Apple unveils the 'magical' iPad

The Apple CEO Steve Jobs described iPad as an extraordinary device that provides  the best browsing experience... unbelievably great... greater than iPhone.. Steve Jobs captured the audience once again. The last time was the iPhone and now it is the iPad. He has got the attention of the masses.

So what is this magical device? What is unique about it? Why is it getting so much of media attention?
It is a computer.. a computer without real keyboard and mouse.... wait .. not just a computer....  it is a a portable book ...a photo frame... a music box... and what not!

Lets look into its features - It is thin and light, just 9.7 inches when measured diagonally and weighs  about 1.5 pounds. It has LED-backlit that makes it perfect for web browsing, watching movies and viewing photos. It has excellent color and contrast and has a multi-touch screen just like iPhone that work in any orientation. It has both wifi and cellular access. It has 802.11n to support fast wifi network and 3G cellular access if wifi network is not available. And the best part is that it has 10 hours of battery life! And ofcourse like iPhone, you can use your fingers to scroll up and down and pinch to zoom in or out.

Although it is still 90 days to hit the market, I think it will become a popular device very soon - just like the iPohne. Yes, it is a bit pricey - $499 for the lowest end. But then remember even the iPhone was expensive - $399 when it came out but still it sold out and was difficult to get at stores. The iPhone success story is going to drive the iPad market. People believe in Apple coz they saw the technology worked amazingly well in iPhone. The multi-touch screen experience in iPhone and iPod made the consumers yearn for the same experience in their everyday computer.

Is this the first product of this kind? Surprisingly not true. Microsoft has been selling tablet-shaped computers for years. The Microsoft tablet PC is a fully-functional personal computer running Microsoft Windows XP that is geared for pen-enabled, handwriting-enabled, and speech-enabled applications. However, Microsoft Tablet PC has caught on mainly in niche business markets like health care and transportation and has not reached the common man. Maybe because it is expensive or maybe because it is from Microsoft.

The other product that iPad is going to compete is  Amazon's electronic book - Kindle. Compared to iPad, Kindle is a simple device - just half as heavy as iPad, has an E Ink display that is easy on the eyes even in bright daylight, has two weeks of battery life, and 3G wireless with no monthly fees for just $259. It is just an electronic book and not a computer! It is only time that will tell which is going to be more popular.