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Along with a big screen, it’s sporting a 1Ghz custom Apple chip (from its pick-up of PA Semi back in 2008). Apple says it can get 10 hours of video, which is about four more than the iPod Touch and the same as the latest generation iPhone. This translates to “a month” of standby time. The iPad will come in 16, 32, and 64GB capacities for $499, $599, and $699, respectively. That’s just the Wi-Fi version though. Apple will also be selling a version of the iPad that includes both Wi-Fi and a 3G wireless modem built in. iPad users who want to make use of the 3G service, which is being offered by AT&T, can pick up one of two plans for that: $15 a month for 250MB of data, or unlimited for $29.99 a month. It also bumps up the baseline price of the device to $629 (16GB), $729 (32GB), and $829 (64GB).

The iPad with just Wi-Fi will be shipping in the next 60 days, with the 3G version in the next 90 days. 

Other noteworthy specs:

• The Wi-Fi antenna supports 802.11 a/b/g/n

• The iPad weighs just 1.5 pounds. The version with 3G is .1 pounds heavier.

• The screen resolution is 1024×768 (the iPhone/iPod is 480×320).

• It can playback 720p HD video, though video output to external sources is limited to 480p. • It has the same oleophobic coating that made its debut on the iPhone 3GS. This helps face and finger grease bead up and wipe off easier.

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Bigger apps

As for apps, the iPad’s screen runs larger than what can be found on Apple’s smaller portable devices, which means developers have more screen real estate to work with. At the same time, the iPad is backwards compatible with existing iPhone and iPod Touch applications. Apps with smaller screen resolutions are simply scaled up to fit. Apple is giving developers a way to modify their applications to work with both sets of hardware.

Other tidbits

• Apple confirmed to CNET that the iPad is just like the iPhone and iPod Touch when it comes to Adobe Flash–it does not support the popular Web plug-in.

• 250,000,000 iPods have been sold since 2001.

• Apple has 248 retail stores that have seen 50 million visitors.

• The App Store now has more than 140,000 applications.

• There is still no multitasking. Apps can only run one at a time, that is, unless they’re Apple’s apps.

• The iPad appears to use Apple’s unibody machining process, which made its formal debut in the company’s late 2008 MacBook line.

• The new OS borrows a few cues from Snow Leopard, including the capability to change background wallpapers, and a 3D-style dock.

• 125 million credit cards are already hooked up to the iTunes and App Store.

• Apple is selling a number of first-party accessories, including a dock with a full-sized keyboard, a camera connection kit that lets users import images from their SD cards, and a case that doubles as a stand. Apple has not announced pricing for any of these items.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2Hz8dhQw8Q[/youtube]