After months of rumors and speculation, Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the much anticipated oversized iPhone, iTampon iPad today.  The combination smartphone/notebook “touch” tablet that utilizes all the features of an iPhone (minus the phone), a laptop and so much more.

Apple’s claim is that every application has been completely redesigned specifically for the iPad.  So everything that you thought you knew about iPhone apps or core Mac functions like web browsing, emailing, movie and photo viewing is null and void.  But… you guessed it… With the “new” iPad, every said function is the best you ever had © Drake

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The new iPad packs a 9.7 inch screen, weighs in at just 1.5 lbs and is only 0.5 inches thin.  The battery is said to last up to 10 hours, all devices include Bluetooth 2.1, WiFi AND/OR 3G access and are available in either 16GB or 64GB storage capacities.  Starting price $499 US for the most basic WiFi 16GB and goes up to $829 US for the most shiniest WiFi+3G 64GB one.

Without a physical one in hand, my first thoughts are that of probably every other iPhone user on the planet and that is “so what’s the big diff?”  BIG agreed, whether or not it has redefined how we use the internet and related tasks, I doubt it.  On Twitter, it’s been a timeline of mixed reviews from “the next best thing to a netbook” to ” totally underwhelmed with it’s offerings.”  Yikes!

Not set to be launched in Canada until March (WiFi models) or late April/May for 3G models due to data price plan issues and other international tariffs stuff (sigh), guaranteed there will be a Canadian sighting or two before then.

Check out Apple’s official iPad video and visit the official iPad website for more features and info.

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