The new iPad launched this week and it's been all over the news. It's 1.5 pounds, half an inch thick, and boasts a 9.7-inch display. The base model with 16GB is $499.
While some features are lacking (no camera or Flash capability) it does do everything that the iTouch does and more - video, music, games, Internet, a word processing program... and an eReader!
Apple has launched the iBook store and it is similar to iTunes. The iBook program uses the ePub format, which is the most popular in the world. Pages can be changed with the press of a button or by touching the screen and turning pages naturally. One can also adjust the font size. Of the big publishing houses, only Random House has yet to sign a deal, and they are currently in talks with Apple.
For those of us with an iPhone or iTouch, unless we just gotta have one, it presents nothing revolutionary. However, for anyone who is debating whether to buy a Kindle (the eBook store's prime competition), a Sony, or a Nook, this deal is a no-brainer. For only $200 more, you not only get a really awesome eReader - you get to watch movies, play games, listen to music, and surf the web. How cool is that?