Apple's New iPad

Apple's rollout of its new iPad tablet device became the usual media circus that we've come to expect from Apple product announcements. Speculation in advance of the presentation was pretty accurate with respect to what the device would do and what features it would have. Perhaps the only suspense was the name, iPad, which was a bit of an upset over the rumored favorite, iSlate.

Various models of the iPad start at $499. Models that connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi only range from $499-$699, and will be available starting in March. The other line of iPads connects with both Wi-Fi and 3G. Those models will sell for $629-$829 and will be available in April. The 3G connection is via the AT&T network - like the iPhone - but will not require a contract.

Tablet computes have been around for years, but they haven't sold well. Many people have regarded them as an inferior version of a laptop, or an overgrown PDA. In reality, there's little new, technologically, in the iPad. Its architecture is very much like the iPhone. In fact, "an overgrown iPhone" was the standard description of the device by those who saw it unveiled at the launch event. The potential for the iPad's success comes from how Apple has applied its many assets from previous devices to this one.