The Apple iPad is one of the most hyped consumer electronic products. On the 28th January 2010, after months of speculation about a mythical tablet like service that was going to be launched. At the Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco Steve Jobs stepped onto the stage and announced the new iPad - which will be on sale in 60 days? Why 60 days? This is a normal ploy for Apple now to pre announce a product and then allow the hype to grow even more.

Before the official launch there were many rumours about the name including iSlate, the iTablet, the Jesus tablet. Now, however, Apple has settled on the name iPad. Many hate the name, but just like the name iPod individuals will get used to it. It took sometime for the iPod to become synonymous with MP3 players. Will the iPad do the same thing with in the tablet market?

What is all the hype about?

The iPad is different on so many levels. It includes a large 9.7 inch touch screen, 1GH A4 Apple designed chip, 9 new custom itouch apps, ibookstore for downloading ebooks, and iwork suite now available for iPad. It's a tablet and ebook reader all rolled straight into one stunning looking device

iPad pricing should at ?499 and goes all the way to ?829 for the 64 GB 3g enabled iPad.

When is the iPad release date?

Now officially announced by Apple, the iPad will launch April the 3rd 2010, with pre orders starting on March the 12th. Note: this is incorporated in the US market only and the iPad release date throughout the world has not been announced yet. The 3G version is will be available in late April. However, international users should expect that the launch will be in late April.

Are you excited now that the iPad release date has been announced?