Apple’s highly anticipated revolutionary tablet device called the iPad has been launched. The multi-touch tablet is slated to offer effortless web browsing. Users should additionally be able to conveniently read and send email, enjoy photos, watch videos and more. The good news is that all this is offered at a more affordable price.
The compact and sleek tablet is just about 0.5 inches thick and claims to tip the scale at around 1.5 pounds. Sporting a responsive high-resolution multi-touch display, users can now interact with applications and content physically. Besides apparently being thinner and lighter than any laptop and netbook, the novel device also packs in a multitude of advanced features. Including 12 innovative applications specifically tailored for the device, users can run nearly all the apps in the App store.
The 12 next-generation multi-touch applications bundled in the device have the ability to work in both portrait and landscape modes. As the user rotates the device in any direction, it automatically animates between the views. Rendering easy and convenient surfing on the multi-touch interface, users can look forward to a more interactive and intimate experience as against the computer. The large screen along with the almost full-size keyboard further allows users to read and send emails in a jiffy. With a full-size traditional keyboard, the device also connects to the new iPad Keyboard Dock.
Allowing users to import photos from their Mac, PC or even digital camera, the iPad enables them to be organized as albums or shared as slideshows. Choosing to flip through pages of an e-book, users can also watch movies, TV shows and YouTube in HD or listen to music. A new iBooks app announced for the device includes Apple’s new iBookstore and enables users to browse, buy and read books on a mobile device. In addition to this Apple also rolled out a novel version of iWork for iPad. Claimed to be the first desktop-class productivity suite fabricated specifically for Multi-Touch, it allows users to create well formatted documents with Pages, Keynote and Numbers.
Syncing seamlessly with iTunes akin the iPhone or iPod, all the users need is a standard Apple 30-pin to USB cable. The device sports a 9.7” LED backlit display that boasts of the IPS technology for crisp, clear images and consistent color with an ultra-wide 178 degree viewing angle. With the highly precise, capacitive multi-touch display that is accurate and responsive, whether it’s scrolling web pages or playing games tasks are now a breeze.
Powered by the company’s next-generation system-on-a-chip namely A4, users are proffered advanced processor and graphics performance in addition to a long battery life of up to 10 hours. Armed with Apple’s advanced chemistry and Adaptive Charging technology, the device provides up to 1,000 charge cycles without any particular reduction in the capacity of the battery over a standard 5 year lifespan.
Users can choose from two versions of the iPad. While one comes with Wi-Fi, the other comprises of support for both Wi-Fi and 3G. Incorporated with the latest 802.11n Wi-Fi, the 3G versions too are enabled for speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps on HSDPA networks. The company has worked with AT&T to announce advanced 3G pre-paid data plans for the device along with simple on-device activation and management.
Besides, the device is also easy on the environment and each enclosure is crafted from highly recyclable aluminum. Standard with energy-efficient LED-backlit displays that are not only mercury-free but made from also arsenic-free glass, the device is free from brominated flame retardants and also completely PVC-free. A new SDK for the iPad has also been released by the company. Encompassing a simulator, developers can test and debug their iPad apps on a Mac while also being able to creating Universal Applications that run on iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.
Starting late March, 2010 the Apple iPad will be available across the globe. While the 16GB model will cost $499, the 32GB and 64GB models will be priced at $599 and $699 respectively. From April, 2010 onwards, the Wi-Fi + 3G models of iPad will be available in the US and selected countries for an approximate price of $629 for the 16GB model, $729 for the 32GB model and $829 for the 64GB model.
