Apple iPad: features, specifications and cost

Apple has launched a new tablet style  mobile computing device named “iPad” on 27 Jan. According to the words of Apple’s CEO, “iPad is our most advanced technology in a magical and revolutionary device at an unbelievable price”,  iPad creates and defines an entirely new category of devices that will connect users with their apps and content in a much more intimate, intuitive and fun way than ever before”.

Features

Dimensions and built: 0.5 Inch thick, Weighs 1.5 Pound, enclosure is made of highly recyclable Aluminium.

Display: High resolution9.7-inch multi touch screen display, LED back light, Using IPS (Inter plane switching) technology  with an ultra-wide 178 degree viewing angle.

Keyboard: Touch screen soft keypad. The tablet uses multi-touch finger gestures and swipes like the iPhone . Facility to connect the iPad Keyboard Dock with a full-size traditional keyboard.

Processor: iPad is powered by Apple’s  1GHz , A4 Chip, Flash memory, ranging from 16 to 64 GB .

Battery backup: 10 hours long backup and Adaptive Charging technology deliver up to 1,000 charge cycles without a significant decrease in battery capacity over a typical five year lifespan.

Connectivity: Two versions of iPads available-One with WiFi and the other with Both WiFi and 3G. The WiFi standard is latest 802.11n and 3G versions support speed up to 7.2 Mbps on HSDPA networks. In US,  AT&T will provide the 3G service. The 250 MB data plan costs  $14.99 a month and unlimited mobile data plan will cost $29.99 a month.

Applications: Bundled with 12 new applications designed especially for the iPad, and will run almost all of the over 140,000 apps in the App Store. You can use the applications purchased for iPhone or iPod. Every application works in both portrait and landscape, automatically animating between views as the user rotates iPad in any direction. The new application iBook allows users to read ebooks from Apple’s iBook store.

Cost and availability: 16 GB- US$499, 32GB-599US$, 64 GB-699US$. All these prices are for simple WiFi models only. If you want a WiFi + 3G iPad, it will cost an additional 130US$. The basic model of iPad will be available in late March worldwide and WiFi + 3G models will be shipped in April in  US and selected countries.