What You Need to Know About the Apple iPad

HOUSTON - We’re learning more about the Apple iPad since its announcement last week, so if you’re still on the fence as to what to make of the media device, here are some basics to help break it down.

We know it looks cool, it can surf the web and display books and movies, but that doesn’t mean you should buy the first iPad available.

Pricing starts at $499 for the model coming out in March 2010. It has 16GB of memory, letting you store plenty of video, songs and games. You can double the memory (32GB) for $100 more and quadruple it (64GB) for $200 more. If you like apps, games, music, and lots of video, aim for the 32GB model.

The first released iPads will only work with a WiFi network, so you have to be in a location with wireless Internet (home, coffee shop, deli, etc) if you want to use the web.

If using the web pretty much anywhere interests you, wait until the end of April. It’s then, for $130 more, you can get the 3G and WiFi model. Paired with a data plan from AT&T, you can access the web on the road, at a bus stop, and so on.

Visually, the WiFi iPad and the 3G/WiFi iPad don’t look much different. The 3G model has a black piece of train in the upper back portion of the unit, most likely where the receiver is for the wireless data. On the WiFi unit, the back is all white with no black trim.

Moving on, the iPad has no physical keyboard, which means you type on the screen similar to the iPhone. Because the iPad is larger, however, it should be easier to do. For those that are tactile and need to feel the buttons, Apple plans on releasing accessories that will let you hook up an actual keyboard while the pad sits upright on its own in a stand.

Also just like the iPhone, it is not expected the iPad will support Flash technology. Which means watching video on the regular YouTube website is not an option. The lack of Flash will also prevent you from navigating some websites and making use of special interactive features on others.

The battery will give you 10 hours of video watching on a full charge. It lasts longer if you’re just listening to music with the screen off. But after a year of heavy use, the battery probably won’t last as long due to normal wear and tear. Eventually you’ll have to pay Apple to replace the battery since it’s internal and non-removable by the user.

If you just like reading and are thinking about using the iPad as an “e-book,” don’t be took quick to look over devices like Amazon.com’s Kindle. The Kindle has a cheaper price tag and has a paper-like screen that some say is friendlier on the eyes. With the iPad, you’re looking at a monitor similar to that of a computer.

Also, if you’re considering replacing your laptop with the iPad, take into consideration the lack of a keyboard and other ports/drives. By the time you hook up all the desired accessories and a dock to make the pad stand on its own, you might be carrying around a case that’s the same size as a normal, fully-functioning laptop.

Make no mistake - the iPad is a sleek, fun device that will be great for consuming media, but your best bet is to wait for it to go on display in the Apple Store so you can hold in your hands before making a purchase.