Breaking News - March Launch for the Apple iPad!

Gadget girl says: "Get out your wallets .. the Apple iPad officially launches in late March and at only US$499 (US) for the 16GB model, $599 (US) for the 32GB model, $699 (US) for the 64GB model." The new ipad is 127mm thick and weighs just 68 grams and has a touch screen that is 24.6cm diagonally and will run almost all of the over 140,000 apps in the App Store.

If you are curious, here is what this new baby can deliver: 

Web Browsing

The iPad comes in two versions—one with Wi-Fi and the other with both Wi-Fi and 3G. iPad includes the latest 802.11n Wi-Fi, and the 3G versions support speeds up to 7.2 Mbps on HSDPA networks. The device has a Bluetooth function, a 10 hour battery life and you don't have to charge it for upto a month if it is left on standby mode.

Read and send email through a touch screen pad (same as the iphone)

Reading and sending email will be fun and easy on iPad’s large screen and almost full-size “soft” keyboard. Apple has also introduced a new version of iWork® for iPad, the first desktop-class productivity suite designed specifically for Multi-Touch. With Pages®, Keynote® and Numbers® you can create beautifully formatted documents, stunning presentations with animations and transitions, and spreadsheets with charts, functions and formulas. The three apps will be available separately through the App Store for US$9.99 each.

View photos at the flick of your finger, watch videos

Import photos from a Mac®, PC or digital camera, see them organized as albums, and enjoy and share them using iPad’s elegant slideshows. Watch movies, TV shows and YouTube, all in HD,

Read a book

Flip through pages of an e-book you downloaded from Apple’s new iBookstore while listening to your music collection. The ibook store will rival the Amazon.com and Kindle ebook store with titles from Penguin, Simon and Schuster, Harper Collins, the Hachette Book Group and Macmillan with other publishing houses soon adding up to the glossary of branded names in the who's who of the publishing business.

Listen to music

iPad syncs with iTunes just like the iPhone and iPod touch, using the standard Apple 30-pin to USB cable, so you can sync all of your contacts, photos, music, movies, TV shows, applications and more from your Mac or PC. All the apps and content you download on iPad from the App Store, iTunes Store and iBookstore will be automatically synced to your iTunes library the next time you connect with your computer.

Play games

The iPad will have an accelerometer so gamers can tilt the device to control what is happening on the screen.

One App fits all

The iPad will run almost all of the over 140,000 apps on the App Store, including apps already purchased for your iPhone® or iPod touch®. The iTunes® Store gives you access to the world’s most popular online music, TV and movie store with a catalog of over 11 million songs, over 50,000 TV episodes and over 8,000 films including over 2,000 in stunning high definition video.

Recyclable and Environmentally friendly

Each iPad enclosure will be made of highly recyclable aluminum and comes standard with energy-efficient LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass. iPad contains no brominated flame retardants and is completely PVC-free.

The Wi-Fi + 3G models of iPad will be available in April in the US and selected countries for a suggested retail price of $629 (US) for the 16GB model, $729 (US) for the 32GB model and $829 (US) for the 64GB model. Look out for details on the sale where to's and how to's in Asia - only available at a later date.

- Elaine