So after the waiting, the faking, the rumours and the frenzy in the blogosphere, Apple has, finally, unveiled the iPad. Launching the device, Apple CEO Steve Jobs described it as a third category  between Smartphones and laptops. The iPad will sell for between $499 (309) and $829 in the US.
Looking a little like a supersized iPhone, the iPad can be used for browsing the web, reading and sending email, watching photos and videos, listening to music, playing games, and reading e-books. It comes in two versions, one with wi-fi, the other with both wi-fi and 3G. Both feature a 9.7-inch (25cm) multi-touch display, accelerometer, digital compass, and 16-64GB of flash memory. Its half an inch thick, weighs 0.7kg, and is powered by A4, Apples next-generation system-on-a-chip. Alongside the launch of the iPad, Apple has also unveiled the iBookstore, an iPhone app that will enable iPhone users to download e-books from the iTunes Store to the iPad.
Apple has also released a Software Development Kit (SDK) for iPad. The SDK includes a simulator that lets developers test and debug their iPad apps on a Mac, and create universal applications that run on iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.
The iPad will be available in late March worldwide for a suggested retail price of $499 for the 16GB model, $599 for the 32GB model, $699 for the 64GB model. The wi-fi + 3G models will be available in April in the US and selected countries for a suggested retail price of $629 for the 16GB model, $729 for the 32GB model and $829 for the 64GB model.