Today Apple announced the iPad, their long-rumored tablet. The device has no keyboard and instead relies on a multitouch interface.
Develop reports that iPad is "0.5 inches thin, weighs 1.5 pounds, has a 9.7-inch display, full capacitive multi-touch, and it runs Apple's own 1GHz A4 chip, with between 16GB and 64GB of flash memory storage." It comes with Wi-Fi and BlueTooth support and select models will have 3G from AT&T. Its battery lasts for 10 hours and it can stay on standby for up to a month.
All iPhone apps are compatible with the iPad. They can be run in their original resolution in windows or at full-screen. Jobs promises that the device will be better than the iMac and iPhone as a gaming platform, media player, and web browser. Apparently there's still no Flash support, though.
Among the other new features of the iPad is an eBook app called iBooks (via Gizmodo). Publishers such as Penguin, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Macmillan, and Hachette have signed on to provide content for the iBooks store.
The Wi-Fi-only iPad will be available in late March worldwide for the following prices: $499 (US) for the 16GB model, $599 (US) for the 32GB model, $699 (US) for the 64GB model. The Wi-Fi + 3G models are due in April in the US and select other countries. The 16 GB Wi-Fi + 3G model will cost $629, the 32GB model is $729, and the 64 GB is $829.
