It’s official, the Apple iPad is out of the dark and now in our hearts? or not. Was it worth the wait? Basically a modified iPhone with a large display that you can watch Youtube, high-def movies and tv shows on a 9.7-inch IPS display with full capacitive multi-touch. Apps will be available on hybrid iTunes similar to the iPhones but not exactly.

The iPad is also environmentally friendly, being Arsenic-free, BFR-free, Mercury-free, PVC-free system and Highly Recyclable.

It will have WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR and 16GB to 64GB flash storage with a 1GHz Apple A4 Chip and 10 hours of battery life.

You can flick through photos and emails just as you would on an iPhone, it has built-inc calendar, datebook and syncs with OSX calendar. There’s a keyboard on the giant screen which makes it almost life size.

The iPad has a built-in accelerometer of course, it turns as you turn it so you can see an entire web page, apparently it is “the best browsing experience you’ve ever had.”

Apple will highlight apps that are created explicitly for the iPad in the iPad store as well. You can get iPhone apps, of course, but they will highlight the special ones.

Apple.com today will have a new SDK that includes an iPad simulator to run the iPad apps on the Mac. “We’ve enhanced the iPhone SDK to support development for the iPad as well, and we’re releasing the SDK today.”

iBooks are out.  The much anticipated eBook reader app for the iPad will have a bookshelf style display letting you look at the side of the book when it’s on a shelf.  Looking down at a book while reading and looking at what appears to be paper, rather than a blank white canvas like a website will give it some more realism.    The iBook store will be populated initially by Penguin, Harper Collins, Simon & Schuster, Macmillan, Hachette book group.

Apple will be shipping iPads in 60 days, worldwide availability of Wi-Fi models. 90 days for the 3G models. The prices are as follows:

• 16GB with WiFi $499, 3G + WiFi $629
• 32GB with WiFi $599, 3G + WiFi $729
• 64GB with WiFi $699, 3G + WiFi $829

Accessories for the iPad will include an official Apple keyboard dock for easier typing, and a case/kickstand made from leather, and doubles as both a case and stand, optimizing viewing and keeping the display protected.

The keyboard is the same as the normal Apple keyboard just with a stand attached to the back to make your iPad stand up straight.

If you end up with a 3G iPad, then data plans will be offered through AT&T, a $30 per month with no contract one can get you padding, plus you can cancel any time with no penalty. It also includes use of the vastly dispersed AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots.

Stay tuned for the official release or check the live blogging going on at Gizmodo.

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The developer program is being rolled out in February, Kindle applications “active content” will be a limited beta to select third-party developers. It will include the KDK (Kindle Development Kit), sample code, documentation, developer support and Mac, Windows and Linux emulators.

The rumoured Apple iSlate, iPad or iTablet, whichever it may be next week, will be in competition with the Kindle as it is said to offer ebook support and third party development applications. The iPhone and iPod touch have seen massive growth because of its readily available development kit.

Amazon will also change the payment structure for publishers selling ebooks online. With a bit of fine print, ok lots of fine print, and several restrictions and stipulations, a 70/30 split will be paid out to publishers who fit the Amazon criteria.

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Our friends over at Gizmodo have launched a sweepstakes to give away an Apple Tablet, or whatever it may be called, once it is released. The contest is really simple, you just have to be a bit psychic.

What will the features be of the new Apple device? What OS will it have? What name will it be under? How much memory? What type of screen size? The one who guesses closest to what it really ends up being will be the winner. The Apple tablet may be announced on Wednesday the 27th, so you better head on over and enter now.

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Apple has sent out invitations to reporters to “come see our latest creation” event, which is taking place on January 27th 2010 at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theatre, San Francisco at 10AM PST.

Not many details are being given about the event, though the graphic on the invitation does resemble an “artists tablet”, so we can only be inclined to assume that this is where Apple is heading. The Apple Tablet, or perhaps the Apple iTablet, will possibly be targeted to artists who will use the tablet as a canvas with some type of Apple stylus device.

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A few days back during a French radio station called Europe1, Orange France VP Stéphane Richard was questioned about the rumors that Apple is announcing a webcam-enabled Tablet within the next few days. Richard answered Oui! Meaning, Yes! in english. He then commented that Orange customers would be benefiting from it.

Gawker Media most recently posted a bounty on anyone who can provide information relating to the tablet. If you can get them an Apple Tablet to play with for an afternoon, you can expect a cool $100,000 coming your way. Whoever would do it, well, their legal bill could probably be 10x that after Steve has a go at them. Apple’s attorney sent Gawker a cease and desist letter, in all actuality confirming there is something to hide.

Although you would expect an exec like Stéphane Richard to be more media-savvy and not slip up on trade secret protected information, it could all be a ploy to “build up the hype” before we get let down by a rushed multi-incapable over-priced slimmed down Apple-device.  January 27th is the rumored launch date.  We will have to see what happens then.

What are your thoughts on Apple’s tablet? What would you like to see it have?

The post Orange exec outs Apple Tablet, Gizmodo confirms? appeared first on Mobile Magazine.