Last week, the Apple iPad was unveiled in San Francisco. The tablet computer, similar in design and operation to the iPhone, will start shipping in late March and could be in competition with e-reader devices like the Amazon Kindle and the Barnes and Noble Nook.
Plenty of hype and speculation preceded the announcement. Since the iPad has been revealed, the device has continued to cause plenty of talk in the media and on the Internet.
Roger Fidler, program director for digital publishing at the Reynolds Journalism Institute and a national expert in e-readers, said the iPad is being marketed as a new tool for Web browsing, communication, entertainment and reading.
The device, which ranges from $499 to $829, is a full-color, touch-screen device that allows consumers to buy books for electronic reading, has a Web browser, can play music and videos and has organizational tools.
There have also been some complaints about features lacking with the device. Features the iPad doesn’t have include a camera, Adobe Flash support for its Web browser and the ability to multitask, a feature found with other tablet computers.
What do you think about the Apple iPad? Do you plan on purchasing the device?