Apple unveiled its newest product to the world this week – the Apple iPad! Apple calls it a “revolutionary” product somewhere between the laptop and the smartphone. The iPad features a 9.8 inch screen, is half an inch thick, and weighs only 1.5 pounds.

Apple believes that the iPad will be the next big thing. Personally, it may take a bit more to convince me of that. Perhaps it may eventually live up to all the current hype but right now it looks like an oversized iTouch to me. The best things about it as far as I can see at this point are the ten hours of battery life and the large screen size. That being said, I can see how the iPad could catch on.

Some of the included features of the iPad are a calendar, maps, games and the software necessary for playing music. However, all of these are also standard with other iPods as well, so why should you buy the iPad? Well let’s talk about some of the pluses and minuses from an older generations viewpoint.

The large screen size is a definite plus! For those of us heading towards middle age, the increased screen size makes it easier on the eyes. The screen is also in hi-definition which makes everything more realistic. The iPad screen size will make it more enjoyable to play games (yes, we old folks sometimes like to play games in our spare time) or watch videos. The large screen may also prove to be a downfall. If the screen is as delicate as the iPod screens can be, the size could become an issue. Larger screens mean more area to break. Also, the larger size would make it a little more cumbersome to carry around — it certainly won’t fit in your pocket.

The ease with which you can surf the web and read emails will make it much more appealing to older “technically challenged” users than a computer or laptop. It has an almost full sized touch screen keyboard and allows you to use it as a word processor of sorts. The calendar and contacts on the iPad look like real appointment books due to the size.

All of the apps that are currently available for the iPhone will work for the iPad yet you will need to view them in the center of the screen or you can enlarge them in “pixel double” mode which tends to crudely expand them. Also, the new iBook site that Apple opened to go along with the iPad allows you to download a book with the touch of a finger and turn the page with a flick of your finger. Reading an e-book on the iPad will create a whole new experience and give the Kindle a run for its money. All of your Kindle books, by the way, should be able to be downloaded onto the iPad.

The price and speed of the iPad make it worth considering; with the added capability of a camera and phone functionality, I believe it would truly be the whole package. I know that I would be waiting in line to purchase it!

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