First the iMac, then the iBook, then the iPod followed by the iPhone and the iTouch. And to continue the generation Apple’s released their latest technological innovation, the iPad , a touch screen tablet today. One of the most hyped products of the year, with pre-release security so tight that not a single image/review leaked out, the iPad is riding on the hopes and expectations of millions. The Apple tablet is what many say a sequel to the Apple iBook.

Apple tablet

The Apple tablet is expected to single handedly save newspapers, magazines, and book publishers, while simultaneously killing Amazon’s Kindle, another tablet introduced by Amazon.com . The idea is that Apple’s tablet will provide a superior user experience as compared to any other e-reader like the kindle, and that consumers will favor a multi-purpose device over a dedicated reading device . As a result, the tablet is expected to become the digital reading device of choice among the masses.

According to Steve Jobs’ official statement at the iPad’s release today, the iPad uses the iPhone Operating System, Apple’s own A4 chip, 4G wireless networking, and is capable of using 16 to 64 gigabytes of flash memory, at $499 to $699, respectively, for Wi-Fi. 3G connectivity is currently available through AT&T. The device is positioned between the iPod and mac. It is meant to be superior at web browsing, e-book and video viewing, audio and interactive tasks than its competitor categories – phones and PCs. The iPad is iPod software-compatible, is 0.5 inches thick, and claims a 10-hour battery life. It weighs 1.5 pounds with a 9.7 inch touchscreen.