Apple iPad unveiled, like, for real f'real

by James Ransom-Wiley on Jan 27th 2010 1:10PM

It's finally over ... and it's just beginning! Apple has introduced the iPad to the world, ending a long-drawn-out development phase fraught with rumor and speculation. Today -- like, just now -- the iPad made its stage debut at Apple's "Latest Creation" event in San Francisco.

Quite the production, er, introduction, eh? Here's what we know right off the bat, courtesy of Steve Jobs:

"It's very thin -- you can change the homescreen to whatever you want"
"You can browse the web with it"
"Phenomenal for mail"
"Album, photos ... you can look at all of them, flick through them, it's a wonderful way to share. Calendar ... months ..."
"We have the iTunes store built right in. YouTube and YouTube in HD"
"And it's awesome to watch movies and TV"
"Even bigger than the DSi XL" (okay, so Steve didn't say that -- we did!)

Cool, but does it play games? Update: Yep, it does -- your old iPhone games! We even played a few in our hands-on preview.

Some additional specs: 0.5-inches thin; 1.5 pounds; 9.7-inch IPS display; multi-touch; powered by 1GHz Apple A4 chip; available in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models; Bluetooth 2.1 plus EDR and 802.11n WiFi; speakers, mic and 30-pin connector; syncs over USB; and up to 10-hour battery life. First-party accessories include a standard dock (think: picture-frame mode), a keyboard dock and a case.

As for pricing, the 16GB model is $499 (or $629 with 3G compatibility); or 32GB for $599 ($729 with 3G); or 64GB for $699 ($829 with 3G). 3G-compatible models have an option between two data plans through AT&T: 250MB of data per month for $14.99 or unlimted data per month for $29.99. The data plans are prepaid and activated directly on the iPad -- there's no contract (so you can cancel anytime). WiFi models ship in 60 days (late March); 3G units in 90 (late April).

Apple iPad

Tags: 3g, accessories, apple, apple-ipad, apple-tablet, battery-life, dock, ipad, islate, itablet, keyboard, latest-creation, pricing, specs, tablet, wifi

Reader Comments (165)

it really does look like a giant i phone :D

Just without the phone. It's really just a giant iPod Touch....

WELL YOU KNOW I'M GONNA BE BETTER THAN YOU WHEN I BUY IT!

IT WON'T EVEN B E OVERPRICED I'D SWAP MY CHILDREN FOR ONE AND STILL CONSIDER IT A GOOD DEAL

I called it: ROUNDED CORNERS!!!

it netbook with a good graphics chip a touchscreen and no keyboard and runs the iPhone OS instead of a full operating system. but will cost twice as much as netbook. who is this targeted to exactly?

They should have just called it iPod Touch XL, or iPhone XL.

In other news. Why is this on Joystiq? Can't the Macsturbation stay confined to Engadget until the gaming stuff is known?

"Why is this on Joystiq? Can't the Macsturbation stay confined to Engadget until the gaming stuff is known?"

Wouldn't that be kind of be like not covering the launch of a console until the games are announced?

@robert:

No.

It would be like not covering the launch of a blu-ray player until games are announced for it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1BUH9eXy18

"it netbook with a good graphics chip a touchscreen and no keyboard and runs the iPhone OS instead of a full operating system. but will cost twice as much as netbook. who is this targeted to exactly?"

Douchebags? I mean, that was the obvious answer even weeks ago.

I guess Joystiq is covering it because they attended the event, and you know damn well AOL wants at least a couple of articles to cover the cost of sending somebody there.

Samfish, that would be all fine and good if this were 3 years ago, or if the iphone/ipod touch never existed. But how is this innovating anything? It already exists. It has already existed for 3 years. It's just got a bigger screen now.

That UI you're talking about, those features you're talking about, I have all those in my hand right now, just on a smaller screen. It's literally EXACTLY the same, other than screen size and processing power.

I mean, you could literally take that press conference they just did, and do the whole thing with an ipod touch if you used some graphical effects to make it appear larger.

What kind of a stunt is Apple tying to pull?
This would be like nintendo upsizing their DSi and expecting people to buy it.
oh wait......

For sure, Steve Jobs released one of the best Tablet as for this moment, but seeing its flaws -- surely, made the impression that it really didn't 'beat' its contenders (Kindle/Netbook devices) At least on this model. Maybe, if they will release a 2G model, these disadvantages will be eliminated, but then again that begs the question.. Why should we buy this half-baked tablet, if 2G will be better?

In the end, it'll be up to your preferences and budget if you're going to have the iPad. More Details:
http://is.gd/7dl71

Well it looks cool but if any calls it innovative they need to be slapped.

"Hey they released something that's been done for years!"

To be honest, it could still be innovative. It could move the medium forward. I've never actually seen a tablet, but I'm sure I'll be seeing this one everywhere. They know what they're doing.

And they will, because people, sadly, are stupid.....

"Wow you've got an ipod",
"no it's an MP3 player",
"So it's an ipod??"

I give up......

At Firebird:

lmao - I hate society sometimes. uninformed idiots.

I'm calling dibs right now

iPhail

@Reuben:

Look up the HP Slate for a Tablet done right.

@ Reuben you've never seen a tablet PC because there is a very small market for them. barely anybody needs one. but when apple makes one that doesn't even have a full OS or keyboard people get super excited.

Yeah, tablet PCs are old school. I have one that I bought and never used.

The simple act of making one isn't innovative, but if the UI, features and such makes tablet computers a mainstream device, it is indeed considered an innovation.

Apple is the one who innovated the MP3 player with an easy to use navigation system and large amount of storage space.
They innovated the smart phone with a superior UI, better touchscreen technology and connectivity features.

There's no reason they can't do the same with a tablet.

If this is a tablet PC, where the heck is the freaking stylus? I want a tablet so I can draw, not finger paint on some third party app somebody whipped up in the app store gold rush. Oh but, oh boy, I can now read books and the words aren’t all tiny anymore! Great, because reading paperbacks and magazines was so immensely difficult before nook, kindle, or this enormous i-pod touch came out.

As a mac fan and an artist, I’m unimpressed.

@samfish:

The only thing Apple innovates anymore is marketing.

It's a big iPod Touch....someone tell me why people are creaming their pants.

'Cos you can watch porn on the go in HD.

lulz.. epic win

but seriously.. that is the real reason anyone would get this

thats why i'm getting 2 :)

Ummm...you already could do that on the iTouch/iPhone and on the go. It just gives you a better, larger screen. A better, larger screen that'll give you the ability to see all the train tracks on the girls who get train ran on them! Niiiicccceeeee!

Not a fan of that 1 inch border around the screen.

Neither am I.

We at apple make a smaller screen size as we're confident that you'll be buying it anyway, why not cut costs, you god damn sheep!

Well, where would you plan on holding it when you're using it? Tell me that.

Uhhh...I don't plan on using it because I think it's ridiculous?

That, sir, is also a valid response.

its a 500 dollar frisbee

I am laughing my ass off...it STILL doesn't have Flash support in Safari.

That would kill the battery you fool!!

Not having Flash support is a joke for a tablet.

Well - since Flash is both a bandwith and a CPU hog - and battery-life is a key thing on mobile *anything*. It's good it doesn't have Flash support.

Don't agree? Buy something else then. My CC is already in my hand. :P

most sites including Youtube are switching to HTML 5 over Flash.. isn't as a big an issue in the long run but I have to say I am underwhelmed. That border around the screen is a bit of a shocker too. I personally don't really have a use for that type of device anyways. My wife might like one but let's see the cost first..I am sure it will be priced out of what I would pay.

"Well - since Flash is both a bandwith and a CPU hog - and battery-life is a key thing on mobile *anything*. It's good it doesn't have Flash support."

For something they are advertising as better than a laptop for web use this is inexcusable. But, hey, waste your money if you want.

Adobe has tried their FlashLite development, but Apple refused to allow it to be on the iPhone, despite decreased requirements. It's all on Apple.

That's hilarious Y. Kurokawa. Then please explain to me why Flash works on just about EVERY other mobile platform and said mobile platforms ALL have better battery life than my iPhone that DOESN'T have Flash?

A 1GHz processor? LMAO.

@ el serpiente

and thats why I dislike Apple's business model, the control freaks that they are.

Flash does suck. It is the bane of the internet. Why else are there browser plug-ins that kill all flash modules? Regardless of Apple's stance on it, I can't wait for it to die. My old comp can play 720p movie files fine but flash is so crappy I can't watch crappy low-res videos smoothly. If Apple helps end the tyranny of flash I couldn't be happier.

Well, since Apple isn't likely to include Silverlight support...

Why is it, if an Apple product can't do it, it sucks?

@ el serpiente

I almost cried that was so well stated(no exaggerations on the well stated part)...sniff...sniff

Flash kills a lot of their business model in terms of the store. Why would someone buy a 99c cheap ass iPhone game when they could go online and play an equivalent Flash game. Apple just wants your moniez

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Apple iPad unveiled, like, for real f'real

Apple iPad

Reader Comments (165)

Posted: Jan 27th 2010 1:14PM laser beams said

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Posted: Jan 27th 2010 3:07PM Snow Leopard said

Posted: Jan 27th 2010 3:29PM Ordeith said

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Posted: Jan 27th 2010 1:50PM Ballistic H said

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