Apple launches the iPad – no telephony, no camera, 3G optional, cheaper than expected!

Paul Nesbitt

Apple finally unveiled its long-awaited and much hyped slate computer, and the iPad had some surprises: starting from $499 it is cheaper than expected, but it comes with no phone, no camera and 3G is optional.

After years of speculation, Apple launched the iPad, a slate computer, which Apple said is designed to fill the gap between the low end of the company's MacBook range of laptops and the iPhone / iPod touch lines.

The iPad is a slimline (0.5in) tablet computer with a 9.7in IPS display, which weighs just 1.5lb. It comes with a range of built-in flash storage ranging from 16Gb for the entry level machine up to 64Gb. The user interface is a mix between the iPhone and the Mac. The underlying OS is essentially the iPhone OS.

The iPad comes with Bluetooth 2.1 (+EDR) and WiFi 802.11n built in, along with optional 3G with some of the higher-end models, which will be available in the US within 60 days (or 90 days for the 3G models).

The iPad will not be available for international markets, including the UK, until June or July, while Apple ties up content and network deals with its partners. No UK network has made any announcement about whether it has any deal with Apple to carry the iPad.

In an echo of the company's initial launch of the iPhone, Apple has not offered the iPad at a price, subisidised by a monthly network contract. Indeed, the 3G iPad models are unlocked and they use the new GSM microSIMs.

Apple is pricing the entry-level 16Gb iPad at $499, with the 32Gb model costing $599 and the 64Gb model coming in at $799.

The 3G-equipped iPads cost $629, $729 and $829 for the 16, 32 and 64Gb models respectively.

Although the iPad can run almost all of the 140,000-odd iPhone apps, with no telephony or built-in camera, Apple has clearly positioned the iPad as a souped up games machine, e-book reader and media player, rather than as any kind of alternative to a mobile phone.

Apple CEO, Steve Jobs pointed out that the iPad has a battery life of ten hours, meaning that it can play back several full length movies on the go. Apple also announced tie-ups with five major book publishers and the New York Times.

'So all of us use laptops and smartphones. The question has arisen: "Is there room for something in the middle? We've wondered for years as well. In order to create that category, they have to be far better at doing some key tasks; better than the laptop, better than the smartphone,' said Jobs as he introduced the iPad.

'What kind of tasks? Browsing the web. Doing email. Enjoying and sharing pics. Watching videos. Enjoying music. Playing games. Reading ebooks.

'If there's gonna be a third category, it has to be better at these tasks; otherwise it has no reason for being,' said Jobs.