Apple Unveils Much-Anticipated iPad Tablet
By Arlen Schweiger
Apple's 'iPad' will feature a 9.7-inch screen, apps functionality of an iPod touch and range from $499 to $829 based on capacity and networking.

It walks and talks like an iPod touch — only it has a much larger screen, which will entice you to do more with it.

At least that seems to be the hopes of Apple and Steve Jobs, who announced the much-anticipated iPad Tablet today in San Francisco.

The iPad, which features a capacitive 9.7-inch touchscreen, will be available in prices ranging from $499 to $829 depending on storage size and Wi-Fi/3G wireless networking capability.



The 16-, 32- and 64-GB models with built in Wi-Fi will be $499, $599 and $699, respectively, while 3G of the same sizes are $629, $729 and $829 (not including data plans).

Look for Wi-Fi models to start shipping in 60 days and 3G models in 90 days, according to CNET.

The iPad appears to have all the functionality of an iPod touch, with the same slick navigation, access to open-architecture applications, touch keypad and more. Only the iPad has a 9.7-inch screen, which obviously makes activities like web browsing and e-reading much more palatable.

Activities demonstrated throughout the announcement included high-resolution video from YouTube and MLB.com, a Facebook app, Internet browsing, e-reading from The New York Times and a virtual bookshelf, gaming applications and more. Familiar iPod touch functionality like swipe scrolling and portrait/landscape were also shown.

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