Apple iPad

The recently-unveiled Apple iPad tablet computer, which comes at a time when most of the computer makers are attempting to strike a balance between “niftiness” and price point, has already started causing confusion among potential users – while some say that the iPad quite similar to the Amazon Kindle, others are terming it as an “iPod Touch on steroids.”

The tablet device has been much hyped, especially over the past few months, and boasts of some truly notable features; but what is most questionable about it is – which category of users is the device actually aimed at?

Featuring a 9.7-inch touchscreen, the iPad is equipped with a scaled-up version of the iPhone operating system; and it enables the users to surf the web via the Safari browser; play music using iTunes; view e-mail; and get around using Google Maps.

In addition, the iPad tablet also features an iBook application that facilitates the reading of electronic books; a photo-viewing tool; a notebook utility for meetings; and Apple’s address book application to keep a track of the contacts.

Despite the noteworthy features, the success or otherwise of the iPad depends largely on two main factors – firstly, whether the device can attract book lovers from the Amazon Kindle e-reader, which is far more economically-priced at $259 as compared to the iPad’s base model cost of $459; and secondly, whether it will entice full-fledged computer users to go in for the switchover!