iPad – While many people waited for the launching of the controversial iTablet (officially called as iPad), it looks like that techies are a bit lukewarm on Apple’s iPad.

Last night Apple launched its newest addition to its roster of innovative technology devices, the iPad. However, for many, it was a big disappointment. Unlike Apple’s wildly successful iPhone, for which people lined up when it was introduced back in 2007, reaction to the iPad is lukewarm. During the press conference, it was observed that there was more silence than applause for the Apple product.

“Our latest super gadget, iPad, is better than laptop and a smart phone”, said Steve Jobs, the Chief Executive Officer of Apple Inc. Nonetheless, the product did not fulfill its promise. One of the more disappointing parts of the iPad tablet computer today was the absence of Flash, Adobe’s technology for web video and other media.

Adobe’s Adrian Ludwig commented by saying, “It looks like Apple is continuing to impose restrictions on their devices that limit both content publishers and consumers. Unlike many other ebook readers using the ePub file format, consumers will not be able to access ePub content with Apple’s DRM technology on devices made by other manufacturers. And without Flash support, iPad users will not be able to access the full range of web content, including over 70% of games and 75% of video on the web. If I want to use the iPad to connect to Disney, Hulu, Miniclip, Farmville, ESPN, Kongregate, or JibJab — not to mention the millions of other sites on the web — I’ll be out of luck.”

The following are some of the important features that are missing in the iPad (which gained so much disappointment): iPad Flash, iPad Multi-tasking, iPad Camera, and iPad USB ports.

Apple’s Steve Jobs: iPad has built-in calendar and address book

Photo credits: www.apple.com

APPLE – Catch Apple Tablet Press Conference live online. Among the topics of Apple’s “Come See Our Latest Creation” event include iLife and iPhone OS 4.0.

Steve Job, the Chief Executive Officer of Apple Inc., will unveil the much-awaited Apple iTablet (also known as iPad and iSlate) computer today at an event in San Francisco. The said press conference will begin at exactly 10 a.m. PT, or 1 p.m. ET.

Job reportedly said that the launching of the Apple Tablet will be the most important thing he would ever do. However, Apple will not be live-streaming the event online, and it has historically discouraged attendees from video- and audio-streaming the event.

On the lighter note, there’s going to be a live coverage from a handful of great live blog technology websites like Gizmodo and Gdgt, which are known to feature live blogs for Apple events, including the best photos, good commentaries, fastest updates, and great live blog technology. There’s also going to be a live coverage from famous technology sites, including Ars Technica, Engadget, Macworld, etc. You can also try to visit Justin.tv or Ustream for possible live video streamings.

Photo credits: Google

Apple iTablet — With all the recent talk about the iSlate, iPad, iSlab, it seems like the obvious candidate for the name of Apple’s rumored tablet computer is being completely overlooked… iTablet.

Apple’s first phone that later came to be called the iPhone, maybe the most obvious name for an Apple tablet the iTablet. A certain picture was taken by an Apple Store employee’s corporate email after receiving information about the time and place of Wednesday’s Apple event.

While the content of the email wasn’t very enlightening, note the word used in the filename of the second attachment: “iTablet.” Now this doesn’t prove a thing. The administrative assistant who sent the mass email could have been using “itablet’ much in the same way that we’ve been using the term for years as a generic placeholder for the rumored device.

Got any guess about the upcoming tablet? Share them.

Source and image credits: Engadget

Apple iSlate — The Apple tablet, whether you want to call it the iSlate, the iTablet, or “Betty,” hasn’t even been verified to exist at this point. However, that’s not keeping other manufacturers from coming out with their own competition to the mythical device.

At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, which runs from Thursday, January 7th through Sunday, January 10th, several vendors may be showing devices to compete with an Apple design that hasn’t even been leaked, cheesy specs notwithstanding.

Mobile handset heavyweight HTC, the same company that will debut the new Google Nexus One Android phone on January 5th, is expected to have a tablet ready to show at CES. HTC is an OEM, so it’s not likely that a tablet will appear under the HTC label. Instead, traditional PC sellers such as ASUS, HP, and Dell will probably announce devices that have been designed and built by HTC or other OEMs.

HTC isn’t the only company jumping into the tablet fray; Freescale Semiconductor will be showing a “tablet reference design” at CES as well. The Freescale device (at right) has a 7″ display and is designed to take up about one-third the volume of a current netbook. Freescale’s tablet will be shown running both Google Android OS and some variety of Linux, and is rumored to have “all day” battery life and instant-on functionality.

While the HTC and Freescale tablets are designed for sale by other companies, an Indian startup called Notion Ink will be showing a 10.1″ touchscreen device at CES that they have designed and will build. Even Microsoft could get into the CES tablet action by having CEO Steve Ballmer demonstrate the Courier device.

The announcements are sure to place some price pressure on Apple: Freescale’s design is intended for retail prices in the $200 range, much less than the $600 – $1,000 expected for Apple’s device. Of course, Apple is all about the design, functionality, and user experience of their devices and software, and the capabilities of the tablet will need to show perceived value to potential customers. One thing is for sure — tablets have sparked the imagination of the public and manufacturers, and we’re going to hear a lot about them in the upcoming year.

Source: TUAW (The Unofficial Apple Webblog)