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With iPad in the market now, if you are still not sure what all the hubbub's about, get some questions you need answered before you click the "buy" button? Help is here.
What's so special about the iPad — or tablets in general, for that matter?
The iPad is Apple's first tablet device since the early 1990s, when the original (and now-extinct) Newton landed with a thud. Back then, though, laptops still weighed 10 pounds, PDAs didn't really exist yet (the Newton was arguably the first), and the only people with cell phones were the likes of Gordon Gekko. Now, of course, touchscreen smartphones and ultralight laptops are everywhere, but tablet PCs — which are, as Steve Jobs himself admitted during the big iPad unveiling, stuck somewhere between a smartphone and a laptop — have yet to truly take off. Will the iPad be the device that finally turns the tablet PC into a mainstream gadget? Looks like we're about to find out.
How does one use the iPad, exactly?
A lot like you would the iPhone. The main "home" screen displays your various iPad apps, with a row of four core apps (Web browsing, e-mail, photos, and iPod) along the bottom. Tap to launch an app, swipe through photos and e-mail, "pinch" to zoom in or out of a Web page — you know the drill. Nice, but those hoping for some kind of groundbreaking tablet UI on the iPad will be disappointed.
Will there be apps written specifically for the iPad's larger screen?
You bet, and several companies have already announced their initial iPad offerings, ranging from Gameloft (which has already showed off a revamped version of its first-person sci-fi shooter, "N.O.V.A.") to Amazon (which is teeing up a full-screen Kindle reader for the iPad). Meanwhile, Apple has promised iPad versions of its iWork productivity suite (including Pages for word processing, Keynote for presentations, and Numbers for spreadsheets).
What about those 3G iPads — will I need to sign a contract? Which carriers are supported?
The good news: No need to sign another two-year agreement for a 3G iPad data plan. Instead, you can get a month-to-month prepaid plan: $14 a month for 250MB of data (which should be fine for checking e-mail and light Web surfing, but not so great for streaming large quantities of video), or $29 a month for unlimited data. The bad news: AT&T is the only U.S. carrier offering an iPad data plan, for now anyway.
What about battery life?
Expect 10 hours of active use on a single charge, or a month of stand-by time, according to Apple. As with the iPhone, though, the iPad's battery is sealed in the shell, meaning you won't be able to swap in a spare battery if you're running out of juice. Apple says it can replace a dead for you, but the service will set you back a cool $99.
Say I buy an iPad and don't like it. What's Apple's return policy?
You've got 14 days from the day you receive your iPad to return it for a refund, according to the Apple store's terms and conditions. If the iPad box is unopened, you'll get a full refund; if you crack open the box, though, Apple will charge you a 10 percent restocking fee. Read More FAQs here...
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