The Kapio Newspress

Issue date: 2/8/10 Section: Features

Media Credit: Courtesy of apple.com The iPad is Apple's latest additional device to it's device lineup. There are two versions of the tablet, 3G and non-3G, both include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.

Just two weeks ago on Jan. 27, Apple announced the highly anticipated and rumored Apple Tablet called the iPad at their 'latest creation' event in the Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco.

The iPad is a tablet-like computer which runs off a touch screen, much like those tablet PCs whose screens swivel around to rest on top it's keyboard facing up built by HP or Fujitsu, minus the keyboard.

The tablet utilizes the same OS (Operating System) as the iPhone. All iPhone applications can be run natively on the iPad with no modifications involved. The

Apple tablet has a 1024-by-768-pixel resolution touch screen. With the familiar sleep and home button and rocker volume switch that both the iPod Touch and iPhone have.

One common interpretation by consumers is that the iPad is an iPod Touch tripled in size. It does exactly what an iPhone does, just without the cell phone service capabilities.

However, the biggest common misconception by consumers of the iPad is that it is classified as a tablet PC, not a portable pocketable media device like the iPod Touch. A tablet PC is considered a portable computer alternative, just like netbooks. The only difference is that tablet computers use touch screens and a design that promotes a higher sense of portability over netbooks and laptops.

Consumers complain that the iPad is too big and lacks a camera.

Yes, Apple built and markets the iPad with the ability to play music, view videos, browse the Internet, send e-mail or use your favorite application like the iPod Touch. However, the iPad is geared towards the personal computing over entertainment.

During Apple's 'latest creation' event, Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Inc., announced the opening of an iBookstore in iTunes. Consumers can download e-books to read on their iPad, much like Amazon's Kindle.

The iPad features software currently available for computers running Mac OSX called iWorks. It is a bundle of software that does word processing, spreadsheet creations, and PowerPoint presentations. This takes the next step towards the personal computing side of a tablet.

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