPads will start shipping in 90 days. Start saving those pennies!
Apple has also posted an official iPad page on their site:
http://www.apple.com/ipad/
