Official Press Release
iPad Available in US on April 3
Pre-Order on March 12
CUPERTINO, California-March 5, 2010-Apple® today announced that its magical and revolutionary iPad will be available in the US on Saturday, April 3, for Wi-Fi models and in late April for Wi-Fi + 3G models. In addition, all models of iPad will be available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK in late April.
Beginning a week from today, on March 12, US customers can pre-order both Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + 3G models from Apple's online store (
www.apple.com) or reserve a Wi-Fi model to pick up on Saturday, April 3, at an Apple retail store.
Technical Specifications
Size and weight1
* 9.7-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen Multi-Touch display with IPS technology
* 1024-by-768-pixel resolution at 132 pixels per inch (ppi)
* Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
* Support for display of multiple languages and characters simultaneously
Memory
*16GB, 32GB, or 64GB flash drive
Location
* Wi-Fi
* Digital compass
* Assisted GPS (Wi-Fi + 3G model)
* Cellular (Wi-Fi + 3G model)
Input and Output
* Dock connector
* 3.5-mm stereo headphone jack
* Built-in speakers
* Microphone
* SIM card tray (Wi-Fi + 3G model only)
Price
Wi-Fi- 16GB ($499), 32GB ($599), 64GB ($699)
Wi-Fi + 3G- 16GB ($629), 32GB ($729), 64GB ($829)
Screenshots
Demonstrations
Apple website demonstration
Engadget demonstration
And for some fun
iMockups for iPad
Apple Ipad-Guided Tours
Marvel App in action
Music apps on the horizon
Reviews
NY Times
Speaking of video: Apple asserts that the iPad runs 10 hours on a charge of its nonremovable battery but we all know you cant trust the manufacturer. And sure enough, in my own test, the iPad played movies continuously from 7:30 a.m. to 7:53 p.m. more than 12 hours. Thats four times as long as a typical laptop or portable DVD player.
All Things Digital
If people see the iPad mainly as an extra device to carry around, it will likely have limited appeal. If, however, they see it as a way to replace heavier, bulkier computers much of the timefor Web surfing, email, social-networking, video- and photo-viewing, gaming, music and even some light content creationit could be a game changer the way Apples iPhone has been.
USA Today
The first iPad is a winner. It stacks up as a formidable electronic-reader rival for Amazons Kindle. It gives portable game machines from Nintendo and Sony a run for their money. At the very least, the iPad will likely drum up mass-market interest in tablet computing in ways that longtime tablet visionary and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates could only dream of.
PC Mag
Is the iPad a perfect product? No. And the omissions will give the anti-Apple crowd plenty of ammo. Why do I need this extra device thats not a full-fledged laptop? Wheres the camera? What about Flash? Um, how about multitasking? These are all valid complaints, but one thing I can say about most Apple products, and certainly the iPad: There may be things it doesnt do, but what it does do, it does remarkably well. Aside from the aforementioned limitations, there isnt a lot else to gripe about. And to my great surprise, you can actually get real work done with the iPad.
Houston Chronicle
It turns out the iPad isnt as much a laptop replacement as I thought (though it could easily be used as one). Instead, its an entirely new category of mobile device. For example, now when I want to surf the Web from the couch or back deck, the iPad is the device I choose. Starbucks? Same thing. Think of the iPad as a new arrow in your technology quiver, an arrow that will often be the best tool for a given task. I had high expectations for the iPad, and it has met or exceeded most of them.
Suntimes
When I say that Apple has done it again, Im not leading off my iPad review with a vague and tired old cliche. Im noting that Apple has a reliable habit of taking a concept or technology that weve already seen, and then tweaking the industrys nose by demonstrating how it should have been done from the very beginning. They articulate the basic idea in a way that blows past cool and arrives at cool, compelling, and relevant. A device that at long, long last makes utter and perfect sense, and kicks off a new wave of innovation, a new round of imitation, and sometimes even a new era in computing...The iPad is new, and revolutionary. And after a week of using it in my office, a day of using it freely in the real world, and after sampling the first releases of third party software, I know for sure that its been done right.
Recommended Apps
Here is a Google Document where you can view recommended apps and add your own
Related Threads
Link to the reveal thread. Haters be owned? Check back in the future!
iPad Gaming Thread
*Thanks to Pristine_Condition for the banner*
Purchase an iPad and this can be you!
64GB wifi, but I keep waffling on the 3G.
