Apple iPad coming in late March
After several weeks of speculation, Apple today announced a new portable device called the iPad.
The new device features a 9.7 inch screen, is just half an inch thick, weighs one and a half pounds and can run all 140,000 iPhone apps from the app store.
The iPad will come in two versions, one with WiFi and one with both WiFi and 3G. Each version will come in three flash memory storage capacities: 16GB, 32GB and 64GB.
The brains behind the tablet is Apple’s next-generation A4 processor which the company says provides exceptional processor and graphics performance along with battery life of up to 10 hours.
Other features of the iPad include a 9.7 inch full capacitive multi-touch display, Bluetooth, Speaker, Microphone, 30 pin connector, Accelerometer, compass, and a battery that Apple says can deliver up to 1,000 charge cycles without a significant decrease in battery capacity over a typical five year lifespan.
In addition to being able to run any application designed for the iPhone, the iPad will come with 12 new multi-touch applications which can work in both portrait and landscape mode. For existing iPod touch / iPhone apps, the iPad will also have the ability to pixel double and run the apps full screen.
The Wi-Fi version of the Apple iPad will be available worldwide in late March for U.S. $499, $599, $699 for the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models respectively. No word yet on Canadian pricing.
The availability of the iPad 3G version in Canada is still unknown. In the U.S., the 3G version will sell for a $130 premium over the Wi-Fi version.
Discuss in our Apple Computing forum.
Gawd, I want one. I suspect the Wi-Fi version will be an extra $30 or $40 in Canada but still a great price when you consider what you are getting.
I tried to buy one during Steve’s keynote this morning — I was listening on Twit.tv.
Glad I didn’t !! After having a sober second look, it appears that this has all the features of an iPod touch in a notebook form factor!
The only redeeming feature may be the Book Reader, but according to some Canadian news outlets, you will not be able to buy books from iTunes Canada.
I already have an iPod Touch and a MacBook. I can’t think how this device would do something for me better than those other two items.
I’d be interested to hear from anyone (not fanboys) who can see a useful niche from this thing.
And the browser doesn’t supoprt flash. I won’t be buying one until it does.
Without being able to buy books in Canada I won’t buy one.
You would think Apple would have worked this out beforehand.
Will be sticking with my iPhone, iPod Touch & Kindle.
I’m sure too that there won’t be a Canadian 3G version because
of the Telcoms.
I was excited, but the more I read about it the more dissapointed I am. No Flash, no multitasking, lots of DRM around every corner, it’s not widescreen, no HDMI out, no USB, no web cam. It’s like a really flat 4:3 TV. I would have expected apple to address all the failings of the iphone and to have gotten it right this time, but I guess not. Also, the benefit of eInk on readers is no eye strain, where as, as a reader, the LCD on the iPad will likely come with free iStrain (heh).
I was pumped and drooling when it was released, but I’m definately going to wait for al the knock offs from Asus and MSI et al before jumping on the bandwagon.
Apparently they didn’t include USB, etc. to keep the cost down and to control the user experience. When you say it’s not widescreen is that really true? The article and other sources say it can work in landscape mode–at least for 12 apps and I bet developers will upgrade others if this thing takes off. There’s no web cam because of data deals Apple has done in the US. $15/month for 250 MB and $30/month unlimited. If a web cam had been included Apple figured people would easily exceed the 250 MB limit and data costs would have had to have been much higher. I can’t wait to see what these costs will be in Canada. Overall, I simply don’t get the hype about this product.
Looks like a winner to me. Can’t wait.
I was pumped and drooling when it was released, but I’m definately going to wait for al the knock offs from Asus and MSI et al before jumping on the bandwagon.
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No such thing as iPad knock-off. iPad is not a new product anyway, tablet PCs had been around for years.