Apple iPad’s Key features: The things you need to know

Apple CEO Steve Jobs has announced the iPad at the Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco. The iPad will be able to browse the web, read email, books and play games as well as work with Apple's iTunes store. Prices for the iPad will start at $499 and Wi-Fi models will ship in March followed by 3G models in April. Let’s take a look at the key features that iPad will bring you.

Key features the new Apple iPad got:

iBooks

This is Apple’s first electronic book store, and it allows users to download and buy books on the move. Deals have already been struck with publishers, including Penguin and HarperCollins. Once a user has bought a book, it appears on a virtual bookshelf, complete with cover art, and can then be read on the device in full color. Users can even change the font of the books they are reading. It uses the open-source ePub format, which means books downloaded will be compatible with other devices.

iWork

Apple has developed a special iPad version of its iWork software suite, which makes it possible to create and view documents, spreadsheets and presentations on the device. That makes it a real rival to a laptop, because it can be plugged into a projector. The device can also view slides in PDF files via Adobe Acrobat.

Connectivity

The iPad has wireless internet as standard, but there’s also a 3G option – you would have to pay a mobile phone tariff, but the device would then always be connected to the internet.

Applications

The key selling point of the iPhone has become the vast library of applications that can be downloaded for it – from train information to video games. The iPad will take that model, play all the same apps, but also nurture a new market for a different kind of software, using its larger, multitouch interface.

Web, email and iTunes

Effortless use of the internet will be crucial to the success of this device. Apple’s aim is to make the web seem “more intimate”. With a touchscreen interface, email is easier than on the iPhone. And an iPod is built in: connect it to speakers via WiFi and this is a great device to use on the sofa.

At the same time, the Internet is flooded with constructive criticism of the iPad, which one believes will inspire Apple Inc. to come up with a better upgraded edition next time around. Even jokes are doing the round comparing the US$ 499 iPad to a US$ 4.99 watermelon. Here are a few of the (expected) iPad features that Apple followers think it should have had.

Few Features the new Apple iPad lacks:

Camera missing

The iPad doesn’t have a camera, and has let down the expectation of millions of Apple customers. A camera with enabled video conferencing and/or video chats was high on the list of expected features.

Devoid of multitasking

Analysts consider it a huge setback for Apple iPad as it does not supported multitasking. It shows that although Apple has re-jiggered iPhone OS to work on this device, it still cannot run background processes.

No widescreen display

The iPad comes with a 9.7-inch IPS display; however, it does not match the 16:9 standard screen dimensions, which most of today's devices conform to. Yet, the iPad screen display will be capable of showing HD movies.

Flash

The Apple iPad’s Safari browser doesn't have Flash, just as its counterpart – the iPhone. Analysts believe that the non-existence of Flash is perhaps one of iPad’s biggest limitations. Flash, which is one of the most universal applications, present on almost 98 percent of all computers, is however argued by Apple as a ‘technology’ that is too slow for the iPhone as well. What one finds strange is, how can Apple think it can get away without Flash?

Mac OS missing

The iPad runs a new in-house built 1GHz processor that Apple calls the A4. That appears to be fine at the moment for iPhone OS. However, experts believe the iPad would have been more efficient with a full OS X, transcending it to an entirely different level.

GPS missing

The iPad which has an accelerometer for a great gaming experience goes missing with the GPS feature. That suggests that Google Maps will have to rely on 3G and/or Wi-Fi to locate the iPad.

Not enough storage space

Although the iPad can sync content with iTunes and users can even add or remove content at will, 64GB (max size) is just not enough for games, movies and music – as much you would like to carry around.

Removable Battery

The iPad like the iPhone and the newer laptops doesn't have a user-removable battery.

No HDMI

Apple has surprisingly missed out on an HDMI port. This is strange considering how Apple could possibly skip a feature like that, which calls for easy compatibility with today's HDTVs.

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