Engadget is providing a live blog feed from the Apple event taking place today where president Steve Jobs is announcing the release of the much-anticipated, much-ballyhooed and much-speculated about device we now know is called the iPad. Here are a few photos that give us our first look at this new device, which Apple hopes will revolutionize mobile computing:
Click HERE to follow along with Engadget‘s live blog from the event (which auto-refreshes every 30 seconds). When it’s all said and done, I’ll update this post with specifics.
After the jump, check out official photos of the iPad and read the deets about this “magical” new Apple device …
Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs has unveiled the iPad, a tablet-style computer that resembles the iPhone, but larger. “It’s so much more intimate than a laptop and so much more capable than a smart phone,” Jobs said Wednesday at the device’s highly anticipated debut in San Francisco. Apple had kept its “latest creation” tightly under wraps, though many analysts had correctly speculated that it would be a one-piece tablet computer with a big touch screen, larger than an iPhone but smaller than a laptop. The iPad has a 9.7-inch touch screen. It is a half-inch thick, weighs 1.5 pounds and comes with 16, 32 or 64 gigabytes of flash memory storage. The device comes with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless technology, but no mention was immediately made of a data connection through a wireless carrier. Jobs said the battery lasts for 10 hours, and that the device can sit for a month on standby without needing a charge. The CEO demonstrated how the iPad is used for surfing the Web with Apple’s Safari browser. He typed an e-mail using an on-screen keyboard and flipped through photo albums by flicking his finger across the screen. Jobs said the iPad will also be better for reading books, playing games and watching video than either a laptop or a smart phone. The iPad comes with software including a calendar, maps, a video player and iPod software for playing music. All seem to have been slightly redesigned to take advantage of the iPad’s bigger screen.
Pricing will start at $499 for the 16-gigabyte version, $599 for the 32-gig version and $699 for the 64-gig version. The Wifi only iPads will begin shipping in 60 days, the 3G version in 90 days. Apple has, once again, teamed up with AT&T for mobile connectivity with pricing starting at $14.99 for 250mb a month of usage, $29.99 a month unlimited usage WITHOUT a contract. The AT&T packages will be prepaid only … and the iPad will come unlocked, meaning you could put in any GSM SIM card for connectivity. All in all, it sounds like a cool toy … I don’t like that it doesn’t seem to run multiple apps and is basically just a larger iTouch/iPhone. I might have to take a pass on getting this toy when it comes out. Click HERE to be notified by Apple when the iPad becomes available. What do y’all think … is this new device must own?
They should have named it iSlate. I mean, iPad . . . really?
That is exactly what I was thinking Daniel! That is a horrible name.
@Daniel @krissy — I like iPad … it’s simple like iPod.
How exactly will you use this as a phone. It’s huge! I’ll stick with the Iphone.
@Meghan — It’s not a phone, it’s a computer.
No way! iPad is a horrible name! it makes me think of maxi pads, those horrible inventions hahaha.
I have to agree with others, I like iSlate better
Bahahahahaha! @ The Wall Street Journal
(Something tells me that had the NY Times said that, Glen Beck would be crying next to his dry erase board.)
iPad is a TERRIBLE name.
Trent have u seen this madtv sketch from 06 on iPad?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1BUH9eXy18
iPad is a horrible name, but WANT anyway. Haha. I just bought an awesome new PC last year though, so I don’t think I’ll be able to justify it for a while.
i’m a PC :]]
iTampon. How disappointing, Steve Jobs.
What’s the big deal? Isn’t it a huge ipod touch?
iPod touch + e-reader + iWork + big screen + 3g = iPad. I think it looks cool, but I would have liked it to have a camera (like on the macbooks) and a flash player. If it had flash so you could access sites like Hulu, I think that would make it a lot better. I think I’ll get one eventually, but not for at least another couple of years.
I’m definitely getting one. I loooove my iPhone and it would be great to have a bigger version of it to use!!
LOL is this the actual name?? didnt the apple company see the mad tv skit about the iPad? Ha…. hopefully the people who buy this product are the kind who watch snl instead of mad tv.. but seriously.. iPAD? i hope they dont release the iRack or iRan anytime soon…
It should be called iDisappointing. I think this is going to go the same route as the Macbook Air, pretty to look at, cool concept, but in reality, just not practical for anything.
iPad is a bad name. Just call it the iMaxi.
Can’t wait to buy second gen.
I LOVE my macbook air and transporting this will be even easier. Flash would be a nice feature for them to include next time…
@jessica — YES, I agree … second gen iPad is gonna rule.
I’m still loving my NETBOOK more. This new device pales in comparison to what I can do on my MSI. IMO. And I got 160 gigs of storage. What is it with Apple loading their devices with small amounts of memory? Trent I agree with you that the second gen will probably rock all our worlds. This is a nice start and I do love my iMac, but good luck Apple. This may be a hard sell in the beginning.
Do I need it? Definitely no. Do I want it? Definitely yes.
It cracks me up how Apple introduces a new toy, and everyone falls all over themselves to get their hands on one. I mean, really? I don’t know about you, but I don’t really have a pressing need to surf the web in random places on something that looks like a ginormous iPhone. Apple says “jump”, and all the cool kids say “how high?”.